Louis Brettschneider
Louis Brettschneider was born on July 15, 1890 to Nechemya Brettschneider age 32 and Esther Apfelbaum, age 35 in Nawiosolka, Austria which is now Novosilka, Ukraine. His siblings were Perl (Pauline born 1883), Jacob ( born 1884), Beile (Rebecca born 1888), Twins, born 1895, Mordche (departed name Rachmiel who was known in the US as Hyman or Herman) and Hersch (known at Harry), Malke (Mollie born 1898), and Benzian (Ben born 1906).
Louis came to the United States at age 15 along with his 16 year old cousin also named Louis Brettschneider. They arrived on the ship New Amsterdam which sailed from Rotterdam to New York arriving on May 24, 1906. He initially joined his older brother Jacob who was living on Orchard St. in New York’s lower east side.
Their trip to America was on the actual maiden voyage of the New Amsterdam. They were “Alien Passengers” and likely treated like cargo.
to New York Arriving 5/22/06
is listed as Leib Brettschneider
their trip to America was second from L on bottom. They were second cousins from the same town.
It appears that the two cousins had very little contact after coming to America. That cousin married a Jennie Dadyk and worked as a wholesale furrier. They had three daughters Sadie, Beatrice and Nettie. Jennie and Beatrice, died at age 38 and 29 respectively from TB. Louis died at age 82 in Queens, NY.
Louis and his younger brother Harry started a fur business in New York.
Lena Weinstein
Lena was born to Joseph and Rose Peck Weinstein in Brooklyn, NY on October 13, 1895.
Lena is 5, her brother Louis is 2
Rose and Louis (Leonard) circa 1914
Louis and Lena
in Brooklyn, note Lena is 19 and 24 year old Louis Brettschneider is a “border.”
Louis and Lena were married on September 10, 1915 in Manhattan and moved to Queens, NY. They had their first child Sidney on November 6, 1915. Their second son, Norman was born on September 4, 1918. Sadly, Sidney died from polio at age 6.
The family moved to Brooklyn and Jerome was born on June 1, 1925.
lived with Louis and his family in Brooklyn
Barbara was born on September 8, 1931. Louis had a successful fur business with his brother Harry until the Great Depression wiped out their business.
Louis Brettschneider had many relatives in Willimantic, CT. He moved the family there in 1936 to restart their lives. Norman remained in New York, living with his grandparents Joseph and Rose Weinstein in order to attend NYU. Louis had several temporary jobs prior to restarting a furrier business on Main Street in Willimantic which became very successful.
Their son, Jerome married Audrey Dobkin. They had two children Robert and Jon. Norman married Ruth and had Bruce and Vicki. Barbara married David Marshall and had four children, Robin, Wendy, Laurence and Beth.
the Brettschneider family was in that city.
Robin Marshall 1956
Louis was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer and died at age 66 on January 26, 1957.
We are aware of 6 Louis Brettschneider’s and 1 Louis Brett in addition to our Louis and his cousin Louis that accompanied him to America. Louis’s oldest sister Pauline married another Louis Brettschneider (whose brother Max married Pauline’s sister Rebecca). Another cousin named Louis Brettschneider (son of Moses) married a Gussie Brettschneider (who was part of a large Brettschneider contingent from Korolowka now part of Ukraine. Coincidentally, this Louis was born and died the same year as our Louis. Gussie had a brother, Louis Brettschneider, who born in NY in 1916). Another Korolowka cousin, Louis Brettschneider, born in 1853, came to America in 1907 and lived in New York City as well (He was married to Gussie Gugig . Louis Brett was nephew of our Louis Brettschneider (son of Jacob). Another Louis Brettschneider from Korolowka was born in 1865 and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. He actually served in the 7th Regiment of the New York Infantry in the Civil War.
Norman moved in with Lena after his divorce from Ruth. Lena enjoyed time with her children and grandchildren despite suffering from a neurological condition thought possibly to be multiple sclerosis. She remained in Willimantic until her death at age 88 on February 29, 1984.
with extended Brettschneider and Marshall Family
On March 19, 2020 Lena Naomi Gray, a great, great grandaughter, was born to Joshua and Meghan Gray named for Lena Weinstein Brettschneider.
