NEW LIGHT SHED ON OUR FAMILY TREE!

To my astonishment, when I received the first report from Paul Graham, Certified Genealogist, this week, I realized that my whole perspective of our grandparents’ immigration to this country was wrong. I had originally thought that Israel Berman had come to this country in 1888, and that while he was here, grandmother Sarah had birthed a third child Sophie; and, after Sophie was born, Sarah pursued Israel and found him in Camilla. England and Wales 1891 census lists the household of Isaac (s/b Israel) Berman to include “Rachel age 4, Abram age 5, and Chily [sic] (Sophie) 3 weeks”; and Max Lubin as a boarder. The passenger list shows Israel on the ship “Ottoman” and arriving in Boston January 31, 1892; and, Sarah, the three children and Bennett (misnamed Barrett) Lubin arriving July 30, 1894 in Philadelphia on the S.S. Southwark. The ages of the children are consistent with the England Census. Sarah indicated on the passenger list that she was joining her husband in New York at 35 Monroe Street. Trow’s New York City Directory of 1893 shows Israel Berman at 155 Madison.

Of course, this new information raised additional questions. I have asked Mr. Graham to locate Sophie’s birth certificate which I couldn’t locate, despite the fact that I was able to get Abe’s and Rae’s, and to see if he can uncover how and why the family settled in Camilla, possibly through business records. Also, I have asked him to see what information he can locate regarding the third Berman brother (Louis), the father of Lena Berman Dannerman. We have virtually no information on him.

I have offered to forward the Graham report and documents which are in PDF format to my family email list. For those family members who did not receive, please contact me and I will send you a copy.

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