Joseph Handlin (abt. 1885 - 1951)

Born about 11 Dec 1885 in Marchiv, Russia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 17 Sep 1951 at about age 65 in New York, NY

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Liz Milner [send private message]

Biography

My Grandfather studied at a commercial college until he had the misfortune of being drafted into the Russian Army during the Russo-Japanese War. In 1905 he was sent to Harbin in China. The Russian Army was a terrible place for most Jewish soldiers, but it was the making of my grandfather. Because the troops were ill-provisioned, his commanding officer was in a bind. His men needed food, and relied on the Chinese merchants to provide it. The Chinese only tolerated the Russians because they needed protection from the Japanese. A quartermaster was needed who could drive sharp bargains with the local merchants without making enemies of them. My grandfather proved very good at this and he developed a reverence for Chinese culture.

Either his commanding officer rewarded my Grandfather generously or my Grandfather cooked the books because he managed to put away enough money to buy himself out of military service. Later he used the money he'd made to take his brother Simcha and go on a trip to the US as a tourist. Simcha went back to Russia but quickly returned with another brother, Itche. Joseph also intended to go back to Russia, but World War I broke out and travel became very difficult. Around that time, he met my grandmother and decided to stay.

WWI draft reg. has birth as Jan 2, 1884

Immigration about 1890.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ "New York, State Census, 1915," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K92W-LRD : accessed 23 Jul 2014), Joseph Handlin, New York, New York, New York, United States; from "New York, State Census, 1915," index and images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing state population census schedules, 1915, p. 18, line 35, New York State Archives, Albany.

• "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-26518-36912-32?cc=1968530 : accessed 23 Jul 2014), New York > New York City no 75; Garber, Samuel-Z > image 523 of 3986; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d).

• US Census 1940: Assembly District 16, Brooklyn, New York City, Kings, New York, United States cross-referenced to Wikipedia article on his son

• "United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12386-190447-26?cc=1861144 : accessed 23 Jul 2014), 004126626 > image 5349 of 6172. Citing NARA microfilm publications M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090 and M2097, Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

• -Obituary, Brooklyn Eagle, Sept 18, 1951

• -Draft Card, World War II era