Here’s the rest of what I learned from my cousin Florence Paul nee Besser, now 95. The Besser Family originated in Germany, probably lived in Zaloshin (Dzialoszyn) and Kloback. Sheine Besser nee Mandt probably came from Kalisz, near the German border. Her sister’s son was Jack Izbitsky and his sister was Helen . [...]]]>

Ev Blustein 10/2001

Here’s the rest of what I learned from my cousin Florence Paul nee Besser, now 95. The Besser Family originated in Germany, probably lived in Zaloshin (Dzialoszyn) and Kloback. Sheine Besser nee Mandt probably came from Kalisz, near the German border. Her sister’s son was Jack Izbitsky and his sister was Helen . I don’t know the name of this sister of Sheine (the mother of Jack and Helen) Sheine’s brother (name unknown) had a daughter named Hilda Mandt . I did access the Ellis Island Records and found out that Schiene Besser (my grandmother) and Itzik Beset (my grandfather) both arrived from Chinstachow, Pietzkow (Czestochowa) on Sept. 29, 1913.

She was 46 and he was 50. They came on the Noordam from Rotterdam. I was also able to locate all but one of their children on passenger lists. (Note: see the Toba Besser story, below, for an interesting twist) The spelling of the Polish names leaves a lot to be desired and from my research, the places of origin are approximations. They never lived anywhere but NY, mainly in Brooklyn. (Regarding a note from a possible relation:) The dates for Isador Besser in Pamela’s and this Itzig Besser could indicate a common ancestor (though not in a Darwinian sense!) I’ve never heard anyone in my family speak of any contact with other Bessers in the US and I’m certain no one knew anyone in Little Rock, so I doubt this is the same individual. I did speak with Joe Besser, the actor, when I ushered on Broadway in the l940’s. He was not responsive to my inquiries and didn’t seem at all interested in family history!

Addendum 12/2004 from Ev Blustein and Iris Paul:

David:  It is possible that the three males listed at same address as other Besers were the children of Jacob and Ruchla (Toll).  They had three other children in addition to Florence and Helen who died during World War I before the family emigrated.  I know they were sons.  Florence and Helen were born so close to one another that their years of birth are often listed as identical , variously as l907or l908, so it would be possible that Leib listed as born in 1908 was also born soon after them.  Dates of death would substantiate or refute the theory that these were siblings of Florence and Helen.

I really know very little about Hilda.  I think that she came to the U.S. in 1938, before the invasion of Poland.  Since Harold & I made the arrangements for her burial, I have a copy of her death certificate.  Her father is listed as Samuel Mont.  She was born in Poland on May 1, 1896 and died on Nov. 2nd or 5th, 1980.

Helen Besser remains a mystery; Ellis Island records show her age at arrival in 1909 to be 19 but it is believed she was 17 while the 1920 census record shows her to be 27. This brings her DOB somewhere between 1890 and 1893, probably 1892 and , since the records from Poland were for c 1913 she may have been omitted because she was already in the USA, although Toba  is listed   even though she arrived in the USA in 1907.  Helen did live somewhare other than with her family for a while (working on a farm) but I don’t know where or when and this may be the most plausible explanation for her absence in the Klobuck record.

***Florence was born in Jan, 1906.  When Jacob went to town in the Spring to register her he would have had to pay a fine because of the delay, so he waited until Helen was born & registered them as twins.

Mom would never talk about the deceased siblings or tell me their names.  There was another daughter born after the 3 sons; the only thing she told me about her was that she had eyes like her father.

Added 12/2010: For details on Toba Besser and husband’s family Gershonowitz, go here.