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Cotopaxi

Colorado, USA

Milstein/Shames Family Page
(under construction)

Cotopaxi, 38° 22' 13" N / 105° 41' 17" W, Fremont County, about 125 miles SW of Denver, Colorado.  Take I-25 South to Hwy 115, South to Hwy 50 West.  Approximately 35 miles west of Canon City CO.




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Compiled by Jen Lowe

Updated: January 2011

Copyright © 2011 Jen Lowe
The Milstein - Shames Story, how 3 brothers have 2 different last names

Flora Satt wrote in 1950: "Jacob and Malka Milstein's youngest son, Isaac Leib, was forced to become an "only son" to a childless couple named Shames in order to escape the dreaded quarter-century of military service, a threat that had not menaced the Milstein family for many generations since they were of the exempt estate."

We do not yet know who the Shames family was.  It does not appear that they traveled to America.  Isaac Leib Shames kept that name throughout his life and was buried with the Shames name on his headstone.

We know that Jacob and Malka Milstein had 3 sons:

Isaac Leib Milstein Shames
Benjamin Zalman Milstein
Shul Baer Milstein

The OLDEST child was conscripted into the army for 25 years
Census records, ships manifests and other documents are indicating that Isaac Leib Shames was the oldest, not the youngest child. 
Isaac Shames and family ship manifest
Ships Name:  Polynesia, a steamer.  Left Hamburg on 31 Mar 1882
milstein ship manifest

Surname
First Name
M
F
Age
From
Occupation
Going to
New York
Number
of persons
Age 10
and over
Under
age 10
under
age 1
1
Schammes
Itzig
1

49
Kiev, Russland
Arb/Trl?
1
1
1


2

Riwke

1
47
Kiev, Russland
Frau
1
1
1


3

Judel

1
17


1
1
1


4

Chane

1
9



1

1

5

Rachel

1
5
Kiev, Russland


1

1

6
Wassitzer
Scheick
1

18
Kiev, Russland
Arb/Trl?

1
1


7

Jente

1
18
Kiev, Russland
Ledig

1
1


Unresolved Questions:
  1. Who was # 2 above,  Riwke, female, age 47.  Oral history states that Isaac was a widower at Cotopaxi
  2. Who is # 3 above, Judel Schammes, female, age 17?  She is not listed in Cotopaxi, nor in the 1885 or 1900 census
    1. Frau can be translated from German to mean:  missis, woman, female, mate, lady, wife, madam, broad, Mrs.
    2. Ledig means single
    3. Do not know what Arb or Trl mean at this time.  Cannot find a translation.
  3. Chane (# 4 above) must be Hanna, who later married Phillip Quiatkowsky.
  4. Rachel (# 5 above) later married Henry Singer
  5. Scheick Wassitzer  (# 6) is Joe Washer,  who later married Jennie Sheffel
  6. Jente Wassitzer (#&) is Nette Shames, Isaac's daughter, who later married Moscha Altman
Was there a sister?

In the 1885 Census, there is a Mary Milstein, sister, living with S. Milstein
1885 census
Household #
Surname, Given Name
Race
Sex
Age
Relationship
Occupation
Born in:
house 379
Mulstein, B
w
m
40

rag peddler
Germany

Mulstein, Rachel
w
f
35
wife
house keeper
Germany
house 380
Mulstein, S.
W
m
44

rag peddler
Germany

Mulstein, Mary
W
F
45
wife
house keeper
Germany

Mulstein, Mary
W
F
38
sister

Germany

Mulstein, Jacob
W
M
19
son
rag peddler
Germany

Mulstein, Moses
W
M
17
son

Germany

Mulstein, Max
W
M
12
son

Germany

Mulstein, Andrew
W
M
1
son

Germany

Mulstein, Rachael
W
F
7
daughter

Germany

Mulstein, Adelie
W
F
3
daughter

Germany
house 381
Shamies, Isaac
W
M
50

rag peddler
Germany

Shamies, Rachel
W
F
9
daughter

Germany

Warshingor, Nettie
W
F
23
daughter

Germany

Shamies, Esther
W
F
7
gr daughter

Germany
notes:
  1. Mary Milstein could have been a sister to the 3 brothers, but she also could have been a sister to Shul Baer's wife.
    1. She was not found in the 1900 census.  There is no indication that she was at Cotopaxi
  2. Mary was probably and English name for Mirian or Mirka. 
  3. All 3 brothers lived in houses next door to one another - they lived on Delgany Street in Denver, CO.
  4. This census shows Isaac as the oldest, not the youngest as stated by Flora Satt. Later census records agree that he was the oldest sibling.
  5. Esther Shamies is listed as a granddaughter of Isaac.  According to all oral histories, she was his daughter. 
The Milstein/Shames Descendants
Kinship report of Menashe Milstein
Milstein/Shames Land Declarations
Descendant Photos


I will be adding the ship's manifest for S. B. Milstein and Baruch Z. Milstein in the near future.

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