Zanvil "Myer" Smith

1876 - 1944  (67 years)

• Name	Zanvil "Myer" Smith  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Nickname	Myer
  Birth	31 Mar 1876	Kovno Gubernia, Russian Empire   [2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
  Gender	Male
  Death	6 Jan 1944  [3, 4]
  Burial	Anshe Neisen Cemetery, Rosedale, Baltimore County, Maryland   [4]
  Notes	According to Geni, Son of Shlomo Savilevics and Etta Devorah Romm Husband of Anna Savilevics Father of Mary Smith; Rebecca Smith; Sol Smith; Jack J Smith and Bertha Smith Brother of Celia Shapiro; Hyman Smith; Simon Smith and Ruchel Minna Levine One of Rella's children with Yehuda Laib Romm was Etta Devayra Romm, who married Shlomo Zavilevitz (Savilevics) and lived in Kupisik (Kupi?kis '96 "koo-PISH-kis"). Their son Zanvil Zavilevitz (Savilevics) was born in Kupisik and was sent at a young age, probably around 12, to Riga (today, the capital of Latvia) to learn be a capmaker. When Zanvil's apprenticeship ended, he went to live with his grandmother Rella and her second husband in Rakisik. Zanvil's sister, Zlata Zavilevitz (Savilevics), who was also born in Kupisik, also went to live with Rella and Abraham Abramovitz. Zanvil moved to Baltimore, probably around 1899, and changed his name to Myer Smith. Shortly afterward, he founded the BAYL family society. http://bayl.org/family-story/where-did-our-ancestors-live/ In 1910, Myer, his wife Annie, and children Mary, Rebecca, Saul and Bertha were residing on Rogers Ave in Baltimore, wehre Meyer was a grocery store keeper on his own account. Both parents were shown as born in Russia, to Russian parents. They had been married once, for nine years. When he registered for the draft during World War I, he and his wife Anna were residing at 133 Jackson Place in Baltimore, and he was secretary and treasurer of the Batto Candy & Tobacco Co of Baltimore. He was of medium height and build, with dark brown eyes and partly bald. In 1920, they still lived on Jackson Streeet, and both were shown as born in Russia, with Yiddish as their native toungue. He was listed as secretary of a candy company. His date of immigration was shown as 1900, and hers as 1889. Both were naturalized citizens. In 1930, the family was on Brookfield Avenue in Baltimore, and Myer was a Candy Wholesaler. In 1940, the family was still living on Brookfield Avenue, and 80 year old Rose Rubin, a widow and Myer's mother-in-law was living with them. She was shown as born in Russia. Myer, now widowed, was shown as a salesman. His highest grade completed was Elementary, third grade. All his children still in the home had graduated from High School, with so Sol a college graduate and physician. He was said to be the founder of the B'nai Abraham and Yehuda Laib Family Society in Baltirmore. In those days, everybody was a "koptson" but each did what he could to help those still in Europe. Soon, Myer Smith's affinity for leadership began to assert itself. Deeply concerned in the welfare of all his kin, he arranged passage and visas for those who had no means of their own and met the costs with Bank Loans underwritten by himself and a few other interested persons. He was married to Anna RUBIN, and their flat at 117 Front Street, became the Sunday evening rendezvous of the family while he collected five cents a week from as many relatives as could contribute and, in that way, he paid off the loans. His confidante and great friend was Uncle Max Romm, whom he consulted on every matter and whose sound opinion and liberal viewpoint he valued very highly. By 1904, it was decided that these impromptu, weekly meetings ought to have formal status, and in May of that year, our family held its first called meeting in the home of Yankel and Rocha Nessa Abramson Rubin at 1013? Low Street in Baltimore. From that day on, Baltimore has been the focal point of this Society. There is some variance of opinion as to date, for there are a few who say that the Sunday of Chol-hamoed Pesach, April 1905, was when the Farein was formally organized. Be that as it may, the minutes of January 14, 1934 include the following sentence: "es is dightlich bashtimdt givoren dos unzer Farein is organizert givoren in May 1904." We are told that those who gathered together on that memorable evening were Rocha Nessa and Yankel Rubin, Becky and Max Romm, Celia Smith, Anna and Myer Smith, Albert Schwartzberg, Zacharia Rosen and Rubin Levine. Since no records have been found of those early days, we can only relate what we have learned from those who "remember" and appreciate how satisfying for them was the process of organizing.
  Person ID	I47252	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	30 Aug 2020

  
  

  Father	Shlomo "Solomon Smith" Savilevics,   b. Bef 1850, Kovno Gubernia, Russian Empire d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Etta "Yetta" Devorah Romm,   b. Abt 1849, Kovno Gubernia, Russian Empire d. Aft 1930, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland (Age ~ 82 years)
  Marriage	Daugher Rachel was a member of the B'nai Abraham and Yehuda Laib Family Society membership and its associated family tree revolves around a woman named Rella Krok, who was born about 1833. Her father, Laibe Krok, was born in 1800. Laibe and his wife Rachel Krok lived in the tiny hamlet of Tselkay / Celkiai, just south of Rokisik / Roki?kis, a town in an area which today is in the northeastern part of the Republic of Lithuania. In the 1800s, the area was first in the Vilna Gubernya (province) and then in the Kovno Gubernya of the Russian Empire As U.S. census records and vital records related to this family shown places of birth as both Russia, Latvia, or Lithuania, it is assumed Savilevics/Smith family also originated in the Kovno Gubernia area of the Russian empire before their emigration to the United States, likely in Kupiskis, known in Yiddish as Kupishok, was home to 1,444 Jews before World War II. Today no Jews live in Kupiskis. Phil Shapiro wrote, in reference to the 1897 Rokiskis All-Russian Census that the census list, on page 4, shows a three-person household of Abram and Rella Abramovicz and Zavel Zavelevicz residing on Komaiskaya Street (Kamai Street). The Bnai Abraham and Yehuda Laib Family Society (BAYL), which was founded in Baltimore in 1901, consists of the descendants of the first and second husbands of Rella Krok, the daughter of Laibe Krok. The 1897 census identifies Rella as the daughter of "Leiba," age 64 and married to Abram Abramovicz, whose age is given as 63. According to the BAYL family tradition, Rella's second husband, who was known in the United States as Abraham Abramson, was said to have been a rabbi in Rokiskis for 25 years before coming to America. This appears to be consistent with the translation of the occupation given for Abram in the census of one who "makes Jewish symbolics." The third member of the household, "Zavel Zavelevicz," age 22, appears to be a grandson of Rella. The census states that Zavel was a capmaker who was born in Kupiskis and was the son of "Shloma." Rella's oldest daughter from her first marriage (to Yehuda Laib Romm) was Etta-Devara Romm. Etta-Devara married Shlomo Savilevics and lived in Kupiskis. At least one of Etta's children -- my grandmother Zlata Savilevics (Celia Smith Shapiro) -- often told the family that as a child she frequently stayed with her grandmother Rella. https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Rokiskis/census.htm
  Family ID	F14112	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Anna Rubin,   b. Abt 1878, Russian Empire d. 10 Sep 1938 (Age ~ 60 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1901  [1]
  Children	1. Mary Smith,   b. Abt 1903, Baltimore County, Maryland d. Yes, date unknown   2. Rebecca Smith,   b. 8 Dec 1903, Baltimore County, Maryland d. 19 Jan 1991 (Age 87 years)   3. Solomon "Sol" Smith,   b. Abt 1907, Baltimore County, Maryland d. Yes, date unknown   4. Bertha Smith,   b. Abt 1911, Baltimore County, Maryland d. Yes, date unknown   5. Jacob Jerome Smith,   b. Abt 1918, Baltimore County, Maryland d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F14119	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	25 Aug 2018

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 31 Mar 1876 - Kovno Gubernia, Russian Empire  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S487] Ancestry.com - U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. [S483] 1920 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005, (For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the NARA web page. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1920 United States Federal Census, the Fourteenth Census of the United States. It includes all states and territories, as well as Military and Naval Forces, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Panama Canal Zone. The census provides many details about individuals and families including: name, gender, age, birthplace, year of immigration, mother tongue, and parents? birthplaces. In addition, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1920 Federal Census.), Year: 1920; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 6, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: T625_660; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 64 (Reliability: 3). [S333] Ancestry.com - U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current [database online], (Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration Death Master File contains information on millions of deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. Birth years for the individuals listed range from 1875 to last year. Information in these records includes name, birth date, death date, and last known residence.). [S873] Find A Grave [database online]; http://www.findagrave.com/, (Thousands of contributors submit new listings, updates, corrections, photographs and virtual flowers every hour to the FIND A GRAVE website. When it comes to administrating, building and maintaining the site, Find A Grave is largely operated by its founder, Jim Tipton.), Memorial ID 81177171 (Reliability: 3). [S564] 1930 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002., (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. Containing records for approximately 123 million Americans, the 1930 United States Federal Census is the largest census released to date and is the most recent census available for public access. The census gives us a glimpse into the lives of Americans in 1930, and contains information about a household?s family members and occupants including: birthplaces, occupations, immigration, citizenship, and military service. The names of those listed in the census are linked to actual images of the 1930 Census.), Year: 1930; Census Place: Baltimore, Maryland; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 0209; FHL microfilm: 2340592 (Reliability: 3). [S1299] 1940 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.), Year: 1940; Census Place: Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland; Roll: m-t0627-01522; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 4-364 (Reliability: 3). [S487] Ancestry.com - U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, 31 Mar 1874 (Reliability: 3). [S333] Ancestry.com - U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current [database online], (Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration Death Master File contains information on millions of deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. Birth years for the individuals listed range from 1875 to last year. Information in these records includes name, birth date, death date, and last known residence.), 31 Mar 1876 Soviet Union (Reliability: 3).