My fourth-great-grandfather was Movsha Shames, and Lithuanian records indicate that his brother was Meyer Soloveitchik - part of the rabbinic dynasty. One of Meyer’s brothers was Moshe Soloveitchik, t

#lithuania

Thanks for the response. I am not troubled by the different surnames. In the late 18th century, when surnames were a new phenomenon for Jews in Lithuania due to laws that had been passed, it was not u

#lithuania

Thanks, Aaron. Given that surnames were a new phenomenon in Eastern Europe for Jews, the fact that they had different surnames does not necessarily mean that someone made a mistake in the records. Dif

#lithuania

One branch of my family is the Recu family originally from Bacau in Romania. The article cited in the heading refers to a Simion Recu who fought in the Romanian Independence War in 1877. Does anyone k

#romania

My great-grandfather, born Mordkhel Eliash Shores, emigrated from Kovno to America in 1898 under the name “Jossel Flink” (the name on the ship’s manifest and referenced in his naturalization records).

#lithuania

Thanks for the detailed and useful information. One other wrinkle in the story is that my great-grandfather Max Shorris (“Jossel Flink”) came in 1898, and his wife and two daughters came in 1901. Acco

#lithuania

I had two cousins who were living at the Deborah Boys Club in 1910, after their father had died and their mother had been sent to a mental institution. It was located at 1813 East 16th Street. It was

#usa

I submitted two requests for USCIS records in November 2021. I have received two letters a couple of months ago stating that they were still working on my request. Recently, however, when I have check

#records

Thanks - that is discouraging, but possibly the right explanation. I had a great-grandfather who came over under an assumed name, so I was hoping to find some kind of letters or affidavits that might

#records

I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know that I received the USCIS documents I ordered. So “closed” does not necessarily equate with a failure to receive documents.

#records