Friday’s Faces from the Past: Sarah Green Golomb and Louis Golomb
Sarah Rebecca Green (or Sarah Gren) was born in Lithuania in November, 1874, possibly Kovno/Kaunas, or maybe Grincasek, both under control of Poland and Russia at different times. (Censuses for various family in different years lists Lithuania, Russia, or Poland as nativity.) We know her father’s name was Jacob Gren, but do not know her mother’s name. There is a family story that “…the father was lost in Europe…” and it may have been this Jacob Gren. We only know of one brother- Abraham Gren or Abraham Green, who is the direct ancestor we have studied.
This photo was taken in St. Louis, Missouri. Sarah’s brother Abraham immigrated to the United States in 1884, and worked as a tailor to save money and bring the family over. Censuses indicate 1889, 1890, and 1891 as arrival dates for Sarah, and we have not yet found immigration records for her, though we have not searched much since she is collateral kin.(Note to self: look for this information.) Sarah’s niece was born in 1891 in Pittsburgh, so we are assuming Abraham was living there then, though he may have moved to St. Louis to establish his tailoring business. We know he and his family were in St. Louis for the 1900 US Federal Census. Was this photo taken possibly when she immigrated and may have gone to live with her brother in St. Louis after 1891? Was it taken on a visit to St. Louis while she was living in Pittsburgh? Perhaps it was taken to send back to Lithuania to her family who may have remained there? Hopefully some of those out there researching the Golomb family, or who have Golomb family treasures, can help us learn more. (We do not have any pictures of Louis Golomb, hint, hint…)
Sarah married Louis Golomb on 28 May 1893 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Louis was also born in Lithuanian Russia, 23 Dec 1873; his parents were David Golomb and Sarah __ per his death certificate. Dates of his immigration vary from 1880-1888 at age 19, but he filed his Petition for Citizenship on 8 May 1894, listed as a native of Poland. The 1900 census states he immigrated in 1888, had been here 12 years (the math works this time), and was naturalized. (He was not, unless it took them many years to file. He probably had just started the process.) Sarah had 13 children, two of whom died very young. Those who lived to adulthood were: Esther G. Golomb (1894-1942), Rose Golomb (1896-1989), Bessie Golomb (or Betty?) (1897-1972), Isadore Lawrence Golomb (1899-1969), Maurice Abraham Golomb (1902-1971- sometimes noted as Morris?, Abraham Golomb, sometimes called Albert? (1904-1967), Milton Wilbur Golomb (1906-1989), Bernard W. Golomb (1908-1985), David Golomb (1910-1997), Florence Golomb (1912-2010), and Norman Green Golomb (1915-1993).
Sarah and Louis are found in the US Federal censuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the rest of their lives. Louis worked as a painter & paperhanger at the time of the 1900 census, but by 1910 was a store keeper in a paint and glass business, and is listed as an employer. In 1920 he was listed as a merchant with a paint and wallpaper business, as an “emp,” not “OA,” or own account. By the 1930 census he was noted as a proprietor of a hardware store, and was living with his wife and children.
Sarah died on 15 March 1939 in Pittsburgh. Interestingly, her sons Milton and Maurice completed her death certificate, listing her as a widow, and with their father’s name as Herman, instead of Louis. JewishGen and the headstone both state Louis’ death as 1942, and his death certificate states 23 Aug 1942 of’ ‘influenzal encephalitis.’ The informant was Albert Golomb (son Abraham?) and he was a widower. Sarah and Louis have headstones side by side in B’nai Israel Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
We have been unable to find a Pittsburgh census record for Louis in 1940. There was a Louis Golomb living in New York, Kings Co., New York, in 1940, who was born in 1872 in Russia. But he had a wife named Bella and two daughters, and was working as a salesman in a variety store. This could not be the same Louis, as he and Sarah were still having children in Pittsburgh when the NY Louis married in 1907. It would be interesting to learn more about the last few years of ‘our’ Louis’ life.
[NOTE: revised 7/11/14 after original publication to reflect new information learned. Also added Find A Grave links.]
Notes, Sources, and References:
1) Louis Golomb Petition for Citizenship- Source Citation: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington D.C.; Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania; NARA Series: M1537; Reference: (Roll 059) Jan 19 -May 11, 1894.
2) 1900 US Federal Census, Louis Golomb, head of household- Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Pittsburgh Ward 8, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1358; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0129; FHL microfilm: 1241358.
3) 1910 US Federal Census- Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Pittsburgh Ward 3, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1299; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 0309; FHL microfilm: 1375312.
4) 1920 US Federal Census- Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place: Pittsburgh Ward 5, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1520; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 393; Image: 323.
5) 1930 US Federal Census- Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1975; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0174; Image: 455.0; FHL microfilm: 2341709.
6) JewishGen, comp. JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry (JOWBR) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: This data is provided in partnership with JewishGen.org.
7) Louis Golomb death certificate- note confusion as to marital status, but hard to read what was written in: http://interactive.ancestry.com/5164/42342_2421406260_0690-00792/4717762?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dPADeathCollection%26h%3d4717762%26ti%3d0%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dgr_t4160486_p-1635419420_ktidz0q3d4160486z0q26pidz0q3d-1635419420z0q26hidz0q3d35662563121z0q26dbidz0q3d5164z0q26rpidz0q3d4717762z0q26ssrcz0q3dgrz0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q252c32782z0q26pgplz0q3dpidz0q252ctidz0q257cpidz0q257chidz0q257cdbidz0q257crpidz0q257cssrcz0q26pgpsz0q3d-1635419420_h35662563121&ssrc=gr_t4160486_p-1635419420_ktidz0q3d4160486z0q26pidz0q3d-1635419420z0q26hidz0q3d35662563121z0q26dbidz0q3d5164z0q26rpidz0q3d4717762z0q26ssrcz0q3dgrz0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q252c32782z0q26pgplz0q3dpidz0q252ctidz0q257cpidz0q257chidz0q257cdbidz0q257crpidz0q257cssrcz0q26pgpsz0q3d-1635419420_h35662563121&backlabel=ReturnRecord
8) Find A Grave memorial #123652024 for Sarah Green Golomb reveals her Hebrew name as Sarah Rivkah bat Yalev: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=123652024
9) Find A Grave memorial #123651973 for Louis Golomb reveals his Hebrew name as Elihan ben Yitzhak: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=123651973
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