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Fin/Finn Family |
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When you visit the Ushpoler
Benevolent Association of New York Burial Plot at Baron Hirsch Cemetery
in Staten Island and read the names on the entrance gate, you
immediately notice that the Family Finn was highly involved. With
information from the JewishGen Lithuania databases and Richard Brown and
Neal Eisenberg, Finn family members, we are going to tell their story.
And credit and thank yous for all the wonderful photos go to Richard and Crystal
Brown, Michael Scott Finn, Sandra Kay Bergman
and Neal Eisenberg. |
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The Fin family's oldest known member was Iosel, father of Yitzhak, who lived from 1787 to 1846. Iosel had sons Samuel (1817 - 1890) and Yeshayahu (Shaya) (1820 - 1908). Yeshayahu (Shaya) had sons Zev Yehuda (1842 -), Iosel HaLevi (1848 - 1910) and Elyash (1856 - 1914). |
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The Finn Family as
listed in the 1897 Lithuania Census is headed by Iosel, age 58, and his
wife Chana Feiga Glaz age 43. They have the following family members
listed: son Abram Ovel, age 17; son Khaim, age 17; son Leizer, age
3; son Srul, age 4; daughter Sora, age 13; daughter Mera Zelda, age 14;
daughter Nesa, age 10; daughter Etna, age 8; and mother-in-law Vikhna
Glaz, age 75. Iosel is listed as having been born in Uzpaliai but
is registered in Debeikai. His wife and children are all registered and
listed as having been born in Debeikai while mother-in-law Vikhna Glaz
was born in Vilkomir but is registered in Moletai. |
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The various tax lists for Uzpaliai include
several sons of Shaya Fin: Vulf Leyba (Zev Yehuda), Iosel, and Elyash in 1877.
Vulf Leyba is still listed in Uzpaliai in 1889 and 1892. And
Leyba, son of Tsemakh, is listed in 1892. |
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| To learn more about the family of Sora Fin, who married Itzak Aizengamer, see the Aizengamer/Eisenberg page. | ||||||||||||||
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From Richard Brown: My wife's great-grandfather, Iosel HaLevi Fin was born in Ushpol along with at least two brothers. I do not know of sisters but I suspect there were some - these families were big. Their father Yeshayahu ("Shaya" in Yiddish) was a shoemaker as were his offspring. We do not know the name of their mother but guess she may be buried in the Ushpol cemetery. There is a Yeshayahu listed as well as one son Zev Yehuda (Vulf Leib in Yiddish) and his wife Rivke Raisa but whether these are Fins is uncertain.
Iosel moved the family
down the Sventa river valley in the late 1870s to Debeikai, which was a
smaller shtetl to the north of Anyksciai. There he practiced his
shoemaking and sometimes cap making trade, selling shoes at market day
in Anyksciai. He and his wife Chana Feiga Glaz raised 11 children, all
but two of whom ultimately emigrated to Chelsea, Mass, my wife's
grandfather Abraham included. Cousins from the Zev Yehuda Fin/Rivke
Raisa side, including Abram Yehoshua Finn emigrated to NYC and thence on
to Hibbing and Virginia,
Minnesota in the Iron Range and thence to Los Angeles in the 1920's. The
men were -you might have guessed it- shoe makers
and cap makers!
Families of Leizer Fin and Izrael Fin
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Photo of the Holocaust Memorial in the
forest outside of Anyksciai. Everyone in the family picture
above, except for Vulf and Khana Feiga, were murdered in the end
of July (men) and the end of August (women), 1941.
Elyash Fin lived in Vizhun.
Most of the family was killed in the summer of 1941 and
are believed to be buried in the Rase Forest.
One son, Frank, emigrated to New York City and is
interred in the Ushpoler plot of the
Baron Hirsch Cemetery,
Staten Island, NY. |
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Family of Zev Yehuda Fin and Rivka Raisa
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Mendel Fin (c. 1865-1951), son of Zev Yehuda and Rivke Raisa, born in Ushpol, and his wife Hinda Rachael (1863-1932), maiden name unknown. This photo was probably taken in Ushpol or in a nearby town. |
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Sam David Schaia Fin (left) and his brother Benjamin Fin (right), sons of Zev Yehuda Fin and Rivke Raisa, were most likely born in Ushpol. The photo was most likely taken in Lithuania. |
Abraham Joshua Fin (1873-1937), “Ushpoler” spouse Chava (Eva) Kopelansky (1870-1919) and children George 1907-1980 and Hannah 1893-1973. Photo in New York City, c. 1915 |
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Simon Finn, son
of Mendel Finn, grandson of Zev Yehuda Fin (b1893 d 1975) |
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Lena
Hurwitz Finn (wife of Max Finn, b
1888-1983)
and Sarah Finn Eisenberg (daughter of Josel Fin and wife of
Jacob/Jack Fin, 1885-1947)
c.
1925 Duluth MN |
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 Jack and Sara Finn, Los Angeles, 1930's Back Row: Lena (born Ushpol 1906-1979); William Louis (1917-1988); Rose Lilian (1914-1987); Jessie (1913-1990) Front Row: Sara (1885-1947); Edith (1921-2008); Jacob (1881-1946) |
 L to R: Louis William Eisenberg, Chaya Sarah Finn, Irving Eisenberg, Isaac , Charles EisenbergBrooklyn, about 1917 |
Taken
in Lithuania
c.
1915
1944 
.jpg)
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Family of Samuel Schia David Fin (born in Ushpol in 1869,died in Detroit, Michigan, 1955) and Sadie (Shayna) Singer (born in Zarasai in 1871, died in Detroit, Michigan, 1950)
Their children, in order of age: 1 Tillie 1895 Ushpol -1968
Detroit, Michigan; 2
Louis1897 Ushpol -1974 Fontana, California; 3
Millie (Mirian)
Ushpol - 1926
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Tillie and Millie Fin, Ushpol, c. 1912 |
Millie Fin, c. 1917 in Hibbing, Minnesota |
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Louis
Fin, Bar Mitvzah, c. 1910 Ushpol |
Louis
Fin, soldier in World War I |
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| Rachel Fin, c. 1917 Hibbing, Minnesota | Millie Fin and Hyman Duchovney wedding, 1925 |
Family of Samuel and Sadie Singer Finn,
1945
1 Frank Samuel Freeman
(married to 2 Rachel Rae Finn); 2 Rachel Rae Finn; 10 their child Melvin
J Freeman; 3 Joseph Julius Finn; 4 Minnie Finn; 5 Marilyn Siegel
(daughter of Benjamin Siegel and Tillie Finn); 6 Tillie Finn (married to
9 Benjamin Siegel); 7 Jack H Finn (married to 11 Shirley Levenburg
holding 12 daughter Estelle); 8 Marvin H Siegel (son of Benjamin Siegel
and Tillie Finn); 9 Benjamin Siegel; 11 Shirley Levenburg Finn; 12
Estelle Finn; 13 Sadie Shayna Singer Finn; 14 Samuel Schaia David Finn;
15 Allen Eli Finn (son of Jack H and Shirley Levenburg); 16 unknown
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| This beautiful photo seems to be a meeting of the Ushpoler Benevolent Society at Baron Hirsch Cemetery, where they have an organizational plot. The Fin family members are identified. | ||||||||||||
Click on photo to see a larger version with identification of
Fin Family members. |
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 Photo taken at the Ushpoler Benevolent Society meeting in 1916
1. Simon Shaye Finn
2. Max Finn
3. Abrahm Joshua Finn
4. Samuel Arian
5 Samuel David Finn
6 Benjamin Finn
7. Harry Arian
8. Frank Finn
[Thanks to Sandra Bergman for this photo]
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