Finding the missing link: the Wilson's in Hudson, NY

My grandfather Joe Wilson once mentioned in my presence that he and his family spent some time in Hudson before moving to New York City. 

So, early on in my research I determined to find them. (After I figured out that he likely meant Hudson in Columbia County, New York rather than Hudson County, New Jersey) I located a 1900 census record for a Wilson family at 254 Diamond Street that seemed to fit as a puzzle piece - if one dexterously applied a hammer and chisel. [1] 

What I had here was a problem of assessing and determining identity - a classic genealogy research problem.[2]

To be sure, there were some issues -  including the fact that only three of the six first names matched my family. As far as I knew, after his 1891 (not 1871) arrival in the United States, my great grandfather, Selig Wilenski, took the name Saul Wilson.[3] Saul's wife was Hoda Epstein Wilson, not Annie, and she immigrated with their children Nechama (who took the name Nina), Josef (not Daniel) and Benjamin in 1897.[4] Their last child, Esther, was the only one born in the United States.

The ages and birth order of the children were about right on the census form, but that was about it! While there were a few other Wilson families in Hudson at that time, no others were Russian immigrants and no others had the first names for which I was searching.  

I was pretty sure I had the correct family and record for them, but it was only with the recent find of Saul Wilson's 1905 removal sale advertisement in the Hudson newspaper that I can now confirm the identity of the Cyrus and Annie Wilson family in the 1900 U.S. census in Hudson, NY.

Several years ago I scrolled through 1884 through 1912 Hudson city directories on Family History Library microfilm and located a Saul Wilson who first appeared in the Hudson directories in 1898 and no longer appeared there after 1904.

1898 - Wilson, Saul, dry goods, 60 Chapel
1899 - Wilson, Saul, dry goods, 19 Diamond
1900 - Williams, Saul, peddler, 254 Diamond (1900 census shows Cyrus Wilson, clothing salesman, at this address)
1901 - Wilson, Shaw, agent, 14 Union
1902 - Wilson, Saul, agent, 14 Union
1903, Wilson, Saul, clothing, 24 S. Front
1904 - Wilson, Saul - ladies furnishing, clothing, &c, 351 Warren

I was hoping the directory would show Saul Wilson in Hudson in 1900 to help resolve the identity issue, but it did not. The 1900 census showed Cyrus Wilson at 254 Diamond and the city directory showed Saul Williams and no listing for anyone named Saul Wilson at that address. I noted, however, that "Saul Williams" directory listing is at the end of a list of people surnamed Williams and just before Thomas Wilson. My thought is that Saul "Williams" may have been a typographical error and that Saul should have been included under the immediately following Wilson heading.
 

1900 Hudson City Directory, p. 220A

There are other directory errors, as well. Thank goodness this peripatetic family stayed put at 14 Union beyond a year so that the 1901 "Shaw" Wilson directory entry could be corrected in the 1902 edition.

I actually had some strong evidence of the identity of the Saul Wilson family in Hudson from a passenger manifest record of 23 December 1903. On that date, 28-year-old Moses Epstein arrived at Ellis Island and indicated that his ultimate destination was Hudson, New York and his brother-in-law Samuel Wilson, 20 S. Front Street.[5] The 1904 Hudson City directory shows Moses Epstein, peddler, at 351 Warren (the same residence as Saul Wilson in the directory). Hoda's maiden name had been Epstein and I think I have located her brother, previously unknown to me.

Of course, Moses was going to "Samuel" Wilson at 20 (rather than 24) S. Front Street, but it's close to the correct Wilson address in 1903! We know that passenger manifests were created by shipping company clerks at ports of embarkation from records created by ticket agents.[6] So, there were many opportunities, as these records were transcribed and transferred for errors, such as these, to be introduced.

Beyond city directories, which supported but did not definitively indicate that the 1900 Saul Wilson was my Saul Wilson, I can show that children named Nina, Joseph and Benjamin Wilson were in school in Hudson in 1898, 1900 and 1901. The local newspaper printed lists of pupils who had "won promotion" in the Hudson schools. I located these in the Hudson (NY) Evening Register at the library at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson.

"Pupils Who Have Won Promotion," Hudson Evening Register, 30 June 1898, [no page no.], col 6.

"Have Been Promoted," Hudson Evening Register, 2 July 1900, p. 2, col 6.

"Pupils Promoted in the Public Schools," Hudson Evening Register, 1 July 1901, [no page no.], col 6.

If school children Nina, Joe and Ben Wilson in these news stories are all my relatives, then all three Wilson siblings were in the same classes at Fourth Street School. Ben (probably born in 1891) would have been the only one of the three who was the appropriate age (6-7 years old in first grade; 8-9 in third and 9-10 in fourth). But considering the language barrier (the Wilson family had just arrived in the USA from the Russian Empire in 1897) and the possibility that the children had little or no formal education in the old country, the two older children may have been slightly behind in their studies.

I can show that my family was in Hudson on November 10 1898. That is when my great aunt Esther was born.

Her Hudson birth register record shows that her mother was Hoda Epstein Wilson (34 years old) and her father was Saul (35). Both parents had been born in Russia.[7]

All of these records added to the argument that the people in the 1900 census record were my Wilson family, but no one record tied it all together.

When I was in Hudson several years ago, I attempted to locate old synagogue records, since it is likely that my family had been members of one of the Jewish congregations. Unfortunately, a contact in the only current synagogue in Hudson stated that they do not have any records dating to the early 1900s.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about my great grandfather's advertisement in the Hudson, New York newspaper in March 1905.[8] The ad announced that Saul Wilson's store was having a big sale. Saul was planning to close his store in Hudson and open another shop at 196 Pearl Street in Albany, New York by 1 May 1905. 

The advertisement showed that Saul Wilson's Store was at 351 Warren Street in Hudson. This was the same address shown for Saul Wilson in the 1904 Hudson directory. 

While the Saul Wilson directory listings show him, variously, as selling dry goods, peddling, selling clothing, serving as an agent and selling ladies furnishings, clothing, etc, the advertisement makes it clear that Saul's inventory included women's, men's and children's clothing, some name-brand items (for which he could have been considered an agent), miscellaneous items, such as umbrellas, and notions. In short, these items are what used to be considered dry goods. So, despite the different wording, Saul was probably selling the same types of items throughout his time in Hudson.

For current purposes, however, the most important part of the "Removal Sale" advertisement is the first sentence.
 

This provided a link from Hudson to Albany and the 1905 New York State census enumeration of the family at 196 S. Pearl Street, Albany.[9]
 

Here in the 1905 census record is all the family as I know them (and as I have found them in other records, including the 1910 U.S. Census in New York City): Saul, Hoda, Nina, Joseph, Benjamin and Ester. They were all born in Russia except for Ester. Of course, this census enumerated indicated Ester was born in United "School" (adjacent lines indicate the enumerator meant to write "United States"). Compared to the census taker in 1900 Hudson, this 1905 one was a champ.

It is possible that Moses Epstein moved with his sister and brother-in-law to Albany from Hudson. The same 1905 census page shows a peddler of dry goods, Moses Epstein living as a boarder in the building next door to the one in which the Wilsons resided. In addition, the 1905 Albany city directory included an entry for a Morris Epstein then living at the same address as the Wilsons. It is possible that these two records caught an Americanizing name change for Hoda's brother from Moses to Morris (but this will require more research).  

I can now show that Saul Wilson in Hudson in 1904-5 is the same as Saul Wilson at 196 S. Pearl Street in Albany in 1905. And, due to Esther's birth record and school/newspaper records for the other children, I can show that Saul, Hoda, Nina, Joseph, and Benjamin Wilson were in Hudson before and after 1900. Additionally, I can show that Moses Epstein traveled to Hudson and lived in the same house as Saul Wilson and Hoda, whose maiden name was Epstein. 

I think I have nailed it. 

Cyrus and Annie? Welcome to the family!

Notes:
1. 1900 U.S. Census, Columbia County, New York, population schedule, Hudson, enumeration district 19, sheet 24A, dwelling 126, family 172, Cyrus and Annie Wilson household; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 January 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1019. 
2. Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, VA: National Genealogical Society, 2013), p. 1.
3. Manifest, S.S. Polaria, 23 November 1891, passenger no. 196, Selig Wilenski, age 28; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2008).
4. Manifest, S.S. Pisa, 1 June 1897, list 1, lines 1-4, Hode Wilensky (33), Nechame (9), Josef (7) and Benjamin (6); images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 September 2009).
5. Manifest, S.S. Albano, 22 December 1903, list 12, line 10, Moses Epstein, age 28; images, "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 October 2009).
6. Sallyann Amdur Sack-Pikus, "Just How Were Passenger Manifests Created?" Avotaynu 27:1:3-9, Spring 2011.
7. Esther Wilson, Hudson, Columbia County, New York, 1898 register of births, p. 36, record no. 3612, 10 November 1898.
8. "Removal Sale," advertisement, The Columbia Weekly Republican (Hudson, NY), 23 March 1905, p. 7, col. 5; image, NYS Historic Newspapers (http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/ : accessed 13 December 2016).
9. 1905 New York State Census, enumeration of inhabitants, Hudson, election district 1, ward 4, p. 20, Saul and Hoda Wilson family; images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 November 2010).

My DNA Arboriculture

Commons.Wikimedia.org

Recently many genealogists have jumped on a bandwagon started by blogger J. Paul Hawthorn. He created a chart using Excel to show where ancestors on his family tree were born. Then some genealogists, including Lara Diamond, thought to show their Y-DNA (father's father's father, etc.) and mitochondrial DNA (mother's mother's mother, etc.) haplogroups. 

Using this tool for DNA results is a terrific way to see how well one has applied DNA testing to one's tree. It really shows where the holes are and gives one an idea which relatives to approach next for further testing. 

For my family, I had to remake the chart to take into account the fact that my paternal grandparents (Jacob Garber and Dora Morris) were first cousins. Jacob's mother and Dora's father were siblings.

Holes in the Chart:

Morris (Mazewitsky) Y-DNA: I have not pursued this line yet, but I do have more than one Morris male relative to approach.

Wilson (Wilensky) Y-DNA: Soon to be accomplished. My cousin (a Wilson male) has just sent in his cheek swab test to FamilyTree DNA. Yes!

Liebross Y-DNA: I have asked some of my Liebross male cousins to test and have not yet received a yes (sigh).

Hoda Epstein Mt-DNA: I know of only one person I could approach on this (I missed my chance to ask her late mother to test). Right now I do not think the daughter is interested.

The other blanks cannot be pursued, at this point, unless I determine some additional collateral relatives on my tree.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Ben Wilson and Lena Cummings marriage certificate

Ben Wilson, my grandfather Joe's younger brother, married Lena or Leah Cummings in 1914. I recall Ben as a large man, at least larger than my grandfather, and somewhat larger than life. His granddaughter told me that her family considered him to be somewhat of a swashbuckling entrepreneur (although those were not the words she used). This fits with my mother's information that my grandmother insisted that my grandfather not enter into any additional business relationships with his brother after the two declared bankruptcy in 1928. 

What's interesting about this record is that I can find nothing about Lena/Leah before this record. She identified her parents' names and, in subsequent census records, identified when she arrived in the United States (about 1899), yet using this information I have not been able to locate her family or her in census or directory records prior to her marriage. Mount Judah Cemetery, where she is interred next to Ben, lists her as Leah Wilson who died in May 1964. I have not found her in the Social Security Death Index. I'm stumped.

New York County, New York, Certificate and Record of Marriage no. 17171 (2 July 1914), Benjamin Wilson and Lena Cummings, Municipal Archives, New York.

Items in red will be discussed further, below. 

[1st page]
Groom: Benjamin Wilson
Residence: 10 West 116 St.
Age: (24) Twenty four
Color: White
Single, Widowed or Divorced: Single
Occupation: Salesman
Birthplace: Russia
Father's Name: Saul
Mother's Maiden Name: Hoda Epstein
Number of Groom's Marriage: First

Bride: Lena Cummings
Residence: 706 Fairmont Place
Age: (22) Twenty two
Color: White
Single, Widowed or Divorced: Single
Maiden Name, if a Widow: [blank]
Birthplace: Russia
Father's Name: Henry
Mother's Maiden Name: May Shonen
Number of Bride's Marriage: first
 
I hearby certify that the above-named groom and bride were joined in marriage by me, in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, at 66 East 109 Street, in the borough of Manhattan, City of New York, this 2nd of July, 1914.
 
Signature of person performing the ceremony:
                                                        /s/ M. Kaufman 
Official Station: Rev. M. Kaufman
Residence: 66 E. 109, New York

Witnesses to }  Sigmund Kaufman
the Marriage }  Abraham Kaufman 
 
[2nd page]  
WE hereby certify that we are the Groom and Bride named in this Certificate, and that the information given therein is correct, to the best of our knowledge and belief.
                              /s/ Benjamin Wilson  Groom
                              /s/ Lena Cummings Bride  
Signed in the presence of  /s/ [blank]

----------------------- 

Fairmont Place, should actually be spelled Fairmount Place. It is in the Bronx. I could find no evidence of the Cummings family from Russia in the 1910 U.S. Census, the 1915 New York State Census or in directories from the period.

Ben and Lena's marriage license application indicates that the clergyman's full name was Morris Kaufman.[1] The two witnesses also gave 66 E. 109th Street as their address, so it's likely that they were relations of Rabbi Kaufman. 

Notes: 

1. Bronx County, New York, "Affidavit for License to Marry" no. 2624 (26 June 1914; marriage date 2 July 1914, certificate no.17171), Benjamin Wilson and Lena Cummings; "Bronx Marriage Licenses 1914, 1801-2700," Municipal Archives, New York City, microfilm roll 1914-3 MN 38003; transcription made from microfilmed image.

Treasure Chest Thursday: The Wilson Family

Selig Wilensky arrived in the United States in November 1891.[1] In his new land he became Saul Wilson. It was more than five years before his family joined him from Kasan, Russian Empire (today Kozyany, Belarus).[2] From 1898 through 1904 they lived in Hudson, New York. Their youngest daughter, Esther, was born in September 1898 in Hudson - their only child born in the United States.

Saul Wilson, Nina Wilson Herman, Benjamin Wilson, Esther Wilson Marwit Wasmflash, Joseph Wilson, Hoda Wilson (circa 1903); family collection.

I have a copy of this photograph and, therefore, have no information about the studio in which it was taken. I do not know if any family members have the original.

Hudson city directories for 1901 and 1902 list four photography studios:

Charles Booth, 551 Warren
Sullivan Brothers, 425 Warren
Nelson E. Weeks, 609 Warren
Volkert Whitbeck, Forshew's Photograph Gallery, 441 Warren [3]

Weeks' studio is no longer listed in 1903 and 1904 Hudson directories.[4]

Notes:

1."New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2008), manifest, Polaria, Stettin to New York, arriving 23 November 1891, passenger number 196, Selig Wilenski; citing National Archives Microfilm Serial M237, Microfilm Roll 579.
2. "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 September 2009), manifest, Pisa, Hamburg to New York, arriving 1 June 1897, list 7, Hode, Nachame, Josef and Benjamin Wilensky; citing National Archives Microfilm Serial M237, Microfilm Roll 579.
3. J.H. Lant, Hudson City, Claverack and Stottville Directory (Hudson: J.H. Lant, 1901), 176; also 1902, 179; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 August 2014). 
4. J.H. Lant, Hudson City, Claverack and Stottville Directory (Hudson: J.H. Lant, 1903), 174; also 1904, 170; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 August 2014). 

Treasure Chest Thursday: Nina Wilson & Max Herman Marriage

Nina Wilson Herman (born Nechame Wilensky) was my maternal grandfather's elder sister. She married Max Herman in New York on 26 May 1910.[1] This was one of the early records that confirmed the village of birth of my grandfather and his siblings: Kasan, Russia (now known as Kozyany, Belarus). Kasan or Kazan was the Yiddish name for the community.

Groom: Max Herman
Groom's Residence: Max Herman
Age: twenty two
Color: white
Single, Widowed or Divorced: single
Occupation: Corset business
Birth Place: Riga, Russia
Father's Name: Mowsha Herman
Mother's Maiden Name: Aster Harif
Number of Groom's Marriage: First

Bride: Mina Wilson
Bride's Residence: Mina Wilson
Age: thirty two
Color: white
Single, Widowed or Divorced: single
Maiden Name, if a Widow: ----------
Birth Place: Kasan Russia
Father's name: Saul Wilson
Mother's Maiden Name: Hoda Epstein
Number of Bride's Marriage: Kosan Russia

I hereby certify that the above-named groom and bride were joined in Marriage by me, in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York, at 184 1/2 E. 7th Street, in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, this 26th of May, 1910.
          Signature of person performing the ceremony Chona P [?]
          Official Station: 184 1/2 E. 7th Street
          Residence: 184 1/2 E. 7th Street

Witnesses to the Marriage: M [?] T [?]
                                        Jake Rubin

Sometimes the records clearly indicate that there were immigrants involved in record creation for whom English was not quite grasped. There are several mistakes in this record.

First, Nina's name. It was not Mina. Nina actually pronounced her name Nynuh, with the emphasis on the first syllable.

The second line for both groom and bride should have been their addresses (from a genealogical standpoint, an opportunity missed to acquire some additional data - drat!).

Nina and Max's ages are switched. Nina was actually born, according to her death certificate, on 6 January 1888.[2] Max was said to be 52 when he died in 1935.[3]

This was first marriage for both Max and Nina. The Rabbi wrote Nina's town of birth, once again, in the "Number of bride's marriage" spot.

The Rabbi's name and the name of one of the witnesses is pretty much unintelligible. The first witness' name almost looks to me as if he is writing at least part of his name in Cyrillic script.

This marriage certificate found the couple in happier times. This happiness, unfortunately, was not destined to last long-term. Nina died in the Influenza Epidemic in 1919, leaving a seven year old daughter, Winnie, and a two month old son, Victor. Since Max could not care for the children and continue to work, his children were taken in by Nina's parents, Saul and Hoda Wilson. In 1935, Max, a pedestrian, was hit by a car and died.

My mother, Norma, was always proud that she had been named after her aunt Nina and shared the same Hebrew name. To me that is one of the aspects of Ashkenazi Judaism that is particularly nice: that lives cut short may be recalled and honored with another chance at life.

Notes:

1. New York County, New York, Certificate and Record of Marriage no. 11661 (26 May 1910), Max Herman and Nina Wilson, New York City Municipal Archives, New York.
2. New York County, New York, Certificate of Death no. 1585 (11 January 1919), Nina Herman, Municipal Archives, New York, New York.
3. Bronx County, New York, Certificate of Death no. 7919 (2 September 1935), Max Herman, Municipal Archives, New York, New York.