The Axelrod Family
View photographs and read the story of my trip to Minsk and Radoshkovitz, home of the Axelrods.
Berko (Bernard, Barnet) and Risya (Rosie) Levin Axelrod immigrated to New York City from Russia in 1888 with their children Sora Basha (Sarah, Bessie), Nechame (Anna, Annie), Dworshe (Dora), Roche Ester (Leah) and Itzik (Henry, Harry). Their children Rebecca (Reba) and Herman were born in NYC.
Washington cemetery
Washington cemetery
Bessie Axelrod married Nathan Grundt and had five children: Anna, Harry, Rebecca/Ruth, Michael and Fannie.
Bessie Axelrod Grundt
I haven’t been able to find a photo of Nathan Grundt but here’s his grave stone in Washington cemetery.
Anna Grundt married David Henig and had a son, Philip. When Philip was six years old his father died so he and Anna went to live with Bessie and Nathan in Brooklyn.
Philip became a doctor.
Harry Grundt married Rhoda Levy and had Leonora, Richard and Melvin.
Harry and Rhoda Levy Grundt, standing in front of their apartment at 1119 52nd Street in Brooklyn. Harry was working for the Army Transport Service in the War Department. Rhoda, from England, had left school after the 8th grade. 1942.
Harry and Rhoda Levy Grundt and children Richard, Melvin and Lenore.
Richard Grundt
Rebecca Grundt who was later known as Ruth never married. She was a sales lady at Alexander’s department store.
Michael Grundt was briefly married to Ethel Dubinsky. He was a founding member of the Borough Park Chapter of Jewish War Veterans.
Fannie Grundt married Joseph Bimblick and had a son, Robert.
Fannie, Joe and Robert Bimblick at Rye Beach, 1929
Bob and Fannie Bimblick
Nechame Axelrod, later known as Anna or Annie, married Morris Rubin and had five children: Jennie, Meyer, Dora, Henry and Sadie.
Morris died when Sadie was 12 years old. Annie started working outside the home but was not able to fully support her family. In 1905 she and her eldest Jennie left the Lower East Side and moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn where her sister Leah was living. Daughter Dora went to live with Leah and her family, Sadie stayed with her grandparents Barnet and Rosie and we don’t know where Meyer and Henry stayed. In 1910 the family had reunited in Williamsburg; at 18 Jennie was working as a stenographer in a factory (she must have married but I don’t know anything about her).
Meyer Rubin married Henrietta Echil and had two daughters, Judith and Nancy.
Dora Rubin married James Feldman and had a son Martin and a daughter Yvette.
Martin Feldman at West Point
Henry Rubin married Miriam Cohn and had a daughter Margery.
Bath Farmers’ Advocate, 1932
Sadie Rubin never married. In 1940 she was a stenographer for a fraternal organization.
Dora Axelrod married Jacob Napolsky and had four sons: Harry, Meyer (Michael), Solomon and Joseph.
Sol Napolsky at the Henry Street Settlement House kindergarten, 3rd row, right, leaning against bannister.
Dora and Jacob Napolsky with sons Harry and Sol.
Meyer/Michael Napolsky
Some of the family changed their name from Napolsky to Napp. Solomon was using Napp in 1941 and Napolsky in 1945! As those of us who have changed names in their lifetimes know, it’s not always easy or possible to be consistent.
Bankruptcy notice, New York Times, 1941
Dorothy Napp Schindel, Dora and Jacob’s granddaughter.
Jamaica Long Island Daily Press, 1945
Harry Napolsky married Ann Miller and had Myron and Janet.
Meyer Napolsky died at age 18 of appendicitis.
Sol Napolsky married Thelma Heltzer and had Jacob and Dorothy.
Joseph Napolsky married Sylvia Solmonttz and had a daughter Arlene.
Leah Axelrod married Morris Miller and had a daughter, Mildred (Mickey) and five sons, Emanuel (Mannie), Irving, Oscar, Seymour (Si) and Stanley.
Leah Axelrod and Morris Miller with Mickey, kneeling behind, and from left to right, Irving, Oscar and Mannie.
Leah Axelrod and Morris Miller, seated with daughter Mickey Miller Klausner on left and daughter-in-law Shirley Rosner Miller on right. Mickey’s sons William, l, and Robert, r on floor. Standing: David Klausner, Si, Oscar, Stanley, Irving and Mannie.
Mickey Miller married David Klausner and had two sons, Robert and William.
Mannie Miller married Shirley Rosner and had two sons, Kenneth and John.
Irving’s long term partner was Rose Black although they never legally married nor had children.
Oscar Miller married Olive Goodwin, who brought her son Michael to the family. Oscar and Olive later had Madelyn and Todd.
Si Miller married Marjorie Stratchstein Reiss who brought her daughter Wendy to the family. Si and Marj later had Susan.
Stanley Miller married Roz Cohen who had a daughter Meryl Faith.
More photos of the Millers are here.
Henry Axelrod married Sadie Witkowski and had two children, Tess and Lawrence.
Tess Axelrod married Henry Cohen and they decided not to have children.
Excerpted from New York Times, 4 Feb 1975
Lawrence died at age 21; he never married nor had children.
New York Times 5 Mar 1933
Reba Axelrod married Irving Jacob Wolf and had a son, Ralph.
Ralph Wolf married Nettie Weinstein and three children, Leslie, Jeffrey and Meredith.
Herman Axelrod married Gussie Jean Davidson and had two daughters, Rosalind and Audrey.
Lynn Axelrod married Edward Wally and had two children, Margo and Douglas.
Audrey Axelrod married Israel Louis Schneier and had four children, Michael, Roger, Stephanie and Neva.
Report on genealogical research on the Axelrod family from shtetl Radoshkovichi, Vileyski uezd Vilenskaya guberniya and town Minsk. From the archives in Belarus; research done by Jewish Heritage Research Group in 2016.
1834. Revision list of petty bourgeois Jews from shtetl Radoshkovichi of Vileyka uyezd, Vilno guberniya.
№ 35/151. Shlyoma son of Meer Axelrod – 58 years old
His wife: Sosha – age is not specified
Shlyoma’s sons: Gershon – 30 years old
Gershon’s wife: Sora – 18 years old ?
Gershon’s daughter: Leya – 1 year old
Yevel – 18 years old
Yevel’s wife: Gita – 16 years old
Meer – 16 years old
Meer’s wife: Dvoyra – 18 years old
Shlyoma’s daughters: Simka – 21 years old, Ita – 16 years old
1838. Birth register of Jewish residents of town Minsk.
№ 326 A boy named Shlyoma was born on October 30 (Heshvan 23).
His father is Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod, his mother is Beylya daughter of Iosel.
1839. Death register of Jewish residents of town Minsk.
№ 279 A boy named Shlyoma died on September 8 (Tishri 12) at the age of 1.
His father is Meer son of Shlyoma Oxelrod.
1840. Birth register of Jewish residents of town Minsk.
№ 254 A girl named Nekhama-Paya was born on September 14 (Elul 28).
Her father is Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod, her mother is Beylya daughter of Iosel.
1850. Revision list of petty bourgeois Jews from shtetl Radoshkovichi of Vileyka uyezd, Vilno guberniya.
№ 166/35. Shmuylo (Shlyoma) son of Meer Axelrod, in 1834 – 58 years old; died in 1847.
Shlyoma’s sons: Gershon – 46 years old
Gershon’s wife: Ester daughter of Leyba – 45 years old
Gershon’s son: Leyba – 18 years old
Gershon’s daughter: Dvoyra – 17 years old
Yevel in 1834 – 18 years old; was absent during census.
Meer in 1834 – 16 years old; was absent during census.
1851. Supplemental revision list of petty bourgeois Jews, town Minsk.
№ 47. Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod, wasn’t listed in 1850; 33 years old now previously was listed with shtetl Radoshkovichi’s residents of Vilenskaya Guberniya.
His 2nd wife: Chana-Beylya – 36 years old
Meer’s sons: Iosel – 15 years old, Berko – 9 years oldf
Meer’s daughters: Nekhama-Paya – 11 years old, Mer’yam – 6 years old, Feyga – 2 years old
1858. Revision list of petty bourgeois Jews from town Minsk.
№ 710/47 (as per 1851 Supplemental Revision list).
Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod – 40 years old.
His wife: Chana-Beylya – 37 years old
Meer’s sons: Iosel – 22 years old
Iosel’s wife: Roda – 20 years old
Iosel’s daughter: Soshka – 2 years old
Berko – 16 years old
Abram-Shlyoma – 5 years old
Meer’s daughters: Nekhama-Paya – married, Meryam – 12 years old, Feyga – 9 years old, Tsirl – 2 years old
1861. Birth register of Jewish residents of town Minsk.
№ 89 A boy named David-Tevel was born on June 13 (Tamuz 17).
His father is Iosel son of Meer Axelrod, petty bourgeois from shtetl Radoshkovichi; his mother is Roda daughter of Berko.
1874. Supplemental revision list of male petty bourgeois Jews, town Minsk.
№ 305/710. Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod – 56 years old.
Meer’s son: Abram-Shlyoma – 21 years old.
It was added: he was included into the draft list for November 1, 1874.
№ 412/710. Berko son of MeerAxelrod – 32 years old.
№ 486/710. Iosel son of Meer Axelrod – 38 years old.
Iosel’s sons: David-Tevel – 13 years old, Zalman-Shlyoma – 6 years old, Geshel – 2 years old
1874. Draft certificates of draftees, town Minsk.
№ 612. Abram-Shlyoma son of Meer Axelrod – 21 years old, Jew, petty bourgeois from town Minsk; single, illiterate.
His father: Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod – 56 years old
Abram-Shlyoma’s brothers: Iosel – 38 years old, Berko – 32 years old
It was added: he has no draft exemption privilege. He was drafted to the army on November 15, 1874.
1874. List of out town Jewish residents, who live in Minsk without registration.
№ 1391. Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod – 56 years old, petty bourgeois from shtetl Radoshkovichi of Vileyka uyezd, Vilno guberniya; carrier; owns a property in Minsk; has no criminal history. He has been living in Minsk for more than 35 years. He was listed in 1858 Revision list under № 710.
His wife: Chana-Beylya – 53 years old
Meer’s sons: Iosel – 38 years old; he is listed with Minsk Jewish community; was listed in 1858 Revision list under № 710.
Berko – 32 years old; he is listed with Minsk Jewish community; was listed in 1858 Revision list under № 710.
Abram-Shlyoma – is listed with Minsk Jewish community; was listed in 1858 Revision list under № 710.
Meer’s daughter: Tsirl – 18 years old
1875. Family lists of petty bourgeois Jews who were listed with Minsk Jewish community.
№ 2004. Iosel son of Meer Axelrod – 39 years old
His wife: Roda – 37 years old
Iosel’s sons: David-Tevel – 14 years old, Zalman-Shlyoma – 7 years old, Geshel – 2 years old. It was added: died in 1877.
Iosel’s daughters: Sosha – 19 years old, Leya – 10 years old, Itka – 5 years old, Beylya-Gita – 3 months old
№ 2085. Berko son of Meer Axelrod – 33 years old
His wife: Risya – 29 years old
His son: Shlyoma-Dovid – 1 year old. It was added: died in 1877.
His daughters: Sora-Basha – 7 years old, Nekhamka – 4 years old
1879. Birth register of Jewish residents of town Minsk.
№ 932 A girl named Ester was born on December 16 (Tevet 13).
Her father is Berko son of Meer Axelrod; her mother is Risya daughter of Ayzik.
1880 Office of Minsk Governor “ Complain about betrothal between carriers to hike prices for their services”
Among 145 carriers from Minsk there is a name of Meir son of Shlyoma Axelrod, 62 years old, petty bourgouis of shtetl Radoshkovichy.
1880. Death register of Jewish residents of town Minsk.
№ 143 March 25 (Nisan 4) a girl named Ester died at the age of 3 months.
Her father is Berko son of Meer Axelrod, mother is Risya.
1882. List of house owner who were affected by the fire on July 17, 1882, town Minsk.
Voskresenskaya Street, left side.
№ 25. Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod – 63 years old, petty bourgeois Jew from shtetl Radoshkovichi Vileyski uezd; owned a 1-storey wooden house with an iron roof. Cost of the property: 270 roubles. The house was not insured.
1882. List of house owners who were affected by the fire on July 17, 1882 and received financial aid, town Minsk.
№ 196. Meer son of Shlyoma Axelrod – 63 years old, petty bourgeois Jew from shtetl Radoshkovichi; owned a 1-storey wooden house with an iron roof on Voskresenskaya Street. Damage cost (movable and real property) is 350 roubles. The property was not insured.
Added: At present moment he lives at his son’s house, Iosel Axelrod, on Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street.
It was added: he received 30 roubles as financial aid.
1882. Lists of property tax payers, town Minsk.
Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street.
Iosel son of Meer Axelrod – 46 years old, petty bourgeois Jew from Minsk.
Owns a 1-storey wooden house with an iron roof. Value of the property is 250 roubles. Property tax is 2 roubles 50 kopecks.
1882. List of apartment and room renters in Minsk.
Serpukhovskaya Street.
Merchant Verebeychik’s house:
Berko son of Meer Axelrod, 40 years old, rents 3 rooms. Annual rent is 120 roubles.
1894. Family lists of Jewish petty bourgeois, town Minsk.
№ 872/1047. Iosel son of Meer Axelrod – 58 years old
His wife: Roda daughter of Berko – 56 years old
Iosel’s sons: David-Tevel, in 1874 – 14 years old; in 1886 moved to Vilno guberniya.
Zalman-Shlyoma – 26 years old; soldier in the reserve
His wife: Reyzl daughter of Shimon – 23 years old
His daughter: Matlya – 6 months old
Iosel’s daughter: Beylya-Gita – 20 years old