USA > New York > Bronx County > The Bronx and its people; a history, 1609-1927, Volume III > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
211
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
Dr. Samuel Weiskopf married, in February, 1919, in New York City, Esther Altman, daughter of Ben- jamin and Gussie Altman.
BRYAN BRYAN O'ROURKE-Thoroughly fur- nished in the building trade, and with an ex- cellent record of long service for the United States Government, Bryan Bryan O'Rourke has become prominently identified with the real estate interests of The Bronx, particularly in the east section of the borough, where he has served as the medium in the sale of some of the largest tracts of land in the devel- opment program of that district of the metropolis. The fact that he is among the more recent additions to the forces that are aiming to promote the com- mercial and residential features of The Bronx from the realtor's point of view has not seemed to militate against his rapid advance into the good will of the people desiring the services of his office. He has cast his lot in with the community, and has a vision of a still greater measure of importance coming to The Bronx which he is determined to resolve into concrete form as his share of the contribution that is being made by those engaged in a similar enter- prise.
Bryan Bryan O'Rourke was born in Brosna, County Kerry, Ireland, February 11, 1879, a son of Bryan and Mary (Riordan) O'Rourke, and grandson of John and Mary (Murphy) O'Rourke, the former hav- ing died in Sidney, New South Wales, at the great age of one hundred and eight years. His father, born in Castle Island, County Kerry, Ireland, in 1850, died in 1916, and his mother was a native of Brosna, County Kerry. The son Bryan B. attended the National school in his native town and was grad- uated in 1894. His father and grandfather having been engaged in the carpentry trade for years, he, on leaving school, became an apprentice under his father in their home town. He served out his bound period, and on becoming a journeyman followed his trade in Ireland until he reached his twenty-fifth year. Like so many of his elders and those of his own generation, he had a vision of better opportunities in America, and in August, 1903, he landed in New York City, where for eight years he continued to ply his trade. In 1911 he was offered a desirable position as bullion melter in the United States Assay Office at Wall and Broad streets, New York City, and for thirteen years he remained in that connection as a faithful and efficient employee of the govern- ment. Before the end of that period of service, he had an urgent longing to get into some occupation or business that would take him out into the open and into contact with people and affairs, for his place in the assay office was too confining for a man of his habits and trade. Handing in his resignation to his superior, to The Bronx he came in 1924, and established himself in an office for the sale of real estate at No. 1879 Westchester Avenue, East Bronx. He has made no mistake in making the change, as events in the development of The Bronx territory have proved. A gratifyingly large increase in the volume of business passing through his office has been noted since he entered his real estate enterprise here. He is commendably proud of the fact that he is a contributing and constructive force in the fine
Bronx-14
program in which virtually the whole community is cooperating with excellent spirit and tireless energy.
He is affiliated with San Salvador Council, No. 174, Knights of Columbus; the Clan Na Gaels, and a member of the Kerrymen's Patriotic Benevolent As- sociation. He belongs to the Chippewa Democratic Club and is an active member of The Bronx Property Owners' Association.
Bryan Bryan O'Rourke married, September 10, 1905, in Our Lady of Good Counsel Roman Catholic Church, Rev. James Fay officiating, the girl of his choice back in their old home town of Brosna in County Kerry, Catherine Reidy, daughter of Maurice and Hanora (Greany) Reidy. They are the parents of six children: Bryan, Jr., born August 17, 1906; Nora Mary, born December 22, 1908; Margaret; Maurice; Thomas; and Catherine.
Bryan Bryan O'Rourke and his family have their residence at No. 1813 Gleason Avenue, The Bronx, New York City.
FREDERICK WILLIAM ROBERT DORN -- Strikingly representative of long continuance in mer- cantile activities in The Bronx, Mr. Dorn is a veteran formerly in the drygoods interests, and later a leader in the opticians' goods line as well as an expert in present-day optometry, his pronounced success in all business matters with which he had been con- nected being based upon his alert response to the demands of occasions and of the change of business localities. He is a son of Robert Dorn, who was born June 18, 1842, in Riga, Russia, of Prussian and Russian parents, and Augusta (Brinckmann) Dorn, who was born November 26, 1842, in Haffert, Ger- many; she was a daughter of Frederick Brinckmann, who came to the United States in 1848, and for a while settled on the lower east side of Manhattan, and in 1851 removed to the old Melrose section of The Bronx, at the corner of Third Avenue and One Hundred and Forty-ninth Street, where he established a bakery. In 1853, Mr. Brinckmann purchased the triangle corner property, and upon his death the property was continued in the possession of the Dorn family. There were four Brinckmann children: Augusta, Henry, August and Charlotte. The three children of Robert and Augusta (Brinckmann) Dorn: Frederick William Robert, of whom further; George W., married Eliza Booth, and they have three chil- dren, Robert G., George W., Jr., and Augusta; and Martha, who married Mr. Albert Huth.
Frederick William Robert Dorn was born January 3, 1872, at the house that stood at the corner of One Hundred and Forty-ninth Street and Third Avenue, north. He attended old No. 60 Public School, at the corner of Courtlandt Avenue and One Hundred and Forty-sixth Street, under Principal J. D. Hyatt, and Miss Archer as teacher. When he was sixteen years old, Mr. Dorn was employed in the Kuhns drug store on Third Avenue, between One Hundred and Forty-third and One Hundred and Forty-fourth streets, where he continued for nine months. He then became employed with the wholesale drug firm of Lazelle and Daley, and later with the firm of Lehn and Finck, continuing with these wholesale drug houses for three years. Mr. Dorn afterwards secured
212
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
a position with the wholesale drygoods house of James H. Dunham, a leading concern at that time, and continuing therewith until 1900, he then established his own business at No. 1316 Boston Road, as a dealer in drygoods and optical goods, and in which he became very successful. He continued in that store for seven years, when he purchased the property at No. 1355 Boston Road and removing his business and equipment there, has so continued to the present. Meantime, the demand for Mr. Dorn's services as optometrist, as well as for his optical goods had increased to such an extent that in 1924 he relin- quished his drygoods department to devote all his time to optometry, in which he has become a recog- nized expert, in connection with his well-equipped store conducting his own testing equipment and op- tician's parlors.
Fraternally, Mr. Dorn is affiliated with the Old Timers' of The Bronx, an exclusive organization, each of whose membership must have been a resident of The Bronx for fifty years.
Frederick William Robert Dorn was married, No- vember 29, 1899, by Rev. Gustave Tappert, to Justine Eckenfelder, daughter of William Eckenfelder, a native of Switzerland, and Justine (Roemer) Ecken- felder. Their children: Elinore Justine, born April 12, 1904; William Robert, born June 9, 1906; and Charlotte E., born April 13, 1912.
MORRIS NIMCOWITZ-After having been en- gaged for many years most successfully in the cigar manufacturing business, Mr. Nimcowitz, some twelve or fifteen years ago, entered the music busi- ness, by opening a store at No. 653 Lenox Avenue. In this new enterprise he met with much success, due to his sociability and friendly ways, and six years later he purchased another store at No. 130 East Fordham Road, The Bronx, which he has conducted since then under the name of Morris Music Shop. Here he carries a large line of pianos, Knabe-Ampi- cos, talking machines, other musical instruments, music rolls, records and all kinds of musical goods. His untiring energy, the progressiveness of his busi- ness methods, and his pleasant personality, have en- abled him to make a marked success of this business and he is considered one of the substantial retail merchants of the two sections in which his estab- lishments are located. He was born in Warsaw, Poland, April 3, 1877, a son of Julius and Esther Nimcowitz. His mother is still a resident of Po- land, where her son, with his family, visited her dur- ing the summer of 1925. His father, engaged for many years in the commissary business, died in 1918.
Morris Nimcowitz was educated in the public grammar and high schools of his native country, and came to the United States as a young man of twenty- two years. Soon after this he engaged in the cigar manufacturing business, in which he continued for many years at No. 771 Second Avenue, owning also four other cigar stores. In 1915 he opened a music store at No. 653 Lenox Avenue, corner of Lenox Avenue and One Hundred and Forty-third Street, and, being encouraged by the success with which this enterprise met, he acquired a second store, April 28, 1922, at No. 130 East Fordham Road, The Bronx. The new store was purchased from De Reveras &
Harris, piano manufacturers, and in spite of the fact that its former owners had lost some $40,000 in one year, Mr. Nimcowitz, as a result of his great in- dustry and business ability, has made a great suc- cess of it. He is the agent for the Knabe-Ampico pianos, for several other makes of pianos, for a number of other high grade musical instruments, for the Victor, Brunswick, and Columbia talking machines and records, and all kinds of radios. He also carries a very complete and up-to-date line of general musical merchandise. He is a member of the Fordham Merchants' Association and The Bronx Board of Trade. He is also very active in fraternal organizations, and is a member of Bronx Lodge, No. 871, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of Eternal Lodge, No. 989, Free and Accepted Ma- sons. His religious affiliations are with the Jewish faith and he is a member of the Concourse Center of Israel, in the work of which he takes an active and helpful interest.
Mr. Nimcowitz married, in New York City, May 24, 1906, Rose Silverblatt, of New York City, a daughter of the late Jacob and Lena Silverblatt, the death of the former occurring about 1916, and that of the latter about 1919. Mr. and Mrs. Nimcowitz are the parents of two children: 1. Harry, born May 24, 1907. 2. Diana, born December 24, 1912. The family residence is located at No. 2328 Aqueduct Avenue, The Bronx.
JOSEPH DeNIGRIS-The ability of the Italian to shoulder business responsibility at an early age has often been demonstrated, whether in the industry of digging subways, conducting a bank or law office, or otherwise engaging in activities of the great com- mercial structure. The native American boy usually must have his education and be well into his maturer years before he assumes to lead men as the head of a business, but not so the stalwart young Italian, as witness the case of Joseph DeNigris, president of DeNigris Brothers, Incorporated, manufacturers of high class cut building stone at No. 429 Barretto Street, The Bronx. On coming to the United States at the age of seventeen years in 1909, he was thrown upon his own resources, without money or friends. His earnestness and ability so impressed itself upon his associates that he obtained sufficient capital to start in the business of building stone contractor as his own boss. While thus engaged he attended night school, and eventually finished an advanced architectural course which has greatly aided him ever since. Presently he returned to his main duties with renewed vim, and engaging in the business of cutting stone with his brothers, made an unusual success. He became a naturalized American in five years, and has won for himself an enviable place in the estima- tion of his neighbors of The Bronx.
Mr. DeNigris was born September 1, 1892, in Bari, province of Bari, Italy, son of Vito and Nicola (Todisco) DeNigris. His father was born at the same place in 1838, and died there in 1913. He was a son of Pasquale and Anna DeNigris. His mother was the daughter of Dominick and Teresa Todisco, and was likewise a native of Italy.
Joseph DeNigris attended the public and elementary schools and graduated therefrom. He became a
Marcia Minant
213
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
stone cutter under the direction of his father, who owned and operated two quarries in Bari. After having put in three years of apprenticeship he came to the United States and settled in the Harlem sec- tion of New York City, where he established his own business as a stone contractor, as said above. He then studied art at night school, and in 1917, architec- tural drawing at night in the Morris High School, after which he took the architectural course in Cooper Union Institute. He also studied at the Mechanical Institute and the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion. In 1910 he had begun the business with his brothers, and lat the end of his course of study he entered with them into a partnership for the con- tinuation and extension of their plant, the stone yard being in the West Farms section. In 1911 the plant was moved to the present site, which occupies an area of ten city lots, with the latest and finest machinery, and this concern was incorporated in 1919, and now does a large business over a wide territory. He was made president of the firm by his brothers out of recognition of his superior abilities.
During the World War, Mr. DeNigris entered the Three Hundred and Sixteenth Machine Gun Batta- lion of the Eighty-first Division, and saw active serv- ice in the Argonne and St. Die sectors of France. He returned to the United States in 1919 and received his honorable discharge in June, 1919, thereupon re- turning to business. At the present time, 1927, Mr. DeNigris is building apartment houses in The Bronx, under the Hunts Point Construction Corporation, of which he is president.
Mr. DeNigris in 1924 visited the land of his birth, also Austria, Germany, France, England and Belgium.
Mr. DeNigris is a member of The Bronx Cham- ber of Commerce, and as a leader of the Republican party organization, is a member of the Hunts Point and East Bay Property Owners' Association and captain of the Forty-seventh District.
Mr. DeNigris was married, August 30, 1917, at Mt. Carmel Roman Catholic Church, New York City, to Rose DeRosa, daughter of Dominick and An- gelina (Scarangello) DeRosa. They have three chil- dren: 1. Nicoletta, born October 7, 1918. 2. Vito, born June 15, 1920. 3. Angelina, born January 8, 1922.
MAX MICHELSON-A native of that part of Russia which now forms the Republic of Latvia, but a resident of the United States for almost a quarter of a century, ever since he came to this country at the age of sixteen years, Mr. Michelson has been en- gaged most successfully for a number of years in the construction business and also in the automobile supply business. The former is carried on under the style of the Michelson Construction Company, Inc., the latter under the style of Michelson Brothers, Inc., Mr. Michelson being president of both these cor- porations, which maintain headquarters at No. 22 Elliot Place, The Bronx. He is also actively inter- ested in several other enterprises, and the marked success with which all of these have met is largely attributable to his thorough knowledge of the busi- ness, his tremendous energy and his remarkable exec- utive ability. A resident of The Bronx ever since
he came to this country, he is one of the most suc- cessful and enterprising of the younger generation of business men in his community.
Max Michelson was born February 16, 1890, in Bausk, Courland, Latvia, a son of Jacob and Rosa (Eliestam) Michelson, the former, a tinsmith by trade, born in Bausk, Courland, in 1859, the latter born in Mitau, Courland, in 1854, both residents of New York City.
Max Michelson was educated in the public schools of Bausk, and came to the United States at the age of sixteen years, settling in The Bronx. The first year in America he worked as a clerk in a dry goods store, attending night schools at the same time in order to improve his education. For the next three years he was connected with a shade and awning shop in The Bronx, after which he worked for some time in different department stores in New York City as an estimator in the upholstery departments. During all this time he attended at night Cooper Union Institute, where he took a course in civil en- gineering. A short time before graduation, work was offered to him on a construction operation in Pennsylvania and, eager to gain some practical ex- perience in this field, he promptly accepted the of- fer, and for the next year, until the work was com- pleted, he engaged in actual construction. So ac- ceptably did he fill this position that, when this par- ticular job was finished, he was immediately sent to Brooklyn and there put in charge of the building of part of the Brooklyn Elevated Road between Cy-' press Hills and Jamaica. After the completion of this undertaking he engaged in the construction busi- ness for his own account and also as a contracting mason. At the same time he opened an automobile supply store at No. 1849 Washington Avenue, The Bronx, which latter proved so successful that it has been incorporated since then under the laws of New York State as Michelson Brothers, Inc., with Mr. Michelson as president, and J. Kleinberger as secre- tary and treasurer. His contracting operations, too, gradually assumed such proportions that Mr. Michel- son formed for their conduct the Michelson Construc- tion Company, Inc., with himself as president and with Mr. A. Ceasa as secretary and treasurer. He is also president of the M. C. Building Company, Inc., of which Mr. J .. Zampel is secretary and treasurer. Still another corporation in which he is interested is the Michelson Byers Building Corporation, of which he is secretary and treasurer, while, in association with Max and Irving Reichel, he conducts a part- nership under the style of the Unit Foundation Com- pany. During the World War he was engaged for about a year in construction work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He is a member of No. 1883, Independ- ent Order of Foresters, of New York City, and of the Building Industry League of The Bronx.
Mr. Michelson married, April 29, 1919, in Man- hattan, Gussie Reichel, a daughter of Max and Anna (Susskind) Reichel, both the latter being natives of Berdichev, Russia, but residents of the United States for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Michelson are the parents of two children: 1. Harold Isaac, born Feb- ruary 15, 1920. 2. Bernard, born February 9, 1925. The family residence is located at No. 285 East One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Street. The Bronx.
214
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
ROBERT E. BERGMAN-On November 7, 1874, Robert E. Bergman was born in Neumark, Ger- many, son of William F. and Wilhelmina Bergman. When four years of age, he came with his parents to America, where his father settled on a dairy farm at Delhi, New York. He attended the district school at Delhi and Cazenovia Seminary, and then entered Syracuse University, but the death of his father interrupted his college course for three years, during which he taught school. When he was again able to take up his studies, he became a member of the class of 1901, of New York University. During the two years that he was preparing for the bar at the New York University Law School, he was also employed as managing clerk for Maas & Goldberg. In1 1904, he was admitted to the bar, and has since carried on a general law practice in The Bronx, with his offices at No. 509 Willis Avenue.
During the war, Mr. Bergman served on the local Draft Board of The Bronx. He has been active in Masonry all his life, being now affiliated with Lily Lodge, No. 342, of which he is Past Master.
On January 11, 1905, Robert E. Bergman married Emma J. Strung, daughter of Jean and Louisa Strung, of The Bronx. To Mr. and Mrs. Bergman one child has been born, Jean S., on October 8, 1906; who is now a student at New York University. Mr. Berg- man and his family are members of the Congrega- tional church, of whicht Mr. Bergman is a trustee and treasurer. He is also president of the Men's Club and superintendent of the Sunday school.
JOHN J. FERRARA-It falls to the lot of but few real estate agents to sell $1,600,000 in building lots in a single year, but this is the record claimed for John J. Ferrara, at No. 3184 Westchester Avenue, resident at No. 1770 Mahan Avenue, The Bronx. Mr. Ferrara started selling in the Pelham Bay Dis- trict early in 1926, and reaches this great total by the end of the year; two factors contributed, one be- ing the inherent value of the property, and the other being that the Florida boom had subsided, and the attention of people around New York could again be attracted to superior home sites nearer home. Mr. Ferrara is the son of Italian parents, and in addition to his regular duties he has found time to engage in collateral activities, including attention to the needs of Italian immigrants seeking assistance on landing at New York, and to duties connected with merchandising and transportation services.
John J. Ferrara was born at New York City, December 22, 1896, son of Joseph Ferrara, a cooper (or manufacturer of barrels), and Marie Ferrara. His parents gave him a good start in life and have been spared to participate in their talented son's gratifying success. He attended St. Mary's Parochial School until 1913, at which time he laccepted a position as clerk with the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, with which concern he did good work for. two years. Then, in 1915, he began to handle motor trucks with Jackson Brothers, with which concern he remained until 1917, when he was appointed shipping clerk for Frank A. Weeks, dealer in stationery. He was thus engaged in important duties early in the World War, in which conflict he played a helpful part. In 1919 he became a member of the
Sixtieth Field Artillery, in which activity he served until 1920, when he was discharged and returned home to pick up the broken ends of his business. In 1921 he was made general manager of the Amer- ican Fuel & Shipping Company, and in 1922 served as general manager of the Booras Steamship Line, which position he filled until 1923. In 1924 his eyes turned toward real estate transactions, and he entered the field to compete with older heads but none more courageous, with the result as told above. It may be added appropriately that Mr. Ferrara has made a welcome place for himself in business and com- munity affairs, and that none stands higher in the estimation of his neighbors.
Mr. Ferrara received a service medal for World War duty in the United States Army, and is affil- lated with the McKenna Post of the American Legion. He is a valued member of The Bronx Real Estate Board. He is also active as a civic worker in the Throggs Neck Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Ferrara married in Harlem, February 2, 1921, Theresa Regonini, daughter of Frank Regonini, and they have become the parents of a daughter, Jean Ferrara, born May 14, 1922.
MORTIMER JOHN SULLIVAN - An impor- tant factor in a thickly populated community such as The Bronx has grown to be, particularly one where homes constitute a large proportion of the buildings, is fire protection, and to this Mortimer John Sul- livan, manager of Lewis & Gendar, Incorporated, has devoted his entire business career. This firm represents the best known fire insurance companies of this country, such as the National Ben Franklin of Pittsburgh, and gives admirable assistance to householders seeking to guarantee themselves against loss by fire. Mortimer J. Sullivan was born in New York City on September 8, 1894, son of George W. and Margaret S. Sullivan. His father, now deceased, was in the millinery business.
Mortimer J. Sullivan was educated in New York City, at St. Augustine's Academy, which he com- pleted in 1911, and at Fordham University, from which he graduated in 1913. From the time of his graduation until 1920, except during the interval of the World War, Mr. Sullivan was associated with Wallace Reid & Company in the insurance business. Thereafter he was associated with William H. Ken- zel & Company, William Sohmer & Company, and Newman & McBain. Since 1924 he has been con- nected with Lewis & Gendar, Incorporated, in New York City. It will be noted that all Mr. Sullivan's adult life has been concerned with insurance, and he now has a broad and complete knowledge of that business in all its ramifications. He is agent in The Bronx for the Caledonian Insurance Company, the National Ben Franklin Insurance Company, the Lon- don & Scottish Insurance Company, and two other companies, the Commonwealth and the United Mer- chants'. During the World War Mr. Sullivan served his country in overseas fighting. In 1917 he enlisted in the 311th Infantry, Company L, and was in train- ing at Camp Dix, New Jersey, until his regiment went to France and joined in the St. Mihiel offensive in the Argonne. In June, 1919, after two years of arduous service, Mr. Sullivan received his honorable
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.