The Shlomo Miller/Schönfeld Family



Shlomo (1848 - 1931 [26 Mar Cheshvan]), son of Pesach Dovid Miller was born in either Malcov, or Obrucna (both are in northwestern Slovakia today), or Görlice, Galicia, in 1848, the youngest of 7 boys. At Shlomo's bris, Raphael Meyer, his oldest brother, was given an honor (like sandik or kvatah). In the 1870's he immigrated south to Hungary. At Tiszakerecseny, he obtained papers changing his name to Schönfeld. He married Chaya () (1852 - 1922 [27 Sivan]), daughter of Avrohm Hersh Gross, who was a chassid of R. Chaim of Sanz, and one of 12 children (11 boys & 1 girl). Mrs. S.L. Mendlovic of Williamsburg has much information on the Gross family. Shlomo & Chaya had 8 children. Shlomo became a very affluent cattle dealer. He owned a 350 acre farm and made an annual trip to Switzerland to purchase cows. He maintained that Swiss cows produced superior milk. He was also an agent for the Gott estate. In 1903 (?) he moved to Hodasz, and in 1912, to Nyirbator, Hungary where he lived a healthy life until his passing. In the fall of 1931 he developed a blockage in his intestine. Realizing that his end was near he summoned the family to his bedside. (My grandfather and great-uncle [Naftuli & Shabsi Yitzchok] came from the Kaliva (Nagykallo) Yeshiva by train that Thursday night. Chava Israel was also there). He passed away that night, November 5, 1931, surrounded by his family (he had a minyon). He is buried in Nyirbator and several years ago his descendants, Chava Israel and Miriam Werczberger, had his grave site restored.

  • Sarah (1879 - 1952 [27 Sivan]) of TiszaKerecseny, Hodasz, & Nyirbator, Hungary, then Kosice, Slovakia, and finally New York City. Sarah came to NY on Sep 12, 1932, aboard the SS Ile de France, together with her daughter, Viola. She was married to her first cousin, once removed, Pesach Dovid Miller on January 8, 1901, in Hodasz, Hungary. He came to the US much earlier. She was pregnant 11 times, with 5 children surviving to adulthood. Seven of the children's names are known.
    • Chana Rita (Sep 12, 1903 - 1983 [19 Tamuz]), of Hodasz, Hungary, and then Kosice, Slovakia. Chana married Yakov Leib Dresdner and they moved to Charleroi, Belgium, where they had 9 children. During the war the children were scattered in various hiding places all over Europe. After the war the family came to the US.
      Lizzie Elefant, Alter, Izzy, Rudy, Shloime, Rosa Goldstein, Joey, Paula Schallamach, & Frankie Green/Salsberg
    • Freitchu (Feb 15, 1905-1942/3), of Hodasz, Hungary married Levi Yitzchok Goldstein. At first they lived in Charleroi, Belgium, where they had 2 children. They later moved to Mukachevo, Ukraine. They all perished in the Holocaust.
      Shlomo & Chaya
    • Erzsebet (1911 - 191?), of Nyirbator, Hungary. She died as a child.
    • Shabsy (Sept 25, 1912 - 1945), of Nyirbator, Hungary. He learned in Bobowa & Nagykallo Yeshivas with his younger brother. Around 1937 he married Ilonka Schwartz & they lived in Velke Kapusany, Ukraine. Shabsy was very talented. He liked to paint and play the violin. I have a copy of one of his paintings. In 1938, due to his father's Slovak citizenship, he was deported back to Zborov, Slovakia, where his wife followed him. They had 1 or 2 children. Ilonka perished in a camp in Germany, the children disappeared, & Shabsy returned home, to Velke Kapusany, where he was shot by a drunken Russian soldier.
      1 or 2 children
    • Naftuli (May 12, 1914 - 1972 [19 Kislev]), of Nyirbator, Hungary. He lived in Mukachevo, where he owned a dry goods store. On Mar 22, 1938 he married Goldy (Mugda) Hertz, in Nyirbator, Hungary. His brother, Shabsy, sent him a telegram warning him not to return because they started deporting Jews. Naftuli and his new bride boarded a train to Italy and from there a ship to France, which had a treaty with Slovakia. He was allowed entry on the condition that he join the French Foreign Legion. Naftuli was sent to fight in Algiers, Africa. In 1941 he contracted malaria & was sent to Nice, France, to recuperate. In 1942, his mother, Sarah, obtained a visa for them and they came to the U.S, They had 3 children, 2 in France & 1 in the U.S.
      Georgette Winter, Mutty, & Abby
    • Miklos (1917 - 191?), of Nyirbator, Hungary. He died as a child.
    • Viola (Feb 13, 1920 - August 1986), of Kosice, Slovakia. She came to the U.S. in 1932, together with her mother, Sarah. Viola married Nat Dickstein, lived in Brooklyn & had 2 children.
      Bruce & Iris York

  • Benny (1880? - 1961) of TiszaKerecseny & Hudjudorog, Hungary, New Millford, CT, & then New York City, He married Shaindle Sarah Schwartz on Mar 25, 1902, in Ujfeherto, Hungary, and they had 4 children. Benny came to the US at least twice. He came to stay, aboard the SS Grosser Kurfurst, via the port of New York, on Jan 17, 1913. On the ship manifest it indicates that Benny claims to have been in the US 1905/9. He first stayed by his sister Bertha, but later moved to New York City. His family moved to Szabolcs, Hungary, and came to NY aboard the SS France, on Jan 16, 1921. Benny was then living at 751 E. 5th St., NYC.
    • Dora (May 23, 1905 - Mar 13, 1999) married Harry Weiss. They had 2 children and lived in NYC. In 1941 they moved to Los Angeles, CA, where they worked in the manequin business. Their company was called Madison Models.
      Morton & Florence Budman
    • Morton (Harry) (Mar 24, 1906 - July 1984 ), of North Lauderdale, FL, married Anna Klein & they had 4 children. He ran a car service.
      Selma Hutshneker/Hyman, Marvin, Herbert, & Ronnie
    • Sam (Mar 23, 1911 - Mar 1986), of Los Angeles, CA, married Rose Osher, daughter of Samuel Osher & Rebecca Friedman, on Oct 25 1947 in Los Angeles, CA. Rose was born circa 1917. The marriage detail comes from FHC film: 2116053, Digital Folder Number: 005698762, Image Number: 02142, Page: 107 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93H-33N8?cid=myheritage-viewer&i=2141). The couple had no children. Sam worked with his brother-in-law, Harry Weiss, in the mannequin busines.
    • Izzy (Oct 13, 1912 - Aug 26, 1989 [23 Av]), of Lauderdale Lakes, married Yetta Reich. They had 2 children. Izzy was a baker.
      Nathan & Harriet Lozea

  • Bertha (1882 - Apr 9, 1975 [28/9 Nissan]) of TiszaKerecseny, Hungary, then West Hartford, CT. Bertha came to the US via the port of New York aboard the SS Roterdam, on Dec 4, 1899. She listed her cousin, Abraham Miller, of 67 Lewis St., New York City, as her destination. Abraham is listed in the 1899 NYC directory as being in school. Bertha's uncle, Shabsi of Bukowsko, had a son, Avrohm, that came to the US for a short time to study glassmaking. He does not show up in the 1900 NYC directory or census. Bertha married her first cousin, once removed, David Miller & they had 3 children. They lived in New Millford, where he owned a department store. They later retired to West Hartford, CT.
    • Betty (1904-1952), of W. Hartford, CT, married Burton Osber. They had 2 children.
      Stuart & Herbie
    • Ruth lives in Springfield MA. She married Louis Kane & has 2 children. After Louis' passing, Ruth married Mr. Fain.
      Carol Weiser & Judy Warshaw
    • Manny lives in Boca Raton, FL. He was married to Shirley Cohen has 2 children.
      Gale Finn/Amsterdam & Susan Williams

  • Rivka (Apr 14, 1884 - Aug 18, 1963 [28 Av]) of TiszaKerecseny, Hungary, then Cleveland, OH. She married Meyer Grunfeld on Oct 25, 1904, in Hodasz, Hungary & they had 4 children. Meyer was born in Hujdunanas, Hungary, on Aug 1, 1880. He & Rivka lived in Miskolc, Hungary. Meyer died while they were still in Miskolc, c.1915. Rivka came to US via the port of New York, on Jan 20, 1933, aboard the SS Leviathan, sailing from Cherbourg, France. She stayed with her daughter, Irene, in the Bronx. In 1952 Rivka, (together with Irene) moved to Cleveland, OH.
    • Mendel (1905 - 1980), of Cleveland, OH, married Grace. They had no children.
    • Irene was married to Harry Resler. She lived in the Bronx, & then Cleveland, OH. She now resides in Brooklyn NY. She had 1 son.
      Sydney
    • Bernie (1907? - 1986), of Cleveland, OH, never married. He was in the necktie business.
    • Ica lives in New York City. She was married to Arthur Klein & has 2 children.
      Meyer & Allen

  • Harry Avrohm Hersh (c. 1885 - 1956 [21 Nissan]) of TiszaKerecseny, & Hujdunanas, Hungary, then West Hartford, CT & New York City. He married Raizel Klein on Nov 12, 1907, in Hujdunanas, Hungary, & had 4 children. Harry was divorced from his wife and came to the US through the port of New York aboard the SS George Washington, on April 14, 1913. Raizel and their two surviving sons came in the 1920's.
    • Nucham (c.1908 - <1914), of Hujdunanas, Hungary, died as a child.
    • Pesach Dovid (1910 - 2000 [12 Tamuz]) came to the USA around 1923. He married his distant cousin, Margaret Newman, a descendant of R' Hersh Mylech Spira. They lived in New York & had 4 children. Later in life they retired to Jerusalem. Pesach Dovid was a pioneer in Jewish infrastructure. He studied by MahRShaG. He founded the Agudah in Far Rockaway and Crown Heights and came up with the concept of the Pirchei youth groups. Even in his 80's, flying from Israel to New York, Pesach Dovid still attended the annual Agudah conventions.
      Shome, Corrine Klar, Norman, & Yanky
    • Louie (1913 - 1974), served in the US Army & never married.
    • Yosef Shmuel (c.1914 - c.1915), of Hujdunanas, Hungary, died as a child.

  • Naftali (c1887 - c1905) of TiszaKerecseny, Hungary, drowned while on a boat trip going to visit his father. He was not married.

  • Chaim (1890 - 1944) of TiszaKerecseny & Nyirbator, Hungary. He married Malka Mandel & they ran a chicken business. They had no children but his niece, Chava (Israel), lived with them. He & his wife perished in the Holocaust.

  • Chana Rita (Aug 25, 1893 - 1980 [18 Sivan]) of TiszaKerecseny, Hungary. She married Meyer Fried on June 10, 1913, in Nyirbator, Hungary, where they lived & had 6 children. Meyer was born on Dec 22, 1893 in either Hossupayi or Nagykallo, Hungary. After the war the family was in DP camp Ebelsberg, in Linz, Austria. Chana Rita, Meyer, and their son, Mendel, came to the U.S. aboard the SS Sturgin, on June 8, 1949, via the port of Boston, MA. The rest of her family followed.
    • Mugda/Matish lives in Brooklyn, NY, and married Andor Gruen. She has 4 children.
      Harry, Shloime, Chaya Kagan, & Yossi
    • Chava lives in Brooklyn, NY, & was married to Rabbi Avrohm Meir Israel, the Hunyada Ruv. She has 3 children.
      Chaim Leib, Malka Faiga Taub, & Miriam Werczberger
    • Mordechai (1923 - 1942), learned in the Kaliva Yeshiva. When he was 19 he contracted a cold. It subsequently developed into a kidney problem which resulted in his demise. He was not married.
    • Lola lives in Brooklyn, NY, & is married to Yaakov Schwartz. They have 8 children.
      Rochel Porges, Herschel, Manyi Freund, Mutty, Esther Friedman, Aigy Schwartz, Shlomo, & Meyer
    • Mendel lives in Brooklyn, NY, & is married to Devorah Seidman. They have 3 children.
      Avromy, Shloime, & Rochel Halpert
    • Andor (Tuli) (1935 - 1986), lived in Brooklyn, NY. He was married to Ruth Schulman & had 2 children.
      Janice Garber & Michael



I would be very interested to hear from anyone with knowledge or an interest in the Miller family.

Moishe Miller
moishe@langsam.com

My home address is
           1374 East 28th Street
           Brooklyn NY 11210-5311
           USA

Last updated 17 Apr 2020