THE SOLOMON FAMILY

The Solomon Family (circa 1903). Taken by Isaac Perkoff, St. Petersburg Studio, 186 Commercial Road, London(Spitalfield)

L to R: Anna, Jacob (my grandfather), Isaac, baby May

Family Stories told down the generations:

The Solomon family immigrated to NYC from somewhere in Russia via England. We believe that originally his surname was “Pissaresky” and at some point he changed it to Solomon. Most in the family say they came from a shtelt near Vilnius, Lithuania. Isaac’s burial society was the Wilner Progressive Society of Brownsville & East NewYork which suggests residence in or near Vilna. That Landmanshaft society used the Mt Lebanon cemetery (Block C Section 3) where they are buried. Family legend has it that Isaac was studying to be a rabbi (note: one of the oldest and most famous centers for Judaic Study in the world is in Kaunas near Vilna. Kaunas, known as Kovno in Russian, is the birthplace of Annie. Maybe that is where they met! Isaac did not enjoy his studies and became a tailor. Isaac married Anna Zalmonovitch in Russia and they moved to England.

The facts

Isaac (Yitzhak/Isadore/known as Ike in America) was born in Bialystock (then Russia;Now Poland) on February 16, 1880. His father was Samuel Solomon and his mother was Miriam Silverblatt. This is according to Isaac’s Social Security Application and naturalization documents below.

After living in London 2.5 years (column 10 for his name is 2.5 years), Isaac travelled to Liverpool and left on the SS Haverford (NOT the SS Emphald as stated in his records) on November 11, 1903. He arrived in Philadelphia PA on November 23, 1903 with $5 ($184 in today’s money) in his pocket. He met with his brother Rafael Solomon who was already in NYC.

Annie left for the USA four months later with Jacob and Millie (see below), but they left out of Southampton and arrived at Ellis Island NY.

Isaac’s brothers house in Brooklyn. It is still there on google maps!

Petition for Naturalization: January 1, 1920

Isaac married Anna Zalmonovitch and moved to England where my grandfather Jacob was born on July 12, 1901, and Mamie (May) was also born in London on February 22, 1903

On Ike’s Declaration of Intention dated July 7, 1919, he claims he is a subject of present day Russia (Republic of Poland).

Ike’s application for Social Security

He registered for the draft in 1942 at age 62!

Carlyle Clothing Co. is an Athleta now.

Ike (age 46) on his son Jacob’s wedding day: February 21, 1926

On Isaac’s gravestone, he is the “son of Slomo Zalmen the Levite.”

Anna (Chana/Annie) always told cousin Renee that her birthday was on the first seder night of Passover one year after Isaac’s birth year. That would make her birth date Wednesday, April 13, 1881. However, on Ike’s petition for Naturalization (above) she was born on April 10, 1880 in Kovno Russia (Now known as Kaunas Lithuania).

Her arrival to Ellis Island is recorded. She departed Southampton England on March 19, 1904 on the SS St. Louis and arrived in the Port of NY at Ellis Island on March 27, 1904. The manifest notes that she was pregnant (with Sammie), and she was with her children, “Jake” age 3 and “Millie” age 11 months. Her contact in NY was listed as her husband Isaac who was living at 38 Montgomery St., NYC.

Renee said she arrived “6 months pregnant” so that fits.

If you are thinking about counting back the months for Annie, I already did. Sammie was conceived a month before Isaac departed (whew!)

They lived in Brooklyn NY for the rest of their lives. They had three more children in the United States. Samuel (1904 – 1991), Florence (1909 – 1979), and Bella (1915 - 1984).

Sammie (Sol). With wife Shirley

Bella (Bailey) with husband Mike Shapiro and kids

Florence (Fay)

Isaac died of stomach cancer on April 21, 1949 in Brooklyn at age 69, and he is buried in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery in Queens. His death certificate says his date of birth was April 20, but I think they confused this date with his date of death.

Anna died of a ruptured appendix on December 27, 1950, in Brooklyn at age 70. She is buried in Mt. Lebanon next to Isaac. (see her death certificate).

See their inscriptions of the Ellis island Wall of Honor.