Thank you to all that have replied.  This is helping on what's be long journey through sparse and always contradictory documentation.  My takeaway from the comments is my maternal grandfather's actions need not preclude him from being the son of a rabbi or rebbetzin who were part of established Hassidic families.  This despite: being perhaps the oldest son, taking his mother's surname, adding a christian first name (i.e. Philip) while remaining Jewish, immigrating alone to the US while still a teenager, having a common law wife, and always having a manual labor job.
--
Indy Crowley
Redmond, Washington USA
indy.crowley@...
Gottlieb
Eichenstein
Eisenstein
Allit
Olisky