Feldser Family History

Researched and written by Harriet Robinson, August 2000

Sidney and Rose Feldser lived in Latvia, Russia in the 1800s. Their children immigrated to the United States in the mid-1880s. Louis was from Telivese, and Oscar was from Sadow. They came to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and some moved to Baltimore.

The children were Lena (1863 - 1912), Lewis (1866 - 1939), Sarah (1870 - 1937), Samuel (abt. 1875 - ?) and Oscar (August 12, 1878 - November 25, 1947).

According to Lena's granddaughter Sylvia Applebaum Sussman, Lena and her husband Jacob Galvansky and Sarah immigrated to the U.S. in the mid-1880's without their parents. They went to Lancaster, PA, where Sylvia's mother Katie Belle was born (1888 - 1950). Lena had an older child Rose Galvin (January 19, 1886-May 19, 1977), who was born before they immigrated. Rose took care of Sarah's business. In order to get a Social Security number, Rose made up a story that her school burned down and lost her records. Lena's other children were Aaron (abt. 1887), Sidney (abt. 1889), Reba (abt. 1890), Edith (abt. 1891) and Anna (1892 - 1922).

Katie Belle's wedding invitation (she was married in Sarah and Louis Lipsitz' backyard):

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Galvansky and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Applebaum request your presence at the marriage of Katie and Samuel Applebaum, July 5, 1908, 5 o'clock. Ceremony and reception at 714 West Lombard Street. Bride's residence 24 S. Bond St., Baltimore, MD.

Katie Belle's children are Sylvia, Lenore (1912 - 1970), Leonard (1922 - 1949), Dorothy (1926 -1998), and Elaine. Dorothy and Elaine were born in Ahoskie, NC. Sylvia lived in Ahoskie as a child, where her father, Sam Applebaum, had a business. She was friendly with Bernice and Sadie Belle Lipsitz in Ahoskie.

Lena and Sarah had two brothers, Oscar and Lewis. Oscar was in the Spanish American War, served in the Infantry of the U.S. Army from 1898 to 1916 and lived on disability in the Soldiers Home in Washington, D.C. He is buried in Soldiers Cemetery. According to his Veteran's disability records, Oscar is described having dark brown hair, blue eyes, dark complexion, 5 feet 6 inches and 133 pounds. Sylvia remembers him bouncing her on his knee when she was little.

Lewis lived in Lancaster. He sold medicines (veterinary medicines) door-to-door. Feldser means "medicine man," thus his American name (according to Sylvia). Some of his children ran a printing business in Lancaster.

Jacob and Lena as well as Rose Galvin, Anna Galvin, Katie Belle and Sam Applebaum, Leonard Applebaum are buried in United Hebrew Cemetery in Baltimore.

According to the 1900 census, Lewis was born December 1863 (but his tombstone says 1881; his obituary says he was 78, which would be 1861). His wife Mary was born February 1864, and they had been married 17 years (since 1883). They lived on Rockland Avenue, and Lewis' occupation was "junk dealer." He immigrated in 1881. By 1900, they had eight live children of 11 total. The children were Abram (1885), Michael (1887), Benjamin (1888), Lippold (1892), Sidney & Ethel (1894), Leopold (1897) and Lena (1899). Other children were Rosie (1894-1895)?, Esther (1904-1905), Aaron (abt. 1906) and Leah (abt. 1907). Two other children died before the 1900 census. Lewis died December 10, 1939 and is buried in Degel Israel Cemetery in Lancaster.

Nina Feldser, widow of Benjamin's son Jerry, said that Lewis had been a stowaway to America from Kiev. Her genealogy: Louis Sydney Feldser, born February 2, 1866 in Telivese, Russia, immigrated at age 14 (1880) and became a citizen February 2, 1886. He sold homemade veterinary medicine. Louis died December 11, 1939, at the time residing at 234 Howard Avenue. His wife was Mary Kathryn Sulcove, born May 28, 1866 in Kiev, Russia and was married May 28, 1884. She died November 29, ? in Lancaster. Louis had brothers Samuel in South Carolina and Oscar in Washington, D.C.

According to Nina's genealogy chart, Lewis' children were Abraham Oscar, March 27, 1885 - April 13, 1902; Michael P., August 6, 1886 - ?; Benjamin Rodney, January 5, 1888 - October 28, 1969; Ida, December 14, 1889 -July 20, 1890; Leo July 26, 1892 - ?; Fred S., May 10, 1893 - ?; Sidney, August 18, 1894, 2 p.m - ?.; Ethel, August 18, 1894, 3 p.m.; - ?; Aaron Ralph, May 10, 1897 - ?; Leah Clara (Rineer), June 17, 1899 - February 11, 1971; Esther "Ethel" (Shoemaker), May 7, 1904 - ?.

The Lancaster City Directory listings:

1884, Feldser, Louis, salesman, bds, 135 Middle
1888, Feldser, Louis, peddler, h. 330 North
1890, 1896- nothing
1899-1900, Galvansky, Jacob, peddler, res 501 North
Galvansky, Moses, peddler, res 467 S. Duke
Feldser, Louis, salesman, res 313 Rockland
? Feldser, Rosa (wid James) bds 501 North
1905-06, Feldser, Benjamin R, engrvr, h 313 Rockland
Feldser, Louis, patent medicines, h 313 Rockland
Feldser, Michael P., clk, h 313 Rockland
1907-08, same as previous
Ads: Patent Medicines & Proprietary: Feldser, Louis, 313 Rockland
1917-18, Feldser, Louis, slsman, h. 238 Howard
Feldser, Aaron, slsman, bds 313 Rockland
Feldser, Ethel E, student, 313 Rockland
Feldser, Leah C, student, 313 Rockland
Feldser, Sidney V, printer, h. 313 Rockland
1919, Feldser Sidney V, USA bds 941 N. Lime
1923-24, Feldser, Sidney V., 941 Lime
Feldser & Althoff Printers
1937-38, Feldser, Aaron R (Esther S), 313 Rockland
Feldser, Lewis, 234 Howard
Feldser, Sidney V (Margaret), printer, 941 Lime

From The Jews of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, David Brener, 1976, 1979, among a sampling of Jews arriving in Lancaster before 1900, Louis Feldser was listed as arriving in 1888 with occupations of peddler, grocer and salesman. In 1890, in a new cemetery of Congregation Chizuk Emunah off Millersville Pike, "the first interment took place, a child of a family named Feldser, of Quarryville." This may have been one of Louis and Mary's children.

Sarah was 22 in January 1890, according to court records. That would make birth year about 1868, though tombstone says 1870. Sarah's history is detailed in the Louis Lipsitz Descendants.

For the descendant chart, photos and stories about the family members, click on the links above.

If you a have any information to add or correct, please contact