Sunday, April 11, 2021

52 Ancestors: Great - Hannah Plotzky?

I was lucky enough to have known two of my great grandparents, Edward and Mabel (McAboy) Fitzgerald.  I was nearly 12 when Mabel died and 14 when Edward died so I do have some clear memories of them.

As I was preparing for this blog prompt, I thought about my other great grandparents whom I never knew and then thought about my ancestors' great grandparents.  I know for sure that my paternal grandmother, Mildred Loraine Gunzendorfer, knew her great grandmother because I have a picture of them together!

L to R: Rebecca Steen (grandmother), Bertha Schwartz (mother), Loraine Gunzendorfer, Hannah Plotzky? (great grandmother)

I'm not 100% sure that Hannah's birth surname was, in fact, Plotzky.  Or for that matter, was her first name at birth really Hannah?  Someone on the Jewish Ancestry in Poland Facebook page suggested that her name might have been Chana and then Americanized to Hannah.

Her death certificate shows that her father was Morris Plotzky of Poland and that her mother was unknown.  The same Facebook member stated that Morris might have been Moshe, Moszko, or Moszek.  And as we know, often times the informant had incorrect information.  So the jury is still out on her surname, first name, and father's name.  I also have the death certificate for two of her children - Rebecca and Samuel.  Rebecca's shows her mother's name is unknown, Samuel's shows his mother's name as Hannah Plotzky.  

What I know about Hannah is that she was born on 20 December, 1828 in "Poland" - but where, exactly, I don't know.

It appears that she came to America via New York in 1851 with her husband, Joseph Steen, and their daughter (my great grandmother), Rebecca and an infant named Dina.  But the records I've found show their surname as Stain so is it the correct family?  Maybe, maybe not.  If this is them, infant Dina must not have survived because there is never another mention of her.  

I found a family enumerated in New York on June 29, 1855, which makes sense since I believe they arrived in New York in 1851 and son Samuel was born in New York on May 4, 1855.  But this family is Joseph Stein, Hanagh Stein, Rebecka Stein, Solomon Stein, Julius Stein, and David Morrison.  Ages don't add up for Joseph and Hannah but I've seen a few references to Samuel as Solomon so this could be them.  Joseph was a barber and had several brothers so that could add up.  I'll chalk this up to "probably".

New York, State Census, 1855

Somewhere between 1855 and 1857, the family must have moved to Santa Cruz as the next child, Meyer, was born in California in 1857.

I'm about 100% sure that this is them in 1860 in Santa Cruz.

1860 United States Census NARA mircofilm publication M653, 1438 rolls, Washington, D.C., National Archives Records

It's hard to see but next door to the family is Louis Schwartz, who would later marry Rebecca and the two of them would become my 2x great grandparents.

Joseph died in 1866 (you can read a bit about me discovering his grave in the #2 top 10 find of 2012 HERE) and Hannah was on her own.  By 1870 she had moved to San Francisco with children Solomon/Samuel, Meyer, Lillie, Julius, and Dena.

1870 United States Federal Census, San Francisco Ward 10, San Francisco, California, Roll: M593

That checks out.  But by 1876, Julius was gone.  

Hills of Eternity Memorial Park, Colma, California

1880 found the family at 626 17th Street, Oakland, California.

1880 United States Census, Oakland, Alameda, California; Roll: T9_61, Family History Film: 1354061, Page: 183.2000, Enumeration District: 9, Image: 0369


Dena is often referred to as Lennie but I know she was, in fact, Dena, when she died from pericarditis in 1894.  Hannah had endured so much sadness.

Hills of Eternity Memorial Park, Colma, California

I've been unable to find Hannah in the 1900 census but I haven't given up trying.  What I've taken away from this blog post is that I have A LOT to learn about Hannah.  I'm thankful for the suggestions I've received on the Jewish Ancestry in Poland Facebook Group page and will be following up on those.

Hannah died on 11 April, 1909 and as you can see above, she is buried with Dena at Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma.

You can see the family here - Julius next to Hannah/Dena, Rosalind (Samuel's daughter) and Meyer (Hannah's son) in front.

Steen family, Hills of Eternity, Colma, California

Hannah was my 3x great grandmother and my grandmother's GREAT grandmother.  I hope to learn more about her.