Yetta Klein, Morris Kedofsky and Rosaline (Kedofsky) Ringler Dubin

Morris Kedofsky was born in 1883-1885, the oldest son of Sarah Rabinowitz and Eli "Louis" Kedofsky. The 1900 US census says he was born in January 1885, but his marriage record says 1883 and his death record, 1884. His marriage record also states that he was born in "Polski, Russia," but he was probably born in his father's and brother Joseph's birthplace, Radomansky. It might be that Radomansky refers to Radomsko, which was historically part of Poland but had been taken over by Russia in the early 19th century.

Morris - I only know his Anglicized name - immigrated to New York with his mother and two younger brothers sometime between 1891 and 1893 to join his father. In the 1900 US Census, 15-year-old Morris was listed as working as a salesman. In the 1905 New York State Census, he's listed as working as a machinist.

What's not obvious from the 1905 census entry - supposedly reporting the data as of June 1, 1905 - is that on January 30, 1905, Morris had married Yetta Klein. He gave his father's name as "Tsuk" Kedofsky, the only reference to Eli "Louis" Kedofsky by this name I can find in the records. Tsuk means "cliff" in Hebrew. It may have been a joking nickname, based either on the fact that "Eli" means "ascent" in Hebrew or that, according to Eli's naturalization petition, he was only 5'3". It's interesting that Morris gave this name for his father in the marriage record and that four months later, his family either didn't know about or refused to acknowledge the marriage.

Yetta was born 1884-1886 in Galizie (Galicia), Austria, the daughter of Markus Klein and Sarah Lerch. (The record for Yetta's marriage to Morris says "Lehrer." The record for her second marriage in 1908 says "Perch." When Yetta's sister Jennie married Moses Schiffmiller on September 8, 1908, their mother's last name was given as "Lerch.") Yetta's later census records indicate that she immigrated to the States in 1900-1904. She may or may not be the Yetta Klein listed in the 1905 New York State Census as being employed as a servant for Simion and Hannah Wilhelm. It's possible that either her relatively recent immigration, her type of employment or both were looked down on by Morris' parents.

A daughter was born to Morris and Yetta on February 7, 1906, and named Rosaline. (For some reason, Yetta is listed in the birth record as "Lena" Klein.) Less than a year later, on January 12, 1907, Morris passed away.

A young woman with a young daughter to raise, Yetta remarried promptly. Specifically, on June 7, 1908, she married Isidore or Israel Ringler, the son of Rafael Ringler and Ethel Ehicman, born 1884 in Austria.

The 1910 US Census found the Ringlers living in Manhattan. Rosy "Kadefsky" was described as Isidore's stepdaughter. She had a younger half-sister, Sadie or Selma, born in June 1909. Unfortunately, Selma passed away on October 6, 1918. By then, however, Rosy had two more half-siblings: Ruth born in about 1912 and Milton born in about 1917.

In the 1920 US Census Rosy is listed as "Rose Ringler" and described as Isidore's daughter. He may or may not have officially adopted her. It wouldn't be unusual at that time for her to simply take his name. In 1920 the family was still living in Manhattan, but by 1930, they'd moved to the Bronx at 894 Irvine Street. Rose was working as a teacher in a public school.

On June 8, 1932, Rose married William Dubin, born in Manhattan on October 5, 1900, to Simon Dubin and Fanny Miller. The young couple moved to 50 East 196th Street in the Bronx sometime before 1935 and had a son, Michael born in or around 1936. The 1940 US Census reported that both Rose and William had completed four years of college. (Rose's mother Yetta had completed four years of school.) William was a pharmacist, while Rose was still working as an elementary school teacher, which was somewhat unusual for a married woman at that time. Her employment may have been facilitated by the fact that the Dubins could afford a maid, 24-year-old Betty Verchick from Pennsylvania, and/or by the fact that at some time after 1935, William's mother Fanny lived literally around the corner at 2710 Morris Avenue. By contrast, at some point after 1935 William's father Simon had moved in with Rose's parents, nine miles away at 894 Irvine Street. (Both Simon and Fanny reported their marital status as married.)

Yetta passed away in October 1977. Her obituary in the issue of the New York Times published October 23, 1977, refers to her husband as the late Israel. It also mentions Yetta's children - Rose and her husband William Dubin, Rose's half-siblings Ruth and Milton and Milton's wife Diane - as well as Yetta's sister Jennie Schiffmiller.

By 1991, Rose and William were living in Broward County, Florida. Rose passed away on November 30, 1991. William followed her nine months later, on August 30, 1992.