Matrilineal Monday ~ Great Aunt Regina Handler

I have written about brothers Sam Handler and Joseph Handler. Their younger sister, Regina Handler (pronounced Reh-GEE-nah, not Ri-JEE-nah), immigrated from Hungary with her mother and her sister-in-law in May 1911, and joined her brothers in Ohio. (See her immigration record here.)

In 1920, she and husband, Jacob Solomon, are living at 2721 East 62nd Street in Cleveland.

1920 U.S. Census, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, Roll T625_1369, E. D. 351,
page 9A, lines 15-19, household of Jacob Solomon

Detail of record of Solomon household in 1920

Jacob Solomon, age 36, immigrated in 1905 and has his papers (Pa); he is on his way to becoming a citizen. Further to the right, his occupation is listed as Cook in Restaurant. He and wife, "Ray" were both born in Hungary.

Ray (Regina) is 26 years old. Her year of immigration is unknown (though I know it as 1911) and she is listed as Al (an alien, not a U.S. citizen).

They have two young daughters: Esther, age 4, and Hellen, age 1 7/12, who were both born in Ohio.

Rose Goodman, age 60, is listed as Mother (of the Head of Household). I'm working on confirming who she is... Update: Here is more about Rose (Handler) Goodman, also known as Sally Handler - she is Regina's mother.

~~~~~~~

I have not found the Solomon family in the 1930 U.S. Census, though I did find a few Jacob Solomons in Cleveland City Directories around this time.

~~~~~~~

By 1940, they had moved to 10517 Elgin Avenue, where Aunt Regina's husband is listed as Jack Solomon.

1940 U.S. Census, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, Roll T627_3227, E.D. 92-604
page 10A, lines 26-30, household of Jack [sic] Solomon

Regina, age 46, and Jack, age 56 are listed as having been born in Czechoslovakia. Their three children are still living at home: Esther, age 23, Helen, age 21, and Morton, age 12.

Detail of record of Solomon household in 1940

Esther and Helen have completed four years of high school, and Morton has completed 5th grade. The second column from the right indicates the immigration status of the resident. "Na" means that Jake Solomon is a naturalized American citizen. "Pa" means that Regina had her papers, a step toward becoming a naturalized citizen. An interesting question is why, when Jake Solomon became a U.S. citizen in the early 1920's, did Regina not become a citizen at the same time?

Jake's occupation is Chef in a Restaurant. Esther worked as a Saleswoman in a Retail Department Store, and Helen worked as a Typist for a Retail Auto Company.

This is a snapshot of Regina and Jake believed to be from 1952, taken in Akron, in the year my husband's parents got married.

There are a whole bunch of snapshots taken on Rhodes Avenue, Akron from this time and I am very lucky to have these photographs, as well as lucky to have a mother-in-law with a sharp memory who has identified many of the people in the photographs.

More to come later about this couple.