 1884 - 1978 (94 years)
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| Name |
Benny (Jankel Moshev) Grusin [1] |
| Born |
15 Jan 1884 |
Glazmanka (Gostini), Latvia  [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Reference Number |
10098 |
| Died |
1 Sep 1978 |
Birmingham, AL [1] |
| Buried |
2 Sep 1978 |
Birmingham, AL [1] |
| Person ID |
I10098 |
aojd |
| Last Modified |
11 Nov 2011 |
| Children |
| | 1. Bessie Grusin, b. 25 Dec 1918, Sipsey, Walker, AL , d. 11 Apr 1989, Memphis, Shelby , TN (Age 70 years) |
| | 2. Celia (Cecilia) Grusin, b. 1 Jan 1917, Sipsey, Walker, AL , d. 25 Jul 1989, Chicago, Cook, IL (Age 72 years) |
| | 3. Leon Grusin, b. 17 Dec 1914, Sipsey, Walker, AL , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 4. Philip Grusin, b. 2 Nov 1912, Empire, Walker, AL , d. Yes, date unknown |
| | 5. Isaac Grusin, b. 17 Aug 1910, Dora, Walker, AL , d. 30 Aug 1996, Birmingham, AL (Age 86 years) |
| | 6. Jeanette Grusin, b. 12 Oct 1920, Sipsey, Walker, AL , d. 10 Jun 1981, Birmingham, AL (Age 60 years) |
|
| Family ID |
F3581 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Notes |
- NAME: Jankel Movshev Gruzin [later changed to Benny Grusin], son of Movsha Aron Gruzin, born in Glazmanka. [Source: See 1897 Census below.]NAME: Benjamin (Yontel) Grusin. [Source: Barbara Goldberg note of Jan 2003.] BIRTH DATE question: [Note: I am using the Naturalization date of birth of 15 Jan 1884.]
1877: 1897 Latvian census says he was 20 years old.
1882, 15 Oct: Marshall Hyatt email of Aug 1998.
1882, 15 Jan: Phyllis Weinstein letter of Sep 1998.
1883, 15 Oct: WWI Draft Registration 1884, 15 Jan: Born in Glasmanky, [Glazmanka], Russia [Latvia]. Naturalization record, 1912 and 1916. 1884: Manifest on arrival in the US says he was 26 years old in 1910 1884: Recollections tape recorded in 1977 says he was 21 when he went into the Russian Army, which would be about 1903.
1884: 1920 US Census says he was 36 years old. 1884: Family tree drawn by Benny Grusin and daughter, Celia, in 1985 CENSUS: 1897: Jankel Movshev Gruzin, 20 years old, born in Glazmanka. Occupation: ragman [in "trade with rags".] Can read and write Yiddish. Living with parents. Residence: Lesnaja (Forest) I St, in the house of Kahn. Age is stated approximately for 1896. [Source: 1897 Latvian State Census, Latvian State Historical Archives, Fond #2706-1-99-770.] FAMILY NOTES: Benny's father started a hosiery factory in the house. Benny (Yontel) worked making hose until he was 21. Then, in 1903, he had to go into the Russian army. The army sent him to Plutz, Poland in a marksmen battalion, but he couldn't see well enough to shoot. Later the Russian army sent him to Warsaw, Poland in tailoring unit, and then sent him back to Plutz, Poland. When the Russian Japanese War broke out in 1904, he was going to be sent to Manchuria. The night before he was to leave, his brother-in-law, Hershel Feigelson, got him away by train to Bessie's [Nissan Gruson's daughter] sister (which sister?) in Kurland [Courland], on the Baltic Sea, where he hid for 6 weeks. Then he went to Aunt Bessie's other sister (which sister?) in Kourland [Courland]. He had everyone call him Herschel so he wouldn't be caught, identified, and sent back to the army. Later, he changed his name to Benny. Then he left Latvia, went to Germany, and, from Hamburg, Germany, sailed to Dublin, Ireland. He arrived after Jack (Jacob/Yankel) Gruson, but before Harry Gruson. When his cousins Harry and Louis Gruson arrived, the 3 of them became peddlers. [Source: Transcript of tape-recorded story told by Ben Grusin in Jan 1977.] IMMIGRATION: 1904: Immigrated to Dublin, Ireland. [Source: See Family Notes above.] MARRIAGE: Date question: 26 Sept 1909 [Reception invitation] or 23 Nov 1909 [Marriage registration]? MARRIAGE: 26 Sept 1909: Benny's father, Masharen, arranged the marriage of Benny and Nettie May [Necha Meilach]. Nettie was living and working in a store in Riga at the time. She immigrated to Dublin, and 2 months later, they were married. Abe and Jane (Gruson) Taylor, and Harry and Edith Gruson, sponsored the wedding. It was held at 25 Greenville Terrace, Dublin. Name on wedding announcement was spelled Gruson, not Grusin. [Source: Transcript of tape-recorded story told by Ben Grusin in Jan 1977 and photo of tray engraved with the wedding announcement. Barbara Goldberg has the tray. 1998.] MARRIAGE: 23 Nov 1909. Benny Grusen [Grusin] and Netta Malough [Meilach] in Dublin; Registration District: 3 South City, Dublin South. Benny Grusen: 'Full' age; Dealer in Antiques; of 25 Greenville Terrace; Bachelor; Father's name is Moses Aaron Grusen, Draper. Netta Malough [Meilach]: 'Full' age; No occupation; of 25 Greenville Terrace; Spinster; Father's name is Pilot Malough [Meilach], Draper. Married in Registrar's Office, Dublin. Witnesses: B. Jaffe and H. [Harry] Grusen [Gruson]. [Source: Ireland Marriage Registration, General Records Office, Dublin, 4th Quarter, Dec 1909, Page 587, Certificate #86, Vol 2.] OCCUPATION: Dealer in Antiques. [Source: See 1909 Marriage registration.] RESIDENCE: 1909: 25 Greenville Terrace, Dublin. [Source: See 1909 Marriage registration.] IMMIGRATION: 1 April 1910: Bennie Grusen [Grusin], 26 years old, immigrated to United States, with wife, Neka, on SS Adriatic from Queenstown (Ireland?) on 24 Mar 1910 to New York, arriving on 1 Apr 1910. Last permanent residence was Dublin, Ireland. Closest relative was father, Moses Grusin, in Glasmenkey (Glazmanka), Witesk [Vitesk Province], Russia. Going to Dora, Alabama. Closest relative in US was brother-in-law, Mr. G. May [Gershon May]. Height: 5'7", dark complexion, dark hair, blue eyes. Benny had $50 in his possession. Paid for passage himself. [Source: Soundex to Passenger Lists, 1902-1945, Microfilm #1379750. Ship's manifest, Group #38, Line 8, Microfilm #1400127.] IMMIGRATION: April 1909 [actually April 1910]. Dora, Alabama: Went to Dora, Alabama to join his brother-in-law, Mr. Gerson May [Meilach], his wife's brother. [Source: Transcript of tape-recorded story told by Ben Grusin in Jan 1977.]IMMIGRATION: 1910: Gerson May, Nettie's brother, was well established in business in Alabama. He helped Bennie and Nettie Gruson immigrate from Ireland to Alabama. [Source: Celia Gruson Goldberg letter of Oct 10, 1988.] CENSUS: 1910, Alabama: Bennie Grusin, age 26. He and his wife, Nettie, age 25, live with Nettie's brother, Garrison [Gerson] May. Residence: 354 Democrat Rd, Sipsey, Walker County, AL. Occupation: Peddler, Dry Goods. Says he and wife immigrated to the US in 1910. Alien. Both born in Russia and both are able to read & write English. [Source: Apr 23, 1910 Census: Reel 36, Vol 110, ED 183, Sheet 17a, Line 26-27, Spvr District 6, Beat 13 Township.] OCCUPATION: Peddler; later General Store Merchant. He and Nettie peddled goods from town to town in a horse-drawn wagon. When they had saved enough money, they opened a store in Sipsey, Walker Co, AL, where they remained for the next 50 years. Went to the synagogue in Birmingham, AL. They kept a kosher house (kashruth), and went to the synagogue in Birmingham. [Source: Letter from Celia Grusin Goldberg in Oct 1988.] OCCUPATION: "Benny Grusin, a Latvian Jew who opened a small retail business in Sipsey, Alabama." [Source: quote from Ruth D. Scheinberg, "The Pekl: Folk Histories of Jewish Peddlers in the South 1890-1914" Unpublished MA thesis, Emory University, 1980, page 61; Also quoted in Mina Surasky Trop, "Memoirs--Mostly about a South Carolina Childhood", Jewish Currents 24, Feb 1980.] NATURALIZATION: 3 Sep 1912 and 18 May 1916, Bennie Grusin filed a Declaration of Intention 3 Sep 1912, 28 years old; and Petition for Naturalization, 18 May 1916. Merchant. Born 15 Jan 1884 in Glasmanky, [Glazmanka], Russia [Latvia]. Dark complexion, 5'8" tall, weight 135 lbs, black hair and brown eyes. Residence: Creel (?), AL. Emigrated to U.S. from Queenstown, Ireland on the SS Adriatic, arriving in New York City on 2 Apr 1910. Confirmed by Ellis Island, US Dept of Labor, arrived on 1 Apr 1910. Last residence was Dublin, Ireland. Wife: Nettie, born in Glazmanka. Children: Isaac 17 Apr 1910 in Dora, AL; Phillip, 2 Nov 1912; Creel, AL; and Leon, 17 Dec 1914; Sipsey. Witnesses: S. H. Grusin [Sam] and Abe Levine, both Salesman, Birmingham, AL. [Source: US District Court, Northern District, Birmingham, AL; Naturalization Declaration of Intention, #247, Page 147, Filed 3 Sep 1912, LDS #1481403, Item 4. Naturalization Petition for Naturalization, #452, Pg 52, Filed 18 May 1916, LDS #2026146.] WWI DRAFT REGISTRATION: 12 Sep 1918: Benny Grusin, 34 years old; born 15 Oct 1883. Residence Rte 1, Jasper, Walker, Co, AL. Occupation: Merchant, Self-employed. Business: Rte 1, Jasper, AL. Nearest relative: Nettie Grusin, wife, same address. [Source: WWI Draft Registration, Order #1290, Serial #3954, Reel #AL-83, LDS #1473282, 12 Sep 1918.] CENSUS: 1920 Alabama. Bennie Grusom [Benny Grusin], 36 years old, own home, Sipsey, Walker Co, AL. Occupation: Merchant, owns a Retail Store. Came, with wife, to the United States in 1910. Naturalized in 1916. Living with wife, Nettie, 36 years old; and children: Isaak [Isaac], 9 years old; Phillip [Philip], 7 years old; Leon, 5 years old; Ceillie [Celia], 3 years 1 month old; and Bertha [Bessie], 1 year 0 months old. Also in home: Brother, sister-in-law, and niece: Sim [Sholem] Grusom [Grusin], 39 years old; and Janie [Janice], 33 years old; and Bertha, 12 years old. Sim and Janie came to the U.S. in 1905. Alien; not naturalized. Sim is a Salesman in a Retail Store. Bertha was born in Connecticut. Also in home: Father and mother of Bennie Grusin: Moses Aaron Grusom [Grusin], 68 years old; and Rebecca, 65 years old. Everyone can read, write, and speak English except for Moses and Rebecca. Benny, Nettie, Sholem, Janie, Moses and Rebecca were born in Russia. [Source: AL Census 1920, Sipsey, Walker County, ED 114, Vol 88, Sheet 15A [12A is crossed out and 15A written in], Lines 1-13, Supervisor's District 10.] CENSUS: 1930, AL: Benny Grusin, 46 years old, born in Riga, Latvia, Russia. Married when he was 27 and his wife 27 years old. Residence: no address given, Bryan & Sipsey Mining District, Precinct 15, Walker Co, AL. Owns own home; value $500. Has a radio. Occupation: Owner, Retail Merchant. Immigrated in 1910; Naturalized, can read and write. Living with wife, Nettie, 46 years old, born in Latvia, immigrated in 1910, Naturalized; and with children, all born in AL and all in School: Isaac, 18 years old; Phillip, 16 years old; Leon, 14 years old; Celia, 12 years old; Bessie, 10 years old; and Jeannett [Jeanette], 9 years old. Also living with them are Bennyâ?™s mother and father, both born in Riga, Latvia, Immigrated in 1914, Alien: Moses A., 75 years old, married when he was 26, can read and write; and Rebecca, 70 years old, married when she was 21, can not read and write. [Source: 11 Apr 1930 Census: Reel 626-52, ED 23, Sheet 16A, Lines 12-21, Spvr District 1, Precinct 15; ancestry.com image 31.] SOCIAL SECURITY: 3 June 1952. Bennie Grusin, born 5 Oct 1895, in Glazmanky [Glazmanka], Russia [Latvia]. 66 years old at last birthday. Residence: Sipsey, Alabama. Employer: Self, Store in Sipsey, Alabama. Father: M.A. Grusin (dead). Mother: Rebica Grusin. Social Security #417-44-5811. [Source: Social Security Application form.] RESIDENCE: 1970: After his wife, Nettie, died, he went to live with his son and daughter-in-law, Isaac and Lottie Grusin, in Birmingham. [Source: Obituary written by Celia Grusin Goldberg, published in Birmingham Jewish Star, Dec 1978, Page 3.] DEATH: 1978, Bennie Grusin. Birmingham, Alabama. Gives date of birth as 1884. SS #417-44-5811. [Source: Social Security Death Index.] DEATH: 1 Sept 1978, in Birmingham, Alabama. [Source: Harriet Shulmister email of Dec 2001.] BURIAL: 2 Sep 1978. Buried in Knesseth-Beth-El Cemetery in Birmingham, AL. Old Section, Lot 065, Grave 1. [Source: Jewish Cemetery Project, Jewishgen web site and email from AL cemetery coordinator, Fred Ward, Oct 2000.] [1]
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