Solomon Feldman (son of Morris Feldman)3 was born Bet. 1843 - 1847 in Teplich, Russia3, and died 1941 in New York3. He married Esther Rosenfeld on 1861 in Russia3.
Notes for Solomon Feldman: In 1843 a child was born in southern Russia, and was named Shlomo Meir in the local synagogue. He went to cheder, and when he was 18 he married a girl he never saw until they were under the canopy. Even then, all he saw through the veil was a dark thin face.Shlomo and one of his friends came up with a good idea. They took over a run-down place on the caravan route from Odessa to Moscow. Picture a country with no cars or trucks, and very few railroads, but with busy seaports like Odessa, from which goods to Moscow were carried in horse-drawn carts and wagons.Obviously, such a trip would take several days. Shlomo and his friend put up the drivers for the night, gave them good ho tmeals, and provided shelter and fodder for the horses. In the morning they would continue their trip, and everybody was happy. Things went smoothly, and Shlomo and Esther were building a family, a good business, and a future. A friend of the local governor saw the opportunity to take over a good thing, and Shlomo and his friend were given 24 hours to get out. Shlomo later asked "Did you ever try to sell a cow in 24 hours?" Back they came to Odessa, where Shlomo got a job on the docks handling cargo as a day laborer. He could see no future here, and in desperation, picked up with his growing family and sailed to Palestine. They tried to find a way of life there, only to find that the Promised Land was all sand and swamp and no bread. Opportunities were scarce and disease was rampant. The risks were too great, and the defeated family returned to Odessa and a life of quiet desperation. As time went on, the children grew up and started to build their own families. Inevitably, the decision was made to try to get to America. Mostly two at a time, starting in the 1900's, thefamily slowly gathered in Philadelphia, and some soon moved to New York to seek greater opportunites. By 1910 Zelig, Louis, Julius and tantes Hannah, Katie, Ida, Doptza and Fannie were all Americans, raising their families and educating them. Shlomo and Esther lived with their youngest daughter Fannie, who was my closest relative. Esther became very seriously ill, and after surgery at age 72, was given 6 months to live, but she took 13 more years, and lived till 86. Shlomo, an old man now, but still witty and full of stories of the old days in the shtetl, would make his own wine, enough for most of the family. Twice a day in Richmond Hill, where we lived in a quiet residential area of Queens, he would walk to the local synagogue for services. One day, in the spring of 1930, he was coming home from shul after morning services, when he was accosted by a corner hanger-on who pantomimed that he wanted a light for his cigarette. Solomon, who smoked, gave him a match, and the hoodlum lit it and pushed it into his beard. Solomon managed to put it out, and got home safely, but badly shaken .In his 98th year, this lovable old man, full of humor, wisdom,and memories, slipped while sitting down in a chair and broke his hip. Eight days later, beyond the ability of medical science to help, he died.
- Harry Shiffman
Lived with the Shiffman's when the 1930 census was taken. He was listed as 83 years old. The census was dated April 14, 1930.
More About Solomon Feldman and Esther Rosenfeld: Marriage: 1861, Russia.3
Children of Solomon Feldman and Esther Rosenfeld are:
Solomon Feldman (b. Bet. 1843 - 1847, d. 1941)
Notes for Solomon Feldman: