Meyer Rubinstein and Family in Chicago

Meyer Rubinstein was born in October, 1822, in Koerlin, Germany. Let's trace the U.S. records that are available for the family. These, and the photographs, are usually the only things we can use to piece together their lives. Please keep in mind that names in city directories and census returns were often misspelled. Also, the women never seemed to use the first names they were given at birth, instead adopting new "Americanized" first names.

Meyer Rubinstein

After the family's arrival in New York from Germany on July 29, 1871, the first time any of them appear in U.S. records is beginning in 1873 in Davenport, Iowa.

Meyer Rubinstein listed in the 1873 City Directory for Davenport, Iowa

In 1874, his occupation was listed as a cutter (clothes cutter). His son, Isidore, worked as an assistant bookkeeper.

1874 City Directory for Davenport, Iowa

According to the 1888 Voters' Registration Index for Chicago, a Meyer Rubinstein born in Russia moved to Illinois, specifically Cook County, 14 years prior, or about 1874. The Index indicates he had lived in that particular precinct in Chicago for one year. The date and court of where naturalization papers were filed were unknown. Even though the birthplace is incorrect, the address given matches the address in the 1888 Chicago city directory.

1888 Voters Registration for Chicago

Next in chronology is the marriage of Eda Rubinstein, Meyer's daughter, on January 2, 1876, to Joseph S. Spitzer. More on the Spitzer family in the next blog post.

The first listing in the Chicago city directory for the family is in 1876. Isidore and Meyer are both listed, living at 647 Hubbard. Joseph and Eda Spitzer lived nearby at 644 Hubbard. I noticed that a cabinetmaker named Mandella Rubenstine also lived on Hubbard, but I don't know what, if any, their connection was.

1876 Chicago City Directory

The 1878 Chicago City Directory listing for Meyer Rubinstein showed he lived on South Park Ave. in Chicago, which matches the address in the 1880 census below. There was another listing in the 1878 directory at 499 Clark, which was his work address (as his home and work address were combined in the 1890 city directory shown later below).

Meyer Rubinstein's son, Isidore, returned to Davenport, Iowa, as he is shown in the Davenport city directory in 1880, the year he moved to Honolulu.

1880 City Directory for Davenport, Iowa

The 1880 census in Chicago for Meyer Rubinstein and family lists his occupation as clothes cutter. His birthplace was Prussia. They lived on South Park Avenue.

1880 Census in Chicago for Meyer Rubinstein and family

In 1881 and 1882, the city directory lists Meyer Rubinstein's daughter, Selina. In the 1882 city directory below she is near the bottom of the page. The spelling of the last name for Meyer and Selina is different. Listings were posted according to what the directory or census takers wrote down, and they often didn't confirm the spellings. 

1882 City Directory for Chicago

Thanks for your patience as I list many of the city directories. Sometimes the most mundane detail can be important. 

The 1885 City Directory has two listings, one for "Rubenstein Myer, notions 431 Clark" and "Rubinstein M. house 3655 Vincennes av". These are for his work and his home.

1885 Chicago City Directory

In the 1887 city directory, Meyer's occupation is shown as "dry goods". 

1887 Chicago City Directory

The 1890 city directory is important because, as mentioned earlier, the work address and the home address are listed on one line. It also lists Joseph M. Rubinstein, Meyer's son.

1890 Chicago City Directory

The family moved often. Sometimes each year has a different address. How do I know I've got the correct address? I matched the addresses with those of Joseph S. Spitzer. They always lived on the same street and the same block.

Next in sequence, daughter Selina was married in September 1895 to Isaac M. Solomon. Unfortunately, the marriage record hasn't been located.

There is a naturalization index listing in 1896 for "Meyer Rubenstein", but it has no address or other identifying information to confirm it is the correct person. Perhaps the original document, which could not be found online, would have a clue. Not sure if this is the correct person, but the 1900 census (see below) indicates he was naturalized.

1896 Naturalization Index

In the 1900 census in Chicago, there was no occupation listed for Meyer Rubinstein. His birthplace was Germany. His wife, Rosalie, reported she gave birth to six children, but only four of them were living. Daughter, Selina, and her husband were living with them. Their address was on 46th Place in Hyde Park or South Side area of Chicago.

1900 census in Chicago for Meyer Rubinstein and family

In the 1880 census, I noticed that Eda Rubinstein Spitzer and her husband, Joseph, lived next to Charles Busch and his family. Because Eda's mother, Rosalie, had the maiden name of Busch, it got me to look at Buschs in Chicago, Davenport, and Hawaii. There was a Busch family in Davenport as early as 1852. And there were dozens of Buschs in Chicago between the years 1890 and 1900. It's certainly possible that Meyer and Eda Rubinstein joined some cousins in Davenport and Chicago. After all, Davenport seems to me to be an illogical location to emigrate to. I failed, however, to prove a family connection existed. 

It was surprising to discover some Buschs in the 1890 Hawaii directory living in Lihue, Kauai and on Niihau island, working as carpenters for a grove farm plantation. This connection may be just a coincidence. However, we do know that the Hyman cousins were in contact with the Rubinsteins and convinced Isidore and Joseph Rubinstein to move to Hawaii, so it's reasonable that the family was in touch with Busch cousins as well.

Rosalie (Rosalia on her death certificate) Rubinstein died on April 26, 1904, in Chicago. Meyer Rubinstein died on April 14, 1909, in Chicago. He was living at 451 E. 44th St., Chicago, with his daughter, Selina, and her family when he died. They are buried at Mt. Israel Cemetery, Chicago. His son, Isidore Rubinstein, appears on a passenger list departing Honolulu on March 5, 1909, hopefully to visit his ailing father. 

I didn't find any records that Meyer and Rosalie had visited Hawaii. 

Daughter Selina Rubinstein Solomon and her son, Raymond, visited Hawaii in 1925. Selina died in 1948 in Illinois. Her son, Raymond, changed his last name at that time to Selwyn. Selina's husband, Isaac M. Solomon, was a merchant in a retail electrical and gas fixtures company. In the 1910 Chicago city directory, he was listed as the president of Illinois Mantle and Fixture Company and, in 1928, as president of Illinois Fixture and Electrical Supply.

Son Joseph Rubinstein left Hawaii about 1895 after living there for 4-5 years. He moved back to Chicago and then to Detroit where he was listed in a city directory as the proprietor of the Weatherproof Clothing Company. He married Mary Petersen in 1910 in Ontario, Canada, and died in 1921. He was buried next to his parents in Chicago.

Son Isidore Rubinstein married Anna Louise Desser on December 5, 1906, in Manhattan, New York. He brought his wife to Honolulu to live, where he operated his dry goods store. He died about 1931. 

Daughter Eda Rubinstein Spitzer lived in Hawaii. More on her family in the next blog post.

References

The documents above were found on Ancestry.com or fold3.com (except the family photograph).

First Jewish Wedding in Hawaii

The first Jewish wedding to take place in Hawaii occurred in 1879. The bride is the grand niece of A. S. Grinbaum, who is regarded as the first founder of a Jewish firm in Hawaii who had a partner settle in Hawaii. In this case, the partner living in Hawaii was his nephew, Morris Louisson. The groom, Joseph Hyman, was a cousin of the Rubinsteins and Mrs. Eda Rubinstein Spitzer.

The following article appeared in the Hawaiian Gazette describing the wedding.

MARRIAGE CEREMONY. --On Tuesday evening, the 22nd of July [1879], at the residence of the bride's uncle, M. Louisson, of Honolulu, Mr. J. [Joseph] Hyman of the mercantile firm of Hyman Brothers, of this city [Honolulu], was married to Miss B. [Belle] Frankel, niece of Mr. and Mrs. M. [Morris] Louisson, in the presence of a very large company of invited guests, composing the elite of Honolulu. Everything that they could suggest or money procure, was furnished for the pleasure of the company.

Mr. Louisson's spacious and elegant mansion was arranged with consummate taste and liberality, and everything connected with it gotten up in the best of style. Outside the main building was erected a booth, draped with evergreens, tropical flowers, and the national flags of the United States, Hawaii and the German Empire, which gave a charming effect to the scene. The verandas and booth were brilliantly illuminated with Chinese lanterns and tastefully decorated, giving it the finest effect. In the booth was spread for the accommodation of the guests, who numbered about 200, a most sumptuous repast, gotten up under the superintendence of Mr. Herbert of the Hawaiian Hotel.

At precisely 8 o'clock, the hour fixed, the bride and bridegroom filed into the parlor, where the guests were assembled, and Mr. Peck, a Hebrew and friend of the parties, who was deputized by the Jewish Rabbi at San Francisco, to perform the marriage ceremony according to the Hebrew formula, which he did in the Hebrew tongue by reading from a book. The ceremony was short and solemnly performed by Mr. Peck, who concluded by pronouncing them man and wife, according to the Jewish as well as Hawaiian law.

After Mr. Peck had concluded the Rev. Dr. Damon stepped forward and presented the bride with the marriage certificate, prefacing the fact with a few appropriate and very happy remarks. This ended the ceremony, after which the persons assembled passed the bride and bridegroom in review, and paid them the usual compliments; this done, the guests repaired to the saloon, where they regaled themselves on a most sumptuous repast, and all went happy as a marriage bell.

There is one circumstance connected with the marriage ceremony above described, which we wish particularly to note, because of its novelty, as well as its historical significance, it is this:  This marriage ceremony, conducted in accordance with the Hebrew ritual and formula as handed down from Moses, the ancient law-giver, is the first case of the kind that was ever thus celebrated on these Islands. This case possesses peculiar significance from the fact that Mr. Peck, before officiating as the substitute of the Rabbi, of San Francisco, took the precaution to procure from the Interior Department of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a license under Hawaiian law, permitting and legalizing the ceremony; and thus was secured not only the sanctity of the Jewish religion, but the civil law of this Kingdom at the same time, which rendered the solemnization of the marriage good and legal in a double sense, and thus it will form a precedent to be followed in similar cases for all times.

The Hawaiian Band, under the direction of Mr. Berger, was present and occupied a pavilion outside the main building, erected for their especial accommodation, from which they discoursed sweet music.

We must not neglect to mention that in the side room from the parlor were spread the elegant and costly presents to the happy pair, which consisted of an almost endless variety of silverware and articles of vertu [excellence or merit in objects of art, curios, and the like], which testified the estimation in which both bride and bridegroom are held in this community.

Everything passed off in the most pleasant and happy manner, and all who were present will long remember the first Jewish wedding that ever took place on the Hawaiian islands.

Reference:

The Hawaiian Gazette (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]), July 23, 1879, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1879-07-23/ed-1/seq-3/>

Early Jewish Merchants in Hawaii

Relatives who were Jewish merchants continued to seek opportunities to develop successful, thriving businesses.

According to a journal article appearing in the Western States Jewish Historical Quarterly, the rapid increase in the population of California due to the Gold Rush created a market surge for agricultural products and general merchandise. As a result, shipping lines expanded, including a line between Honolulu and San Francisco. A few Jewish merchants stepped in to begin businesses in Hawaii, establishing themselves as suppliers to the sugar and coffee plantations (Glanz).

A. S. Grinbaum is considered the earliest founder of a firm to have one partner reside in Hawaii. He arrived in Honolulu in 1856 and stayed seven years (Glanz). Through marriage, this family is related to the Hymans.

Another Jewish merchant, Hirsch Rayman, came to the islands in the early 1860's and established a successful business. But after five years he returned to Posen (Glanz).

Henry and Joseph Hyman arrived in Honolulu in 1867. They obtained a mercantile license in July 1867 with partner Michael Phillips of San Francisco. By December 1867, however, this partnership had dissolved (Cashmere).

The Hyman Bros. Co. established itself in business on Merchant St. in Honolulu immediately upon dissolution of the partnership with Phillips (Cashmere). 

In 1870's, Hyman Bros. was located in the near right building on Merchant St. 
between Fort and Bethel in Honolulu. See the "HY" on the sign? 
(Hawaii State Archives).

The general merchandise the Hyman Bros. sold in their store consisted of clothing and shoes, as an early advertisement in 1868 showed (Hawaiian Gazette):

A photo of Merchant Street, Honolulu, with Hyman Bros. located up the street:

Merchant Street in Honolulu in the 1880's. Hyman Bros. is located on 
the right side of the street, second building down with the wavy printed
 name of "Hyman Bros." (Hawaii State Archives).

In 1880, the Hymans opened a new firm in San Francisco:

A New Grocer Firm

The new jobbing grocery house of Hyman Bros. is located at 409 and 411 Front street. The gentlemen comprising the firm are eminently connected and have numerous valuable interests throughout this Slope, in Honolulu and the East. Mr. Thomas Dowling, lately with W. W. Henry & Co., and formerly of the firm of J. M. Pike & Co., has become associated with the new firm. A New York agency guarantees them all the advantages of the New York markets, and a prosperous business here promises to be theirs (Daily Alta).

Four years later, in 1884, the California part of the business closed:

Hyman Bros. will retire from the wholesale grocery business Jan. 1, retaining thereafter an office only for the transaction of their island business. Other changes are rumored, but not as yet made public (Daily Alta).

The Honolulu City Directory of 1884 shows:

HYMAN BROS. (Hyman W. and Henry W. Hyman, San Francisco, Michael Hyman, NY, and Morris and Joseph Hyman, Honolulu), general merchandise and shipping and commission merchants, 29 Merchant (Ancestry). 

A business advertisement of the firm in the late 1880's appeared in California:

Hyman Bros., Importers of General Merchandise and Commission Merchants, No. 58 Queen Street, Honolulu... 206 Front Street, San Francisco. Particular attention given to filling orders, and to the sale of Consignments of Rice, Sugar, Coffee and other Island Produce (Glanz).

According to the 1900 Hawaiian Census, Isidore Rubinstein arrived in Honolulu in 1880, leaving Chicago, IL, to join his cousins, the Hymans, in their business. Isidore's brother, Joseph Rubinstein, also worked for the Hyman Bros. Co. (Cashmere).

The partners and employees of Hyman Bros. Co. were listed in the 1890 Honolulu Directory:

Isidore Rubinstein, salesman.

Joseph M. Rubinstein, clerk.

H W Hyman; Michael Hyman; Morris Hyman; Joseph Hyman; Isidore Rubinstein, gen mdse and commission merchants, at Queen near Fort, Honolulu, HI (Ancestry).

Queen St. in Honolulu where Hyman Bros. relocated, although in which building
in this photo is unknown. M. Phillips, Importers of General Merchandise 
and an early partner, is on the left. (Hawaii State Archives)

On January 1, 1894, Isidore Rubinstein became the manager and a partner of the Hyman Bros. Co,

___________

Notice of Dissolution of Copartnership

and of Formation of New Partnership

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the partnership heretofore existing between Henry W. Hyman, Joseph Hyman, Morris Hyman and Michael Hyman carrying on business in Honolulu, Island of Oahu, under the firm name of Hyman Bros., has been dissolved by mutual consent.

And notice is hereby further given that Henry W. Hyman, Joseph Hyman and Morris Hyman of San Francisco, State of California, Michael Hyman of New York City, State of New York, and Isidore Rubinstein of Honolulu, in the Island of Oahu, have formed a copartnership for the purpose of buying and selling goods, wares and merchandise in the Hawaiian Islands under the firm name and style of Hyman Bros., and that the place of business of said copartnership is in Honolulu, Island of Oahu.

Dated Honolulu January 1, 1894. HYMAN BROS. (Hawaiian Gazette)

__________

Here is the listing in the 1903 Honolulu City Directory. Walter J. Hyman was the son of Henry W. Hyman (Ancestry):

In 1904, the Hyman Bros. sold the firm to Isidore Rubinstein. It became I. Rubinstein & Co. (Cashmere). A newspaper article showed:

__________

CHANGES IN OLD FIRM

HYMAN BROS., MERCHANTS,

IS I. RUBINSTEIN & CO.

THE HOUSE WAS ESTABLISHED

IN HAWAII IN 1868 AND HAS

PRODUCED MANY

FORTUNES.

The dissolution of the Hyman Bros. copartnership closes a successful mercantile career of one of the best-known firms in Hawaii. The firm of Hyman Bros. was established in 1868 by H. W. Hyman, Michael Hyman, Morris Hyman and Joseph Hyman. The first and only change in this partnership of thirty-five years was made in 1893, when Isidore Rubinstein, a clerk since 1880, was taken in as a partner, the style of the firm remaining Hyman Bros. 

Mr. Isidore Rubinstein now becomes sole owner of the business, the four Hyman brothers retiring. The business hereafter will be conducted under the style of I. Rubinstein & Co., at the same old stand on Queen Street, which has been the home of the concern for so many years.

The four Hyman brothers through this business house accumulated vast fortunes which are invested in San Francisco, where they now reside (Evening Bulletin).

__________

Hopefully, some of the profits were somehow reinvested in the community where they were made.

Thank you to cousin Mickey for all her valuable research in Honolulu, including at the Hawaii State Library and local synagogue. It's nice to have an ally who's interested and helpful in solving all the question marks in the family genealogy.

Arrival of the Spitzer family in Honolulu will be detailed in a future blog (not to be delayed).

Happy Birthday, Grandma.

References:

Ancestry.com database, U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989. Honolulu, Hawaii, City Directories, 1884, 1890, and 1902.

Cashmere, Kirk. The History of Jews in Hawaii (an unpublished thesis). Manuscript located at Temple Emanu-El Library, Honolulu, HI.

Daily Alta California (San Francisco, California), 3 April 1880 and 13 Dec 1884. California Digital Newspaper Collection. <http://cdnc.ucr.edu/>

Evening Bulletin (Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii), Saturday, July 2, 1904. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1879-07-23/ed-1/seq-3/>

Glanz, Rudolph. "The Jews in the Sandwich Islands." Western States Jewish Historical Quarterly, April 1974, Vol. VI, No 3, pp. 177-187. Published by the Southern California Jewish Historical Society. Reproduced at www.konabethshalom.org/history.early.html, accessed on 9 Feb 2014.

Hawaii State Archives Photograph Collection. <http://ags.hawaii.gov/archives/about-us/photograph-collection/>

The Hawaiian Gazette (Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii), April 29, 1868, and January 19, 1894, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1879-07-23/ed-1/seq-3/>