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The Liss Family History
Created by:
George Liss
19532
Bay View Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33434 Dear Liss Family: If
while reading the family history you come across an error, please
e-mail me at the above address. It
is with your help that
we will be able to maintain an accurate record for future generations.
The
Liss Family, as we know of it, traces its’ origins to the marriage of
Hinda Dobrisch and Dov Baer Liss in Russia. Hinda
was born in l853 in Kaminets, Russia to Gittel and Eliezar Leepha
Dobrisch. Her family was economically well off. Gittel’s maiden name
was Axelrod, and they were engineers for the Czar.
Hinda had a least one brother, Phivel, whose last known residence
was Nicholiyev. Hinda’s mother still lived in a small village and a
short distance from Nicholiyev for Jennie Klein recalled going by wagon
to visit prior to leaving for America. Dov
Baer, also called Beryl and Benjamin David, was the son of Jacob and
Scheindel Liss. He was born in l849 in Russia. According to Max Liss
(Sam’s son) there was a younger brother whose name we do not know.
Apparently the two brothers had a dispute over property owned by their
father) probably a house)----the younger brother prevailed with a great
deal of animosity (perhaps this is why no one can recall discussions
regarding cousins, uncles, etc. The
family name is not a shortened surname. This would go back to around
l820. In Russia, our family members had Hebrew and Yiddish names just as
we have English and Hebrew names. Dov Baer is repetitious in that Dov is
a Hebrew name (“Bear”) Beryl is used as we would say “Bennie”
for “Benjamin.” Sometimes the names were used together—Dov Baer.
We have been told that this was so the name Dov would not be confused as
diminutive for David. A woman usually had a Yiddish name only, Hinda,
Gittle, etc. Since they were not called to the torah, etc., there was no
need for a Hebrew name. Our family members adopted English names----Max,
Jennie—when they arrived in the U. S. The
family lived in Nicholiyev, which is located near Odessa in the Ukraine
(per my father.) The city is also called Mikoliyev in Yiddish and
Ukrainian. Dove worked for
the postal service (per Lou Liss). The family was in the pre-leather
business preparing hides prior to becoming leather. In the movie”Shoah”,
this was the Jewish occupation in one of the small Polish villages
depicted. Hinda said previous generations had been in the fur trade and
even traded in China. My
father related that the family home had dirt floors, and the family cow
was brought in doors in the winter. As a child, he would walk several
blocks to the city well to draw water, and in the winter the temperature
would be twenty below causing the water to freeze before he reached home
so the water would be thawed over a fire. He went to “cheda” from
early morning until evening, and at night came home with lanterns in a
wagon or sleigh. When Sam Liss married, according to his son max, an
extra room was built on to the family home for Sam and “Chaika”,Max
thought Hinda had a grocery in Russia. There
were eight children: “Sura” (Sarah), Yehoshuah (Sam), “Yaakov”
(Jacob), “Revka (Rebecca), “Nucham-“Nossan (Nathan),
“Morechai” (“Mottel”),Max “Yosedh
Yitzchak, ((Joseph Issac) and “Scheindel” Jenny. The
family members migrated to the U.S. individually, and not as a family
entity. It would appear they traveled across Europe via Poland to
various western points. They were probably part of the illegal
immigration. “Sura”
married Zalmon Manelis in Russia around l893. Two children were born in
Russia in l896,”Elieza Leeph (Louis Manelis) and “Scheindel” in
l897. Zalman migrated to the U. S. in l903 and had planned to go to New
Bedford, Mass. where friends of his parents lived. While enroute
acquaintances changed his plans and he went to Whitman, Mass. He moved
to New Bedford in l905. Zalman was born in Kiev, and later sent money to
his brothers in law for their passage. These sums were repaid when they
started working in the U. S. (per Bea Manelis Kaplan.) Nathan
was the first sibling to arrive in the U.S. He left Liverpool, England
on the Cunard Line Ship “Ivernia” on January 5, l904. His age was
recorded as l8 years, his occupation listed as a tailor, and his funds
were five dollars. The records say he was to meet his brother-in-law, S.
Adler c/o Pittiner at l59 Orchard St., New York. To be admitted, you had
to have someone in the U. S. so this name may have been an arranged
necessity, and not really a relative. Jacob
arrived in Philadelphia on June 27, l904. He had left Liverpool, England
where he had lived for “one year”, on June l5, l904. He was 22 years
old. His ship was the Dutch American line Westernland.
He arrived with a passenger listed as Lev (record not clear) Liss
whose age was 27 years. They were both enroute to New York to meet S.
Adler who was listed the brother-in-law of the other Liss passenger.
Since both Nathan and Jacob came via Liverpool, it would be interesting
to speculate that they left Russia together in May l903.
Since both were enroute to
see S. Adler, this could be a fictitious name, or a relative through a
branch of the Liss Family (Lev Liss) Sam
arrived in l904 ( I have not yet found his boat papers) He had been in
the Russian Army and had left at the start of the Russo-Japanese war.
His wife, “Chaika and his sons, Isaac and Max arrive later in
l907. Sam managed a bakery in New York. Max, age l8, arrived in New York
on April 22, l905 on the S.S. Pennsylvania. He had five dollars in his
possession, and listed occupation was a tailor. He was enroute to meet
his brother “Nachumka” of 42 Bleecher St., New York. He knew no
English, but could read and write. My
father told me how the brothers would go into bars to eat lunch for by
purchasing a beer for five cents you could partake of a buffet at no
charge. In
the end of l906 and winter l907, Nathan and Max went to Chicago by
train. They purchased a wagon, and worked as peddlers in Minnesota and
the Dakotas. Max related to me how they stayed on various farms (no
hotels) and the large amount of snow they encountered. “Sura”
Manelis arrived in New York on November 22, l906 aboard the S.S. Astoria
of the Anchor Line. She had left Glasgow on November l0, l906. She was
33 years old and brought her two children, “Leisear” Louis age 9 and
“Scheinder” age 7. She was 5 feet 2 and a half inches tall with
black hair. She was enroute to meet her husband “Zalman” of 37l
South Water St. in New Bedford, Mass. She and the children were detained
while a telegram was sent to “Zalman” for money. “Sura”, the
oldest sibling was listed as born in Nikoliyev. Josef
Lis (so listed on manifest) arrived with his sister “Sura” He was 4
feet l0 and a half inches tall with brown hair and his occupation was a
laborer. He was enroute to meet his brother, N. Liss, c/o Gatherfeld at
72 Bleecher St. His age was l6 years and he, too was born in Nikoliyev. Dov
Baer arrived in l909 at the age of 60. He worked in the U. S. as a rag
assorted. He died on August 20 l9l4 of gastric carcinoma. He is buried
in Mount Zion Cemetery in Mespath, N. Y. (part of Queens) in the section
of Congregation Anshe Sfard Poland. We know he was religious, and
attended services daily. Hinda
arrived in New York on July 3, l9l3 aboard the S.S. Potsdam having left
Rotterdam, Holland on June 22. She was 59 years old, and was to meet her
husband at 635 E. 6th St. in New York. She was accompanied by
her daughter, “Scheindel” Jenny, age l7. Another passenger was
listed as her daughter, “Sura”, age l9. This was not actually her
daughter. “Yankel”
Jack Feld, age 32 had arrived on March 8, l9l0, aboard the Red StarLine,
ship Vaderland. He had embarked by himself from Antwerp on February 26,
l9l0, and was enroute to New Bedford, Mass. “Rivke
Feld, age 25, arrived in New York on November 11, l9l2. She and her son,
“Herschel” Feld had left Rotterdam on November 2, l9l2, on the S. S.
Ryndam. Her last residence was listed as Hildshin or Kildshin, Russia
and her relative there was her father-in-law Itzak Feld. She, too, had
been born in Nikoliyev. She was 5 feet 4 inches and was enroute to meet
her husband l30 or l70 Acushnet Ave., New Bedford, Mass. The
family had opened a grocery store on Avenue B. in New York. The boys
worked as, and learned to be furriers. The
Liss Family migrated to New Bedford, Mass. In l9l3 or l9l4 and the
behest of Zalman Manelis who recommended it as a good area for
“peddling sheets.” The pattern of movement to New Bedford is not
known since Dov Beryl died in August l9l4 in New York after a six month
illness, and Lou Liss recalls going from New Bedford to New York to
visit his ailing grandfather. Incidentally, Dov had a red beard Lou recalls (also attested
to by Isaac Liss, per his daughter Renee.) Jake,
Nathan, and Max all married in New York and had children born there
while Joseph and Jenny married in New Bedford. An interesting
aside—Joseph and Isaac Liss both served in the army in World War l
(Isaac under an alias of Robert P. Gore.)
After discharge, Isaac brought a soldier friend home to New
Bedford—this soldier, Morris Klein, became the husband of Jenny Liss
Klein. The
family lived initially at 25 Crapo St.
Hinda moved from New York and lived with her daughter, Jenny.
Hinda has been described as a well-educated woman (unusual for
her time.) She died of
pneumonia on October 7, l936. She
had caught a cold while walking to synagogue on Yom Kippur and died on
Hoshanah Rabah, the last day of Succos.
She was able to “Daven” like a man, again, unusual for her
time and a reflection of her “Aristocratic” background. Her high
holiday Mahzor remains in the care of Lou Liss. A
weekly ritual was for the entire family to gather together on Sundays to
visit with their mother----all children included, a ritual repeated in
my father’s home during his lifetime. The
family members worked initially as peddlers, however, they each
eventually established businesses.
Nathan had a fur business, Max, a men’s haberdashery, and
Joseph, a women’s clothing store.
Jacob was the entrepreneur of the family.
He built the first hotel in Hyannis, Mass. And several large
buildings in New Bedford itself—one of these building was recently
sold and a newspaper article mentioned him as the original builder.
He was in the coal business, also, in Fall River, Mass. Tragedy
struck the family in l922 when both Nathan and Max suffered the loss of
their wives at very young ages. They
both remarried, (see family tree.) The
next significant family migration occurred around l924 when Sam’s son
Max moved to New York to enter the laundry business.
Sam and his son, Isaac followed soon after to join him in
business. They lived in the
Bronx. In
the early l930’s, Jacob sold his business in Fall River, Mass.
Since his son Barnet was also free, Jacob decided to take a trip
with the possible intent of starting a business in Philadelphia, where,
apparently there were some relatives.
Sophie Liss (Max’s wife suggested he might want to visit
Washington, D. C. Since she
had family there he knew and could say with, Jake visited there, saw
business opportunities and decided to move. He and his children opened a
furniture business there. Memorial
Day weekend, l936, Ben Liss (son of Max) visited his cousin Barnet in
Washington. Ben moved there permanently later that year and started a
door-to-door credit business. The
following year, his brother Abe was recruited to join him.
His father and sister Gertrude then followed and in l939 the
entire Max Liss family was moved to Wasington, D.C.
This
is not the end of the family history since many years have passed since
I first compiled this story. Many
other events have occurred which are beyond the scope of my knowledge,
and time constraints for further research.
I hope this will serve as a basis for you to continue your own
histories. I
would appreciate your writing me any additional information you might
wish to add. Speculations: l.
Dov Baer’s mother’s name was Scheinder.
Hinda and Dov named m.
their last
child Scheinder (Jenny B.l896) and Sura gave her daughter the same name
(Scheinder B. l896.) She
probably died l89l—l895 since Joseph (Yoseph Yitzchak) was not named
for her in l892. 2.
Eliezar Leephia Dobrisch died between l89l—l895.
Joseph was not
. named
for him (l892) while Lou Manelis was l895 3.
Yaakou Liss (father Dov Baer) died l875—l88l---Sam (l824 was
named for someone else (paternal or maternal grandparent?)
while second son Jacob was (B.l882.) 4.
Gittezl Axelrod Dobrisch died l9l2—l9l9.
Hinda and Jenny visited her
prior to leaving Russia in l9l2.
Gertrude Liss was named for
her.
Recently found data places it l4 of Tammuz in l9l5.
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