Always proud of Grandma Rose!

I'm always proud of my Grandmother, pictured above courtesy of the NJ Jewish News. At 92 years old she has good days and bad - but she retains her spark! She was quoted in a recent article about high school students coming to learn about history from those who have lived it. The article even gives her a quote:

The Daughters of Israel residents were all smiles, full of stories about their lives. Rose Shoshana Telles described to her interviewers how she moved from Russia to Canada and eventually to Brooklyn.

“I was a teacher,” she told a reporter, “and these students are very bright. They’re brighter than I was.”

Now you see where I got my love of history! You can read the entire article here.

Iasi Pogrom - 1941

My paternal grandmother's family immigrated from Bivolari, Romania - a little village north of Iasi, Romania, on the eastern border with Moldova. My great-grandfather left around 1911, but his parents and several of his brother's families remained. Those left behind eventually moved to Iasi itself, and many remained there through WWII.

Lazar Leibovic wrote an account of the Iasi Pogrom of June 29, 1941 that captures the horror of those days. It is all the more powerful given that my cousins were there experiencing the mindless terror themselves. An English translation has been generously provided by Anca Dumitru-Sapuna of Bucharest, Romania.

How many ancestors do you have?

The Eastman newsletter had an interesting post on the numbers of ancestors we each have. You can find it here. Ten generations back and you have over 1000 direct genetic ancestors (e.g., parents, grandparents, great-grandparents). Twenty generations back and you have over 1 million. Thirty generations and you have over 1 billion. Of course it doubles at each generation.

It made me wonder a few things:

• These numbers assume that each ancestor is unique. In any one generation, the same direct ancestor might appear multiple times. The larger the size of the generation, the more prevalent it is going to be.
• How do these numbers compare to the total population size at the time? Clearly, these number cross, with world population rising (exponentially?) as time goes forward and the size of the generation getting smaller by half. According to one account, the world's population in 1800 was one billion. That was approximately ten generations back (where there would have been about 1000 ancestors). But if you go farther back, you'll have more ancestors than people?
• If your ancestry comes from one cultural group or geographic area to the exclusion of others, how much more prevalent is amount of duplication of ancestors?
• Can genetic testing give us any insights into the numbers of ancestors that are duplicated? At which generation those duplications exist?
• Are there more sophisticated ways to measure or estimate these things mathematically? What other information do you need?

I'd love any insights or pointers to existing scholarly work.

Our Town Bivolari

In the aftermath of WWII, residents of the displaced Jewish communities of Europe often came together to remember the world they had known. Yizkor books were written by these community groups--books which enumerated the names of those they had lost and the way of life they had endured. When I started studying my family's history, I was fortunate enough to be working next to a world class university library with an extensive collection of these books. In particular, the Yizkor book for Bivolari, the town in Romania where my paternal grandmother's family is from, provided a wealth of information. I also found the books for several other towns in Europe important to my family, Khotyn and Tarnobrzeg chief among them. Unfortunately for me, these books are typically in Yiddish and Hebrew, and I speak neither.

JewishGen has be posting translations of these Yizkor books, and I found out today that Bivolari is now among them! Our Town Bivolari is written in Hebrew with a Romanian summary, and I may have an extract of the Romanian section courtesy of a professor in The Ohio State University Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Literature. The JewishGen page currently has a translation of the "List of Martyrs," which includes several members of my extended family. With time--and donations--perhaps the entirety of the book could be translated. That would really help give me and my contemporaries more insight into the world of our ancestors.

Is a Puzzlement - Piecing together the Telefus Tree (Part 2)

In my last post I laid out the puzzle. Three TELEFUS families, each from Khotin, Ukraine. How do the three relate to each other? When I finally felt my internet resources were tapped, a few of the descendants of these families decided to hire a researcher in Europe. I've had success in the past this way, but only when the archivist was recommended. The researcher is based in Chişinău, Moldova, where some 19th century census records for Khotin are archived. (If you'd like a recommendation for this researcher, please contact me directly).

The archivist in Moldova found records for Telefus in the 1848, 1854, and 1874 censuses and revisions! Information about the censuses can be found here. The censuses were incomplete, often ignored female family members, and are known to have been inaccurate. Still, they are records, and I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Image from the 1854 revision of the Khotin census. Record for TELEFUS

From these records - plus some likely related records at JewishGen - I was able to piece together two 19th century TELEFUS families (below). The names in the first family below correspond to my family (my grandfather's Hebrew name was "Shemarya," and so is mine - an uncommon name to be sure), but the dates don't match up. The problem is that the information gathered in US records only goes back to the 1880s and 1890s, and these records stop in the 1870s. Vital records from 1880 - 1900 would help us make the connections among the current families and the 18th century records, but those records seem to be missing. Maybe DNA testing would shed some light on the connections. For example, my great-grandfather was Itzak TELEFUS (#20), the son of Chaim Hirsh TELEFUS (#41). And there is a father/son pair named Izak TELEFUS and Haim Hirsh TELEFUS below (#226 & #231). But the age difference between the two Izaks is 20 years! That is too wide to be a simple error.

So, for now, this is a wall. I'm not sure it is a genealogical brick wall; hopefully it's one we may be able to climb one day. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

19th Century TELEFUS Family 1

Haim Telefus (204), d. before 1848

+Pesea (--?--) (205), d. between 1848 and 1854

├── Shmaria Telefus (220), b. 1789, d. 1848

│ +Ruhlea (--?--) (221), d. before 1854

│ ├── Aron Telefus (224), b. 1817

│ │ +Ester (--?--) (225), b. 1816

│ │ ├── Feiga Telefus (230), d. before 1854

│ │ ├── Hana Telefus (228), b. 1839

│ │ ├── Sura Telefus (229), b. 1840

│ │ ├── Haim Hersh Telefus (226), b. 1850

│ │ │ +unknown spouse

│ │ │ └── Izik Telefus (231), b. 1872

│ │ ├── Mordco Telefus (227), b. 1852

│ │ ├── Shmary Telefus (232), b. 1854

│ │ └── Srul Telefus (233), b. 1862

│ └── Mendel Telefus (222), b. 1833

│ +Perla (--?--) (223), b. 1836

│ └── Shmary Telefus (234), b. 1855

├── Yos Telefus (206), b. circa 1803

│ +Zlata (--?--) (207), b. 1823

│ ├── Yanckel Telefus (211), b. 1826

│ │ +Etea (--?--) (212), b. 1829

│ │ ├── Haim Telefus (235), b. 1850

│ │ │ +unknown spouse

│ │ │ └── Shleoma Duvid Telefus (236), b. 1868

│ │ ├── Hessel Telefus (237), b. 1855

│ │ └── Azril Telefus (238), b. 1867

│ ├── Manoil Telefus (208), b. 1834

│ ├── Ezra Telefus (209), b. 1844

│ └── Shleoma Telefus (210), b. 1849

└── Ghetsel Telefus (213), b. 1805, d. 1848

+Hantsea (--?--) (214), b. 1815

├── Haim Telefus (215), b. 1836

├── Leiia Telefus (217), b. 1838

├── Menea Telefus (218), b. 1840

├── Sheila Telefus (219), b. 1844

└── Yanckel Telefus (216), b. 1845

19th Century TELEFUS Family 2

Hasckel Telefus (239), b. before 1777, d. before 1848

+unknown spouse

└── Froim Telefus (240), b. 1795

+Reiza (--?--) (241), b. 1795

├── Nehama Telefus (243)

└── Itsko Telefus (242), b. 1831

+Tsiva (--?--) (244), b. 1831

├── Haia Telefus (245), b. 1850

├── Mendel Telefus (246), b. 1850

│ +unknown spouse

│ └── Ghershko Telefus (247), b. 1871

└── Froim Telefus (248), b. 1869

Is a Puzzlement - Piecing together the Telefus Tree (Part 1)

My mother's father was a TELEFUS. Well, maybe technically it was his father who was a TELEFUS, since the name was changed to TELLES when they immigrated to New York from Chotyn, Bessarabia - now Khotin, Ukraine. Since starting this family history research, I've discovered quite a bit about my family, including reconnecting with the family of my great-grandfather's brother in Israel after a 40+ year separation.

TELEFUS is a funny name. According to the authoritative source, Beider's Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire, TELEFUS means "Telefus (common in Khotin; Kamenets) N: see Terfus. N: from `talepus' [Yiddish] big-bellied person." Or maybe it means "Tarfus: from `tarfu' [Hebrew] food forbidden by Jewish law." (Note: I have not checked the most recent revised edition. My information is from the first edition). Either way, the description is apt for me these days, but I digress. Over the years, I've sought out anyone I could find with the TELEFUS surname, and they all seem to have a Khotin connection. I've always assumed that we are all simply related, but couldn't see exactly how to discover this relationship.

Looking through US census, immigration, naturalization, and vital records - and the family stories of those I've discovered with TELEFUS connections, I've identified three major families in the US. I've tried to remove the information for any living family members for privacy considerations. Incidentally, my family is "Telefus Family 1." The numbers in parentheses are index numbers to keep things straight for discussion.

So, the question is, how are these three families related? In my next post, I'll share the results of research by an archivist in Moldova - research that revealed more questions than answers.

Telefus Family 1

Chiam Hirsh Telefus (41), b. at Bessarabia, Ukraine, d. after 1909 at Bessarabia, Ukraine

+Mary Cohen (69), m. before 1865

├── Rachel Telefus (70), b. circa 1865

│ +(--?--) Marcus (71)

│ └── Bluma Marcus (72), b. 1897

└── Sheava Telefus (44), b. c 1873, d. 1955

+Aron Fisherman (46), b. c 1870

├── Louis Fisherman (47), b. 1894

│ +Sadie (--?--) (65), b. 1901, d. 1929 at NY

│ +Rose (--?--) (68)

├── Minnie Fisherman (52), b. 1898 , d. 1987

│ +Melvin Presser (53), b. 1903, d. 1988 at FL

├── Anne Fisherman (51), b. 1901, d. 1984

└── Mickey Fisherman (49), b. 1902

+Roberta (--?--) (50)

+Leah Berenstein (58), m. circa 1875

├── (--?--) Telles (45),

├── Pesach Telefus (42), b. at Bessarabia, Ukraine, d. at Isreal

├── Anna Telefus (43), b. 1887, d. 1968 at NY

│ +Chaim Telefus (67), b. 1887, d. 1922 at NY

│ +Max Lichtenstein (66), b. 1877 at Ukraine,, d. 1961

└── Isador Telles (20), b. 1891 at Bessarabia, Ukraine, d. 1951

+Sarah Birnberg (21), b. 1893, m. 1913 at NY, , d. 1965

├── Meyer Jack Telles (22), b. 1913, d. 2003 at CA

│ +Helan Konsky (23), b. 1915, m. 1936, d. 1994

├── Sam Telles (6), b. 1917, d. 1972 at NY,

│ +

└── Harris Telles (31), b. 1923, d. 2002 at TX

+

Telefus Family 2

Chiam Telefus (116), b. before 1862, d. between 1898 and 1910 at Bessarabia, Ukraine

+Sarah (--?--) (115), b. 1858 at Ukraine, d. 1923 at NY

├── Rachel Telefus (134)

├── Boruch Telefus (133), b. circa 1878 d. circa 1942 at Ukraine

├── Joseph Telefore (123), b. 1880 at Ukraine

│ +Sadie (--?--) (129), b. 1893 at Ukraine

│ +unknown spouse

│ ├── Lyman Telefore (124), b. 1903 at Ukraine

│ ├── Annie Telefore (125), b. 1907 at NY

│ ├── Yetta Telefore (126), b. 1910 at NY

│ ├── Jacob Telefore (127), b. 1911 at NY

│ └── Louis Telefore (128), b. 1913 at NY

├── Benjamin Telefus (96), b. 1885 at Ukraine

│ +Yetta (--?--) (97), b. 1887 at Ukraine, m. 1904

│ ├── Sam Telefus (98), b. 1906 at NY

│ ├── Harry Telefus (99), b. 1908 at NY

│ ├── Ethel Telefus (100), b. 1909 at NY

│ ├── Lillian Telefus (120), b. 1911 at NY

│ ├── Morris Telefus (121), b. 1915 at NY

│ └── Jacob Telefus (122), b. 1918 at NY

├── Nathan Telefus (117), b. 1888 at Ukraine

├── Jennie Telefus (118), b. 1890

└── Julius Telefus (119), b. 1898

Telefus Family 3

Yitzchak Telefus (87)

+Ida Hamburger (203)

└── Joseph Tellis (88), b. between 1879 and 1881, d. 1947

+Anna Wasserman (89), b. 1886, m. 1904, d. 1948

├── Lewis Tellis (94), b. 1905, d. 1953

│ +Mae Glucha (155), m. 1927

├── Ada Tellis (93), b. 1907, d. 1963

│ +Morris Gandelman (156)

├── Lena Tellis (91), b. 1911 at NY

│ +Jerry Grenadier (160)

├── Harry Tellis (90), b. 1914 at NY, d. 1962

│ +Mary (--?--) (163)

└── Albert Tellis (92), b. 1916 at NY, d. 1959

+Rose (--?--) (166)

+unknown spouse

├── Sam Tellis (101), b. 1885, d. 1950

│ +Lena Kashlinsky (102), b. 1890, m. 1909, d. 1961

│ ├── Dianah Tellis (180)

│ │ +Mel Bornstein (181)

│ ├── Frank Tellis (173)

│ │ +Mildred (--?--) (174), m. 1947

│ ├── Irma Tellis (176), d. 1950

│ │ +Murray Brauer (177)

│ ├── Edward Tellis (184), d. 1959

│ │ +Belle (--?--) (185)

│ └── Max Tellis (103), b. 1910 at NY, d. 1961

│ +Fay Benowitz (189), b. 1910, d. 1972

├── Efriam Asher Telefus (74), b. before 1890 at Bessarabia, Ukraine

│ +Hinde (--?--) (75)

│ ├── Leika Telefus (81)

│ ├── Rubin Telefus (76), b. at Bessarabia, Ukraine

│ └── Chana Telefus (80), b. circa 1901

│ +Jacob Gandelman (82), b. 1900, m. circa 1924 at NY

└── Louis Tellis (104), b. 1891

+Yetta (--?--) (130), b. 1887

├── Benjamin Tellis (131), b. 1913 at NY

└── Harry Tellis (132), b. 1918 at NY

Why I am doing this family history project...

• Genealogy is a journey of self discovery, at least it has been for me. In many respects, the person that you are is a reflection of the people who came before you. That is why know who came before you is important.
• In school, history sometimes left me feeling disconnected. Studying my own family's experiences has allowed me to see how we fit in the larger historical context.
• When I was younger, I asked my parents where our family was from. My father said "I don't know." So did my aunt and all of their cousins. I was never satisfied with that, and I reliezed that if I wanted better answers, I'd have to find them myself. And I've been trying...
• When my Grandmother, Marian Weil nee Goldner, passed away a few years ago, we found some brittle documents in Romanian. I had them translated, and they turned out to be my great-grandparent's dowry agreement, signed by my great-great-grandparents Leib Faibish and Shmuel Goldner! I regret not talking to my Grandmother about them before she passed away, and I never want to have similar regrets.
• I love detective work, and genealogical research is dectective work. You get clues from interviews and documents, and they lead you in different directions.
• Genealogy is a perfect hobby for a self-absorbed busybody like myself. :)

[Originally posted by me to the TangerineCrafts website in 2002.]