Cousin Edward Nappen of Atlantic City

If you've been following my posts about the Napadensky / Nappen family, you'll know that Edward Nappen was the son of Barnett and Hannah (Segal) Nappen. Hannah is sister to Rachel (Segal) Siegel, and to my husband's great-great-grandmother, Golda (Segal) Levitt. Therefore, Edward is first cousin to Rose (Levitt) Goldstein.

Edward Nappen married Anna Braudy in about 1922 and was living in Atlantic City by 1926, when their second son was born.

As I shared last week, in the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, his widowed mother, Anna (Hannah) was living with his family. Following is the rest of the census line for Edward.

Detail from 1940 U.S. Census for Edward Nappen in Atlantic City, New Jersey

His occupation is Magistrate, working for Atlantic County. He worked all 52 weeks of the prior year and made $8,000.

I find the Nappen family in city directories for Atlantic City from the 1920's to the 1950's. Following is from the 1956 Atlantic City Directory and all the Nappens listed are from the same family.

1956 Atlantic City, NJ directory from Ancestry.com U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989

• Bernard is Edward's second son. Joyce is his wife. It looks like he is a teacher and lives in Ventnor (indicated by the V after the address).
• Edward (wife Anna) is listed as a clerk for the County Detective Bureau. Note that he still lives at 15 S. Florida Ave.
• Enoch is his youngest son and was likely in college at this time.
• Hannah (widow of Barnett) is still living with her son, daughter-in-law and grandson.
• Mortimer, Edward's oldest son, is a detective for the City Police Department, and also lives in Ventnor.

Before the HBO TV series, was the book, Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City, by Nelson Johnson (Medford, NJ: Plexus Publishing, Inc. 2002). This is the story of Atlantic City from its earliest days as a beach village providing affordable vacations to those coming by train from Philadelphia, through the 20th century, detailing all the politics and corruption that has made Atlantic City the resort town that it is today. (We happen to own a copy of this book and have read it. If you're from the area, it is a must-read to learn about the island's history.)

Napadensky Family becomes Nappen Family

Last week, I wrote about the early married life of Hannah (Segal) Napadensky. Originally, I knew the surname as Nappen, so it was interesting to work backwards and find that the name was originally Napadensky.

By 1920, the family had "Americanized" their last name to Nappen and they had moved to Philadelphia. The children of Barnett and Anna Nappen in the 1920 US Census household are listed as Edward (age 24), Abraham (age 17), Agusta (age 12), and Zelda (age 8).

1920 U.S. Census, Philadelphia Ward 24, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1627; Page 10A;
Lines 33-38; Record for family of Barnett Nappen.

The year of immigration for Barnett and Anna is now listed for both of them as 1882. According to this census record, he became a naturalized citizen in 1897 and she in 1892. Here, Barnett's occupation is listed as Retail Cigar Store. The three youngest children are listed as attending school, though Abraham was also listed with an occupation of apprentice in a machine shop. Edward's occupation is salesman for wholesale confectionary.

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In 1930, Barnett and Anna were still living in Philadelphia with children Albert, Augusta, and Zelda, and Barnett has returned to the tailoring business where he is a Presser.

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Barnett and Hannah Nappen

Or Woodbine Cemetery, Part 4...

I started this blog with photos of family members' gravestones in the Woodbine Brotherhood Cemetery, Woodbine, New Jersey:
Part 1 - Goldstein grandparents
Part 2 - Levitt
Part 3 - Goldstein uncle and aunt
Following is another gravestone of a 2nd great aunt and 2nd great uncle of my husband.

Hannah (Segal) Nappen was the sister of Golda (Segal) Levitt, whose gravestone is nearby. Their father was Simche Segel, whose death certificate indicates he was buried in Woodbine, but I have not found his gravestone.

The Hebrew for Hannah reads: Hannah daughter of the honored Simcha. The Hebrew for Barnett is possibly Dov son of the honored Mordechai. (Advice on Barnett's Hebrew name is welcome in the comments below.)

Matrilineal Monday ~ Hannah Segal Napadensky

Over a year ago, I shared passenger list records for Segal / Siegel ancestors. Golda / Goldie / Gussie Segal is my husband's great-grandmother. I have written about one sister, Rachel Segal, who married William (or Wolf) Seigal.

Closeup of Hannah Segal from
Segal family photo

Their younger sister was Hannah Segal.

I am not sure when she was born, as different records report different birth dates (between 1872-1876, in Russia). I do know she died on February 7, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The death date is on her gravestone, and I found her name and death date in the Pennsylvania death indices. (I have requested a copy of her death certificate, as her parents are ancestors of my husband and maybe her mother's name and her birthdate is listed, but I'm not holding my breath).

In 1893 or 1894, Hannah married Barnett Napadensky, also from Russia. According to census records, they had at least five children: Isadore / Israel / Edward (1895-1957), Lena (b. 1897), Isaac / Abraham / Albert (b. 1903), Gussie / Augusta (b. 1908) and Zelda (b. 1912), and possibly two who died young.

In 1900, the Napadenskys were living in Dennis Township, Cape May County, New Jersey (as Barney and Anna) with their children, Isadore and Lena. (Based on later records, I think Isadore should be listed as "son" not "daughter.") Note that the borough of Woodbine was not established until 1903, so my husband's Woodbine ancestors are found in Dennis Township in 1900.

1900 U.S. Census, Dennis Township, Cape May County, New Jersey; Roll: T623_960; Page 16B;
Lines 63-66. Record for family of Barney Napadensky.

Barney and Anna are listed as having been married for seven years and Anna has given birth to three children, two of whom are living. Barney and Anna were born in Russia and their children were born in New Jersey. Also noted in this census record: Barney immigrated in 1888, is a naturalized citizen and is working as a tailor in a factory (as just about everyone else on this page is).

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Gussie Levitt in Springfield, Massachusetts

One of my husband's great uncles (Uncle Eddie Levitt, b. 1908) moved from Woodbine, New Jersey, to Springfield, Massachusetts, around 1934. I recently realized that I didn't have birth dates for his children, and I hadn't yet found his family in the 1940 US Census, so I thought I'd take a look for them in Springfield in 1940.

Detail from 1940 U.S. Census, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, Roll T627_1709,
E. D. 22-100, Page 5B, Line 69, household of Edward Levitt

31-year-old, New Jersey born, Edward Levitt rents his apartment at 83 Walnut Street for $37 per month. His wife, Adele, is 26 and was born in New York. (She also happens to be the daughter of his older half-sister, Rebecca.) They both have four years of high school education. Their children are Sandra (age 6, born in New Jersey) and Marvin (age 5, born in Massachusetts). This is in error; actually it was just before his 3rd birthday. Also the last column shown here notes that they lived in the "same place" five years earlier (but not the same house).

Also noted in the 1940 census, but not shown in this image, is Edward's occupation, which was Proprietor of Radio Repair. In fact, there is still a Levitt's Television Center in Springfield, which evolved from Levitt's Radio Repair. My mother-in-law remembers that her uncle Eddie was very successful in Radio and Television repair.

Look who else is listed with this family: Gussie Levitt, grandmother, age 69 (born about 1871) and a widow. Although it states she was born in Massachusetts, she was born in Russia, and was a naturalized citizen. Funny thing is, she lived in Woodbine, New Jersey, and was enumerated there in the 1940 US Census as Goldie Levitt (with an incorrect age of 62).

So sometime in early April 1940, Gussie Levitt likely travelled up to Massachusetts to visit her youngest son and her grandchildren and got enumerated both in Woodbine, New Jersey and in Springfield, Massachusetts in the 1940 US Census.

Bubbie's Bubbie was enumerated twice in 1940!