Goldfoot Genealogy

 Nadene Goldfoot                                   

  This baby is me, and I'm now a senior of 88.  Dad died way too young at 59.  His buddy was a pharmacist, and Dad had a dresser filled with vitamins.   Now that we're living longer lives, what do we do when we can't take care of ourselves?  Here's a history of what has happened to our family.  So far, we've been pretty lucky.  I'm still able to live alone.  

Those of us who are lucky reach a senior age past 65.  That's when physical problems start to show up, regardless of what era you are living in.  Today's 2022 happens to find seniors in much better condition than in the past, but that is not a sure thing.  I've seen a lot of seniors live till almost 100 in the past in our genealogy.

Our paternal grandmother, Addie Zlata "Hattie" Jermulowske,  was born  on January 11, 1886 on a Monday in Lazdijai, Suwalki, Lithuania,  and died on a Saturday at the age of 64 years, 10 months and 28 days.  Lazdijai is 54" 14'N,  23"  31'E in Lithuania.  Also spelled as Lozdzieje and it is in Suwalki.    It is 4.3 miles from Poland's border.  For several centuries the territories of Suwalki, Lomza, and Trakai were part of a unified political unit in Greater Lithuania. After that, Suwalki and Lomza were together in the Duchy of Poland while a smaller Trakai was part of Lithuania.  Suwalki is the Gubernia.  Since WWI, Northern part is in Lithuania, southern part in Poland.  Lazdijai was partially in Poland, a major town. She had a hard life, immigrating from Lithuania to Washington and living in a wee little mining town first with her family further away in Council, Idaho.  She washed dishes at a bar/restaurant there at age 17 and she was so tiny.  Her legs were broken in a pogrom in Lithuania, stunting her height even more.  

10/12/06  According to the marriage certificate, both Addie and Nathan lived in Council, Idaho when they married on 20 Nov. 1905.  Sam and Harry Criss were witnesses.  Other witnesses were C.J. Urdrick and Jamy (possibly Jenny) Criss.  D.J. Richardson was the JP that married them.  Frank E. Smith was the County Recorder.   She said she immigrated from Hamburg, Germany. on the vessel "Altverten" and said she was married.  That means Nathan and she came together though they married in Council, Idaho.  She arrived at New York City port in New York around 6th of May, 1903. (Think she didn't understand the question as she never learned to speak

 English.) 

                 Ann, Bubba and Ann's first daughter-Harriett

Starting with  Bubba, my Dad's tiny, petite mother, Zlata (Addie, Hattie, Ettie) Jermulowske (1/11/1886-12/9/1950) ,  Bubba was a widow with 4 children by 1912  when she was only 26 years old. 

 Her oldest, Charlie, married Helen and they moved to their own home.  My father, Morris, married Mom-Mildred and they lived with Bubba until they moved to SE Orange Street in Ladd's Addition, and then a few months later to their permanent home on Spruce Street.  Elsie married Al and Don, an important grandson, was born.  He would be a major help to Bubba as she lived alone at times by living with her.  Don learned Yiddish this way as that's what Bubba spoke.  Ann was left, and married Werner. They lived with Bubba, and  had 5 girls.    

Ann and Werner's 5 girls were lucky to have had Bubba take care of them as they were living with Bubba until they moved to their home off of Hawthorne Avenue, the last to leave South Portland.  Ann (11/11/1912 died 9/19/1972 during the high holidays or just after of a heart attack, leaving Werner and her last daughter, Sandra.  The other 4 had moved elsewhere through marriage or work.  Harriett had married Bill in 1971;  Darlene married Bob in 1964;  Francis married Larry in 1965;  Rose married Art in about 1970, and Bubba had died on December 9, 1950 and Sandra was born in April 1949.  She was lucky to have been born while Bubba was still with us and doing well.  So Bubba spent her life living with her children.  Harriet( 6/25/1941-1/17/1999), the first daughter, has died at age 57 years  6 months  23 days from throat cancer.   Darlene (9/9/1942-11/11/2020), 2nd daughter  died at age 78 years  2 months 2 days. 

Zlata's husband, our grandfather Nathan Abraham Goldfus/Goldfoot, was born on August 5, 1871in Telsiai, Lithuania and died in a horse and wagon accident 110 years ago where he was thrown out of his wagon and had hit his head on a Friday and never woke up and so died on July 19, 1912.   Zlata didn't know what happened as he hadn't come home for Shabbat.  A friend came and told her later.  He was buried on Sunday.  

• Fri, 19 July 1912 = 5th of Av, 5672
• ה׳ בְּאָב תרע״ב

He died in  St. Vincent's hospital on Westover Road where it was in 1912.  His great grandson, Steve, would be a nurse in the new St. Vincent's hospital many years later. 

According to my records, Nathan was only 41 years old when he died, leaving 2 boys and 2 girls alive.  His middle children Abraham, died when an infant. I figure he was named for an ancestor, the custom. 

Me at Robinson Home with Alice Turn

Zlata's first son was Charles "Haskel" Goldfoot (9/22/1906) in Council, Idaho.  and died 12/17/1949.  I remember my father driving there from Portland in the middle of December and bringing back my cousin, Nate.  Charles died at age 43 years 2 months 25 days from smoking.  

Nate just passed away 4/26/2020, born 2/25/1934 at age 86 years  2 months 1 day.  

My Dad, Moses (on the birth certificate) Morris, Maurice Goldfoot was born 7/1/1908 and died 7/23/1967 in Portland at age 59 years 22 days. He had some kind of attack and had died about 3 weeks later.  I think it was the liver from a former blood transfusion. 

Mom, Mildred Elizabeth Robinson, was born 6/29/1913 and died 10/5/2005 at age 92 years  3 months  6 days.  I was living with her in Ontario, Oregon when she passed away.  That was the other end of his business as a wholesale meat dealer with Silver Falls Meat Packing Co.  They had a home there and kept the Portland home, too, where I spent all my life till I moved away.  It was in Ladd's Addition.                                        

                                      Our family in 1947

Ladd’s Addition is named for William S. Ladd, who served as Portland’s mayor way back in the 1850s. He’s also known for founding Oregon’s first bank in 1859 as well as building the first brick building in Portland!

Believe it not, Ladd’s Addition was once a 126 acre farm, owned by William Ladd himself. In 1891, the city of East Portland became incorporated into Portland proper and the plans for creating a residential neighborhood named Ladd’s Addition began.  Our family moved there in 1935.  

 Mom had a stroke on a Saturday.  I was with her in Ontario, Oregon when it happened, so called the ambulance.  Luckily we were only a few blocks from the hospital.  She died on a Wednesday, the 2nd day of Rosh Hashana, several months later.  That stroke had wiped out all her memory, even that was the ability to read or know any of her family.  It came back, though.  

Abraham, our grandfather Nathan Abraham Goldfus/foot's 3rd child,  was born about August 15, 1909 and died January 25, 1910, dying at age 5 months 10 days, probably of crib death. He slept between his parents in a bed with a feather mattress.     

Elsie  was then born March 10, 1911.  She married Al on 2/3/1934.  Don was born in 1937.  Elsie died 6/8/1986 at age 75 years  2 months 29 days.  She died at the Robinson Home (for the aged) where she knew many of the people there.  Her son had been able to get her in there.  She, of course, was able to speak Yiddish as well as all of Zlata's children did, and had many Yiddish-speaking friends there during her life there.  Evidently all of Zlata's children had attended Commerce High School (became Cleveland later). Dad didn't graduate but quit to work (probably in the Kosher Meats store on Lincoln) to help support the family. He was working there when they were expecting me.   Elsie had been a Deli manager  and both she and Ann had worked for Mosler's Bakery making bagels when younger.  

Ann Naomi Goldfoot was born  after her father's death on November 11, 1912, and he had died about 4 months earlier on July 19, 1912.  Here she's with her dog, Bonnie and the next, of course, was as a bride in 1939.  

Ann and Werner Oster, a German Jewish immigrant,  married September 1, 1939.  I was the reluctant 5 year old flower girl.  
She died September 19, 1972 at age 59 years  10 months 8 days, almost the same age as her brother, Maurice who died at 59 and 22 days. Dad only smoked a cigar occasionally, not cigarettes, like Charlie and Elsie.  

I have a brother, David, younger than me, and I hope for his reaching 120 years as Moses had.  In fact, the Jewish "Happy Birthday Wish is that the person reaches 120 years.  Just think, 4,000 years ago the air was cleaner, and COVID didn't exist.  It was possible. If anyone reaches that marvelous age, I do hope it's done in good health.

Great Aunt Alice (4/16/1896-4/10/1990)  and Great Uncle Max Turn 12/1/1889-4/21/1986)  The Turns were close to us. 

I visited Alice there when first interested in our genealogy.  I believe Uncle Max had already passed away by then so this visit might have been in 1985.  This is an oil painting I did from a photograph they had.  He wasn't a rabbi but a Talmud scholar.  

                     110 years ago:   One horse-wagons of 1912                        

Resource:

https://vintageportland.wordpress.com/tag/ross-island-bridge/       

https://cedarsinaipark.org/post-acute-care-portland-oregon/                                                  

    

Labels: Goldfoot Family, Oregon, Robison Home, Seniors

# posted by Nadene Goldfoot @ 12:04 PM 0 comments

 Nadene Goldfoot                                            

Map of Lithuania around 1867–1914, with visible Polish–Russian border (Lithuania did not exist at that time)

Lazdijai in Lithuania and Suwalki in Poland .  

Bubba insisted that she was a Litvak.  On the map above is Telsiai, Lithuania where the Goldfus/foot came from.  Suwalki became Polish territory.  Lazdijai  is a small town in Lithuania located about seven kilometres 4+1/2 mile east of the border with Poland. All of Bubba's records

have been found in Poland.   

Bubba, (Zlata or Hattie) Jermulowske, was born on January 11,

1886 to Joshua and Esther:Descendants of Joshua Charles "Hatzkel" Isaiahel Jermulowskie

1  [1] Joshua Charles "Hatzkel" Isaiahel Jermulowskie b: 1850 in Lazdzieje, Suwalk Gubernia, Lithuania/Poland,  Lazdijai, Suwalki, Russia/Lithuania d: Bet. 1895 - 1950 in Lazdzieje, Suwalk Gubernia, Lithuania Age at death: 45 est.

. +Esther "Essie" Decatsky Decad Frank b: Abt. 1860 

in Lazdzieje, Suwalk Gubernia, Lithuania d: Abt. 1886 in 

Stellingen, Eimsbüttel, Hamburg, Germany/ Lazdzieje, Suwalk 

Gubernia, Lithuania m: Abt. 1876 in prob. Suwalki, Poland Age at death:6 est. m: Abt. 1876 in prob. Suwalki, Poland

*2nd Wife of [1] Joshua Charles "Hatzkel" Isaiahel Jermulowskie:

. +Dora Leah "Deborah" b: Abt. 1850 in "Russia" d:

 Bet. 1895 - 1950 in Poland/, Russia m: Abt. 1888 in prob. 

Suwalki, Poland/Russia Age at death: 45 est. m: 

Abt. 1888 in prob. Suwalki, Poland/Russia

I have found a DNA match to Esther, Joshua's 1st wife, and it is Decatsky or Decad.

He turned out to be a friend already through genealogy, fantastic surprise.

Actually, Lazdijai (Lazdey) was parat of the Polish Lithuanian Kingdom until 1795, 

when a 3rd division of Poland by the 3 superpowers occurred:  Russia, Prussia and

Austria.  It was then that Lithuania became part Russian and part Prussian. Laszdy 

lay on the left side of the Nieman River went to Prussia (ruled from 1795-1807).

Lazdey was the country administrative center.  

After 1815,all of Lithuania was annexed to Russia.  Lazdey was included in the

 Augustowa Province (Gubernia)  and in 1866 became part of the Suwalk Gubernia

as an administrative center. 

In 1872 was the Great Famine.  

 The city suffered from many fires.  In the summer of 1879, about 200 houses were

ravished by fire and owners were then homeless.  In 1888,70 houses burnt down and

 a Jewish woman was a victim.  1886 was the birth of our grandmother!  The town's

Jews suffered economically, which by 1887 amounted to about 1,500 souls. 

Out of Bubba's siblings and half-siblings, she was the only one that could not read or 

write.  She had been the chief baby-sitter of her growing family.  

      People of Lazdijai mentioned in References

Altshuler, Eliezer Mordehai;  established moving to Israel 

Aranzon, Yosef-Mosheh (1805-1875) Rabbi, died in Chicago

Blumental, Hayim-Yehoshua HaCohen, 1853, Rabbi for several years

Decatsky (Decad) 

Gershon, son of Moshe d: 1910: cemetery

Ginsburg, Yehudah-Leib, Rabbi

Glikman, Yehudah; money donation, (I had a Dr. Gluckman, is that close enough?)

Hayah, daughter of Rabbi Yudi Rosh HaGalil, d: 1897:  cemetery

Kahana, Tsevi-Hirsh, Rabbi (interesting because our 3rd cousin, Stanley Goldfoot,

became close to Rabbi Kahana, who became infamous in Israel.

Meir, Rabbi Avraha;m Tsevi ben, 

 Reuven, son of Yehudah Frid, d: 1895: cemetery

Yaffe, Avraham-Eiver (1823-1908) Rabbi in Lazdey 1873-74)

  Yehuda-Leib Yaffe, b:1842..? Rabbi from 1908 in Lazdey.  

Yekhezkel, Rabbi Avraham ben; d: 1798, father- in -law of Yehudah-Leib,

 son of the  "Gaon" from  Vilna  (Stanley Goldfoot always thought we were related to the Gaon.  )

Zilberman, Simkha; money donation.  

                                             Immigration

Our Bubba immigrated May 6, 1903 and wound up in Council, Idaho or near it in 

a little mining town.

My grandmother Hattie"Zlotta" came over from  "Russia" on May 6, 1903 along with

 her sisters Jenny and Bessie.  She was 17.  Bessie was  21 or 20.  Jenny must

 have been about 11 years old.  I have not found them in the Ellis Island Port yet.

  On the Declaration of Intention paper, she said she came here via Hamburg, 

Germany on the ship Altverten and landed in New York.  

Her name was spelled Zlate Jemulosky on Dad's birth certificate.  He was born at 

277 Baker St, the residence his parents lived in.  His name was Moses Goldfoot.

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuania%E2%80%93Poland_border

Preserving Our Litvak Heritage, a history of 31 Jewish communities in Lithuania by Josef Rosin, by JewishGen.inc.  (Book) p. 234--

https://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/telsiai/tel034.html:  full of rabbis, etc.  

Labels: history, immigration, Lithuania, Suwalki, Telsiai, Zlata Jermuilowske

# posted by Nadene Goldfoot @ 12:05 PM 0 comments