Abraham Isaac Danziger's Papers

For a long while I fretted that I did not have solid documentation of my grandfather's coming to the US, nor do I have his death certificate. That is an unfinished story.

I did have an index to his Naturalization papers. Charlie Hollander told me how to get the original. Go to the National Archives branch in the city where he was naturalized. It turns out that the Archives are housed in the Hamilton Customs House in lower Manhattan at the Bowling Green subway stop. This is a three-minute walk from where Eli works.

When I was researching the instructions for someone to get the records, I noticed that one could ask for them on line for $10. Less than a week later I got an email with what I had been looking for.
I know I have seen this photo before, but where?

This is from the documents below. It looks like he has a mustache.

Declaration of Intention, 2 Oct 1936.

I Abraham Danziger now residing at 1566 Union St., Brooklyn, Kings, NY, occupation carpenter, aged 58 years, do declare on oath that my personal description is: Sex male, color white, complexion fair, color of eyes blue, color of hair grey, height 5 feet 10 inches; weight 174 pounds; visible distinctive marks, scar on chin, race Hebrew; nationality Polish.

I was born in Scernievitz, Poland, on September 25, 1878

 [That town name does not match any town in the JewishGen Town Finder or Gazeteer.] 

I am married. The name of my wife is Ellen,we were married on March 15, 1903, at Radom. Poland.

She was born at Radom, Poland, on July 10, 1882, entered the United States at Baltimore, on December, 1913, for permanent residence therein, and now resides at 1566 Union St., Bklyn, NY.

I have 8 children, and the name, date and place of birth and place of residence of each of said children are as follows: Frances, Mar. 1904; Ethel, May 1905; Morris, Aug. 1906; Howard, Dec. 1908; Helen, April 1913; Laura, Sept. 1915; Ralph, June 1918; Renae, Mar. 1927. Laura was born in Russelton, Penn., Ralph and Renae were born in Cleveland, Ohio; The others were born in Poland. Ethel lives in Cleveland, Ohio, and the others live in Brooklyn, NY. I have heretofore made a declaration of intention; Number ___ 1923 at Cleveland, Ohio, City Hall. My last foreign residence was Warsaw, Poland. I emigrated to the United States of America from Rotterdam, Holland.; my lawful entry for permanent residence in the United States was at New York, NY under the name of Dantziger, Abram I., on August 4, 1913 on the vessel Rotterdam.

I will, before being admitted to citizenship, renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly, by name,  to the prince, potentate, state or sovereignty of whch I may be at the time of admission a citizen or subject; I am not an anarchist; I am not a golygamils nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to reside permanently therein; and I certify that the photograph affixed to the duplicate and triplicate hereof is a likeness of me: So help me God.  

[Signed] Abraham Danziger.

Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of said Court at Brooklyn, NY this 2nd day of October anno Domini 1936. Certificate No. 3?4473814 from the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization showing the lawful entry of the declarant for permanent residence on the date stated above, has been received by me. The photograph affixed to the duplicate and triplicate hereof is a likeness of the declarant. [signed] Daniel J Lusfens, Deputy Clerk of the US District Court

Petition for Naturalization, 29 August 1940. 

Another thing that was cleared up was when he arrived.

This Certificate of Arrival was attached to the papers.

It shows that he arrived on the SS Rotterdam on the 4th of August 1913, about 6 months before Maer and Ella and the 5 Danziger children. 

I had seen that record before but had rejected it because the Abraham Dantziger had been travelling with Wolf Dantziger, age 18. I thought I knew that William Danziger, Abe's brother, had come over in 1902, that according to the 1930 US Census. 1902 is clearly wrong, since Bill would have been only 7 years old, a possibility but not likely. With whom would he have come at that age? I also hadn't figured out that Wolf was Wewe, Bill's Yiddish name. We ought to be able to find Bill's Certificate of Arrival, too.

Here is the entry on the Rotterdam's manifest showing that they sailed from 26 July to 4 August, 1913. On the same record under the heading of nearest relative or friend in country from whence they came. Named is wife, Elka Dantziger and Father, Elia Meyer Dantziger from Radom.

There is information here that conflicts with or confirms what we knew before. Let me know what you find.

Date of Admission Index Card