The Dilemma of the Salomans

My great great grandmother was Pauline Saloman.  She was married to Marks Raphael.  Marks was the first of my ancestors to immigrate to America, in 1851.  Marks' brother Aaron immigrated in the late 1850s. Marks was single when he came to America, but Aaron was married - to Yetta, and they had two children who were born in Germany - Pauline and Ricka.

Now here's the dilemma.  Pauline, Yetta, Pauline and Ricka immigrated in 1862.  Yetta was identified in the immigration record as Mother, going to meet her husband with the destination California.  Pauline was identified as "servant" with her ultimate destination New York.

They arrived on August 18, 1862 in New York and lo and behold - a Pauline Saloman married Marks Raphael on January 4, 1863.  Now assuming in the genealogy business generally is not the correct thing to do, but it is reasonable to assume that the Pauline on the ship that arrived in New York is quite likely the same Pauline that married Marks Raphael in Marysville, Yuba County, California.

Below is a snippet of their immigration record:

Now the dilemma.  At this time we do not know Yetta's maiden name.  But we have the following "evidence".

The following is the obituary for Pauline Saloman Raphael:

So the two dilemmas are: 

• Is the "servant" Pauline Saloman that traveled to America the same Pauline Saloman that married Marks Raphael?
• Was Yetta truly Pauline's sister as stated in Pauline's obituary? Or were they sister-in-laws, and "sister" was just short hand in the obituary?  We do know from both Yetta and Pauline's obituaries that they were both natives of Kolmar, Germany.

For now I believe that Pauline and Yetta were sisters.  Maybe additional proof will surface some day. But the fact that Pauline was listed as "servant" in the immigration record is quite puzzling.

Which Relatives Were Born on September 11th?

Of all identified relatives in our family tree, 3 were born on September 11th on this day that we remember September 11, 2001.

They are:

Sarah Raphael, born September 11, 1865.  She was my great great Aunt.

Marjorie Evans, born September 11, 1915 - She is/was my second cousin - once removed.

and

Alva Sara Kaul, born September 11, 1915 - She was the wife of my first cousin, twice removed.

A Tribute to Marks Raphael

Marks Raphael was my great great grandfather. He is on my fathers father's line, like the Marks, Solomanns, and Beermanns. He was the very first of my ancestors to immigrate to America. He was also the very first to become involved in Jewish societies and lodges in California. Below is his story:

Marks Raphael was born in Kolmar, Prussia (now Chodziez, Poland) on July 2, 1825. He immigrated to America in 1851. He arrived from Panama via Acapulco on March 6, 1851 on the steamer ship New Orleans. He most likely arrived from Europe in New York and then sailed from there to Panama, but no record as yet has been found to substantiate that conjecture. He appears in the San Francisco City Directory in 1856. He first census appearance is in the 1870 census in Marysville. No record as yet has been found in the 1860 census, although his brother Aaron was in Marysville in the 1860 census. He appears to have moved sometime between 1860 and 1862 to Marysville to participate in the many burgeoning businesses that were providing goods and supplies to gold rush pioneers. His vocation in Marysville was as a tailor. His wife Pauline Soloman immigrated to America with Marks’ brother Aaron’s wife and their two daughters in 1862. Marks and Pauline were married on January 4, 1863 in Marysville.

His wedding details are transcribed below:

State of California, County of Yuba. The People of the State of California. To any Judge, Justice of the Peace,Clergyman or Preacher of the Gospel, Greetings. You are hereby authorized to celebrate and certify a marriage between Mark Raphael and Pauline Solomon upon their request made to you therefore. Given under my hand and the seal of the County Court of said County, hereunto affixed, this the 30th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty two. E.M. Reagan (Seal) County Clerk and Ex-Officio Clerk of the County Court Yuba County, Cal. By D.R. Sample Deputy - I hereby certify that on Sunday January 4th AD 1863Mr. Mark Raphael and Miss Pauline Solomon the parties named in the within license were by me joined in the binds of matrimony. Simon R. Rosenthal Minister. Received for record January 6th 1863. Recorded January10th 1863. s/L.T. Crane Recorder

The following are lodges which Marks Raphael belonged to and held office in Marysville, generally as the shomer (guardian):

ANCIENT JEWISH ORDER-KESHER SHEL BARSEL

This is a mutual benevolent society similar to the B’nai B’rith and Odd Fellows, and is of long standing among Jewish people.

FIDELITY LODGE, NO. 14

June 20, 1874, this lodge was established in Marysville with the following officers:--L. Falk, W. Av.; Simon Hochstadter, Nassi; S. Elkeles, Alitzer; E. Marks, Achi; H Chims, Sofer; N. Scheider, Assistant Sofer; B. Rosenberg, Gisber; C. Ansorg, Cohen; J. Schlessinger, Segan; Mark Raphael, Schomer Hapesach: Samuel Wagner, H. Wagner, and Chas. Ehrlich, Trustees. It soon became evident that there were not enough Jewish people here to sustain the order in addition to the B’nai B’rith, and in 1877 the lodge disbanded, surrendered its charter and turned over its effect, books, etc., to the Grand Lodge.

REBECCA LODGE, NO. 6

This is a degree the same order into which ladies are admitted. It was instituted here October 15, 1874 with the following officers:--C. Ansorg, W. Av.; Mrs. H. Wagner, Nassi; N. Schneider, Sofer; Mrs. B. Rosenberg, Gisber: Mrs Chas. Ehrlich, Conductress; Jacob Elkeles, Cohen; Mark Raphael, Shomer. This society disbanded and surrendered its charter at the same time the parent society did.

He also was a member of the Independent Order of B’Nai B’rith; The following are excerpts from the Marysville association’s minutes referring to actions regarding Marks Raphael:

Date	Page in the Minutes	Action
10/1/1867	Page 313	Marks Raphael applies for membership; he is a resident tailor
11/3/1867	Page 318	Marks Raphael given 1st degree
12/1/1867	Page 327	Marks Raphael given 2nd Degree
12/8/1867	Page 328	Marks Raphael given 1st part of 3rd degree
	Page 329	Marks Raphael given 2nd part of 3rd degree
12/29/1867	Page 334	Marks Raphael named Warden
10/27/1868	Page 315	Marks Raphael accepted
02/21/1869	Page 434	Marks Raphael elected Guardian to replace Krahauer
07/04/1869	Page 458	Marks Raphael named Guardian (again)
07/11/1869	Page 459	Marks Raphael being paid $5.00 per quarter for keeping the hall

In Oakland, where he and his family later resided, Marks was a member of the IOBB Lodge #252.

On May 13, 1874, M Raphael moved his business, formerly known as the Grand Saloon on 3rd Street, between D and High.

On August 18, 1876, Marks Raphael was granted a reduction by the City Council on the assessment on his property, which was destroyed by fire a week earlier.

It is believed that when the fire destroyed his business, he shortly thereafter moved his family to Oakland, California. He appears in the Yuba County Great Register of Voters in 1876 but not in 1877 or later.

He owned furniture stores on Broadway in downtown Oakland until his death in 1893. The furniture store was located at 7th and Broadway from 1889 to 1882, and at 8th and Broadway from 1883 until 1893.

He and Pauline had many children. Family stories state that there were seven daughters and five sons, however records of seven daughters and only two sons have been found. The only children who survived and grew to adulthood were Jennie, Sarah, Mollie, Rose, and Ella.

Marks died in Oakland, California on September 25, 1893 from apoplexy. Pauline died a year later in Oakland on March 9, 1894 from La Grippe. She was 54 years old. Marks and Pauline’s estate was handled by eldest daughter Jennie’s husband Bernhard Aronson. Due to Ben’s mishandling of the estate, borrowing from it to pay his own Chinese lottery and other gambling debts, Ben committed suicide in 1895 in his barbershop.

Unfortunately I have no photos of Marks and Pauline. Maybe some day!

Germany and Poland Family Map

Below is a map of some of the locations where our ancestors were born and resided:

View Germany and Poland Locations in a larger map

A legend of locations and family names follows:

Szubin (also known as Schubin) - Braunhart and Bernstein Families
Chodziez (Kolmar or Chodsiesen) - Raphael Family
Szezecin (Stettin) - Jacob Braunhart born here

Strzelno (Streino) - Helene Baszynzka Braunhart born here
Gostyn - Marks Family

Poznan - Heyman Family
Cottbus - Cecelia Braunhart lived and died here

Krakow - Markheim and Metzner Families
Berlin - Several Braunhart family members lived and are buried here. Several still live here.

New Marks, Raphael and Repp Photos Uncovered

With great thanks to my second cousin Kit Crawford, who with her husband Jim paid us a visit this week, we now have more photos of the Marks, Raphael, and Repp families. Kit and I share common great grandparents - Joseph Marks and Mollie Raphael Marks. Kit's grandmother Carol Marks married Herbert Repp and Carol's only sibling was my grandfather Mervyn Raphael Marks.

In honor of her visit, below are a few pictures. The first is Kit as a child with her mother Elisabeth Repp. The second is Joseph and Mollie, and the third is the Repp family (the two individuals on the outer left and outer right are unknown and not family members). The remainder are in the Marks Family Photos album accessible via the Photo Page

A Bizarre Tale Of A Woman Wronged

Hattie Isaacs was the granddaughter of Aaron Raphael, who was the brother of my great great grandfather Marks Raphael. Hattie was born in 1879 and was the unmarried daughter of Aaron's youngest daughter Reka - Reka's husband and Hattie's father was Jacob Isaacs.

Apparently, Hattie was seeing a young man named George Rudolph Permien in the late 1890s. Also apparently, Hattie became pregnant and Mr. Permien so it seems (at least according to Hattie) promised her that he would marry her.

When Mr. Permien refused to follow up on his "promise", Hattie called the Police and had him arrested for felony betrayal. Permien was put in jail for several months awaiting trial.

What follows next are a few newspaper articles chronicling the case. Although Mr. Permien was convicted by the jury, the judge overturned the verdict and Permien was set free.

After Hattie saw the witness list for the defense and heard the statements in support of Permien as well as what they were saying about her, she became quite distressed. So much so that her father Jacob later got in a fight with one of Permien's so called witnesses trying to protect his daughter's honor and he was arrested as well.

Quite a story!

By the way, the baby was named Gertude Helen and was raised by Hattie and her husband of a couple of years later, John King. Upon reaching adulthood, Gertrude married George McGue, an Oakland fire inspector of many years and had three sons, Robert, Donald, and George.

Another Bernhard - Another Suicide!

What is it about the men named Bernhard in my family? First Bernhard Bernhart, my great great great uncle slit his own throat in 1889 after some business failures and trouble with his wife, and now Bernhard Aronson, my great great uncle who was married to my great grandmother Mollie Raphael Marks' sister Jennie Raphael Aronson, also committed suicide - his time was 1895.

Bernhard (Ben) chose a less gruesome method of going out than his prior namesake - he chose morphine. According to the newspaper articles below, he had used the inheritance money from his wife's parents' estate for gambling in the Chinese lotteries that were popular at that time in the Bay Area. As he didn't have enough money to pay certain mortgages, I guess the conclusion is that he lost - in more ways than one. He left a wife, Jennie, who never remarried although living another 55 years, and two small children, Robert and Henrietta.

He was found in his chair early in the morning at one of the barber shops that he owned in Oakland. Apparently this was a planned event, as he had enough forethought to write letters to his wife and brother in law and mailed them the day before.

So I have had two ancestors named Bernhard - only two - and they both commited suicide. Quite a coincidence!



The following day, more was explained in a subsequent newspaper article that included the text of the letters that he had written.

Marks Raphael

My great great grandfather, Marks Raphael was the earliest of my ancestors to immigrate to America. He came in 1851 to San Francisco by ship, followed a few years later by his brother Aaron.

My grandfather Mervyn Raphael Marks took his middle name from Marks Raphael's family name. Please don't confuse Marks Raphael's first name with Mervyn Marks last name. Marks Raphael's daughter Mollie happened to marry a man whose last name was Marks.

A summary of Marks Raphael's life is below.

Marks Raphael was born in Kolmar (later Chodziesen) Germany (now Chodziez, Poland) on July 2, 1825. He immigrated to America in 1851. He arrived from Panama via Acapulco on March 6, 1851 on the steamer ship New Orleans. He most likely arrived from Europe in New York and then sailed from there to Panama, but no record as yet has been found to substantiate that conjecture. He appears in the San Francisco City Directory in 1856. He first census appearance is in the 1870 census in Marysville. No record as yet has been found in the 1860 census, although is brother Aaron was in Marysville in the 1860 census. He appears to have moved sometime between 1860 and 1862 to Marysville to participate in the many burgeoning businesses that were providing goods and supplies to gold rush pioneers. His vocation in Marysville was as a tailor. His wife Pauline Soloman immigrated to America with Marks’ brother Aaron’s wife and their two daughters in 1862. Marks and Pauline were married on January 4, 1863 in Marysville.

His wedding details are transcribed below:

State of California, County of Yuba. The People of the State of California. To any Judge, Justice of the Peace, Clergyman or Preacher of the Gospel, Greetings. You are hereby authorized to celebrate and certify a marriage between Mark Raphael and Pauline Solomon upon their request made to you therefore. Given under my hand and the seal of the County Court of said County, hereunto affixed, this the 30th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty two. E.M. Reagan (Seal) County Clerk and Ex-Officio Clerk of the County Court Yuba County, Cal. By D.R. Sample Deputy - I hereby certify that on Sunday January 4th AD 1863 Mr. Mark Raphael and Miss Pauline Solomon the parties named in the within license were by me joined in the binds of matrimony. Simon R. Rosenthal Minister. Received for record January 6th 1863. Recorded January 10th 1863. s/L.T. Crane Recorder

The following are lodges which Marks Raphael belonged to and held office in Marysville:

ANCIENT JEWISH ORDER-KESHER SHEL BARSEL

This is a mutual benevolent society similar to the B’nai B’rith and Odd Fellows, and is of long standing among Jewish people.

FIDELITY LODGE, NO. 14

June 20, 1874, this lodge was established in Marysville with the following officers:--L. Falk, W. Av.; Simon Hochstadter, Nassi; S. Elkeles, Alitzer; E. Marks, Achi; H Chims, Sofer; N. Scheider, Assistant Sofer; B. Rosenberg, Gisber; C. Ansorg, Cohen; J. Schlessinger, Segan; Mark Raphael, Schomer Hapesach: Samuel Wagner, H. Wagner, and Chas. Ehrlich, Trustees. It soon became evident that there were not enough Jewish people here to sustain the order in addition to the B’nai B’rith, and in 1877 the lodge disbanded, surrendered its charter and turned over its effect, books, etc., to the Grand Lodge.

REBECCA LODGE, NO. 6

This is a degree the same order into which ladies are admitted. It was instituted here October 15, 1874 with the following officers:--C. Ansorg, W. Av.; Mrs. H. Wagner, Nassi; N. Schneider, Sofer; Mrs. B. Rosenberg, Gisber: Mrs Chas. Ehrlich, Conductress; Jacob Elkeles, Cohen; Mark Raphael, Shomer. This society disbanded and surrendered its charter at the same time the parent society did.

The position of shomer literally means “gatekeeper” or “watchman”. Thus he served as sort of a “sergeant of arms”.

He also was a member of the Independent Order of B’Nai B’rith of Marysville. In Oakland, Marks was also a member of the IOBB Lodge #252.

On August 18, 1876, Marks Raphael was granted a reduction by the City Council on the assessment on his property, which was destroyed by fire a week earlier.

It is believed that when the fire had destroyed his business, he shortly thereafter moved his family to Oakland, California. He appears in the Yuba County Great Register of Voters in 1876 but not in 1877 or later.

He owned a furniture store on Broadway in downtown Oakland until his death in 1893. The furniture store was located at 7th and Broadway from 1879 to 1882, and at 8th and Broadway from 1883 until 1893.

He and Pauline had many children. Oral family history recalls that there were seven daughters and five sons, however records of seven daughters and only one son have been found. The only children who survived and grew to adulthood were Jennie, Sarah, Mollie, Rose, and Ella.

Virgin Post - Dad's Side

Since this is the first page regarding my genealogy research, I suppose that it is pertinent to list some key family names as well as a simple pedigree chart showing the relationships of families and ancestors.

They are as follows:

For my father's side of the family, the chart of families is below:













The most recent research that has been completed has been using Footnote, which has just added a great number of newspaper and city directory citations. I have spent the past week finding the many San Francisco ancestors that resided in that city in the 19th century.

The most recent "person summary" is of my great great great grandfather, Levin Jacob Braunhart, who lived in Schubin, Germany (now Szubin, Poland). He was a renowned teacher. His summary is below:

Levin Jacob Braunhart

Levin Jacob Braunhart was born in Schubin, Germany in 1806. As a fourteen year old boy, he made the journey to Berlin – to seek some instruction since he had no general education up to that time. His patron (unknown) told him that a “Verein” had been formed to instruct Jewish youths in all branches of knowledge. He became a student at the “Verein fur Kultur und Wissenschaft der Juden” (“Association for Culture and Science of the Jews”). Among the men who directed the Verien were Heinrich Heine, Leopold Zunz, Edward Gans, Moses Moser, Dr. J. Auerbach, Dr. Rubo H. Normann, Ludwig Marcus, Dr. Schonberg, and Dr. Osterreich, One of Braunhart’s fellow students was the later world famous Orientalist, Salomon Munk.

In 1828-29, Braunhart was teaching at the private houses of distinguished Jewish families in London. He was appointed principal of the Jewish school in Schubin in 1835. Two of his well known students included Moses Mielziner, who was born in Schubin and later became a well-known American Reform rabbi and author, and General von Wittich.

Later in life, Braunhart was awarded the German equivalent of knighthood by Emperor Wilhelm I, and became known as Ritter von Braunhart.

He married Minnie Zadek on February 3, 1836. There are 3 known children, and probably there are more. There were quite a few Braunharts in Schubin at the time; several of whom are not known as to their exact relationship.

The three known children were Bernhard Braunhart, Sara Braunhart, and Samuel Braunhart. All emigrated to the United States.

The following is an interesting newspaper clipping from the Atlanta Constitution in 1901:



Many thanks to my "cousin" Maxine Rudy, who provided the inspiration for the research for L. J. Braunhart. She claimed that his name was "Ritter von Braunhart". I was skeptical because I knew from his daughter's death certificate, his name was Jacob Braunhart. But she was right!