Lewis Mesherry Fannie Mesharer Maurice Meshirer 3 siblings

When my great grandfather Harry Mesharer came to the United States, presumably in the early 1880's) he is said to have lived in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. This city was also the home of his brother Abraham who generally spelled his name Meshirer. In the course of his life, Harry (or Harris) spelled his surname many different ways. I have found surprisingly few records of Harris's life, but will try to outline them here.

Harry's son Max H. Mesharer lists a birth year of 1883 in the 1920 census, but a birth year of 17 April 1881 on his World War I draft registration. Max was a local business man in Wilkes Barre, PA and with his wife Keturah, ran the State Tranfer Company. His many business ventures are documented in the Wilkes-Barre Time Leader during the 1910-1921 era.

In 1890 there is the record of the immigration of the children Benia, age 9, and Max age 7, accompanied by Bushelek Mesharer. They traveled on the ship Warrington to Liverpool. Max's residence is listed as Slobotky, Russia. Benia is possibly "Bessie", whose later married name is Bessie Dushoff. The record indicates that the group came from and was headed to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. The Naturalization papers for Bessie's husband Sol Dushoff list the birthplace of his wife Bessie as "illegible" Russia. The name of the community appears to start with a C. Sol Dushoff's Petition for Naturalization is number 14619 in the Pennsylvania District Court, Eastern District.

Harry's son Lewis, who later took on the surname Mesherry, indicates a birth date of 18 September 1889 in Army records and also the California Death Index although the 1900 census lists Louis as born in January 1892. It is certainly possible that Louis become Lewis and changed his age to be old enough to enlist in the Army in 1908.

Harry had a daughter, Fannie, born in 1894 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, who married Alexander Klass in 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When Fannie Mesharer married Alexander Klas, she listed her father as Harris Mesharer, living in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. However, the same documents listed Alexander Klas's parents as living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when in fact they still lived in the Czech Republic. She died in 1929.

There is a Naturalization Document for Henry Mesharer found in the personal belongings of Shirley Meshirer. Shirley was the daughter of William Max Meshirer and Rose Ricklyn Mesharer (Rose was reputedly the adopted daughter of Harry, who married the son of Abraham Meshirer). William Max Meshirer should not be confused with Max Mesharer, the son of Harry.

So presumably, we know that Harry (as Henry) was naturalized in Wilkes Barre on January 25 1895, recorded at the Common Pleas Court. I base this assumption on the fact that the document was in the possession of one of his grandchildren.

In 1900 there is a listing in New York City for Harry Mishader and wife Lena, with children Fannie, age , Lewis, age , and Morriss, less than 1 year old. The census indicates that Harry and Lena had been married for one year.

There is a listing in the 1920 census for Harry and Lena living in Philadelphia. Harry is listed in Philadelphia City Directories ( around 1925 ) as follows:
Mesherey, Harris, brklyr home 334 Daly
another subsequent listing is:
Mesherery, Harris at 224 Daly St, with Morriss, a chauffeau, living at 336 Daly S
Maurice later used the name: Maurice Meshirer.

Also among the belongs of Shirley Ricklyn Meshirer was the photograph of a tombstone. The names listed in English are Harry Meshorer and his wife Lena. There is also inscription in Hebrew which indicates: Harris's Hebrew name is Zvi Hirsch, his wife's was Leah. The interpretation of the Hebrew text was done by Richard L. Rubenstein. Richard, a learned scholar, and descendant of Rose Mesherir, one of the original family immigrants in the mid 1880's, a sister of Harry and Abraham. Richard indicates that the use of the western name Meshorer indicates that the first male of the family who had a western-style second name would have been a cantor. Since Harris was the elder brother, and presumably the first to immigrate, this would likely have been his position. The location of the tombstone is not yet known although Harry and Lena are known to have lived in Philadelphia shortly before their deaths. Sylvia Bachman (descendant of Abraham Meshirer, brother of Harry) remembers visiting graves in Wilkes Barre at the "Jewish Cemetery". I have not yet located this cemetery.

Rose Mesherir, the sister of Harry and Abraham, married Nathan Rubenstein and they lived in New York City.

To extrapolate somewhat on the origin of the family before immigration to the United States, the passenger list for Max Mesharer indicates the town Slobotky, Russia . Richard L. Rubenstein's grandfather is documented to have come from Vilna, Lithuania on the World War I draft registration. While there are numerous towns of the name Slobotka , there is only one in the Vilna province. This has the modern town name of Vilijampole, but had been known as Slobodka in Yiddish. Around 1900 the town was known as Vilyampolskaya, Kovno, Russian Empire according to the JewishGen Communities database found on Jewishgen.org. The town is 95 km WNW of Vilnius.

Researching the surname Meshorer (used on Harris Meshorer tombstone) gives the following information from A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire, revised edition, Alexander Beider, Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, Inc, 2008: Mashojrer (Vilna, Khar' kov) [shows Hebrew symbols] choir singer in synagogue (Meshejrer (Mesherer), Mesejrer, Meshorer, Mishorer, Meserer (Messerer).

Richard L. Rubenstein has indicated that a likely passenger line for the family to have used is the Hamburg - America Line, also known as HAPAG. which was carried many Jewish immigrants and was owned by Albert Balin, a German Jew.

Harry had another child in addition to Bessie and Max, both born in Russia and Lewis and Fannie born in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. His first known child was Eva, who married David Tager. She was apparently born in Russia and immigrated with her husband in the 1890's. Eva's obituary appears in the NY Times in 1964. I have contacted the Riverside Funeral Home organization, formerly in Brooklyn, to attempt to find more information on her burial. They had a daughter Mae who married Lewis Trieber.

Harris Mesharer's sixth known child, Morris, was most likely born in New York City and is buried at Long Island National Cemetery.

Eva, Bessie and Max Mesharer / Meshirer / Meshorer

My updated understanding of my Mesharer family heritage:

My great grandfather, most frequently known as Harry Mesharer, most likely immigrated to the United States, departing Lithuania (possibly Vilna). so this would place Harry in what was known as Russia until at least 1880. This is based on his son Max stating he, Max, was born in Russia. Max consistently used the name Max Mesharer, and sometimes Max M. Mesharer. Harry's son Max's World War I draft registration lists a birthdate of 17 April 1881 in Russia. Other documents for Max, however, list a later birthdate (for example, his WWI draft registration lists a birth in 1888).

Harry's daughter, Eva, born about 1874, married David Tager in the United States about 1896. David Tager immigrated from Stettin, Germany on the ship Polynesia arriving on 14 August 1891. I have not yet found information on Eva's immigration. David, Eva and their children were naturalized on 5 September 1918 in New York City.

Harry's second child, a daughter, Bessie was also born in Russia. Bessie was born in 1883 and indicates on the 1920 census that she was born in Russia. She immigrated in 1890. Her husband Sol immigrated in 1891. Sol and Bessie and children applied for Naturalization in Philadelphia on 7 December 1914. Bessie lists her birthplace as something like Counner, Russia (the handwriting is difficult to interpret on the Naturalization papers). Bessie and her husband Sol lived in Philadelphia. Sol is listed in the 1950 Philadelphia telephone directory. Bessie may have immigrated in 1890 with her brother Max (see information below for Max).

Harry had a son, Max H Mesharer (he spelled his name consistently this way). Harry's brother, Abraham (who spelled his name Meshirer most frequently) also had a son William Max Meshirer who used the name Max Meshirer (with variations on spelling also occurring). It is easy to confuse the two since they both lived in Wilkes Barre, PA in 1900.

Harry's son Max was most likely born in Russia. Max ran State Cartage Company and lived in Wilkes Barre, PA until shortly before his death. He married Keturah Moore and they adopted a son Howard M Mesharer. who is thought to have been a nephew of Keturah. On his WWI draft registration, Max gave a birthdate of 1881 and indicated he was a naturalized citizen. In the 1910 census he gave his birth year as 1884 and indicates he immigrated in 1888 and was a naturalized citizen.

There is an immigration record that may refer to Max. It is dated for departure from Hamburg, Germany of 6 December 1890, and lists his age as 7 (consistent with an 1884 birth year). He sailed from Hamburg to Liverpool on the ship Warrington and a residence is listed as Slobotky, Russia. He was destined to Wilkes Barre, PA and was accompanied by two females, who are listed as: Benia Maserer, born about 1881 and Bushulek Maserer, born about 1863. They arrived on 25 December 1890 on the ship Lord Gough from Liverpool, arriving in Philadelphia.

The Hamburg passenger list for the Warrington spells the child's name Max Maserer. The Mother is listed as: Bushulek Maserer on the Hamburg Passenger list. The Philadelphia arrival list for the Lord Gough lists: Max Moserer, a child, Benia, a child, and B Moserer, a wife. This could well be Harry's wife arriving from Russia and mother of Eva, Bessie and Max? This would give each of the 3 of them an arrival year of 1890.

Harry's next child is apparently Lewis

Keturah Moore and Max Mesharer

I've been asked about the parentage of Howard M. Mesharer, who passed away March 3, 2005 and was pre-deceased by two brothers John and Norman Moore according to his obituary.  I will start with family "folklore" and then explain my subsequent research into this apparent irregularity in brothers with differing last names.

As I've been told, Howard was the adopted son of Max Mesharer and his wife Keturah Moore.  Howard was said to be the son of one of Keturah's brothers.   Max was a successful businessman in the Wilkes-Barre community in the 1920s and 1930s, being a self-made man, the son of Harris Mesharer.  Max most likely immigrated from Lithuania in 1890 although there is some question about this.  It would appear that Max and Keturah wanted a child of their own and in some way they arranged to adopt the child of one of Keturah's brothers.

As to documentation:

Keturah, a presumably wealthy widow,  remarried after Max's death to George M. Roberts on 30 May 1943.  On the Pennsylvania County Marriage record for Luzerne County, her father's name is listed as James. A. Moore and her mother as Martha J Mccreary.  Keturah's age is listed as 54 giving an estimated birth year of 1889.

The 1900 US census for Luzerne "Bor" in Luzerne County lists a household with James A. Moore, born September1847, and Martha Moore, born October 1854.   They had been married for 30 years, so were presumably married about 1870.  Martha indicates she has had 9 children, 6 of whom are living at the time of the census.  James occupation is listed as engineer, and birthplace is Ireland.  Martha lists a birthplace of Pennsylvania, for herself as well as her parents. 

There are 3 children listed in the census:  a son John born Aug 1875, a daughter Ida born June 1886 and Keturah born September 1888.   Presumably there are 3 other children living elsewhere at this time.

In 1910 Martha is listed on the census for Dorranceton, Ward 3, Luzerne County, PA as the widowed head of household with her son, John W., age 35, a painter.   On this census, she lists her father's birthplace as Maryland.

The January 5, 1920 census lists John W. Moore, age 44,  as head of household with his wife Clara, age 30, living in New Rochelle Ward 3, Westchester, New York.  She indicates she immigrated from Germany in 1904.  Two children are listed:  John James Moore, age 8 and Norman C. Moore, age 1 3/12.  Presumably these are the brothers of Howard M. Mesharer who was born on August 10, 1920.  It is certainly possible that Harold's biological mother Clara died in childbirth, and his aunt and uncle, Keturah and Max, who were childless, adopted Howard at that time.  Howard M. Moore became known as Howard M. Mesharer.

Howard M. Mesharer's obituary indicates he was born in Mamaroneck, New York on August 10, 1920 and lists his brothers are John and Norman.  This would tend to confirm that John W. Moore, brother of Keturah, was Howard M. Mesharer's biological father, while Max Mesharer was his adoptive father.