Finding a Jacobs Family in Spitalfields, London

Dear Fellow Researchers and Geni-ites:

My name is Leonard Jacobs. My research began in the 1980s when I was a teenager. I left things for 25 years and then began again by joining Ancestry in 2010 and now Geni last month. My Geni tree is not yet complete. I have about 128 people on it now, but still another 600 ancestors and relations to move over from Ancestry. Don't worry -- it's coming.

For now, I'm writing for assistance identifying and confirming my Jacobs ancestors.

To begin: my father is Edward Jacobs. My grandfather: Charles Jacobs. My great-grandfather: William Jacobs. My great-great-grandfather was Jacob Jacobs, who was born in Sept.1859 in Boston and died there in Nov. 1928. On Jacob's death certificate, his father is Ellizer Jacobs, his mother is Dinah (no last name).

Working backward, I found Jacob Jacobs on the censuses of 1920, 1910, 1900, 1880, 1870 and 1860. In May 1879, Jacob Jacobs married Jennie Charlotte Hoffman in New York. On their marriage certificate, Jacob's parents are Louis Jacobs and Diene Keiser. Given the frequency with which Jacob's father is called either Eleazer or Louis, I concluded long ago that Eleazer likely Anglicized his given name. But that's part of this mystery -- and more on that in a moment.

Below is the transcript of a letter sent to me when I was 12 years old and just starting my research. It is by Helen Jacobs Stoll. She was Jacob and Jennie's last child -- youngest sister of my great-grandfather, William. I kept in misspellings in case they held any clues:

<<May 9, 1980

Dear Leonard:—

What a pleasant surprise to receive your nice letter and found it quite interesting. It is nice to know you are interested in your roots and I will try to the best of my ability to give you the desired information.

Firstly, may I say it will be a pleasure to have you correspond with me. To make you feel at ease I will start by saying I if not mistaken would be your great great Aunt.

My brother William Russell Jacobs, was the youngest of the three boy’s. His family consisted of these children—Charles, Jeanette, and David. Charles as you know married Isabelle and they had three children. Your father Edward, Judith and Jackie who was named after my father. I knew all but Jackie. I visited my brother Bill, quite a few times. Also, visited Charles, my nephew and his wife there—by knowing your father Edward.

I could never understand why the family wasn’t interested enough to keep in touch. As I lived at 119 Peterborough Street Boston for 40 years. In any case I admire your desire and interest to know your roots.

Now, let me start by informing you that I am the youngest in my immediate family of twenty two children including four sets of twins. All died young and the last six were the only one’s raised.

My very dear mother whose maiden name was Jennie Charlotte Hoffman. She was born in Posen, Germany. The country at that time was under the regime of “Kaiser Whilham.” Mother had three brothers and two sisters. She came to America at the age of twelve. She met and married my father Jacob Jacobs in New York City. You could take note of that as you may be in a position to receive added information. Have no idea what the date would be. My oldest brother’s name was Elijah. He served in the navy and was a Spanish War Veteran. Then there was Edwin Columbus Jacobs and he played the trombone. Then there was William and he was in the Army. My oldest sisters name was Esther; she had a full time job helping mother to take care of all the younger children. My sister Gertrude May who lives in Bangor Maine. She will be 84 the 16th of May. Last, but not least your’s truly. I just passed my 79th birthday the 22nd of April. So—Gertie and I are the one’s left of our immediate family.

My oldest brother Elijah and his wife had no children. My brother Edwin and his wife lost one infant son and they had a daughter—Ruth who is my niece and we keep in touch and plan to see each other. My sister Esther had no children. Gertrude had five children and lost two. Estelle, who was only 46 years old—and George, who was 47 years old. Leaving three children Russell, in California, and Evelyn and Virginia all married and the girls live in Bangor, Maine. There name before marriage was Bond. As for myself I had three girls. Charlotte, was died at the age of seven weeks. Eileen, who died at the age of eighteen and Pauline, my only living child is fifty five years old.

I had relatives who lived in New York and were in the movie industry their name was Strauss. I also had an Aunt Annie, who’s name was Kaiser. Also, an Aunt Hannah, who was my father’s sister. Her husband Dan, who was my uncle owned a meat market in New York City. My father’s brother’s name was Louis and he was Superintendent of Waitt and Bond Cigar Factory which made the famous Blackstone cigar. They were in Boston. My father was a cigar maker there. His other talent’s were playing the guitar and a great whistler. My sister played the piano and took vocal lessons at the New England Conservatory of Music that was Gertrude. Esther, sang different occassions. I took lessons on the violin at t he New England Conservatory of Music for four years. My previous three years I had private teachers and each one played in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I used to play in the Longfellow School in Roslindale every Monday morning for all the classes. The 8th grade teacher accomped me on the piano.

Now, my mother’s great grandfather came from Amsterdam—Holland and I learned from my cousin Sydney Jacobs that there was a family feud there as the brother’s were in the diamond industry. So the original name was De Groot—and due to that feud the name was changed to Jacobs. I was the only one who knew that to be fact.

I have a first cousin Esther. Who is my mother’s sister’s Aunt Mary’s daughter. She is eighty three. She had three brothers all dead.

Now Leonard trust this will give you some information of the authentic background I can remember. If anything else come’s to mind will inform you.

Wishing you and yours the very best in health, happiness and prosperity. Plus, the very best for all your endeavors in whatever you wish to study for your future profession.

Best Wishes Always
Your great great Aunt Helen>>

Imagine being a 12-year-old and getting that??

On the 1880 census, Jacob and Jennie are married and living in New York. But Jacob also turns up on the 1880 census in Boston, living with his mother Dinah (48) and siblings Louis (24), Esther (21), Hannah (16) and Delia (6). No father present.

On the 1870 census, Jacob (11) is living in Boston with his mother Dina (38) and siblings Louis (17), Hester (13) and Annie (6). No father present.

On the 1860 census, Jacob is a month old. Here, Eleazer -- the handwriting makes it look like "Eleaner" -- appears. He is married to Dinah (both are 28) and their other children are Joseph (8), Louis (6), and Esther (2). The census says that Eleazer was born in England, Dinah in Holland. I also find Jacob's birth recorded in Boston that September; the family lives at 25 Pleasant Street. The father's name is Eleazer, the mother is Dinah.

There is evidence that from 1860 to 1870 these folks shuttled between New York and Boston. So much so that four decades later, when Dinah dies in Boston, she is buried in the Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Dinah's 1902 death record lists her spouse as Elijah Jacobs, her father as "Unknown Keyson" and her mother as "Esther Platfoot."

So back to Eleazer and Dinah's children -- Jacob's siblings -- to confirm it's the right clan. Remember the Joseph on the 1860 census who's not on the 1870 census? He marries Hanna Strauss in Dec 1869 in New York; their marriage certificate says his father is Elieser Jacobs and his mother is Diana Kaiser. This is the same Joseph that Aunt Helen recalls marrying a Strauss. Similarly, Helen refers to a Hannah, her father's sister, marrying a Dan. This is the same Hannah who, age 37, marries Daniel Cohen in 1903 in Massachusetts. On Hannah and Daniel's marriage certificate, her father is Elijah Jacobs and her mother, Dinah Keysen. In 1865, a Hannah Jacobs was born in Boston. In that listing, her father, Louis, lives at 7 Oswego (and the mother name is "Unknown.") In the 1865 Directory of Boston, a peddler, Lizar Jacobs, lives at 7 Oswego. Oh, and just to make things interesting, familysearch.org finds a Mark Jacobs born in 1869 to Louis Jacobs and Dina Kizer -- in New York.

After 1869/1870, I can find no listing for Eleazer anywhere. Actually, I can't find Eleazer in most city directories, period.

I live in New York and work directly above the records office in Manhattan. One day I was trying to discern the fate of Eleazer/Louis. I could find no death record of any kind in Massachusetts or New York under Eleazer or any "E" variant for any appropriate timeframe. However, once I had Dinah's burial place, it occurred to me that Eleazer is likely buried there, maybe even under the name Louis. Lo and behold, Lewis Jacobs dies in New York, age 37, on June 24, 1870 and is buried in Washington Cemetery. The age puts him born around 1832/33, which is consistent with the 1860 census and other records I'll get to shortly. His birthplace and his parents' birthplace is England. His profession: "slipper maker," which also becomes key down the line.

Yet there are discrepancies. The death certificate states that Eleazer was living in New York for five years and in the U.S. for seven. That is off: this family arrived in New York on May 14, 1859 on a clipper ship, the Daniel Webster. Eleazer and Dinah are 26; their children are Joseph (8), Lewis (4) and Esther ("infant"). Eleazer is spelled more like "Eleazor" on the immigration record, and his profession? Shoemaker.

Assuming you're intrigued by all this, may I take us back to England? This is where I need additional help, insight and research assistance.

The first record I ever found was for the aforementioned Joseph Jacobs -- son of Eleazer and Dinah -- born at 18 Butler Street, Christchurch, London, on Nov. 30, 1851. Joseph's birth certificate says his parents are Eleazer Jacobs and "Dinah Jacobs formerly Kizar." His profession? Slippermaker. Moving forward chronologically, the marriage record for Eleazer and Dinah is dated Sept. 7, 1852; they were wed, it says, in the Chambers of the Great Synagogue. (Eleazer's trade? Slippermaker.)

And here is where we get a glimpse of some of the ancestors I have been putting into both Ancestry and Geni. On that 1852 marriage record, Eleazer's father is listed as Jacob Jacobs, and Dinah's father is listed as Lewis Kizar. Jacob Jacobs is a "clothier"; Lewis Kizar is a "Jeweller." While the marriage appears to take place 10 months after the birth of Joseph, the residence for this couple is not 18 Butler Street, as it was at the time Joseph was born. Now it is Coburg Court.

The 1851 British census finds all these folks. Eleazer, age 19, a slippermaker, lives with his brother Moses, 25, and his parents, Jacob and Hannah, at 15 Wentworth St. Both Jacob and Moses have the same occupation: "General Dealer." Jacob is 65, Hannah is 61. This is very key to where I need some help. The idea that Jacob was 46 and Hannah was 42 when Eleazer was born is tough to imagine in the East End of London in the 1830s. If we accept that Eleazer's brother, Moses, is the child of Jacob and Hannah as well, it's still tough to imagine -- Jacob would have been 40 and Hannah 36. Still old for that time.

Meantime, there are the Kizars -- living at 18 Butler Street, where we found Eleazer and Dinah's first child, Joseph, born. There is no Lewis Kizar, but there is a "Mrs. Kizar" with children Hannah (22, Tailoress), Diana (19, ditto), and Morris (14, slippermaker!). The birthplace for all the above is listed as NK, which I assume is Netherlands.

I have tried to trace this Jacob and Hannah Jacobs back in time as well as forward in time. On the 1861 census, Jacob and Hannah still live at 15 Wentworth Street, just where they were in 1851. By 1871, in their 80s, their residence was Coburg Court. Jacob Jacobs, 92, dies on July 4, 1873 at 15 Coburg Court. Hannah Jacobs, 90, dies on March 20, 1875, "widow of Jacob Jacobs, General Dealer." I can find two possible Jacob and Hannah Jacobs on the 1841 British census, but one has a child named Moses and one does not.

Is anyone out there really good and creative and resourceful researching British Jewry? I have even more information, but I'll stop for now. I have not even gotten into the Kizar family, which is the first branch I've looked at intensively on Geni. The family legend is that the Jacobs side was Dutch, like the Kizars. But I don't know anymore if that's the case. Can anyone help me out?

Leonard Jacobs