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Jan Rabinowitz has provided me with much of the following data, based on a letter (dated June 17, 1925) that her great-grandfather, Joseph Balser, had written about his family. I have supplemented the data with additional information I located from obituaries and an interview (ca.1980) with Ruth Abramson (daughter of Annie Abramson and grand-daughter of Nathan Abramson).
Abe Balser (hometown, Ligum) married Liwde (Lebbie) MNU
1. Sidney (Sevie, Hebrew: Yesheeyuov) married (first) Blanche Abramson
- Joseph (1867-1928) married Mollie Seligson in 1895 in Atlanta
-- Jennye married Julius Wender
-- Anne
-- Jake
-- Sam
-- Abe
-- Meyer
-- Helen
1. Sidney (Sevie) married (second) Gessie (settled in Massachusetts). Their children did not settle in Baltimore or Norfolk. Their children may have been several boys, including one named after Abe and one named after Lebbie. They moved from Legum sometime after Sevie married Gessie.
2. Neisan (presumably Nasan/Nathan)
[
Speculation is that this Nathan Balser is Ruth Abramson of Norfolk's grandfather Nathan, who died in a pogrom, and whose wife (first initial "B") died of cancer in Europe; they had the following children:)
- Annie (d.Nov.28, 1952, age 82) married Jake (Jacob) ABRAMSON (brother of Nathan Abramson - below - and see Abramson Families)
-- Rosa (n.m.) (d.Jan.30, 1929, age 29)
-- Ruth (b.1908) n.m.
-- Florence (1897-Apr.29, 1927) n.m.
-- Abe (b.1901) (Norma says he was related to the famous Warner brothers, not just through the Eichelbaums - below) married Sadie Weber
--- Freddie
--- Norma married HERZBERG
--- Helene married KLAVANS
- Channe (Anna) (d.Apr.9, 1932, age 76) married Abe LEGUM (d.Jan.15, 1924, age 74) see Abe Legum Family Tree
-- J.R. (Jacob) (probalby born Lygumai, immigrated 1880s) married (first) Lena Jacobson (killed in fire at Legum Distilling, Berkley, Feb.15, 1912, age 27); married (second) Rose Leah Legum (see
Simon Legum Family Tree)
-- Abe/Abraham (A.M.) (probably born Lygumai, immigrated 1880s) married Sarah KRAMER
-- Fannie married Abe BEHREND
-- Fannie Lillian married (1909) Frank/Nathan Robert? JOSSELSON
-- Sarah married William ABRAMSON (they originally lived in Berkley and moved to Baltimore)
--- Selma (d.1999)
--- Helen
--- Percey (died young)
--- Leon
-- Dorothy/Dora married (first) (Sept.2, 1913) Adolph WERTHEIMER (of New York); married (second) Dr. Sam SEGAL in Springfield, Ma.
-- Harry (H.S.) died young n.m.
-- Bessie married Al LEON
--- Ann married COWEN (Longmeadow, Ma.; cowdog@tiac.net)
-- Lena (d.Sept.6, 1936, age 57) married Hyman EICHELBAUM (sister Pearl married one of the famous Warner brothers)
--- Joseph
--- female married Ed KATZ of Springfield
--- Ruth E.
--- Julia
--- Betty (of Baltimore)
- Fannie married (Sep.6, 1889, Berkley) Nathan ABRAMSON (d.Feb.16, 1926; brother of Jake - above - and see Abramson Families)
-- Ada n.m.
-- Annie n.m.
-- Minnie n.m.
-- Jennie n.m.
-- Abe married Leah TAVSS
- Abe (d.Feb.21, 1896) married (Nov.14, 1893, Berkley) Rose Leah Caplan (daugh. of Abraham and Jennie Rosenman/Rice? Caplan; 2nd marriage was to Henry Polen)
-- Bessie married Paul HECHT
--- Mollie married Herman MILLER
--- Rose Leah married HERNDORF
--- Francis married MCGLAUHON?
--- Lois married KERPELMAN
--- Alvin Harry
(Note that Abe Balser is first listed in the Berkley city directory of "1891-92" as being in clothing business with "Louis Balser" and Isaac Legum (bro of Abe Legum above; see Yerochak Legum Family Tree), but Louis is not listed in city directory beyond 1896. Perhaps this Louis was a brother.)
]
3. Labie (male) (Probably same as "Leyb" found in Lygumai 1890s box taxpayers lists; age 59 as of 1892)
- Rafel, or Rafel Nison (according to 1892, 1896, and 1904 box taxpayers list) (see also Raphel Balser of unknown relation below)
4. Muchie (male)
5. Passaic (presumably Pesach) (Probably same as "Pesakh" found in Lygumai 1890s box taxpayers lists)
6. Gisse (Geezy, Gertrude) (d.Sept.12, 1922, age 82; lived in Norfolk 15 years) married H.M. Merr (son of Solomon)
- Annie married Bennie Ziv (d.Mar.9, 1945, age 70)
-- Rose (b.1905; of Portsmouth as of 1945, later Springfield, Ma.) married GLICKMAN
-- Louis (b.1907; of Portsmouth as of 1945)
-- Yetta (b.1900; of Long Island) married FREISTADT
- Simon (d.Dec.23, 1925, age 55, suicide in his store in Courtland, Va.; 40 years in Norfolk)
- Abe
- G. (probably male)
- female married C. Post
- female married Issie Salsbury
- female married B.H. GOODMAN
7. female
[Note there was also a Frank Balser, who lived in Portsmouth, Va., had 2 daughters and committed suicide, who may have been a son of either Labie, Muchie, or Passaic above.]
The following may be either a cousin or brother of Abraham Balser (above). Indeed the Sevie above may be named for the following Sidney, since Sidney's Hebrew name was Yis(h)eeyuhov. And both families had numerous relatives in the Norfolk area and were inter-related with Legums, Abramsons, etc.:
1. Sidney (Hebrew: Yesheeyuov) married Blanche Abramson (unknown relation but perhaps related to Norfolk Abramsons)
- Hana Leah (ca.1845-May 4, 1927; obit says lived 30 years in U.S., mostly in Berkley [Norfolk], where she died at age of 82 years, 2 months, 3 days) married Solomon SACKS (originally ZACKS), d.May12, 1917, age 75.
-- Bessie married J.W. Legum (brother of Fannie Legum [below]; see Isaac Legum Family Tree)
--- Ruth married Thomas R. GOODMAN (of Portsmouth)
---- Jay, ..., ...
--- Henry (d.Aug.19, 1979, Bal Harbour, Fl., age 77) n.c. married Edith NACHMAN
--- L. David (of Norfolk) married
---- Sally married ESRIG
---- Jay W.
--- Sol. S. (d.Aug.3, 1951, age 45, Norfolk?) married Sylvia Siegel (cousin of Aaron Salzburg)
---- Bertram N. (of Norfolk)
---- James W. (of Norfolk)
-- Benjamin (d.May 2, 1944, Norfolk, age 72; came from Lancaster, Pa. "55 years ago") married Fannie Legum (sister of J.W. Legum [above]; see Isaac Legum Family Tree)
--- Aaron M.
--- Sidney
--- Rose Legum (n.m.)
--- female married Nat Polis
---- Helen Jane married Melvin BARR
--- female married Phil GOLDSTEIN
-- Barney/Benjamin H. (d.Jan.23, 1946, age 68, moved from Lancaster "55 years ago" to Norfolk, then "12 years ago" to Baltimore)
--- Louis (of Baltimore as of 1946)
--- Sidney (of Baltimore as of 1946)
--- Miles (of Baltimore as of 1946)
--- Mace (of Norfolk as of 1946)
--- Isaac (of D.C. as of 1946)
--- Mildred married COHEN of Baltimore
--- Frances married FILTZER of Baltimore
-- Herman A. (b. Lancaster; d.Dec.6, 1983, age 97, Norfolk) married Sallie FELDMAN
--- Stanley E. (of Norfolk)
--- Frances married LIDMAN (of Norfolk as of 1983)
--- Nancy married JACOBSON (of Portsmouth as of 1983)
[Of unknown relation to above is Raphel Balser (see Morris Balser Family Tree) of Baltimore, b. 1864, married Sarah BRENNER (see Schneider Families)]
[Of unknown relation to above is Nathan Balser, who appears in 1910 Newport News, Va. census, age 38, married Molly (age 28, as of 1910), with following children:
- Benjamin (b.1901)
- Morray (b.1903)
- Lewis (b.1904)
- Joseph (b.1906)]
[Note that Simcoe Glasser recalls being told by his grandfather David Glasser - see David Glasser Family Tree - after going to Baltimore where David bought clothing goods for his store from a Balser clothiers (perhaps '20s and '30s) that the Balsers "are mishpacha" -- i.e., family. Thus, the Balsers were probably related in some way to the Glassers. (There was a Joshua Simon (J. Simon) Balser in Baltimore who worked in the clothing business at least in the early 20th century. Simon, b.1871, was a cutter for Solomon Ginsberg, a wholesale men's clothier, as of 1900; Simon married (1897) Rosa Soble, the sister of Solomon's wife Helen and boarded with Solomon at 418 Carrollton, Baltimore, as of 1900 according to 1900 census. He had one son, Allen, b.1898, as of 1900. By 1907, Joshua S. Balser was listed in Balt. city dir. as Sec/Treas of Metropolitan Pants Co. and Nathan Balser Jr. as being of Rosenberg & Balser, both residing at 716 W. Lombard; though by 1915, Joshua S. Balser was listed as being in "dry goods" business.)
]
[of unknown relation is the following family, of whom /name restricted/ is gggranddaugh of Louis:
- Louis BALSER (of Pakroy; arrived US about 1870; first had small general store in Emmitsburg, Md.) married Esther (she and children arrived ca.1880; settled in Balto.; ran kosher boarding house, north side of E.Pratt St., near Eden St.; d.early 1920s)
-- Sarah married Joseph KLAVANSKY/KLINE (bro of below)
-- Florence married Solomon BAROWAY
-- Dora married KLAVANSKY/KLINE (bro of above)
-- Jennie
-- Nathan
-- Benjamin
]
The same person (name restricted), grtgrtgranddaugh of the above Louis BALSER, researched the following on various persons (not necessarily related to her or me) as follows:
Here's what she gathered from the Baltimore City Directories relative to the Balser name.
1881
Balser, Nicholas (carter) 46 S. Washington
1885
Balser, Louis boarding 44 S. Exeter
1890
Balser, Louis boarding 920 e. Pratt
1905
Balser, Fannie (grocer) 1414 e. Lexington
Balser, Joshua S. (Metropolitan Pants Co) 716 w. Lombard
Balser, Louis (clerk) 1414 e. Lexington
Balser, Raphael (grocer) 917 e. Lombard
1907
Balser, Joshua S. (Sec/Treas Metropolitan Pants Co.) h 716 w. Lombard
Balser, Louis (grocer) 214 Myrtle Ave.
Balser, Nathan jr. (Rosenberg & Balser) 716 w. Lombard
1908
Balser, Charles (furrier) 427 s. Sharp
Balser, Louis (grocer) 214 Myrtle Ave.
Balser, Nathan jr. (proprietor, Cafe Liberty) h. 716 w. Lombard
Balser, J. Simon (commercial traveler), h 716 w. Lombard
1910
Balser, Mrs. Esther (ggm of same /name restricted/) 820 Hollins Av
Balser, Fanny (grocer) 214 Myrtle Ave.
Balser, Louis (clerk) 214 Myrtle Ave.
Balser, Minnie (grocer) 917 e. Lombard
1911
Balser, Charlers (clerk) 1430 S. Charles
Balser, Mrs. Esther 2554 McCullough
Balser, Joshua S. (commercial traveler) h 1342 n. Fulton av
Balser, Louis (grocer) 214 Myrtle Ave
Balser, Minnie (grocer) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Raphael (dairy) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Rosa S. (notions) 1342 n. Fulton
1912
Balser, Esther Mrs. 2554 McCulloh
Balser, Harry (messenger) h 214 Myrtle av.
Balser, Joshu (dry goods) 1342 n. Fulton av.
Balser, Louis (grocer) 214 Myrtle av., h do
Balser, Minnie(grocer) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Raphael (dairy) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Rosa S. (notions) 1342 n. Fulton av.
1915
Balser, Bernard D. (clerk) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Esther, Mrs. 2431 Druid Hill Av
Balser, Harry (photographer) 1724 w. Lanvale1342 n. Fulton ave h do
Balser, Joshua S. (dry goods) 1342 n. Fulton av h do
Balser, Louis (clerk) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Louis (grocer) 1724 w. Lanvale h do
Balser, Minnie (grocer) 917 e. Lombard h do
Balser, Morris (plumber) 1520 e. Baltimore
Balser, Raphael (peddler) 917 e. Lombard
Balser, Simon J. (dry goods)
I also have information from the 1900 Soundex (index cards) for the 1900
Census (Baltimore), reflecting the following Balser names:
Allen Balser
Amelia C. Balser
Bernard Balsyer
John Balzer
Nathan Balser
Nathan Balcer
Raphael Balser (enumerated with Sarah, Minnie, Moses, Benjamin, Israel, and
Samuel)
Rosa Balser
Simon Balser
And from the 1920 Soundex, I found
Bernard J. Balzer
Charles Balzer
Daniel Balcerowicz
Esther Balser
Frank Balcer
Hattie E. Bolsser
Henry J. Balzer
John Bolcer
Joseph Balzer
Joshua S Balser (enumerated with Rose, Allen, Guy, Eleanora, Nathan, & Ida
Soble)
Lewis Balser
Morris Balsar
Raphael Belser
Samuel Belser
Sigman Balserak
Ulum Balzer
