אהרן בן יהודה לײב (קורצער) Kurtzer (1890 - 1945)

Born 16 Apr 1890 in סטרי, Stryj, Powiat stryjski, Galicja, Austria

Ancestors

Husband of חנה שרה בת אברהם (קאנעווסקי) Kurtzer — married 27 Mar 1917 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Died 21 Nov 1945 at age 55 in Yonkers, Westchester, New York, United States

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Biography

Aaron (קורצער) Kurtzer has Jewish Roots.

Aron, illegitimate son of Juda Leib Kurzer & Etie Chaje Rautner of Stryj, Galicia, was born there on 16 Apr 1890.^[1]

Aron Kurtzer (aged 23) arrived in the US at the Port of New York aboard the SS Barbarossa on 21 Feb 1914. He was described as 5'8" with brown hair & eyes, & was going to meet his brother Elias in Providence, Rhode Island, leaving his father Juda Leib as who he listed as his closest relative back home in Stryj.^[2]

Aron, now going by Arnold, married Sophie Kanefsky on 27 March 1917 at Providence, RI.^[3]

Kurtzer was registered for the draft on 5 Jun 1917, at which time he was employed as a carpet layer for Joseph Marcus.^[4]

Aron "Arnold" Kurtzer declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on 10 Dec 1917.^[5]

In the 1920 Census, Arnold & Sophie were living at 118 State Street in Providence with their daughter Ethel, & he still listed his occupation as carpet layer.^[6] The couple moved to 1916 Rockaway Parkway in Brooklyn, NY later that year, where they lived when Arnold submitted his petition for naturalization in 1923.^[7]

At the time of the 1925 Census, Arnold & Sophie were still living on Rockaway, but Arnold was now listed as working as a casket dealer.^[8]

In 1927, the first known newspaper mention of Arnold as a cantor was published. According to the Times Union of 4 Apr 1927, the Oher Sholom Temple in Canarsie, Brooklyn elected officers for the year, & Kurtzer sang during the program & "offered his services for the coming Easter holidays," which was accepted by newly-elected President Albert Faust.^[9]

By the 1930 Census, Arnold & Sophie had had another daughter, & had relocated to 1597 St John's Place, where he was listed as now being the proprietor of a linoleum shop.^[10]

In 1936, now going by his Hebrew name again, Kurtzer, described as a "well-known New York cantor," conducted services for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur for the Congregation Agodath Achim in Bradley Beach, NJ, where he was said to have conducted services several times before.^[11]

In the 1940 Census, Kurtzer (listed as Arnold again) was back at 1916 Rockaway, working as a salesman, & had had a son.^[12]

At the time of the 1942 "Old Man's" draft, Kurtzer was working for "Re-Nu Carpet Cleaning" in Brooklyn, & was described as wearing glasses.^[13]

In 1943, Kurtzer (now described as a Rabbi) officiated over at least two weddings, & a wedding anniversary, through his association as cantor with Congregation People of Righteousness, located on Ingram Street in Yonkers, NY.^[14][15][16]

Aron Kurtzer died in Yonkers on 21 Nov 1945 at the age of 55.^[17] He was buried at Montefiore Cemetery.^[18]

Sources

1. ↑ http://agadd.home.net.pl/metrykalia/300/sygn.%201273/pages/PL_1_300_1273_0045.htm
2. ↑ Passenger List: "New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957"
   Year: 1914; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 2; Page Number: 129
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7488 #4038031157 (accessed 2 February 2023)
   Name: Aron Kurtzer; Gender: Male; Ethnicity/ Nationality: Hebrew; Marital status: Single; Age: 23; Birth Date: abt 1891; Birth Place: Galicia; Other Birth Place: Stryo; Last Known Residence: Stranburg, Germany; Departure Port: Bremen; Arrival Date: 21 Feb 1914; Arrival Port: New York, New York, USA; Final Destination: Providence, New Jersey; Height: 5 Feet, 8 Inches; Hair Color: Brown; Eye Color: Brown; Complexion: Fair; Money in Possession: 0; Person in Old Country: Indaleib Kurtzer; Person in Old Country Relationship: Father; Person in Old Country Residence: Atryz, Galicia; Person in US: Ellies Kurtzer; Person in US Relationship: Brother; Father: Indaleib Kurtzer; Sibling: Ellies Kurtzer; Ship Name: Barbarossa.
3. ↑ Marriage: "Rhode Island, U.S., Marriage Index, 1851-1920"
   Ancestry Record 4263 #188097 (accessed 2 February 2023)
   Arnold Kurtzer marriage to Sophie Konefsky on 27 Mar 1917.
4. ↑ Military: "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"
   Registration State: Rhode Island; Registration County: Providence
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6482 #10923286 (accessed 2 February 2023)
   Name: Arnold Kurtzer; Race: Caucasian (White); Marital Status: Married; Birth Date: 16 Mar 1891; Birth Place: Austria; Residence Date: 1917-1918; Street Address: 17 Pratt St.; Residence Place: Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Draft Board: 02; Physical Build: Medium; Height: Medium; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Black.
5. ↑ Naturalization Declaration: "Rhode Island, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1802-1945"
   National Archives at Boston; Waltham, Massachusetts; ARC Title: Petitions and Records of Naturalization, 2/1842 - Ca. 1991; NAI Number: 3432872; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: Rg 21; Declaration Number: 24642
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61208 #377491 (accessed 2 February 2023)
   Name: Arnold Kurtzer; Declaration Age: 26; Birth Date: 16 Mar 1891; Birth Place: Stryj Austria; Record Type: Naturalization Declaration; Departure Place: Bremen Ger; Arrival Date: 22 Feb 1913; Arrival Place: New York City, New York; Declaration Date: 10 Dec 1917; Declaration Place: Rhode Island, USA; Ship: Barbarossa; Spouse: Sophe.
6. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1920; Census Place: Providence Ward 3, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: T625_1678; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 193
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #21792241 (accessed 2 February 2023)
   Arnold Kurtzer (28), married, Carpet Cager, head of household in Providence Ward 3, Providence, Rhode Island. Born in Austria Poland.
7. ↑ Naturalization: "New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980"
   citing Naturalization, Kings, New York, United States, citing multiple County Clerk offices of New York; FHL microfilm 005411207.
   FamilySearch Record: QPZF-D8DP (accessed 2 February 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9M8-V65D Image number 00608
   Name: Arnold Or Aron Kurtzer; Naturalization Date: 1923; Naturalization Place: Kings, New York, United States; Birth Date: 16 Mar 1891; Birth Place: Galicia, Austria Poland; Bir Month Rs; Id: 349979; Record Type: Migration; Source Certificate Nbr: 84770; Event Place Sup: Kings; Event Place Year Range: 121-2918; Event Type Orig: Immigration.
8. ↑ 1925 Census: "New York, U.S., State Census, 1925"
   New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 55; Assembly District: 02; City: Brooklyn; County: Kings; Page: 18; Line Number: 47
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2704 #21216114 (accessed 2 February 2023)
   Arnold Kurtzer (33) head of household in Brooklyn, Kings. Born in Austria.
9. ↑ 1927 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
   Times Union 04 Apr 1927, page 13
   Newspapers Clip: 117777032 (accessed 2 February 2023)
10. ↑ 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
    Year: 1930; Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0722; FHL microfilm: 2341264
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #40362295 (accessed 2 February 2023)
    Arnold Kurtzer (39), married, Proprietor, head of household at 1597 St.Johns Place, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA. Born in Poland.
11. ↑ 1936 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    Asbury Park Press 15 Sep 1936, page
    Newspapers Clip: 117788050 (accessed 2 February 2023)
12. ↑ 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
    Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, Kings, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02551; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 24-201
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #9240719 (accessed 2 February 2023)
    Arnold Krutzer (49), married, Salesman, head of household in New York, Kings, New York. Born in Austria.
13. ↑ Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942"
    The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1002 #1754714 (accessed 2 February 2023)
    Name: Arnold Kurtzer; Gender: Male; Race: White; Birth Date: 2 Mar 1890; Birth Place: Austria; Residence Place: Kings, New York (City), USA; Military Draft Date: 1942; Spouse: Sophie Kurtzer.
14. ↑ 1943 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    Mount Vernon Argus 08 Mar 1943, page 5
    Newspapers Clip: 117788573 (accessed 2 February 2023)
15. ↑ 1943 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    The Herald Statesman 27 Oct 1943, page 11
    Newspapers Clip: 117788592 (accessed 2 February 2023)
16. ↑ 1943 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    The Herald Statesman 19 Nov 1943, page 11
    Newspapers Clip: 117788668 (accessed 2 February 2023)
17. ↑ Death: "New York, U.S., Death Index, 1852-1956"
    New York Department of Health; Albany, NY; NY State Death Index
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61535 #1639636 (accessed 2 February 2023)
    Aron Kurtzer death 21 Nov 1945 (age 54) in Yonkers, New York, USA.
18. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #151833916 (accessed 2 February 2023)
    Memorial page for Aron Kurtzer (unknown-21 Nov 1945), citing Montefiore Cemetery, Springfield Gardens, Queens County, New York, USA; Maintained by ! woowoo (contributor 49949980).