ISADORE NEWMARK—TRY NEWMAN
A sampling of my notes on the case
Getting back to my March 5th blog post topic on the validation of ancestors being researched, my challenge this time was finding the date of death of the paternal grandfather of my cousins, no relation to me.
After getting together with Cousin Irv in Monticello about a year ago, when he asked me for help finding the death records or any information on his paternal grandfather Isador Newmark, patient perseverance paid off.
Returning home, I checked the internet but came up dry. Searching again on January 4, 2024, Isador mysteriously turned up listed as Isadore “Newman,” not “Newmark.” I sent the information to Irv and his brother Ron. At first, Irv didn't think it was his grandfather, so I sent the matching findings to validate my suspicion.
While my cousins carry the family name “Newmark,” I found that their grandfather was buried as Isadore “Newman.” Checking on a genealogy website led me to that conclusion.
There were multiple listings for Isadore “Newmark” and Isadore “Newman.” The matching information on both census and marriage records made it obvious that somewhere along the line, my cousin’s grandfather changed his name.
Finding the correct records for Isadore Newman, when there were three men with that name listed at the same cemetery, with various spellings of their given names, made it vitally important that I knew the names of the correct Isadore’s spouse and offspring. Such facts are not always available to amateur genealogists or even television producers, which renders their conclusions questionable.
Upon embarking on a genealogy search, there is much that goes into finding the correct person. From my father’s Social Security death records, for example, I learned early on in my research that there are many people with the same name, no matter how different of a name it may appear to be. Added to that, some names are incorrectly spelled by the people recording the information. Additionally, there can be changes in names adopted by a person, as witnessed here with the name “Newmark” changed to “Newman.”
It takes keen detective work to master the game of genealogy. I was at it many, many years before it became a favorite universal pastime and television sensation. Thus, I have a colossal amount of information on family members garnered from years of listening and asking questions. It can be fun and fulfilling but tremendously challenging to ensure the information is correct and not just assumed. For, you know what happens when you assume…
Breaking any “brick wall” is exciting, even if it’s not about finding someone in my biological clan. In this case, Isadore Newmark/Newman was a member of our extended family and I was happy for my cousins and self-satisfied. When Irv emailed, “You have solved the family mystery,” I felt rewarded.
Automatically, I thought back to Irv’s father, Cousin Louie, and the dresses he bought me for my 5th birthday (see My Happy Place, dated July 4, 2018, at sharonmarkcohen.com). My mind switched to the image of Louie the last time we spotted him walking outside a store in Liberty, New York not long before his untimely death at age 64.
While I solved their family mystery of what happened to Isadore and where he was laid to rest, it’s a wonder why Louie never told his sons that his father changed his name and why the rest of the family kept the name, “Newmark.” It just goes to show that some family mysteries are never able to be solved.
For the record:
Louis Newmark [Son of Isadore Newmark/Newman] - pictured with cigarette dangling
BIRTH 27 Aug 1904
DEATH 23 Jul 1969 (aged 64)
BURIAL
Workmans Circle #281 Cemetery
Glen Wild, Sullivan County, New York, USA
MEMORIAL ID 171865425 · View Source
Fannie Markin [marriage records of my biological second cousin, spouse of Louis and daughter-in-law of Isadore]
in the New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937
New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937No Image
Name: Fannie Markin
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 24 Oct 1937
Marriage Place: Manhattan, New York, USA
Spouse: Louis Neumark [note spelling of family name]
Certificate Number: 25693
————
On the 1915 New York City Census Louis’s father Isadore is listed with the name “Newmark.”
1915 New York Census
Name Isador Newmark Sex Male Age 47 Birth Year (Estimated)1868 Years in United States 11 Relationship to Head of Household Head Event Type Census Event Date 1915 Event Place New York City, New York County, New York, United States Event Place (Original)New York, New York, New York, United States House Number 16 Line Number 41 Page 164
Isador Newmark's Spouse and Children
Wife
F
47
Son
M
11
Daughter
F
5
Son
M
3
——
Isadore’s name was changed from “Newmark” to “Newman” on the 1920 United States Census, plus his death records in 1926 showed “Newman.”
…In the 1920 census - looking again, the daughter was Sarah (the way they jotted the name it looked as though it began with an M, but looking again, I see Sarah, and the printed version here shows Sarah.) They're living at the same address as seen on the death records in 1926. It's him for sure! Changed the name from “Newmark” to “Newman” or that's the way they saw it when they recorded it.
Isadore Newman [listed on the 1920 census as “Newman”]
Birth Name
Given Name: Isadore
Surname: Newman
Name: Isadore Newman
Race: White
Sex: Male
Age
Age: 54y
Relationships
Son: Dave Newman
Daughter: Sarah Newman
Son: Louis Newman
Wife: Newman
Census
Birth
Place: Russia
Immigration
Additional Fields
Source Sheet Letter: B
Father's Birth Place: Russia
Mother's Birth Place: Russia
Source Household Id: 300
Relationship to Head: Head
Marital Status: Married
External Repository Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Source Sheet Number: 14
——
Death records:
Isadore Newman Sex Male Age 59 Birth Year (Estimated)1867 Birthplace Russia Residence Place New York Address 338 East 101 St. Burial Date 8 Dec 1926 Burial Place New York Marital Status Married Occupation Peddler Race White Father's Name Moses Father's Sex Male Father's Birthplace Russia Mother's Name Darah Cohen Mother's Sex Female Mother's Birthplace Russia Spouse's Name Mrs. Newman Event Type Death Event Date 7 Dec 1926 Event Place Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States Event Place (Original) Manhattan, New York, New York, United States Certificate Number cn 29987 Additional Relatives X Cemetery Mt. Lebonan
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After locating the information and forwarding it to my cousins, Irv and I had a quick email exchange.
S - Was it info you were seeking on the death date for your paternal grandfather Isadore Newmark? I found Isadore “Newman's” burial on December 8, 1926, at age 59. He was living at 338 E. 101 St., NY. (He was also listed as living at the same address on the 1920 census records. Both of those times, he was listed as Isadore “Newman.”) Buried at Mt. Lebanon in Glendale, Queens. He was a peddler and his father was Moses and his mother Darah Cohen. There are three other men by similar spelling of the same name buried at Mt. Lebanon.
While the 1920 census shows him as Isadore “Newman” with his wife Rose and children Louis age 15, Dave 8, and a daughter (name illegible) 7 (her name appears to begin with the letter M.), the 1915 census has him as Isador “Newmark.” Wife Rose, children Louis, Sarah David.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you're looking for more info.
I - Thank you it’s not him he was Isador lived in Manhattan kids were Louis Sarah Sally. and David wife was rose I think he may have gone back to belarus 1925 he was 57 years old he applied for citizenship but didn’t go thru with it .my dad said he died but wouldn’t talk about it .my grand ma rose is in Paramus cemetery thank you.
S - Yep, it is him! Look again. Your father said he died...he did...he died December 8, 1926, at age 59, which is why he didn't go through with the citizenship. His wife is listed as Rose and his children Louis Sarah and David in the 1915 census when he was Newmark. The 1920 census shows his name was Newman but still married to Rose and had children Louis, Dave, and a daughter (they often messed up names on census records. This one is just hard to read).
I - Thank you Sharon you have been a big help to us I will try to get to the cemetery sometime you have solved the family mystery.
S - ❤️ Barbara [Irv’s wife] told you if anyone could solve the mystery, it would be me. Glad I had the opportunity today to revisit the question and get the answer! Send me pictures if/when you get to the cemetery.
Don't believe everything you see on the tv genealogy shows...there are so many variables, as we see here!
I - Yes thanks again I will call the cemetery and see if they will send me a photo of the stone before I go down there.
S - 👍 Good idea!