Meyer Kirsch married Ettel (Ethel / Ida) in the Lodz area in Galicia around 1885. This is based on the ages of their children from various ship manifests and from United States census records. Also, on the ship manifest for Ettel, it confirms she came from Lodz. [1]
Meyer came to the United States in 1903 after at least one son, Morris, settled here. A few months after Morris arrived, 2 more children, Mendel and Malke, emigrated. Ettel (Ida) and the two youngest children, Itze and Leie, followed in March, 1904. All of them sailed from Rottendam in the Netherlands. Did they arrive there separately? Or did they travel to Rottendam together but sailed separately in order to money for their travels while waiting to board the steamships? At this point, we do not know.
On his ship manifest, Meyer says he was going to his son Morris’s house in New York City. [2]
Meyer arrived in August of 1903. He was detained upon arrival waiting for a doctor’s certificate. [3] He was only served one dinner and was admitted to the United States on the same day he was detained. This must have been a scary ordeal for someone new to the country who did not speak the language. Some detainees were deported back to their home country and some were sent to the hospital for contagious diseases. We can only imagine how frightened he must have been. [4]
In the 1905 New York State Census, Meyer is living in Brooklyn with his reunited family, and working as a tailor. [5]
By 1910, Meyer is living in Paterson, New Jersey, at 24 N. Main Street and is working as a tailor. [6] He and his wife are empty-nesters now.
It is interesting that they moved to Paterson, New Jersey. That city had a large influx of immigrants from the Lodz area in the early 1900s due to the silk mills there.
Note that on the 1910 Federal Census [7] Ethel reported that she had 11 children with 7 living. We can account for five of them: Morris, who Meyer first went to, Max, Minnie, Isadore, and Lily, Did two stay behind or were they already living on their own in the United States and therefore not accounted for on any census record?
By the 1920 Federal Census,[8] Meyer and Ethel are living on Hamburgh Avenue in a house they owned. Meyer is now working as a merchant in a clothing store. He is not yet naturalized but has submitted his papers.
It also says he emigrated in 1890, but I have seen several different dates of possible emigration years. Either he came for a while and went back or the date is totally incorrect. The ship manifest in 1903 clearly shows he is going to his son Morris. Also, his youngest daughter was born circa 1891 so did he leave a pregnant wife alone when he left for the New World? According to Ettel’s ship manifest above, she arrived in 1904, even though the 1920 Census says she arrived in 1897. On the 1904 ship manifest, her daughter Leie is listed as 14 years old, so she was born circa 1890. If Meyer really emigrated in 1890, then his wife and children would not have seen him for 14 years if you assume the ship manifest is really her. I really don’t think that Meyer immigrated in 1890, though.
Ethel / Ida died in 1926 in Paterson, NJ. She was buried in the Congregation B’nai Israel Cemetery in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. You can see how many different spellings there were for her name. [9]
From 1910 – 1931 we find Meyer listed in the city directories working as a tailor. In the 1930 and 1931 [10] city directories for Paterson, New Jersey, Meyer is working as a tailor again this time on Hamilton Avenue. However, at this time, we cannot find a 1930 US Census Record for him.
There is no entry for him after 1931. Did he remarry? It looks like he may have remarried and moved to New York. His father’s name on his death certificate [11] does not match the father’s name on the grave. However, people filling out the death certificates are often under stress and his new wife, Anna, might not have been sure of his father’s name. Do we then trust the mother’s name on the death certificate? It is listed as Leah and he and Ethel / Ida did name a daughter Lily who could have been named for Leah, her grandmother. His name and occupation do match what we know of Meyer. So, this is a “best guess” and with later proof may not be him afterall.
If the above death certificate if correct, then “our” Meyer is buried in Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, New York. [12]
What is interesting is the pitcher on the gravestone indicating that he was a Levite. His first wife Ethel’s father was also a Levite. Were he and Ethel cousins back in the Lodz? It was common back then for cousins to marry.
Translated, his Hebrew name on the stone says Meir son of Chaim. [13]
As you can see from reading this page, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about Meyer’s family.
Sources
- [1] Ship Manifest for Ethel Kirsch from 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, 1897-195 Title New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957Author Ancestry.com
- [2] Ship manifest for Meir Kirsch – 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
- [3] Meir Kirsch – List of Detainees – 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
- [4] Medical Inspection of Immigrants at Ellis Island – 1891 – 1924
- [5] 1905 US Census – New York, State Census, 1905 Author Ancestry.com
- [6] 1910 US City Directory for Paterson, NJ – U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 Author Ancestry.com
- [7] 1910 Federal Census – Year: 1910; Census Place: Paterson Ward 1, Passaic, New Jersey; Roll: T624_905; Page: 17a; Enumeration District: 0086; FHL microfilm: 1374918 Title1910 United States Federal CensusAuthorAncestry.com
- [8] 1920 Federal Census – Year: 1920; Census Place: Paterson Ward 2, Passaic, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1064; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 73 Title1920 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com
- [9] FindAGrave record for Ethel Kirsch
- [10] 1931 US CIty Directory for Paterson, NJ – U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 Author Ancestry.com
- [11] Death certificate for Meyer Kirsch found on Historical VItal Records, The New York City Municipal Archives
- ]12] FindAGrave record for Meyer Kirsch
- [13] grave translation by volunteers on Tracing the Tribe Facebook Group