Ruth was originally called Sadie by her family. She was born in Poland and on her mother’s ship maninfest she appears as Sure Roase. According to the manifest, she was born circa 1902 and emigrated to the United States with her mother and 3 siblings in 1907. [1]
Newspapers were like the Facebook of their day, and from them, we learn about some interesting facts about Sadie’s early life.
In 1909, Sadie was assaulted. Her assailant was found guilty but since he was a juvenile, he was only “lectured” before being allowed to leave the court.
This article appeared in the Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) on July 16, 1909, Friday, Page 14.
In 1911, she and her siblings, Otto and Frieda, helped to raise $2000 for the Passiac County Children’s Home. The siblings 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 evening of June 11 of 1912, Saide was playing hide-and-seek with her sister, Frieda, by the mill on the corner of Arch and River streets in Paterson. Suddenly, a pile of flagging and curbstones fell on top of Saide’s foot fracturing it. Her father sued the mill for $500 but was awarded only $250.
This appeared in The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) on September 6, 1912, Friday, Page 1 and continued on Page 9.
By the time she married, Saide was now using the name Ruth.
She wed Harold Jones in October of 1923. The wedding announcement appeared in The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) on cotober 9, 1923, Utesday, Page2
By 1930, they had 2 sons: Arnold and Lawrence.
Ruth was active in the ladies auxiliary of the Geldziler Democratic League. She was honored for her work at a testimonail dinner. Her brother, Paul, who was also active in the organization, was among the guests.
This article appeared in The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) on Aparil 15, 1935, Monday, Page 11.
By 1943, Ruth was divorced from Harold and remarried to Leo Germain. In February 1948, Ruth’s mother died. That May, Ruth’s son, Arnold, married Bernice Grossman. Ruth and her father, Isador, walked Arnold down the aisle.
Below left are Leo and Ruth. On the right is Ruth’s younger son, Larry.
Bernice and Arnold,, then comes Ruth, Leo, and Ruth’s brother, Arthur
Bottom row: Lillian Rothman, Leo, Larry and ?, Ruth, Isadore, Rosalind holding on to Sharon, Rube Spitz (Rosalind’s husband), Frieda, Arthur, Milton Berkowitz (Frieda’s husband)
Top row: Paul (husband of Lillian), ?, ?, Don Spitz, Arnold, ?, Bernice, ?, Marvin’s date, Marvin (Frieda’s son)
above are Roslyn and Larry, the Bernsteins, and Bernice and Arnold, Ruth’s son
on the left: unknown man, Ruth, Leo
Ruth died in New Jersey in May of 1976. She was 72 years old.
Her Obituary appeared in The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey) on May 6, 1976, Thursday, Page 59. Note that in it, her sister Frieda’s first name is incorrect and she is now going by Berk rather than Berkowitz.
According to one of her granddaughter’s, Ruth was the ringleader of a difficult and dysfunctional family. [2]
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] email from Donna Pethtel 8/1/2022