Arthur was the first of five children born born to Isador and Anna.
Arthur Elliot emigrated to the United States with his mother in 1907. On the ship manifest his name appears as Uscher. [1]
In 1911, Otto and his sisters, Ruth and Frieda, helpd to raise $2000 for the Passiac County Children’s Home. The girls patroled the streets of Paterson along with over 250 other children. They worked from early in the morning to nine o’clock at night. (Since it was September, I imagine it was dark by the time they finished.) Every little bit helped! Frieda raised $3.22, Otto raised $2.90 and Ruth raised $.24.
This article appeared in The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) on September 25, 1911, Thursday, Page 8.
On the United States federal census records up to 1920, he is listed as Otto. Starting in 1930, he appears as Arthur. His date of birth ranges from 1898 to 1901 according to various census records. However, he is also listed as Arthur on his World War I draft card. [2]
In the 1940 Federal Census, he is the only child still living at home. He is working as a salesman for wholesale dresses. For the year 1939 he earned $650. [3] That would equate to $14,254.78 in 2023. [4] However, he indicated he did have another source of income.
He never married but he would visit he mother’s house when he nieces and nephews were visiting and they all seem to remember him fondly. From family stories, we know he loved to dance and he went on several cruises a year.
Here he is holding his neice, Sharon, daughter of his sister Rosalyn, in Poughkeepsie, New York.
He moved to California later in life and convinced his sister, Frieda, to move there also.
He is buried in Home of Peace Memorial Park [5] in East Los Angeles. He died from cancer in 1989.
Sources
- [1] Anna (Chana) Rothman’s ship manifest: The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at and Departing from Ogdensburg, New York, 5/27/1948 – 11/28/1972; Microfilm Serial or NAID: T715, 1897-1957, Title New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 Author Ancestry.com
- [2] Arthur’s WWI Draft Card: Registration State: New Jersey; Registration County: Passaic information Title U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Author Ancestry.com
- [3] 1940 Federal Census for Arthur – Year: 1940; Census Place: Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey; Roll: m-t0627-02429; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 26-16Edit source 1940 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com
- [5] FindAGrave.com for Arthur’s marker