Sideny was born to Isadore and Katie Drucker Kirsch on September 14, 1911. In 1910, his family was living on Rivington Street in New York City, but by the time of the 1915 New York State Census [1], his family had moved to DeKalb Avenue in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. At the time of his birth, he had one older sister, Leah who later went by Lillian.
Katie, Sidney, Isadore and Leah, circa 1911
By the 1920 Federal Census, Sidney had 3 more siblings: William, Helen, and George. [2] By the 1930 Census, his family had relocated to Paterson, New Jersey. [3]
In the 1930s we know that Sidney enjoyed bike riding and racing, and that he belonged to a cycling club. [4] [5]
In 1936, he got engaged to Lillian Rifkin. Sidney was now 25 years old. [6]
They were married at the Broadway Central Hotel in New York City according to an article in The Morning Call, Paterson, New Jersey, Tuesday, December 15, 1936. The article described a sursprise shower given in honor of Lillian Rifkin.
A family portrait from the wedding of Sid and Lillian (Lakey). Front row: Katie, the bride, Isdore, Lillian
Standing: George, Sidney, Bill, Helen, and Paul Rothman who would marry Lillian
Sidney at work at Kirsch & Sons and standing outside the station with his father
Sidney and Lakey celebrated their first anniversary with a special dinner out at Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel in New York.
Sidney’s 1940 draft card, shows that he was living at 217 Hamilton Avenue in Paterson, and that he worked for his father at Kirsch & Sons. We also learn that he was 5′ 6 1/2″ tall and weighed 175 pounds. He had brown eyes and hair and a ruddy complexion. [7] He was also known for having very curly hair.
In the 1940 Federal Census, we see that he completed only the first year of high school and that he worked as a gasoline attendant.
In his house, besides his wife and 1 year old son, lived his wife’s brother, Abadore RIfkin. [8]
Sidney is holding his son, Joseph, in the photo.
Lakey and Joey visit the station. Note the price of gas.
Sidney’s father died in 1947. In his will, Isadore stated that Sidney should be the head of Kirsch & Sons. He also left Sidney his car and a diamond ring. [9]
Because Isadore did not leave anything to his daughters, whenever the brothers (Sid, Bill, and George) made an investment, they would also invest for their two sisters. A full share would go to each of them and a half share each to Lillian and Helen.
In the 1950 Federal Census, Sidney and his family were still living 215 – 217 Hamilton Avenue in Paterson. He now had three children: 2 sons and 1 daughter. His brother-in-law was still living with him, and now they also had a border. Both his brother-in-law and his border worked alongside him at the gas station. However, Sidney now referred to the business as fuel oil distributors and he listed himself as a mechanic working on the delivery trucks. [10]
Their accountant and friends were the Millers. Here is the Kirsch family at the Miller’s son’s bar mitzvah.
Seated: Paul and Lillian Rothman, Katie Kirsch, Florence and Bill Kirsch, Helen Warren
Standing: Sidney and Lakey, Estelle and George Kirsch, Abe Warren
Sidney was close to his brother-in-law, Paul Rothman. When Paul died in 1955, Sidney tried to spend quality time with his nephew, Stan. He even attended many of Stan’s little league games.
However, Sidney did have one bad habit. He liked to gamble. Family stories say that one night he was found beat up in an alley for not paying his debts, and that his brother, Bill, often had to meet people in allies to pay his debts for him.
Around 1957, Sidney moved his family to 9-01 6th St., Fair Lawn, New Jersey. At some point after they moved, their old house at 215 – 217 Hamilton Avenue in Paterson was torn down. Today it is a parking lot which you can see on Google Maps
Here are Bill and Lakey lighting a candle at their nephew Sandy’s Bar Mitzvah.
Around 1960, Sid and his two brothers bought a concession on the boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Their children and their nephew, Stan, have fun memories of the going to, or working at, the concession. To learn more about the Asbury Park venture, read the blog “Asbury Park Memories”.
I have fond memories of double-dating with Sid and Lakey when I was dating my husband, Stan. We played miniature golf with them and one time, Uncle Sid took us to watch indoor bike races. His two sons had been bike racers but they were mentored by Sid’s brother, George.
Lakey and Sidney with two of their grandchildren.
Sidney and Lakey stopped by Sid’s sister’s apartment in Hackensack, NJ, to see their great-nephews who were visiting for the day. These are Stan’s sons.
Sid enjoyed bike riding throughout his life. Here he is in 1978 at age 67 still riding! [11]
Sidney visits his sister at her new home in Cheshire, CT.
Sid and Lakey would spend time every year in Florida. One year while they were there, some teenagers, snuck into the basement of their Fair Lawn home. Somehow a fire started and their house burned down. Lakey had been the family historian and had a lot of information. It was all lost in the fire.
Sadly, Lakey passed away in 1990. [12]
Although Sid’s sister, Lillian, passed away in 1991, Sid’s daughter, Selma, drove him up to CT to visit his nephew, Stan, Lillian’s son. Here he is with his great-nephew. The two of them are looking at baseball cards together.
Sidney and his brother, George
Sidney and a lady friend named Flo
Sid died at his home in Margate, FL, on October 3, 1997. [13] He was 87 years old and had had an aneurism.
Sources
- [1] 1910 NY State Census for Kirsch family – Year: 1910; Census Place: Manhattan Ward 17, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1031; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0869; FHL microfilm: 1375044 Title1910 United States Federal Census AuthorAncestry.com
- [2] 1920 Federal Census for Kirsch family – Detail Year: 1920; Census Place: Brooklyn Assembly District 6, Kings, New York; Roll: T625_1153; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 354 Title1920 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com
- [3] 1930 Federal Census for Kirsch Family – Year: 1930; Census Place: Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey; Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 0045; FHL microfilm: 2341115 Title1930 United States Federal Census AuthorAncestry.com
- [4] Triangle Cyclers in Races Tomorrow – Detail 23 Jun 1934 Web address https://www.newspapers.com/clip/132578217/the-morning-call/?xid=637 Title Newspapers.com – The Morning Call – 23 Jun 1934 – Page 26 Publisher The Morning CallPublisher date 23 Jun 1934 Publisher location Paterson, New Jersey
- [5] Triangle Cyclers Receive Awards –
- Triangle Cyclers Receive Awards – 23 Feb 1935 Web address https://www.newspapers.com/clip/132578514/triangle-cyclers-receive-awards/?xid=637Title Newspapers.com – The Morning Call – 23 Feb 1935 – Page 20 Publisher The Morning Call Publisher date 23 Feb 1935 Publisher location Paterson, New Jersey
- [6] Lillian Rifkin Engagement Announcement – Web address https://www.newspapers.com/clip/131285880/lakey-and-sidney-wed/?xid=637 Title Newspapers.com – The News – 10 Jul 1936 – Page 12 Publisher The News Publisher date 10 Jul 1936 Publisher location Paterson, New Jersey
- [7] Sidney Kirsch’s Draft Card – Page 1 – Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Multiple Registrations 2012 Web address https://www.fold3.com/image/675525636?xid=1945 Title Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Multiple Registrations Publisher The National Archives Publisher date 2012 Publisher location United States of America Name https://www.fold3.com and Page 2 – Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Multiple Registrations 2012 Web address https://www.fold3.com/image/675525637?xid=1945
- [8] 1940 Federal Census for Sidney Kirsch Family –
- Year: 1940; Census Place: Paterson, Passaic, New Jersey; Roll: m-t0627-02431; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 26-68A 1940 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com
- [9] Newspaper Description of Estate of Isadore Kirsch – The News (Paterson, New Jersey), 23 Oct 1947 Thursday, Page 3
- [10] 1950 Federal Census for Sidney Kirsch Family –
- 1950 United States Federal Census – Author Ancestry.com Note Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. iPopulation Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950/i. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC. piPopulation Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950/i. NAID: a href=”https://catalog.archives.gov/id/43290879″ target=”_blank”43290879/a. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 – 2007, Record Group 29. National Archives at Washington, DC., Washington, DC./pPublisherAncestry.com Operations, Inc. Publisher date 2022
- [11] Sidney Bike Riding at Age 67 – 29 Dec 1978 Web address https://www.newspapers.com/clip/132578888/the-record/?xid=637 Newspapers.com – The Record – 29 Dec 1978 – Page 17 Publisher The Record Publisher date 29 Dec 1978 Publisher location Hackensack, New Jersey
- [12] Lillian Kirsch Obituary, 1990 – South Florida Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FLorida) 15 De 1990, Saturday, Page 44
- [13] Sidney Kirsch Obituary, 1997 – South Florida Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FLorida) 14 Oct 1997, Tuesday, Page 23