1)  Does anyone recognize/know this word ESBOUBEM?  It might be Russian or Yiddish or English transliterated of the word?

The writing, as best as I could read, was written by a 99 year old man. 

  At 2 years old my father was adopted by ?esboubem? family in Pinsk not having a son.  

2)  any historians around?   Where might I even start looking?   Russia 1890-1920

Thanks for any possible help.

Trudy Barch,  FL