five siblings: 2 boys and 3 girls

Leizer, Mirla Fajgla, Cyrel,
Mindel & Hersz

At present, we know with certainty that of these 5 siblings, at least 3 emigrated from Poland in the late 19th/early 20th century.

Mirla Fajgla came to NYC in 1892 @ age 28 (having changed her name to “Mary” and naturally her maiden name changed from “Szurek” : to “Mendelson”). She immigrated with her husband Joseph & 3 children, 3 more children would be born in NYC. Sadly, Mary would die at a very young age 36 in 1899. She is buried at the Bayside cemetery in Queens (one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in New York City that is still active: founded 1865).

In 1900, Hersz, a bachelor, arrived to NYC @ age 24 and he also changed his name -both his given name as well as his surname— to “Harry” and “Szurek” was transformed into “Abramson” since he was naturally a son of “Abraham”. Harry, age 22, moves out west and “claims his bride” (a shidach? Mail-Order-Bride? Harry, @ age 22 marries Lena Cohn ( @ age 19) and together they build a life in the San Francisco area.

In 1920, Leizer was age 61 when he arrived with his wife Sura Ryfka (Sarah, age 52) & four of their children Mirle, 22 (“Mae”) Perli, 18 (“Pearl”) Abram, 15 (“Al”) and Marja, 9 (“Mimi”). Leizer & Sura Ryfka’s arrival to the US was preceded by 4 of their children who travelled earlier than 1920, with their respective spouses:

Keile Szurek became “Kate Schaffer”when she married David Schaffer. The couple were both age 21 and yet without children when they arrived to NYC in 1910.

Moishe Leib Szurek changes his name to “Morris” Szurek and arrives to NYC before 1915, before moving again, across country to Oakland California and eventually, a young married man, settling in Portland Oregon and sadly dying at a young age of 26 due to the Influenza epidemic in 1920.

Esthia Szurek becomes “Yetta Zabitz”, moved to NYC before 1915 and had one child with her husband Julius Zabits by 1919.