Goldfoot Genealogy

First Jews were locked up inside the ghettos in Italy. That's where the term came from. They were actually locked in at night. This happened in Venice from the 16th to 18th century. 


Then Jews were confined in the Pale of Settlement. They were not allowed in Russia proper unless they were special and had a special pass allowing them to do so. When I first received a tree of the Goldfoot clan, it showed that one had a special permit to sell corn in Russia. That was very special.


"In 1772 and 1793, parts of Poland were ceded to Prussia, Austria and Russia.  In 1795 the final partition of Poland ceded the balance of Poland to these 3 countries, and Poland ceased to exist as an independent country until 1918.  In the part ceded to Russia, Jews were permitted to live only in the area just acquired.  This area became known as the Pale of Settlement. " Avotaynu. 

"The "Pale" was created in Czarist Russia in 1835 and lasted till the 1917 revolution. This area covered 386,100 square miles from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The 1897 census recorded 4,899,300 Jews, which formed 94 percent of the total Jewish population of Russia. Most Jews lived in shtetlach (plural of shtetl, "small town").Nathan Goldfoot, born in 1871, and Hattie Jermulowske, born in 1886, were no doubt included in the 1897 census figures though I haven't found her as yet.  I just found Nathan a week or so ago on http://jewishgen.org/.
Visit the Pale of Settlement website for a map and more information.  I just received a catalog from Avotaynu with the Pale of Settlement on the cover.  Telsiai is on the northwest side of Kovno which is very far north.  That's where Nathan Goldfoot came from.  Suwalki landed in the Kingdom of Poland and was just below Kovno.  It was also very close to vilna, which was in the Pale.  Suwalki had once been a part of Lithuania.  This is where Hattie was from.  They could have been neighbors. 

The pogroms and anti-Jewish decrees, especially those during the 1880's to 1906, resulted in major Jewish immigration to Western Europe and the United States. The door slammed shut for Jewish Eastern European U.S. immigration in 1921 Passage, by Congress, of exclusionary laws in the 1920's - The Quota Act of 1921 reduced Jewish (and all other ethnic groups) immigration to 3% of 1910 numbers; and the Reed-Johnson Immigration Act of 1924 further reduced immigration to 2% which effectively ended most Jewish immigration until 1965.  For more information about the history of Jewish life in the Pale and why many left spend, visit the informative and extensive Beyond the Pale, The History of Jews in Russia website exhibit.

Bryan’s research found that many Jews migrated to South America in the 1400s after being expelled from Spain and Portugal. They spoke the language, etc. During the 1700-1900s, if you had the money, you went where you could... eventually you get tired of getting beaten or having your neighborhood set on fire... and there were established Jewish communities in South America and the Caribbean (specifically, Jamaica -- first temple built in the early 1600s) Common Spanish-Jewish names... Perez, Ramirez... Portuguese... Cardoso (as in Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo 1932-1938). " Ronald Miller

"In the Russian Pale of Settlement, Jews were required to take surnames at various times in different countries, having previously been known as by given name and father's given name. Czar Alexander I unsuccessfully mandated that Jews adopt surnames in 1804. However, it was not until 1836 that all Russian Jews had surnames. By 1844, they were compelled to enter their names in a public register. Surnames were chosen according to various schemes: profession, town of birth, physical appearance or purely ornamental. It is generally accepted that those with Spira or Shapiro type names originated from Speyer in Germany, which welcomed Jews in the 11th century at the behest of Rudiger, Bishop of Speyer. As an example, source documents from this period make reference to Reb Kalonymos ben Reb Yosef haKatan miShpeira (mi - from; Shpiera - Speyer). As outlined in the history section, it is possible our ancestors moved from Germany to Poland and Lithuania in the 16th century and would still have carried the tag 'from Speyer' in their name (names being largely of the form A, son of B, from C). Alternatively, Saperia may have been an ornamental name derived from the Hebrew word for sapphire. Letters received from Mr S. Szapira and Mr M. Freedman argue for Speyer and sapphire respectively.

Whilst this surname is not common, is has a curious persistence amongst those who emigrated to Leeds from the Suwalki area. This strongly suggests that the various Saperia family trees are linked and that those who emigrated were following in the footsteps of their relatives, though we have not been able to establish this from records.

Aswell as sharing a surname, the Saperias evidently favoured a limited selection of given names. Amongst the girls, Rachel, Fannie and Ann(ie) were exceedingly popular, whilst Louis, Harris and Nathan recur as choices for boys. A word of caution: there was a brief fashion for 'Simon' in the 1890's, which faded rapidly as all the unfortunate babies died in their first year! "  Saperia.com
Our surname, Goldfoot, came from Goldfus, and I have found many Goldfus/fuss in Lithuania and in several particular towns.  Telsiai had our family.  In the USA, we are the only family.  Our other branch is in South Africa.  They both came from Telsiai and went through London and then Dublin, Ireland before disembarking for South Africa and Oregon. 

http://ronaldimiller.com/pale.htm
Avotaynu, publisher of works on Jewish genealogy 2011 Catalog
http://www.saperia.com/Pages/name.htm
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/venice-ghetto
http://www.romanhomes.com/your_roman_vacation/quarters/jewish-quarter.htm (with music)
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/0064022151.html

Laib Goldfuss, born May 20, 1917 in Leukova, Telsiai, Kaunas, Lithuania entered form Muhldorf Prison August 6, 1944. 

Josef Goldfuss, born February 5, 1925 in Leukova, Telsiai, Kaunas, Lithuania entered from Muhldorf Prison August 6, 1944.

They were probably brought in a truck in a group on this day.  Most likely they were brothers or cousins. 

Births

Iankel Meier son of Leib, son of Khaim mother was Ita b: 8/3/1876 Adar 24 in Laukuva, from Varniai

Freida daughter of Khatskel, of Josel and mother sheina on 9.9/1859 22 Elus in Telsiai, father is a merchant

Zelman David son of Leyb Meer, son of Faiavush, mother Pere Glike, grandfather Leyb 24/4/1876 Kaunas, father from Raseiniai

Abram son of Leyb Meer, son of Faivush, mother Pere glike, daughter of Leyb 18/12/1870 6 Tevet in Kaunas, father from Nemokschiai

Sora Leia daughter of Leiba Meer, son of Faivush, mother Pera Glika, father Leiba on 14/6/1873 Kaunas, father was Nemakasciai resident

Gita Menukha daughter of Abram, Iosel, mother Ginda, 23/2/1856 Telsiai

Feiga daughter of Berel, grandfather Iosel, mother Beila 22/9/1856 5/Tishri Telsiai

Khaim son of Abram, of Iosel, mother Inde 19/11/1865 4 Kislev in Telsiai

Nokhum Abram son of Movsha, of Iosel and mother Beile, 1/1/1871 20 Tevet, Telsiai

Itsyk Goldfus, son of Mark, died on September 13, 1854 at age 68 from Cholera.  He lived in the town of Varniai, Telsiai, Kaunas, Lithuania.  He was born in 1786. 

Reference: Jewishgen.org

Gute Golda Goldfus, daughter of Nokhim age 20, married Iontaf Opengeim, son of Sender, age 20, married on September 4, 1859/17 Elul. 

Rivka Mera Goldfus, daughter of Borukh, age 18, married Gershon Perl, son of Iudel of Luoke, age 25, on December 3, 1863/5 Tevet. 

Khana Mina Goldfus, daughter of Mark Aizyk age 25 and Leib Tavirinski, son of Nokhum age 35 and widower, married on May 31, 1874/27 Sivan

 Joesel Goldfus, son of Yankel of Telsiai age 70 married Khaia Esterman, daughter of Abel age 45 on April 12, 1876/ 30 Nisan.  Both were widowed.  He was born in 1806, she in 1831.

Ginda Mira Goldfus, daughter of Josel of Telsiai age 56 married Movsha Leib Khatskelevich, son of Mendel of Skidel age 58, both widowers on April 3, 1885/30 Nisan

 Girsh Goldfus, son of Leib of Lavkovo age 48 and a widower, married Tserna Levit, daughter of Movsha of Plunge age 27, on January 1, 1909/14 Shevat
 
Reference: Jewishgen.org

Nathan Goldfoot born in "Russia" in 1871 was my grandfather.  His birthday is recorded in Portland as either the 5th or 15th of August.  We know nothing about him because he died in 1912 in an accident at age 40 when my father was only 4 years old.

I have found a birth in Telsiai, Lithuania, a probable city of his birth. 

1. Nokhum Abram Goldfus was born 1/1/1871 in Telsiai, or the 20th of Tevet. 
His father was Movsha.  His grandfather was Iosel.  His mother was Beile. 
The wedding certifcate I found in Dublin, Ireland said his middle name (first I knew a middle name) was Abraham.  It said his father was Morris.  (We thought it was Chaim Itzhak as that's written on his tombstone.)
 The Town of birth is Telsiai.  The Ujezd is Telsiai.  The Guberniya is Kaunas. 

I checked the Hebrew calendar.  The 20th of Tevet in the year 1871 was: January 13, 1871! 
The recorder simply did not get the 3 included, I have a feeling.  This is him!

I have a feeling that he only knew his birthdate as 20 Tevet 1871.  Someone transcribed the wrong date for him. 
Next, I'll check out marriages there. http://data.jewishgen.org/wconnect/wc.dll?jg~jgsearch~model2~[lvrnewb]lvrnewm10

A death record has been found for David Gersz Jermulowski in Szczuczyn, Lomza, Gubernia Bialystok Province, of Poland in 1868.  He could have been born anytime form 1768 onward.  This place is located at 53 23'  22  18'  on the map.  I know that on the 1910 census of Council, Washington, Idaho they had been from Poland, most likely Lazdijai, but this man was born before my grandmother. 

Resource: jewishgen. 

Moses Goldfus married Zipa Blumberg in 1867.
Itzik Goldfus married Fruma Wagenheim in 1886.
Merle Ruvel Goldfus married Sara Stember in 1889.
Mira Goldfus married Judel Finkmann in 1899. 
Hana Goldfus married Shmuel Blacher in 1900.
Roche Lea Rosenberg Goldfus married Note Rummer in 1920. 

Resource: Jewishgen.org.