Sarah Goldschmidt Mansbach’s Grandchildren Come of Age: Philadelphia 1910-1920

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The years between 1910 and 1920 were years of growth for the children of Sarah Goldschmidt and Abraham Mansbach who were living in the US.  Their children, Sarah and Abraham’s grandchildren, were becoming adults and starting households of their own. This post will cover the Philadelphia siblings, Hannah and Louis, and their brother Julius, who was living in Germany with his family. The Colorado siblings will be discussed in the next post.

The two Philadelphia siblings, Hannah Mansbach Dannenberg and Louis Mansbach, saw their daughters marry in this decade. Hannah’s older daughter Reta married Elmor Alkus in Philadelphia in 1912.1 Elmor was, like Reta, born in Pennsylvania in 1889; his parents were Morris and Henrietta Alkus, both of whom were born in Germany. Elmor’s father Morris was a wool merchant. In 1910, Elmor was a commercial traveler selling notions.2 Reta and Elmor’s first child, Elaine, was born on April 22, 1914, in Philadelphia.3 In 1920, they were all living in Philadelphia, and Elmor was now the owner of a towel supply company. I assume that his father-in-law Gerson Dannenberg had taken him into his business.4

Hannah’s younger daughter Katinka married Sidney Olsho in 1916 in Philadelphia.5 Sidney, the son of Jacob Olshoffsky (later shortened to Olsho) and Louisa Galeski, was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, on January 22, 1879, making him fifteen years older than Katinka. He was 37 when they married, she 22. He was a doctor. His parents were German immigrants, and his father was a dry goods merchant.6 Sidney and Katinka had a son, Edward, born on February 6, 1919, in Philadelphia. In 1920, they were living in Philadelphia where Sidney was practicing as an eye, ear, nose and throat physician (amusingly, it was transcribed as “dye, oat, nas, thead” on Ancestry).

Sidney Olsho and family, 1920 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 8, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1619; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 181
Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census

Sidney wasn’t the only doctor in Hannah’s family. Her son Arthur Dannenberg was also a physician, according to his World War I draft registration. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania medical school in 1913 and had trained as a pediatrician:

Arthur Dannenberg, World War I draft registration, Registration State: Pennsylvania; Registration County: Philadelphia; Roll: 1907646; Draft Board: 26
Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

University of Pennsylvania alumni directory, Publication Year: 1917
Ancestry.com. U.S., School Catalogs, 1765-1935

Arthur served in the US Army from August 10, 1917, until August 1, 1919, and was promoted to a captain in May, 1918. He served primarily at Fort Oglethorpe in Georgia in the medical corps and did not serve overseas.7 After the war, Arthur returned home and was living with his parents, Hannah and Gerson Dannenberg, in Philadelphia in 1920.  Arthur was practicing medicine, and his father Gerson was a merchant in the towel business.8

Louis Mansbach’s daughter Rebecca also married in this decade. Rebecca married David Rattin in Philadelphia in 1917.9 David was born on September 10, 1886 or 1887 (records conflict), in Alsace, Germany, to Isadore and Sophia Rattin. They immigrated when David was just a toddler in 1888. David’s father must have died either before they immigrated or shortly thereafter as by 1895, his mother was listed as a widow in the Philadelphia directory.10 So like Rebecca, David had lost a parent when he was a young child.

I believe that this is David, living in the Jewish Home for children in 1900 (line 21):

David Rattin in Jewish Home, 1900 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 22, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0512; FHL microfilm: 1241464
Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census

By 1910, David was reunited with his mother, who was living on her own income, presumably from the boarders who were living in their home:

David Rattin, 1910 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1394; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0359; FHL microfilm: 1375407
Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census

In 1912, David graduated from the University of Pennsylvania law school, and in 1918, when he registered for the draft, he was working as an attorney.11 Rebecca and David’s first child Ruth was born on April 28, 1919.12 In 1920 they were living in Philadelphia along with David’s mother Sophia, and David was practicing law.13

University of Pennsylvania alumni directory, Publication Year: 1917
Ancestry.com. U.S., School Catalogs, 1765-1935

Louis Mansbach was also still living in Philadelphia in 1920 and continued to practice as a veterinarian. He was living with Moses Dannenberg, who although listed as Louis’s cousin was more likely his brother-in-law, brother of Gerson Dannenberg, Hannah Mansbach’s husband, because in 1910, Moses had been living with Gerson and Hannah and listed as Gerson’s brother. 14

Meanwhile, Julius Mansbach and his wife Frieda Bensew and their children Beatrice and Alfred were living in Wunstorf, Germany, in the 1910s. Art Mansbach shared this adorable photograph of  his father Alfred in 1916 when he was six:

Alfred Mansbach, 1916. Courtesy of Art Mansbach

The one very sad note in this decade was the death of Beatrice Mansbach, the daughter of Julius Mansbach and Frieda Bensew. Beatrice died in 1918 from the Spanish influenza, according to her nephew Art Mansbach. She was only fourteen years old. These photographs of Beatrice taken when she was just a little girl help to preserve the memory of this young girl whose beautiful life was cut short.

 

 

  1. Ancestry.com. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marriage Index, 1885-1951, Marriage License Number: 289763. ↩
  2. Alkus family, 1910 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 32, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1403; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0765; FHL microfilm: 1375416. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census. ↩
  3.  Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, SSN: 191222552. ↩
  4. Elmor and Reta Alkus, 1920 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 42, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1643; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 1578.
    Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census ↩
  5. Ancestry.com. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marriage Index, 1885-1951, Marriage License Number: 350034. ↩
  6. Sidney Olsho death certificate, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1966; Box Number: 2408; Certificate Number Range: 099851-102700. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966. Olsho family, 1910 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 28, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1402; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0630; FHL microfilm: 1375415.  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census ↩
  7. Series II: Questionnaires: Jews; Record Group Description: (D) Officers-Army (Boxes 11-14); Box #: 11; Folder #: 14; Box Info: (Box 11) D-Deg. Ancestry.com. U.S., WWI Jewish Servicemen Questionnaires, 1918-1921 ↩
  8. Dannenberg family, 1920 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 29, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1633; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 969. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census ↩
  9. Ancestry.com. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marriage Index, 1885-1951, Marriage License Number: 363508. ↩
  10. David Rattin, naturalization papers, National Archives; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: M1522. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Federal Naturalization Records, 1795-1931. David Rattin, World War I draft registration, Registration State: Pennsylvania; Registration County: Philadelphia; Roll: 1907616; Draft Board: 13, Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Philadelphia City directory, 1895, Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995. ↩
  11. David Rattin, World War I draft registration, Registration State: Pennsylvania; Registration County: Philadelphia; Roll: 1907616; Draft Board: 13. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 ↩
  12. Issue State: Wisconsin; Issue Date: Before 1951. Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014; ↩
  13. David Rattin and family, 1920 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1616; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 471.
    Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census ↩
  14. Louis Mansbach, 1920 US census, Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1616; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 455.
    Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census ↩

27 thoughts on “Sarah Goldschmidt Mansbach’s Grandchildren Come of Age: Philadelphia 1910-1920”

  1. Except for one death due to the terrible influenza that killed millions of people in 1918 this was a very happy era for Sarah’s descendants in Philadelphia. Again I enjoyed looking at the old family photos. The little Alfred is absolutely adorable in his school outfit. I am looking forward to the report on the other family branch in Colorado. Have a great day, Ay!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • Thanks so much, Peter! Yes, so far this family has been spared much of the tragedy that seemed to affect other lines in the Goldschmidt family, like that of Rosa Goldschmidt Metz. And I do love that photo of Alfred!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply ↓

  2. From his hat to the book bag and pencil purse (?) down to his shoes, Alfred couldn’t get any cuter. So sweet that Beatrice’s memory has been preserved in these photo’s. I love that she’s holding her stuffed animal and the stroller is a classic. Enjoyed the post Amy!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Thanks, Sharon—they are such precious children. It’s sad that Beatrice died so young, and I am fortunate that Alfred survived as well as all his photos of the family. And fortunate that Art so generously shared them.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

    • I know! It makes you realize how important it is to go back to the actual document itself, especially when things don’t make sense. I always send a correction in if it’s an Ancestry transcription, but have no idea whether they ever fix those errors. Thanks for reading and commenting, Vera!

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      Reply ↓

      • Hi. I can confirm that the corrections eventually get made. What I find confusing is that the previous, erroneous entries are kept below the most recent correction. Perhaps that is a way to help other researchers who find the erroneous entries still on some of the public trees. There was a hilarious error with my paternal Great Grandmother’s maiden name that I started. Based on one document I took a guess and entered the name. That name got entered to other trees. A year ago my cousin did some analysis of the handwriting on several other documents where Great Grandmother’s name was entered. My big boo-boo came to light. The guess I made was totally incorrect. Another cousin who met me through a DNA Match provided my Great Grandmother’s marriage license registration from Sicily. His paperwork agreed with the other cousin’s conclusion about the correct maiden name. We then corrected my tree and notified the relatives. Believe it or not they do not want to change the maiden name!!!!! Even with the new documentation I make available. So I made up a file with the details of our analysis and the supporting documentation. It got attached to my Great Grandmother’s profile. Perhaps someone will read it.

        Liked by 1 person

      • I hope they do—at least you’ve done your best to provide the evidence. It’s amazing to me how people refuse to correct their trees even when presented with evidence that what they have is wrong. It’s one reason that I don’t ever rely on trees without sources except as a starting point to find sources myself and that I keep my tree private. I know that often I am entering tentative information in order to test it in my research, and I don’t want others to rely on and then perpetuate what may be a mistake. It’s also why I don’t like the “collaborative” trees on sites like Geni and FamilySearch. I’d rather trust my own research, even if mistaken, than rely on anyone else’s research, especially since no sources are provided on those trees (at least on Geni).

        Liked by 1 person

      • We all had those….and I still do! But we try our hardest to make sure we correct them and prevent others from being misled!!

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    • I did laugh, but not at the enumerator, who got it right (I think), but at the transcriber who just guessed at what the enumerator had written! But whichever way, it was a good chuckle!

      Like

      Reply ↓

      • Amy, I did have second thoughts after posting the comment. It is true, sometimes the volunteers who transcribe the records take a wild guess. I am still thankful for them since without all that help these records would take longer to get online. The good thing is we can submit corrections which Ancestry eventually makes.

        I agree with the other commenters that having Beatrice’s photos is such good condition is a real treasure. The influencza epidemic was very frightening at the time. I have a relative by marriage who passed at 7 years of age in 1926 or 27 in a local outbreak of the flu. It seems to me that there were flare-ups on a smaller level after 1918 and before the mid-1930s.

        Liked by 1 person

      • I do appreciate the transcribers’ efforts as well—even though and sometimes because I get to laugh at their wildly wrong guesses. Having taught for 32 years, I know how hard it is to read handwriting. I have done a bit of transcribing for FamilySearch, and it can be mind-boggling!

        Liked by 1 person

      • I did some for the Italian Genealogical Group when they were entering dates of death to their website. Yes, it can be mind-boggling. My best friend during the data entry was the zoom feature in Adobe where I viewed the records.

        Liked by 1 person

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