USA > New York > Bronx County > The Bronx and its people; a history, 1609-1927, Volume III > Part 73
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
Mr. Teitelbaum was married, on January 10, 1910, in New York City, to Sara Seiler. They are the parents of Rita Teitelbaum, born in 1916; and of Jay Lloyd Teitelbaum, born in 1921. The business address of Mr. Teitelbaum is No. 446 Westchester Avenue, The Bronx, New York City.
MICHAEL J. WOLF, proprietor of "Marion In- fants' Wear," an infants' wear shop in The Bronx, is a son of Areie and Sesil Wolf, both of Austrian birth, both living, the father engaged in the fruit business. In Austria the elder Mr. Wolf served for a time in the Austrian Army.
Michael J. Wolf was born in Narol, Austria, Sep- tember 15, 1891, and came to the United States with his parents at the age of twelve. He had little op- portunity for education, but being ambitious, at- tended night school in New York City while he was working. For seven years he was employed by Max Breman in a store on Avenue B, Manhattan, and then was salesman with the J. H. Semel Company for a period of six years. In 1916 Mr. Wolf opened up
Bronx-19
292
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
his own shop in The Bronx, under the name of "Marion Infants' Wear," and now has two shops on Fordham Road, both specializing in infants' wear. He is a member of the Fordham Mercantile Associ- ation, The Bronx Board of Trade, and Veritas Lodge, No. 734, Free. and Accepted Masons, and his religious connections are with the Jacob Schiff Center.
Mr. Wolf married, in The Bronx, March 11, 1917, Rose Feiden, a daughter of Aaron Feiden, of Con- necticut, and they have one son, Martin, born March 18, 1918.
RICHARD WENDELKIN-One of the success- ful automobile agency men of The Bronx is Richard Wendelkin, proprietor of an agency handling the Willys-Knight, Overland and Hupmobile cars. Mr. Wendelkin is a son of Diedrich Richard and Helen Wendelkin, the father formerly in the garage busi- ness but now retired.
Richard Wendelkin was born in Manhattan, Feb- ruary 1, 1895, and attended Public School No. 40 in The Bronx. He was for ten years in the garage business, this enterprise having been started by his father. After acquiring a wealth of practical ex- perience in the automobile field, Mr. Wendelkin opened an automobile agency in 1920 and has been very successful. Since 1922 he has handled the Wil- lys-Knight and Overland cars, and he is also agent for the Hupmobile car. Fraternally Mr. Wendelkin is affiliated with Lodge No. 871, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and he is a member of the Schnorer Club.
He married, in The Bronx, November 17, 1918, Emily Herrmann, daughter of Joseph and Pauline Herrmann, both living, the father being retired. Mr. and Mrs. Wendelkin have one child, Emily Doris, born January 19, 1921.
GEORGE WEISS-A member of a family en- gaged in the florist business for several generations, it was only natural that Mr. Weiss should himself have followed the family tradition when the time had arrived to choose his life's work. He was born in Irvington, Westchester County, March 11, 1887, a son of Charles and Christina Weiss, his father a native of Germany who had come to the United States at the age of twenty-one, after having learned the florist business in Europe.
Georg'e Weiss had become a resident of The Bronx, in 1889, when his parents had moved there, and it was in the public schools of that borough of Greater New York, that he was educated. In the meantime his father, a pioneer florist of The Bronx, started greenhouses in East One Hundred and Six- ty-second Street, between Sherman and Morris ave- nues, in 1889, where his son learned the florist busi- ness. In 1911, a new place of business was opened at No. 3196 Third Avenue under the firm name of Charles Weiss & Son and George Weiss became the manager of this enterprise from its inception. During the World War he served with the Seventy- seventh Division, being stationed at Camp Upton and receiving his discharge at the end of the war with the rank of corporal.
Mr. Weiss is a member of The Bronx Rotary Club, The Bronx Board of Trade, the Schnorer Club, and Azure Lodge, No. 868, Free and Accepted Masons.
Mr. Weiss married, January 29, 1919, in The Bronx, Gertrude Popcke, daughter of Emil and Elizabeth Popcke. Mr. and Mrs. Weiss are the par- ents of one daughter, Alma, born October 31, 1920, and they reside at No. 289 East Two Hundred and Fifth Street, The Bronx.
MORRIS J. GOLDMAN-Though having come to The Bronx comparatively recently, Mr. Goldman has quickly become a valued participant in its business life. He was born in Russia, January 16, 1883, a son of Harry and Sarah Goldman, his father, now retired, making his home with his wife in Brooklyn.
Morris J. Goldman came to the United States with his parents in 1893 as a boy of ten, and was educated in the public schools of New York City. He went to work as a young man and eventually established himself in the automobile accessories business in that part of Manhattan known as Greenwich Vil- lage. After having continued in this business for more than fifteen years, he removed to The Bronx and in 1922 founded the Fordham Plumbing Supply Company, Inc., wholesale dealers in plumbing sup- plies, at No. 3941 Third Avenue, The Bronx, of which company he is president. He is a member of Columbian Lodge, No. 484, Free and Accepted Ma- sons; Adirondack Lodge, Knights of Pythias; Grand Street Boys' Association; Mount Judah Benevolent Association; and The Bronx Board of Trade. His religious affiliations are with the Jewish faith and he is a member of the synagogue in Everett Hall.
Mr. Goldman married, in New York City, March 24, 1907, Nettie Roffman, daughter of Abraham. and Leonore Roffman, both dead. Mr. and Mrs. Gold- man have no children and make their home at No. 1355 Morris Avenue, The Bronx.
NICHOLAS DORAZIO-Widely known through- out The Bronx, New York City, and an even larger area because of the excellence of the organization he heads, The Bronx Standard Press, at Nos. 2714-18 Third Avenue, Nicholas Dorazio, with his partner, John Dorazio, has built up a complete and admirable printing service. Ambitious and able, thoroughly trained in the printing trade, Nicholas Dorazio de- serves the success he has won. He was born in Rome, Italy, April 24, 1899, son of Vincent and Theresa Dorazio, and was brought to this country at the age of five. Both parents are living, and his father, who served for three years in the Italian Army, has retired from active business. The son attended the public schools in Quincy, Massachusetts, and Public School No. 1, The Bronx, New York City, which he finished in 1913. He then entered upon his career as a printer, to which he has ad- hered ever since. His first occupation was with "Collier's Weekly," but in 1921 he established his present business. The well equipped plant of The Bronx Standard Press, prints calendars, office forms, souvenir journals, and wedding announcements. At-
293
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
tractiveness of appearance and excellence of work- manship characterize the output. The company has a large group of permanent clients and serves an increasing clientele. Mr. Dorazio is a member of The Bronx Board of Trade and of the Knights of Columbus. He is a communicant of the Roman Catholic Church, Our Lady of Pity. Ambitious and intelligent, with the capacity for making friends easily and for inspiring confidence; interested in a wide variety of affairs, Nicholas Dorazio bids fair to be- come a leading citizen of The Bronx as it grows 111 importance.
ALPHONSE WILLIAM WEINER is the presi- dent of the corporation owning the oldest jewelry store in The Bronx, it having been established in 1889 by his father. His father's first store was situated on Willis Avenue, between One Hundred and Forty-third and One Hundred and Forty-fourth streets; his second store was on Third Avenue be- tween One Hundred and Forty-third and One Hun- dred and Forty-fourth streets; his third on Third Avenue, between One Hundred and Forty-eighth and One Hundred and Forty-ninth streets; the fourth and last store is situated at No. 2940 Third Avenue, where he moved in 1922, his store fully equipped with a complete line of diamonds, watches and jew- elry. His father was born in Germany, but left there soon after the Franco-Prussian War, and set- tled in Ireland. In 1888 he came to the United States and established the jewelry business in The Bronx in 1889, which his son is continuing at the present time.
Alphonse William Weiner was born in Dublin, Ireland, July 13, 1886, son of Alphonse William and Catherine Ann Weiner. He came to the United States with his parents at the age of three years, they settling in The Bronx, where he attended the public and high schools. He then attended the New York School of Opthometry, graduating from there in 1902. After graduation he entered the jew- elry store of his father, where for ten years he prac- ticed opthometry in conjunction with the jewelry business. He was a captain in the Second Field Ar- tillery, United States National Guard, and served on the Mexican border in 1916, and during the World War was in command of Battery D, Second Field Artillery, New York National Guard. His fraternal affiliations are with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, No. 871, New York Council, No. 124, Knights of Columbus. He is a member of the United States Flag Association, Second Field Ar- tillery Veterans' Association, American National Re- tail Jewelers' Association, The Rotary Club, be- ing a past president of same; The Bronx Board of Trade, and New York Athletic Club. His religious fellowship is with the Holy Family Church of New Rochelle.
Alphonse W. Weiner married, February 14, 1913, in Fordham, Maude E. O'Donnell, daughter of Frank and Maude E. O'Donnell, both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Weiner are the parents of two children: 1. Alphonse William, Jr., born September 8, 1917. 2. Maude Catherine, born February 9, 1925. The family home is at No. 399 Webster Avenue, New Rochelle.
ALBERT GRANATELL was born in New York City, June 28, 1881, a son of Albert and Johanna Granatell, both now deceased. His father was a builder in New York City, who came to the United States from France when he was about thirty years of age.
Albert Granatell received his early education in the public schools of New York. After his school days were over he established himself in the house- furnishings business in a store at No. 338 St. Ann's Avenue. His business prospered to such an extent that he opened a branch store at No. 3081 Third Avenue where he remained until 1917. At this time he sold his first store on St. Ann's Avenue, but kept his branch store, removing it to its present location at No. 3029 Third Avenue, The Bronx, where he keeps a complete line of house furnishings. He is a member of The Bronx Board of Trade.
Albert Granatell married, July 22, 1900, in New York City, Magdelena Fesselmeier, daughter of John and Katherine Fesselmeier, her father now deceased but her mother still living (1927). Mr. and Mrs. Granatell are the parents of one daughter, Genevieve, born September 6, 1901. The family resides at No. 2386 Creston Avenue, and are communicants of Our Lady of Mercy Church.
DESIDER SCHOEN-As one who has been as- sociated with the realty progress of The Bronx dur- ing the years of the greatest activity of this section, Desider Schoen has been and continues to be fore- most among those who are engaged in building, buying, and selling property, in the yet further ad- vancement of the residential and the business in- terests of this vast community that has become a city in itself. Mr. Schoen has devoted his business career in its entirety, to realty in all its branches, both before he came to the United States, and since his residence here, and he is rightly accounted a Bronx builder of the ablest type as well as an ex- pert in realty values.
Desider Schoen, a son of Leopold Schoen, a prominent clothier in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, and of Theresa (Lefkowitz) Schoen, who survives her husband, was born August 17, 1880, in Budapest, where he graduated from high school in 1896, and afterwards learned the tailoring trade by his father. Coming to the United States in 1906, Mr. Schoen first established himself at No. 154 East Eighty-sixth Street, New York City. The same time he started his realty activities and devoted his time entirely to real estate and the building trade. In 1908 he removed to The Bronx on Westchester Avenue, where he organized the Schoen Westchester Realty Company, and as the president of the corporation he was well-liked among his clients. He moved his office to the southwest corner of Courtlandt Avenue and One Hundred and Forty-eighth Street, and pur- chased the building where the Desider Realty Corpor- ation today engage as builders and in the purchase and sale of real estate. Among the building operations of the company that were in part curtailed during the World War, are those of the thirty-six tenant apart- ment house at No. 2964 Valentine Avenue, and the forty-five tenant apartment, six-story building at the
294
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
southeast corner of Marion Avenue and One Hun- dred and Eighty-eighth Street.
Mr. Schoen is a member of several charitable or- ganizations. He is one of the men who prefers to give charity anonymously and for such he is well- known.
Desider Schoen married (first), June 10, 1905, in Budapest, Helen Weisberg, who is now deceased. They had born to them a daughter, Lillian Schoen, November 6, 1908. He married (second), March 18, 1921, in the city of New York, Zora Poppel, and they became the parents of a daughter, Zita, born March 19, 1924.
LUDWIG KOPF-For twenty-one years Ludwig Kopf has been doing business on the same corner in The Bronx, at Courtlandt Avenue and One Hun- dred and Fiftieth Street, being a resident for fifty- nine years of this part of the great Metropolis. He was seventeen years old when he left his home and his parents in Germany, and crossed the sea to make his future in America.
Ludwig Kopf was born on July 27, 1867, son of Joseph and Rosie Kopf, both of whom lie buried in the soil of the Fatherland. He was educated in the public schools of Germany, but he knew no Eng- lish when he arrived at his journey's end. His first step, therefore, was to get a position where he could earn his way, and at the same time master the new language by attending night school. After six months of diligent application and daily practice, he no longer found himself embarrassed by inability to speak or understand the tongue of his adopted country. His first contact with the American business world was as a clothing salesman at Paterson, New Jersey. Then, in the same line of work, he went to New York City, obtaining a place on the sales staff of Siegel-Cooper and later with the firm of Cohn Gold- man on Broadway. It was while he was holding this latter position that he opened a retail store, in 1900, at No. 583 Courtlandt Avenue, The Bronx, where he offered to the public a line of stationery and toys. Four years from the time he made this venture as a merchant, he established himself in his present quarters.
Mr. Kopf was beyond military age, when the war was declared by America, but his two sons both did valiant service for their country. In politics, he sup- ports the Democratic party.
Ludwig Kopf married, October 29, 1893, in Brook- lyn, New York, Sidonie Osten, daughter of Morris and Henrietta Osten, who had come to the United States when about twenty-three years of age with her brother. To Mr. and Mrs. Kopf two sons were born: Milton, on March 26, 1895, who served in the Twenty-sixth Division of the One Hundred and Second Regiment, Infantry, taking part in the Bat- tle of Chateau-Thierry, during which he was gassed. He was honorably discharged on March 29, 1919, waiving all claims to pension; Joseph, born on March 29, 1899, who enlisted also, and was stationed in the Merchant Marine.
MAURICE MÜLLER was born in Wesirtz, Bo- hemia, on January 31, 1871, son of Wilhelm and
Theresa Müller, where his father was a merchant.
The early years of his education were passed in the government schools of his native land, and when he was fourteen years old he came to the United States. His parents remained in Bohemia, where they have since passed away. Mr. Müller's first oc- cupation after landing in New York was as an er- rand boy in a downtown concern. But he was an ambitious lad, and by the time he had reached the age of eighteer., he was established in his own store, selling provisions. Under the firm name of Müller & Daub, he then engaged in the liquor business from 1898 to 1903, at which time he branched out into building ventures. He was among the pioneers of Hunt's Point, erecting there about seventy-five build- ings, among them many large apartment houses. This experiment being a success, he sought again a new section, this time in West Bronx, where he built a large department store on the corner of the Grand Concourse and Fordham Road, called the Wertheimer Building, and in addition put up many apartment houses and business structures.
Mr. Müller is very active politically, philanthropi- cally and fraternally, in addition to his wide business connections. He is vice-president of The Bronx Builders' Protective Association, vice-president of The Bronx Board of Trade and is a director of the Cosmopolitan Bank. He is a Democrat, and was an elector in the John W. Davis campaign. During the war he served on Draft Board No. 2. He is a director of The Bronx Chapter of the Boy Scouts, vice-president of The Bronx County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a director of The Bronx Hospital and the Young Men's Hebrew As- sociation, and chairman of the Finance Committee of the Lions Club of The Bronx. Fraternally, he is affiliated with Bronx Lodge, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, Hope Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and Mecca Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
On June 1, 1898, Maurice Müller married Gabri- ella Daub, daughter of William and Mary Daub. To Mr. and Mrs. Müller six children have been born: Nelson James, Sylvia, Winifred, Elsie, William, Julian. The family are members of the Tremont Temple, of which Mr. Müller is a trustee.
SAMUEL SHIREN-No small part of the re- cent development of Washington Heights in The Bronx and its adaptation as a comfortable and at- tractive residence section of New York City has been due to the vision and energy of Samuel Shiren, builder and general contractor, whose offices are at No. 1190 Tinton Avenue.
Mr. Shiren was born in Manhattan, March 28, 1895, son of Lazarus and Sophie Shiren. His father, born in Spain, came to this country as a young man and for many years has been a builder located in The Bronx, where he is now busy with several important pieces of construction. The son attended Public School No. 27, graduating in 1910. Since 1911 he has been associated with the building industry and has erected and bought and sold business prop- erties as well as apartment houses in The Bronx and Washington Heights. In fact, Mr. Shiren was
Dan thiren
295
THE BRONX AND ITS PEOPLE
the first to build on the Clarke Estate in the Wash- ington Heights section. He does a thriving busi- ness which gives promise of even greater develop- ment.
The call of his country during the World War found Mr. Shiren ready with his services, and he en- listed in the United States Navy, was trained at Pelham, where he was stationed as a first-class sea- man. He is a member of the Lions Club, the Grand Street Boys, the James W. Brown Association, the Builders' Industrial League of The Bronx, the Auto- mobile Club of The Bronx and that of America.
In The Bronx, October 15, 1922, Samuel Shiren married Clara Cinader, daughter of Charles Cinader, a leading manufacturer of coats and suits. To Mr. and Mrs. Shiren was born a son, Norman Shiren, February 7, 1925. The family residence is at No. 1325 Grand Concourse.
MORRIS A. POLATSCHEK-A native of New York City, Mr. Polatschek has been engaged in the upholstery, house furnishing, and interior decorat- ing business for many years, ever since he graduated from public school as a boy. For almost a decade and a half he has been established in this line as president of the firm of M. A. Polatschek, Incor- porated, and throughout all these years his busi- ness has been located at No. 18 West Fordham Road, The Bronx. In this part of The Bronx he is one of the widely-known and most highly respected busi- ness men, and the great prosperity and high reputa- tion which his business enjoys is entirely the result of his unremitting efforts, a thorough knowledge of all its branches, his honesty and his business ability.
Morris A. Polatschek was born in Hungary, Janu- ary 28, 1878, a son of the late Henry and Regina Polatschek, the former, deceased in 1918, for many years a successful importer, having come to the United States from Europe as a young man, and being survived at the time of his death, by his son and by his widow, who died in 1920. Mr. Polatschek was educated in the public schools of New York, at- tending Public School No. 22. As a boy he entered the business in which he is now' engaged as the owner of his own establishment and, acquiring an unusually wide experience and knowledge, it was only natural that, when he decided, in 1912, to found a business of his own, he should meet with imme- diate success. The business has grown steadily and, having been in its present location ever since its foun- dation, is considered one of the pioneer establish- ments of its type in that section of The Bronx. He is a member of the board of directors of the Ford- ham National Bank and a member of the Hollander Society.
Mr. Polatschek married, in New York City, June 27, 1909, Pauline Guggenheim, a daughter of Solo- mon and Henrietta Guggenheim. Mr. and Mrs. Polatschek are the parents of one son, Harold, born March 13, 1910.
MORRIS HELLER-Engaged in the real estate business for more than a quarter of a century, Mr. Heller has been established for many years in The Bronx and since 1906 has been senior member of
the firm of Heller & Süssman, with headquarters in recent years at No. 391 East One Hundred and Forty-ninth Street, The Bronx. Much of the great success and prosperity of this concern is attributable to Mr. Heller's extensive knowledge of his business, his keen judgment of real estate values, his energy and ability, and his well-established integrity. He is also prominently active in the political, fraternal and religious life of The Bronx and for many years has been a liberal contributor to numerous charitable and benevolent institutions and organizations.
Morris Heller was born at Covnow, Germany, July 3, 1876, a son of the late Samuel and Bloomer Heller, the former a linen weaver to the time of his death in 1892, the latter deceased in 1916, both life- long residents of Germany. Mr. Heller came to the United States at the age of eleven years, and at- tended the public schools of Cleveland, Ohio, for the next three years. He then came to New York and became a resident of The Bronx. Eventually he entered the real estate business, and. in 1904 es- tablished himself in business on his own account and under his own name. Two years later, in 1906, he took Mr. Süssman into partnership, a connection which has endured since then. At one time the firm was engaged in building operations on One Hundred and Third Street and also erected garages on One Hundred and Fiftieth Street. The bulk of its busi- ness, however, consists of operating, buying and selling of real estate. Mr. Heller has always taken a deep interest in the needs and difficulties of those less fortunate than himself and he donated and built a school for poor children at No. 1786 Wash- ington Avenue, The Bronx. He is also a supporter of The Bronx Hospital Association, the Home of Jacob and the Cover Institution, the latter organiza- tion having for its purpose the extending of help to poor and deserving people by lending to them money without charging any interest. He is also a member of Bronx Lodge, No. 871, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In politics he is a supporter of the Democratic party, taking an active interest in public affairs and being a member of the Arthur H. Mur- phy Association. He has also contributed liberally many times both to churches and to synagogues.
Mr. Heller married, in The Bronx, December 24, 1903, Nettie Miller, a daughter of the late Samuel and Matilda Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Heller are the parents of four children: Sylvia; Sanford; Jeannette, a student at Hunter College; Theresa. The family home is located at No. 253 East One Hundred and Seventy-sixth Street, The Bronx.
JAMES B. LENAHAN-President of the cut stone concern of which his father, Bernard J. Lena- han, helped to build up, and of which he was presi- dent until his death in 1915, James B. Lenahan is known throughout Greater New York as one of the largest dealers in cut stone for building purposes in The Bronx. Among the jobs for which he has supplied materials are about twenty public school buildings, for the old Twenty-third Ward Bank, for the Dollar Savings Bank, now The Bronx County Trust Company, the Irving Columbia Trust Com- pany, Fordham branch of the Corn Exchange, the
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.