The Sklarawitz-Sklyarevich Family
                                                     From Dashev, Ukraine
                                                                                                           Permission to print photos on this page granted by grandson Barney H. Miller on September 1, 2017

My grandfather was Itshak "Isaac" Sklarawitz, born in Dashev in 1884.  He worked as a blacksmith, peddler and other jobs.  Prior to traveling to America, he married Chane Arbitman from Lukashevka circa 1905, and then started his journey to America.



Isaac arrived at Ellis Island on July 5, 1906 on the S.S. Astoria, having traveled first to London, then Glasgow, Scotland, and lastly to Ellis Island.  Traveling by way of Glasgow offered additional personal safety by being an "out-of-the-way" port for those concerned with their well-being, and was also appealing because of costing up to 25% less than other European ports.  Isaac listed his occupation as blacksmith, and had a lot of money when he arrived in the USA, $25.

Isaac traveled to Hartford, Connecticut, to his sponsor, brother-in-law, L. Kleinman (Louis Climan), who was married to Isaac's wife Anna's sister, Tauble.  The first thing Isaac did upon his arrival was to "Americanize" his name to SKLAR, quickly followed by bringing his wife Anna and brother Chaim to join him in Hartford in 1907.  Isaac would work as a peddler all his life in America.   He waited until 1952, after he had been in the USA for 46 years, to become a citizen.  Perhaps his children or wife, Miriam, having become a citizen herself a few years before, had prodded him, or perhaps he felt his vote was needed on election days to show he was a good American.

Interestingly, when brother Chaim filled out his manifest one year later in 1907, he also listed his American sponsor as his brother-in-law, L. Kleinman, exactly as his brother Isaac had done a year before him.  This, of course, was a false statement by Chaim, since L.Kleinman was only Isaac's brother-in-law, not Chaim's.   Probably out of concern with possibly being refused entry by using his newly arrived brother as a sponsor, Chaim used the proven successful way of using the name of L. Kleinman.

Isaac was a very religious Jew and would spend much of his time sitting at his dining room table praying every day and every Jewish holyday.   He was always dressed in a coat and tie, even for family, guests, and visitors.  Isaac lived a relatively quiet life in Hartford, except for some problems as written about in the local Hartford Courant newspaper:

    In 1914, he was sued and had to pay $40.15 after signing a loan guarantee.

    In 1929, his horse-drawn peddler's wagon was hit by a truck, with Isaac being thrown to the ground with serious head injuries.

    Again in 1940, his horse-drawn wagon was hit, this time by a car, with Isaac again sustaining serious head injuries.

Isaac's wife, Anna, arrived in Hartford in late 1906, having traveled through Moldova to the port of Hamburg.  Her name on the manifest was listed as Chawe Tschokler, but the street address listed in Hartford was where her husband Isaac Sklar was living.



The family of Anna and Isaac soon started to grow with the births of:

Mary Sklar -- Born April 3, 1908 -- Married Sam Wilson -- Children born were Arthur (1928), and Sandra -- Died in 1999.

Ida "Irene" Sklar (My Mom) -- Born April 6, 1909 -- Married Ray Stone (child Allan born July 28, 1928) -- Married Charley Miller (My Dad) -- Married Sam Kalechman -- Died in 2012.

Hyman Sklar -- Born March 14, 1913 -- Died in 1913.

David Sklar -- Born October 23, 1915 -- Died in 1916.

Eva Sklar -- Born August 17, 1914 -- Died in 1921.

Becky "Betty" Sklar -- Born May 8, 1920 -- Married Spencer Hall in 1940 -- Children born were Nancy and David -- Married Harry Ravitch in 1966 -- Died March 18, 2011.

Anna (Arbitman) Sklar would die in 1921 by taking her own life.   In 1922 Isaac would remarry to Esther Miller, who died in 1923.   In 1924,  Isaac would remarry to a young immigrant Mirka "Miriam" Pessin/Pesselis, who would be his wife for many years.   Their children were:

Yetta "Edythe" Sklar -- Born in 1924 -- Still living

Martia "Marjorie" Sklar -- Born in 1929 -- Still living.



Longevity was a major factor with the women of Isaac's family.  Even though Isaac did not live past the age of 77 and Anna took her own life, as of today in 2017, his five daughters all have enjoyed longevity;  Irene lived to age 103,  Mary to age 91, Betty to age 91, Edie still living at age 92, and Marge still living at age 88.  Quite remarkable!










The history of Isaac's Sklarawitz family in Dashev includes many family members.  In the late 1800s, circa 1882, Reuben Sklarawitz married Rivka Leah Malamid in Dashev, Ukraine.  Information about Reuben, Rivka, and other historic Sklarawitz family members who were born and lived in Dashev were:

REUBEN SKLARAWITZ -- Born circa 1840 -- Son of Meier -- Married Rivkah Leah Malamid circa 1880 -- Died circa 1935 -- Their children were Chaim, Itzhak, Chaika, Yosef, Goldie, Esther and David.   Reuben operated a wine exporting business.

RIVKA LEAH MALAMID -- Reuben's wife -- Born circa 1845 -- Died circa 1940.

MEIER SKLARAWITZ -- Reuben's father -- Born circa 1810 -- Married circa 1835 -- Died 1910 to 1920.

RAPHAEL SKLARAWITZ -- Father of Meier -- Born circa 1785 -- Died circa 1865.

The children of Reuben and Rivka Leah were Chaim, Isaac, Chaika, Yosef, Goldie, David and Esther:

CHAIM SKLARAWITZ -- Born circa 1882 -- Married Malcha/Malya circa 1901 -- To USA in 1907 -- Their children, who all arrived at Ellis Island in 1922, were Sonia, Shimon (Samuel), Leib (Louis), Chane (Eve), and Anya (Anna) -- Died in 1955 in Hartford, Connecticut.

MALCHA/MALYA SKLARAWITZ -- Chaim's wife -- Born circa 1880 -- Their children were Sonia and Shimon -- Died circa 1918.

MERYL YABLONSKY -- Chaim's second wife -- To USA in 1922  -- Their children born in Dashev were Chane, Leib and Anya -- Children born in USA were Meyer and David.

ISAAC SKLARAWITZ -- Born in Dashev, Ukraine, circa 1884 -- Married Anya/Anna Arbitman circa 1905 in Dashev -- To USA in 1906 -- Married Esther Miller in 1922 -- Married Mirka "Miriam" Pessin/Pesselis in 1924 -- Died in 1961 in Hartford, Connecticut.

ELKA/ANNA ARBITMAN -- Isaac' first wife -- Born circa 1885 in Lukashevka -- To USA in 1907 -- Their children born in USA were Mary, Ida (Irene), David, Hyman, and Becky (Betty) -- Died in 1921 in Hartford, Connecticut.

MIRKA MIRIAM PESSIN -- Isaac's second wife -- Born 1892 -- To USA in 1924 -- Married Isaac in 1924 -- Their children were Yetta (Edythe) and Marsha (Marjorie) -- Died in Hartford, Connecticut in 1971.

CHAIKA SKLARAWITZ -- Isaac's sister -- Born circa 1885 -- Married circa 1905 -- Children were Barney, Eva, and David -- Died circa 1918.

ISADORE MALITZ -- Chaika's husband -- Born 1886 -- To USA in 1918 -- Died in 1970.

GOLDIE SKLARAWITZ -- Born in Dashev -- Married and had several children -- Lived in Dashev.

ESTHER SKLARAWITZ -- Born in Dashev -- Died at the age of 21.

DAVID SKLARAWITZ -- Born in Dashev.

YOSEF SKLIMREVITZ -- Isaac's brother -- Born circa 1890 -- Married circa 1916 -- Lived in Dashev.

LEAH SKLIMREVITZ -- Yosef's wife -- Mother of Reyshlele, Esther Fayle, and Chayele.

In 1926, family members in Hartford received a picture postcard from Yosef and his family from Ukraine-Russia.  Their family signature on the card was translated as SKLIMREVITZ.  Isaac would correspond with Yosef periodically until the start of WW II.  After that, the family of Yosef was never heard from again.



Published manifest lists record the following known members of my family who traveled from Dashev to the USA from 1906 to 1922:

Isack Sklarawitz      1906    From Dashow                  Age 22
Chaim Sklarawitz    1907    From Daschew                Age 25
Miril Skliar              1922    From Dashevo, Russia    Age 40
Sonia Sklar              1922    From Dashevo, Russia    Age 19
Simon Sklar             1922    From Dashevo, Russia    Age 17
Leib Sklar                1922    From Dashevo, Russia    Age   9
Anna Sklar               1922    From Dashevo, Russia    Age   7
       
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