Jacob Goldberg

  Jacob Goldberg was born in Ushitzer gubernia (district) , Russia about 1860. His mother, Malca, smuggled him into Romania when he was about 16.







Not wanting their name, Newman or Naiman
(pronounced with a long I) to be traced, she sent him to a relative, Goldberg and he assumed that name.

 Jacob's mother wanted to avoid Jacob's conscription into the army. The czar was ready to take him into service. This information was written by Bea Stein Oberhand over 20 years ago ( daughter of Esther Goldberg Stein ) and was given to me by Elsie Gale Sharpe ( daughter of Israel Goldberg/ Gale ). I am so thankful.

Goldberg got him into Beril Schwartz's workshop as an apprentice in Botosani, Romania. He worked there until the age of 20-21. Beril liked Jacob and arranged that he marry his daughter Pinie who was 16.

I was able to get their Botosani Marriage Record. In Romanian, their names are Iancu ( no family name given ) and Pina Sfart. They were married 24 May 1880. This document has their ages markedly different from what the earlier information  indicates. At the time of marriage, Pinie was 18 and Jacob was 30. Jacob's gravestone has his age as 58 so it does seem that Jacob lied about his age for his marriage. A birth certificate would set things right and seems to be the only way to know the truth.

A question in my mind though is that the  record states that the groom's and bride's age were authenticated by the court. What served as authentication?

    Groom Age certificate based on the testimony of five witnesses made at Botosani nr. 201 ,and authenticated by the court nr. 5227
    Bride Age certificate based on the testimony of five witnesses made at Botosani nr. 202 ,and authenticated by the court nr. 5228

Witnesses:

     1. Avram sin Itic, 50, servant
     2. Altar sin Ghersin, 27, no profession
     3. David Ciolpacu, 70, sexton
     4. User sin Meir, 50, servant
    Comment: All  living in Botosani first two on behalf of the husband, last two on behalf of the bride.

Jacob's father's name  in Romanian is Itic ( The Hebrew translated on Jacob's gravestone  has the name Binyamin Yitzhak ). Jacob named his first son Benjamin Itzhak. The name of Jacob's grandfather in Romanian is Hert.

Jacob and Pinie had 8 children in Romania, Yetta, Itzik, Leah, Esther, Israel, Max, Moses and Mendel. Mendel died at age 2 of measles. Jacob struggled to make a living in Botosani. People were immigrating to Canada and US as there was no cost for immigration at that time.

In 1902, Jacob booked tickets and he and his oldest son Itzik then 18 left for Montreal. The 1911 census indicates that they immigrated in 1901.

They were both tailors and looked for jobs. Jacob and Itzhak lived as boarders in Montreal. Aunt Minnie, the only sibling born in Montreal, told the story that her father asked for the woman to make 'mameluga' which was cornmeal mush. The Russians who lived there thought it was butter and spread it on their bread.

Different stories have it that it took three years or one year to bring over the rest of the family. Jacob booked tickets. They came by boat through Rotterdam. The government paid all expenses.

They didn't speak English.  The girls, Yetta, Leah and Esther didn't go to school. They worked in a factory , sewing buttons. Israel, Max and Moe went to school. Jacob and Itzik went into business as partners together and called it Jacob Goldberg and Son: Men's clothing manufacturing.

When Jacob died 25 Jan 1918 in Montreal of a heart attack, Aunt Minnie remembers the family getting snow  in an effort to revive him.