Broida Family (Click for Family Tree)

Joseph Baer Cooper (1873-1955) remarried sometime after the death of his first wife, Helen Freda Cooper (1873-1934; Cooper was also her maiden name, as she was his second cousin). Since Helen died 24 December 1834, he most likely remarried in 1935 or later. We have been unable to find a marriage record for Joseph and his second wife, Bess ___- her maiden name is unknown. Marriage records for Pennsylvania have been searched, as Joseph lived there at the death of his first wife, and possibly until at least 02 July 1946, per the obituary of his sister, Lillian (Cooper) Blostein. New York and Florida marriage records have also been searched unsuccessfully, even though they lived in Florida, where Joseph died.

We would really like to know more about Bess (__) Cooper. We know that she survived Joseph, and was living in Miami Beach, Dade, Florida on 21 July 1955 when he died. Joseph was buried beside his first wife in New York. We have been unable to find information about the death of Bess or where she is buried.

The above identification of the wedding party/guests was written by Joseph’s daughter-in-law, Gertrude (Broida) Cooper. Note that she wrote the names on the back of the photo, placing them behind the person on the front side. Thus, these names should be reversed when looking at the photo, or read from right to left.

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. Photo source- family treasure.
2. Obituary of Lillian Cooper Blostein, Elmira Star Gazette, 02 Jul 1946.

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Original content copyright 2013-2016 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

A previous post included pictures of the Joseph and Helen Cooper family through the years, including a great picture from about 1913 with the four siblings with Irving in his Indian costume- just adorable. Following is what we know about each of Irving’s sisters. We are hoping we can find more cousins to help us learn more about each of these women.

Ann Cooper

Irv’s oldest sister, Ann, was born on 03 Jan 1903 in Pennsylvania. She lived with her parents in Montgomery, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania where she is found in the 1910 and 1920 census with them. She married Joe Poser between 1920 and 1924, when their daughter Kathleen C. Poser was born. Joe died in 1926, and Ann Poser and her daughter are listed as living with Joseph and Helen in the 1930 US Federal Census in Montgomery, Pennsylvania.

Ann married __ Hesselson between 1930 and 1940. She lived at 567 Riverside Ave. in Elmira, Chemung, New York by 1935 and was still there in 1940 per the US Federal Census. She was again listed as a widow and as head of household, working as a ‘saleslady’ in retail women’s ready to wear. Her daughter Kathleen Poser was living with her, and Ann’s brother-in-law, Abe Hesselson, shared the household. Ann died in November, 1981 in Richmond, Henrico, Virginia.

Rose Cooper

Rose was born 10 Mar 1904, also in Pennsylvania. She too is found with the family in the 1910 and 1920 US Federal Censuses. By 1930, however, she had been trained as a nurse and was working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a hospital. She lived in a boarding house with nine other women, eight of them nurses (one still a student nurse) plus a woman who was a hospital supervisor.

In 1935, Rose was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but by 1940 she had moved to New York City, where she worked for Greenpoint City Hospital as a Registered Nurse. She must have lived in a very large apartment complex- four pages of census entries include 160 persons who worked in the hospital.

The 1940 census also notes that Rose had worked 52 weeks in 1939 during the depression, and her salary was $1190 for the year 1939. Rose was one of the persons asked supplemental questions that year, and they included whether she had been married more than once (no) and her age at first marriage (25). This explains the fact that she was listed as divorced, and had apparently married originally around 1929. The supplemental questions also asked the language spoken in her home when she was young, and her reply was “Jewish.” Additionally she was asked if she had a Social Security card, and did not. (The Social Security Act was passed in 1935 and amended in 1939.)

Rose married Ruby Gale on 3 Feb 1952 per The Cooper Clan Chronicle of June, 1952. She died in Richmond, Virginia, on 22 Jan 1988.

Loretta Cooper

Loretta was the youngest of the three girls, born about 1907 in Pennsylvania. She too is found living with their parents in the 1910, 1920 censuses, plus the 1930 US Federal Censuses for Montgomery, Pennsylvania.

Loretta married Delmas Mayer Ribakow, born about 1906, an upholsterer in Baltimore, Maryland in 1930. They had one son, Harold R. Ribakow, born 24 Jul 1935, and died 02 Jan 2008. This is all we know about the family, but are hoping to learn more since we have been recently contacted by a descendant of this line. (Hooray! Blogs DO work as cousin bait!)

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1) Sibling Saturday: Siblings of Irving Cooper Through the Years. http://heritageramblings.net/2014/11/08/sibling-saturday-siblings-of-irving-cooper-through-the-years/

2) 1910 US Federal Census for Joseph Baer Cooper and family:  Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Montgomery, Lycoming, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1372; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 0058; FHL microfilm: 1375385. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Accessed 11-8-14.

3) 1920 US Federal Census for Joseph Baer Cooper and family:  Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place: Montgomery, Lycoming, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1599; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 59; Image: 32. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Accessed 11-8-14.

4) 1930 US Federal Census for Joseph Baer Cooper and family:  Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Montgomery, Lycoming, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2074; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0033; Image: 1086.0; FHL microfilm: 2341808. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Accessed 11-8-2014.

5) 1940 US Federal Census for Anna Hesselson: Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Elmira, Chemung, New York; Roll: T627_2514; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 8-53. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Accessed 11-8-14.

6) 1930 US Federal Census for Rose Cooper: Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 2134; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 1053; Image: 835.0; FHL microfilm: 2341868. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Accessed 11-8-14.

7) 1940 US Federal Census for Rose Cooper: Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, Kings, New York; Roll: T627_2583; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 24-1440.  Accessed 11-8-14.

8) Delmas Ribikow: R. L. Polk City Directory for Baltimore, Maryland, 1930. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Accessed 11-8-14.

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Copyright 2013-2014 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Irving Israel Cooper was the youngest of the four children born to Joseph Baer Cooper (1873-1955) and Helen Freda Cooper (1878-1934). [Helen’s maiden name was Cooper- they were second cousins. See previous Cooper posts listed below.]

Irving had three older sisters:

Ann Cooper, born 1903.

Rose Cooper, born 1904

and

Loretta Cooper, born 1907.

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1) Cooper family photos.

2) Previous posts about this Cooper family:

Wedding Wednesday: Joseph Baer Cooper and Helen Cooper may be found at http://heritageramblings.net/2013/12/04/wedding-wednesday-joseph-baer-cooper-and-helen-cooper/

Silly Sunday: Joseph Cooper Family in Swimsuits : http://heritageramblings.net/2014/01/19/silly-sunday-joseph-cooper-family-in-swimsuits-c1912/

Please contact us if you would like higher resolution images.

Copyright 2013-2014 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

February 3rd, 1901, was a special day for Helen Freda Cooper and her second cousin, Joseph Baer Cooper- it was the day they were married in Elmira, Chemung, New York, USA. Both were immigrants from Russian Lithuania, with Helen only in the United States for about a year before their marriage. Joseph was 27, Helen 22 on their wedding day.

Helen’s parents are unknown to us, and her Uncle, Irving Cooper, and Aunt, provided the wedding:

 [Click on images for larger pictures.]

The invitation reads:

“Mr. and Mrs. I. Cooper,
request the pleasure of your company at
the marriage of their niece
Miss Helen Cooper
and
Mr. Joseph Cooper,
Sunday evening, February 3d, 1901,
at six o’clock.
119 Orchard Street,
Elmira, N.Y.”

 Helen and Joseph lived in Montgomery, Lycoming, Pennsylvania from about 1903 until Helen’s death in 1934. They were married for 33 years and had four children: Ann Cooper (Hesselson) (Poser), 1903-1981; Rose Cooper (Gale), 1904-1988; Loretta Cooper (Ribakow), 1907-1955; and Irving Israel Cooper, 1908-1982.

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Family oral and written history, plus the above photo and invitation.

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Copyright 2013 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.