Living

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. David Howard Smith was born on 15 Aug 1967 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 31 Aug 1985 in Arlington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Notes:

On the 1940 census, Israel, his wife, Eve, and son Emmanuel were living on Belmont Street in Tyler, Texas. He was an attorney in private practice.


Obituary, copied from his FindAGrave memorial page:

Israel Smith, of Tyler, who passed away on Wednesday, September 7, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, March 24 1911. In 1915 he moved with his family to Tyler where he made his lifetime home.

Mr. Smith was a graduate of John Tyler High School and received his BA and LLB degrees from the University of Texas. In 1937 he married the late Eve Abramsky of Kingston, Ontario, Canada; they were married for 69 years. He is survived by his children, Manny and Ileane Smith of Pittsburgh, PA and Jerome and Sharon Smith of Lexington, MA, his granddaughter Judy and Adam Kaufman, great grandchildren Jamie and Jake Kaufman of Sharon, MA. One grandson, David Smith, predeceased him.

Mr. Smith was a prominent lawyer in the Tyler legal community for many years. He also was a Founder of Western Foundry and served as its president until its acquisition by Woodward Corporation in 1959. He served as Regional Vice President of the Texas Manufacturers' Association and Chairman of the Texas Chapter of the American Foundrymens Society. Mr. Smith was a Shriner and Past Master of St. John's Masonic Lodge.

He was a lifelong, active member of the Tyler Jewish community, as a member and past president of Congregation Ahavath Achim, a past president of the Tyler B'nai Brith and Jewish Federation of Tyler. He was also a strong and passionate supporter of the State of Israel.

He was an avid reader, loved opera, travel and gardening. He continued his education and love of learning throughout his life and was a frequent user of the Tyler Public Library and the UT Tyler cultural series.

On March 24, 2011, Mr. Smith celebrated his 100th birthday with a special service and brunch at Congregation Ahavath Achim attended by many members of his family, friends and admirers. In recognition of his 100th birthday, the Senate of Texas passed Resolution No. 462 on March 9.2011; he also received many awards and letters of commendation from national, state and local officials.

Mr. Smith had the benefit in recent years of loving care by Veronica Wade, Lula Johnson, Margie Jackson, Ruthie Shaw, Martha Becerra, Katrina Sanders, and Kathy Tull.
Graveside services were held on September 9 at Ahavath Achim Cemetery. Contributions may be made to contributions to Congregation Ahavath Achim, 3501 S Donnybrook, Tyler, TX 75701. Arrangements by Lloyd James Funeral Home of Tyler. www.lloydjamesfuneralhome.com

Israel + Eve Ambramsky. Eve was born on 16 Mar 1912 in Kingston, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada; died on 22 Aug 2006 in Tyler, Smith County, Texas; was buried in Ahavath Achim Cemetery, Tyler, Smith County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

His Texas Death Certificate showed he was a retired merchant, and listed his place of birth as Lithuania. Father was shown as Solomon Smith, and for this mother, there was "no record" of her maiden name. The informant was his wife.

Kovno was a governorate of Russia, and is known as Kaunas, the second largest city in present day Lithuania. Prior to the Second World War, Kaunas, like many cities in eastern Europe, had a significant Jewish population. According to the Russian census of 1897, Jews numbered 25,500, 35.3% of the total of 73,500. The population was recorded as 25.8% Russian, 22.7% Polish, 6.6% Lithuanian. They established numerous schuls and synagogues, and were important for centuries to the culture and business of the city.

The 1920 Texas census shows he and both his parents as born in Russia, and his year of immigration as 1902, and that he became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. in 1907. His occupation was listed as merchant, dry good store.

The 1930 census showed Hyman born in Lativa, and Betty born in Poland, with both sons incorrectly shown as born in Texas. He was shown as a retail merchant of Dry Goods, and Betty was a sales lady at their store. The home they lived in was valued at $5,000.

Hyman married Betty Katz before 1910. Betty was born on 15 Apr 1890 in Russian Empire; died on 30 Aug 1975 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas; was buried in Ahavath Achim Cemetery, Tyler, Smith County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The 1920 Texas census shows Betty and both her parents as born in Russia, and her year of immigration as 1904 and that dhe became a naturalized citizen of the U.S. in 1909.

Her Texas Death certificate, for which son Israel Smith was the informant, showed she was born in Poland, to Israel Smith and Mindel (unknown). She was the owner-operator of an apparel store. Although she died at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, her usual residence was listed as Tyler, Texas.

Geni shows she was the Daughter of Israel Katzenellenbogen of Bialystok and Maasha (Mindel) Katzenellenbogen Wife of Hyman Smith
Mother of Israel Smith and Solomon Smith
Sister of Anna (Neshie) Levine; Max Katz; Pauline Davis; Toyba Kaganovitch; Simeon Katzenellenbogen of Bialystok and 2 others

Notes:

AKA Shlomo Zavilevitz (Savilevics) http://bayl.org/family-story/where-did-our-ancestors-live/

Shlomo + Etta "Yetta" Devorah Romm. Etta (daughter of Yehuda Laib Romm and Rella Krok) was born about 1849 in Kovno Gubernia, Russian Empire; died after 1930 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In 1930, Etta/Yetta was living with her son-in-law and daughter Rueben and Rachel LEVINE of Baltimore. She was shown as age 80, born in Russia.

Shown on Geni as Etta Devorah ROMM, born 1848 died May 7, 1930 at the age of 82, a daughter of Yehuda Laib ROMM and Rella KROK, wife of Shlomo SAVILEVICS, mother of Myer SAVILEVICS, Celia SHAPIRO, Hyman SMITH, Simon SMITH, and Ruchel Minna LEVINE, sister of Rucha Nessa SHAPIRO, Chiva Rivka (Ida) (Chiva Reva) ROMM, Rochel ROMM, Pessa Leba ROMM, Max ROMM, Joh Romm and Toba Gittel Romm half sister of Mari-Leah Romm NACHAMSON

Notes:

Married:
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