Here is the Zalk family, circa 1900: Max (b. 1859 in Poland), his wife Gittel (aka Gertrude), and their children Sarah, Louis, and baby Eva. The person I'm especially interested in is Gittel, nee Lass.
The story I have heard is that she did not want to come to America; Max came over and had to convince her. She finally emigrated in 1888 with Sarah and Louis (age 3).
According to the 1910 census, Gittel was born Nov 1851 -- or in 1852, according to the 1930 MN census. Her daughter Eva’s birth certificate states that Gittel was born in 1860. Hmm. In addition to these discrepancies, I have spent considerable time winnowing conflicting stories and data in order to determine whether Gittel was the half-sister or the step-sister of my great-grandmother Lena Laser Blumenfeld. Step-sister is most probable.
One version of the relationship is that Lena Laser's father, Moses Laser, died; her mother, Leba Laser (nee Loss) (who was also sometimes referred to as Libshe or Lipse Loss!) , then married a widower with the last name of Lass -- one of whose children, Gittel, was much older than Lena (born in 1865).
But there are other theories as well. For one thing, the similar surnames (let alone the musical-chair given names) are enough to drive one batty. Lass, at least, appears to be solid, as there were other relatives in Minneapolis by that name.
Here is what purports to be a later photo of Gittel. Do you think, as I do, that she bears little resemblance to her earlier self? She seems a good deal paler, for one thing.
Here is my forebear, her step-sister Lena Laser Blumenfeld, at a similar age, probably in the 1930s.
Compare this photo of Lena as a teenager in Kovno (now Kaunas) Lithuania. Not much resemblance there either, but at least her complexion is the same! (Victoria Carte refers to the format of the photo. If your browser can translate Lithuanian, there is some semi-intelligible information on this Kaunas University Library page.)
For the record, the following is the only known photo of Lena's mother Leba Libshe Lipse Loss Laser Lass...or whatever... taken sometime before her death at at 87 in Minneapolis in 1923. (She emigrated in 1912 to join her children in the States.)
Babushkas one and all! Eventually, at least.
Sean, you have me wanting to know more about this family. It must be so difficult tracing links from one country to another, You have some suoper photos here to work with.
ReplyDeleteYour family must have had a fondness for alliteration. Even if you can't determine who is who, you can have fun with the tongue-twister names, at least!
ReplyDeleteI think the older photo does look like Lena. The eyes, shape of the face. I have relatives that actually were paler when they were older. I think because they stayed indoors so much.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy looking at the style of women's bangs in old photos. Lena's teenage photo didn't disappoint!
ReplyDeleteI think the reason the second photo looks paler is just because of the way the photo was lit and printed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kristin here; age, plus the fact that she's facing slightly to her left in the latter photo might have something to do with her "non-resemblance" to the earlier shot.
ReplyDeleteI'm at a Loss. Or is it Lass?
ReplyDeleteSean, your new header photo is feckin' fabulous.
ReplyDelete@T: Thanks! Yes, I wonder if they put up that sign before, or after, the roof got stove in.
ReplyDeleteGreat comparisons. Every time the shutter clicks it cuts a thin slice through the real world, but so often the rest of life, the relationships, the emotions, are implied there, somewhere beneath the surface emulsion.
ReplyDeleteThat's a tricky one; there's definitely a resemblance.
ReplyDeleteThe young woman in the first group portrait, which I estimate was taken in the mid- to late 1880s, does indeed look very much like the older woamn in the second head-and-shoulders portrait.
ReplyDeleteLass, Loss and Laser - There's no way you could have made those names up. That is just too funny.
ReplyDeleteNancy