Families Abraham HAMMERMAN and Harry WEITZMAN

Minnie “Mindel Melamed” HAMMERMAN nee MILLER, daughter of Abraham MILLER (MELAMED) was born in Mayzr (Mozyr), Minsk, in Ukraine, Russia (1896 – 1955 California)- Arrived 1911 at the Port of Quebec, Canada; Manifest age 18, occupation: Tailoress.

Minnie MELAMED married Abraham HAMMERMAN on May 18, 1919 in Chicago. She became a citizen in 1938. Abraham was born c1895, his parents Louis HAMMERMAN and Freda POLESHUK were from Wolinski, Poland. Abraham arrived in America 1911 per the 1920 census; occupation: beltmaker at belt factory. 1930 occupation: Retail Merchant. He became a citizen in 1936.  Minnie and Abraham had two children:  Morris and Elaine. 

The Hammerman – Weitzman family tree branches

Elaine HAMMERMAN married Seymour WEITZMAN.  Seymour’s parents are Harry (Herschel) and Rose (Rachael Leika ALEXANDROWSKI). 

Morris Hammerman married Mollie and had 3 children.

Seymour Weitzman’s ancestors

Seymour WEITZMAN’s family Comes to America

1913 May: The future Mrs. Harry WEITZMAN, Seymour’s mother, Rose ‘Rachael Leika ALEXANDROWSKI age 19, departed Liverpool, England April 22nd enroute to Quebec, Canada, arriving on May 8th, 1913 on the ship Ultonia.  She arrived in America on May 18, 1913 (per Harry’s Naturalization Petition) or on May 13, 1913 (per her Naturalization Petition).

Rose is listed on the manifest in company with her sister, Braine ALEXANDROWSKI, age 16.  Braine became Bertha (Louis) BERKOVITZ.  Both were detained on arrival in Canada; reason unknown.  Rose’s destination was her Uncle Abraham CHIMEROFSKY, in Madison, Wisconsin.    Rose’s occupation is listed as tailoress.

Rose arrived in Quebec; see ship manifest below.  This is Rose’s ship manifest card created by the U.S. from information listed on the ship’s manifest.

1913 July: Two months later, Harry arrived in America  on July 3, 1913.  The manifest listed Herschel WEITZMAN, age 19, (Herschel Weizmann per a Naturalization Declaration of Intention annotation) departed from Liverpool, England and arrived July 2nd at Quebec, Canada on the ship Laurentic, destination Chicago.  His occupation is listed as grain dealer; his father’s name Marischo (Morris).

Harry’s arrival manifest card.  See ship manifest below.

Transcription: Father Marischo Weizmann. Slobodka.  

Note the spelling of both Harry’s father, and Harry’s surname: No ‘T’ and an extra ‘N’.  Harry’s naturalization papers listed his surname as WEITZMAN and a notation that his manifest surname was WEIZMANN.  Either the manifest was an error, or the family decided to change their name.  Oh, the questions we never asked our ancestors!  Today many schools teach genealogy and children ask their parents, and if possible their grandparents, about their lives before and after arriving in America.  Our ancestor’s descendants often use this website as a resource for their genealogy lessons, or for learning about their ancestors.

Harry & Rose: Their Birth and Life Journey

Harry was born May 20, 1895, in Slobodka, (now Belarus) Russia, about 160 miles north of Minsk. His father is Marischo (Morris), and mother is Sara nee GREENBERG.

Rose was born December 1, 1894, in Berdychiv (now Ukraine; about 100 miles southwest of Kiev) (sic) Bardicheff, Russia per her manifest arrival card (see above).  Birth location listed as Odessa, (now Ukraine) per Harry’s Naturalization Petition; or in Bella Pala Kievska, Russia (on her Naturalization Petition which could have been a village or town near Berdychiv, possibly Belopol’ve). The variation of names and locations is typical of documents for our immigrant ancestors.  Roses father is Jacob, and her mother Frieda CHIMEROFSKY.  Frieda later married Jacob ‘Jack’ SANDROFF.  Frieda died in 1943.

1915: Harry (Herschel) & Rose married Dec 25, 1915 in Chicago.  They had four children:  Jack, Joseph, Marvin, and Seymour.

Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index:
Name:  Rose Sandorf (Sandroff was her step-father’s last name)
Marriage Date 25 Dec 1915, Marriage Place Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Spouse Name Harry Weitzman

Naturalization Petition for Rose, dated 1947, Los Angeles.  Rose WEITZMAN nee Rachael Leika  ALEXANDROWSKI was born Dec 1, 1894 in Bella Pala Kievska, Russia.  Harry was born May 20, 1894 on the Petition . . . but Harry listed his actual birth on his Declaration of Intention as June 25th, 1895.  During his life he used the May 20, 1894 data.  Another family mystery.

1917: Harry’s WWI Draft Registration, Chicago.  Annotated: Feed Store “In business for myself”.  Note that while Harry signed, a clerk filled out the information.  Address is 1437 W. Taylor Street.

1920: Census, Chicago.  Harry’s occupation is listed as Fruit Peddler.

1930: Census, Chicago. Harry’s occupation is listed as Wagon Peddler, Fruit.

 

 

 

 

1938: Harry Weitzman Declaration of Intent. Born June 25, 1895, Slobadka, Russia.  His occupation is listed as Milkman.

 

1939: Harry WEITZMAN’s Naturalization Petition, 1939 Los Angeles.  Born June 25, 1895, Slobodka, Russia. Occupation: Gas Station.  Married Dec 25, 1915 at Chicago. Wife Rose & children: Jack, Joseph, Marvin, Seymour.

1940: Census Los Angeles. Harry’s occupation is listed as Driver, Milk Company.
Jack Driver, Furniture Company; Joe   Salesman, Soda Company; Marvin Driver, Trucks;  Seymore, New Worker

1954: February 16th in Los Angeles.  Harry was involved in a major traffic accident.  He was driving a bus that was tipped over by the impact of a car.  Luckily Harry was not seriously injured.

1961: Van Nuys, California.  Seymour’s son, Marc, was Bar Mitzvah, at the Valley Beth Israel Congregation. 

1962: Seymour was installed as a secretary at the Valley Beth Israel Congregation.

1965: Harry WEITZMAN died in July, at Long Beach, California.

1965: Seymour is listed as President of RO-MIN Construction Company, 10635 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, California.

1960: Rose WEITZMAN died February 3, in Los Angeles, California.

Abraham Hammerman Family Documents

Minnie “Mindel Melamed” HAMMERMAN nee MILLER, daughter of Abraham MILLER (MELAMED) was born in Mayzr (Mozyr), Minsk, in Ukraine, Russia (1896 – 1955 California)- Arrived 1911 at the Port of Quebec, Canada; Manifest age 18, occupation: Tailoress.

Minnie MELAMED married Abraham HAMMERMAN on May 18, 1919 in Chicago. She became a citizen in 1938.

1911: Minnie ‘Mindel’ MELAMED’s Ship Manifests.

Minnie Miller

Mindel Melamed

Lake Michigan

Antwerp – Quebec

September 1911

card Line 17 page 1 Line 17 page 2

Abraham HAMMERMAN was born in Kedzwilow, Poland (Minsk, Poland on his 1935 Naturalization Petition) July 10th, 1895, his parents Louis HAMMERMAN and Freda POLESHUK were from Wolinski, Poland. 

1913: Abraham arrives America on September 12, 1913. Abraham, age 20, accompanied by Fradel, arrived in America.  Fradel was his mother.  There were a total of 8 Hammerman family members.   The ship Montfort’s manifest name Abram Hammerman on September 7, 1913 at Quebec (not the year listed on the 1920 census); he arrived via train in America on September 12th, 1913.   

Ship Manifest: Hammerman Family Lines 18 -25

1919: Abraham and Minnie’s Marriage License.  They married May 18, 1919 in Chicago.

Abraham’s Citizenship Certificate

Minnie’s Citizenship Certificate

1920: Census occupation: Beltmaker at belt factory.

1929: Abraham’s Declaration of Intention: Abraham HAMMERMAN. Born Kedzwilow, Poland; Arrived on ship Montfort from Antwerp, Belgium. Arrived Port of New York September about 7 September 1913. Occupation: Store keeper.

1930: Census occupation: Retail Merchant. He became a citizen in 1936.

1935: Abraham’s naturalization Petition filed.

1936: Abraham HAMMERMAN became a citizen on January 22, 1936.

1955:  Minnie Died July 16, 1955 at Los Angeles, California.

1983: Abraham Died October 15, 1983 at Los Angeles, California.