Census Records

I know people think that census records are about as exciting as Millard Fillmore's presidency, but once you get into genealogy, these things get really fun.

1900 Census

Benjamin Fialco and family in 1900. They were living at 626 central Ave. This record has some of the prettiest handwriting I've ever seen on a census record! We have Ben and Sarah with Minnie 15, Meyer 11, Jake 9, Isadore 14, Davy 2 1/2, Harry 6, Abe 7, and Freda 1. Ben and Sarah couldn't read and write English, but obviously could speak it.

Marcus Fialco and family in 1900. They were living at 1060 Linn st. While Marcus' wife was known as Chasha in the old country, her name seems to have been constantly shifting here. In this census, she was called Annie, the same name as her eldest daughter!. Daughter Annie was 10, Isadore 9, and Charles 3. Oddly, Marcus' profession in 1900 is listed as a clock maker! Marcus and Annie could read and write English.

1910 Census

In 1910, Benjamin and family are now living at 539 West 8th St, and they own their home. The years of their immigration are changing, but that happens a lot when you follow these records. Most genealogists tend to feel that the earliest census to immigration is probably the most reliable. Ben still has his own tailor shop and he can now read and write English. Minnie is a skirt maker in a skirt factory, Isadore is a compositor in a commerical printing firm, Meyer is a messenger for the telegraph company, and the rest of the boys are working as newsboys. Freda, 9 years old, is the only person in the family not working.

  
In 1910, Marcus and family are now living at 1060 West 6th St. Marcus and his wife, now called Anna, have more children. We now see Hyman 9, and on page 2 of this census, Freda 6, Louis 4, and Julius 2. A lodger named Nathan Pomerantz is living with them. I think that the Pomerantz family must have long been friends with Marcus' family, as the maid of honor at Freda's (my grandmother) wedding was her friend Edith Pomerantz. Nathan says he immigrated from Russia in 1906 and that he's a cabinet maker in a furniture store. Marcus is a tailor in a clothing factory, daughter Anna now 20 is a saleslady in a department store and Isadore is a confectionist in a candy store.

I wanted to mention that there is a family called Silverman living in the same house in 1910 as Marcus Fialco. Hyman and Hanna Silverman have children Celia 21, Jacob 17, Bertha 11, Henrietta 9, Julius 5, Morris 3 and Frieda 11 months. The reason I think they are significant is that they were also living in the same house as the Fialcos in 1900. In 1900, Hyman Silverman is a brass finisher (an ironic profession for his name) and in 1910 he is a locksmith in a shop. The other thing that is interesting about the Silvermans is that there was a Jacob Silverman (not the child of Hyman -- this one is born in 1861) whose father was Yechiel Silverman and mother Sarah Mildred Fialcow. We have his death certificate, which is where I was able to get this information. Jacob died in 1937 in Cincinnati.

1920 Census

By the 1920 census, Benjamin Fialcow had become Benjamin Falk. They are still at 539 W. 8th. At home are Jacob, who is now a physician in general practice, Albert and Harry, who are salesmen in a clothing store, and David and Frieda, who are not employed. Their son Meyer died (we have his death certificate) of multiple injuries in a railroad accident.

  
By 1920, Marcus Fialcow owned his own home at 425 Betts St, and his wife is now called Hattie. At home is Isadore, who is working at a newspaper boy. Uncle Izzy, as he was called, had a permanent disability. Also at home is Hyman, Freda, Louis and Julius, none of whom are employed. They have a roomer named George Grebench, who immigrated from Russia in 1911. He is a cook in a dining car.

Marcus' daughter Anne is now married to Benjamin Shapiro, and they have a daughter Florence and live at 1024 Wesley Ave. in Cincinnati. Ben is a butcher. There had been another child born on March 16, 1918 named Stanley Hirsch Shapiro, but he died June 12, 1919. Interestingly, it says that Anne was born in Poland and immigrated in 1900, which of course is completely wrong. It looks like they just copied Ben's information for her.

1930 Census

Benjamin Falk died on Dec 23, 1929, so in the 1930 census, Sarah is the head of the household now. Still living with her are Isadore, now called Israel, who is a printer and Jacob is still practicing medicine. Sarah died Feb 9, 1934, and her son Jacob, the doctor, signed the death certificate.

By 1930, Marcus finally owns his own home worth $8,000 at 314 Elland Circle. His wife is once again called Anna, and while he is 69, he is still working as a tailor. Living with them are Isadore who is a newspaper carrier, Louis who is unemployed and Julius who is a clerk in a bank. Marcus died Nov 20, 1931. He had a fractured skull as the result of an auto accident where he was a pedestrian. It appears he was close to home -- the accident occured at Elland and (it looks like) Burnet Ave. Anna died April 17, 1933 of coronory thrombosis with occlusion.

In 1930, Ben and Anne Shapiro now live in Dayton, OH where they own their own home at 409 Edgewood Ave. Ben is working as a butcher in a meat market and they have more chidren. Florence is now 14, and another Stanley H. Shapiro was born and this was made it. "Big Stan", as we usually called him, because my dad was "Little Stan", was 9, Melvin 7 and Mildred 4. Anne's brother Hyman "Phil" Fialco was also living with them. Phil was working as a clothier in a clothing store.

William J. Dumes, my grandfather, married Freda Fialco in Cincinnati on April 15, 1923. So in 1930, we find them living in Vincennes, IN at 117 Park St where they owned their home, which was valued at $1,800. Bill owned his own scrap yard and Freda worked as a bookkeeper at the yard. Their chidren were Mildred 5, and Stanley 3. Living with them was a maid named Edith Hatton

Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates

Marcus Fialco died Nov 20, 1931 after being hit by a car. He was walking near his home on 314 Elland. His father's name is listed as Israel Fialcow, mother unknown, and Charlie Fialco was the informant.

Anna Fialco died April 17, 1933. She died of a coronary thrombosis with osslusion. Her father is listed as Jacob Portnoi and her mother as unknown. Julius was the informant.

Ben Falk died Dec 23, 1929. He died of lobar pneumonia. His father is listed as Israel Falk (interestingly) and mother as Sarah Kolatzky (perhaps). His son, the doctor, signed the death certificate.

Military Documents

Sadly, this record is almost unreadable. It's the WW1 draft registration for Isadore (son of Marcus) Fialco. The National Archives has better copies, and it's on my "to do" list to see if I can order a better version from them.

This is the WW1 draft registration for Charles (son of Marcus) Fialco. He states that he is currently a Junk dealer, and formerly was a clothing cutter. It looks like he's living with his wife Emma at 635 Richmond Circle. He has blue eyes and dark brown hair.

This is the WW2 draft registration, sometimes called the "Old Man Registrations" for Isadore (son of Marcus) Fialco. He's living with his sister Anna Shapiro at 314 Elland Circle.