The WELLER's and ...

the BENGIS & MORO Connections

 

Sam & Celia Bengis: Sam Bengis and the Weller’s were cousins but how they are related has not yet been established. Sam immigrated to the US twice. He came when he was 15 but returned to Vilna as he didn’t like it here. He returned on a cattle ship and was responsible for watering the cows. Throughout his life he used the line “C’mon Sam, bring the bucket!” referring to his duties on the ship. He returned to the US when he was 19 and remained.

In 1930 Sam & Celia Bengis and their children lived on E. 171st Street in the Bronx, just several blocks from Jacob & Bessie Weller who lived on E. 174th Street. Shirley reports that when Rose Bengis was young, she put her mother’s freshly baked hamentashen in the bathtub to see if they would float. Rose said Frances Weller-Albertson helped get her daughter-in-laws' wedding gown. Rose also reported that cousin Dora Turitz (?) lived downtown with her very handsome husband Joe and arranged all the shiddachs! It is unclear whether Dora and Joe were related to Jacob!

Sam Bengis was an operator in a cloaks factory and worked with Jacob Weller.

Descendants of Unknown Bengis    

..... 1 Unknown Bengis
..... + Rifka Unknown
........... 2 Joseph Bengis (1895 - )
........... 2 Sam Bengis (1895 - )
........... + Celia Ulitowitz (1896 - )
................. 3 Sonya Bengis (1916 - )
................. 3 Rose Bengis (1918 - )
................. + Unknown Newmark
....................... 4 Fred Newmark
....................... 4 Marlene Newmark
....................... + Robert Engel
....................... 4 Burton Newmark
................. 3 Joseph Bengis (1927 - )
........... 2 Twin boy Bengis (1895 - )
........... 2 Michel Bengis (1895 - )

 

MORO MYSTERY PARTIALLY SOLVED! ... work in progress

Years after my Aunt Shirley WELLER-HERMAN-STRASSLER told me we were related to the MORO's, Don and Steve Moro found this site on the internet and contacted me as they believe Bessie ZEMSER-WELLER and their grandmother, Jennie BERGMAN-MORO were first cousins.

Jennie and her two sisters, Helen and Minnie, (all born in Kovno) came to the US in 1906 with their parents (Solomon CHITROVITZ m. Sarah or Simcha BERLIN) after living in London since 1894. Prior to arriving in the US the family name was CHITROVITZ (pronounced KITROVITZ) and it was changed to BERGMAN as they were headed to an uncle named BERGMAN. Solomon was not happy in the US and returned to Europe where it is believed he died prior to 1911. It is reported that Jennie then lived with her first cousin, Bessie WEELER until she married Sam MORO in NYC 26 JUN 1910.

We see two possibilities here that would make Bessie and Jennie first cousins ... (1) Bessie's mother, Mariasha STRELECKAJA-ZEMSER had a sister who married someone named BERLIN or CHITROVITZ or (2) Bessie's father, Raphael ZEMSER had a sister who married someone named BERLIN or CHITROVITZ. To date we have been unable to prove either theory.

In 1930, the MORO family lived on Dawson Street in the Bronx. Sam and Jennie's son, Sol Moro was a pharmacist and their daughter Libby’s husband, Sid Baken, was an architect. Libby & Sid moved to the DC area. As Jennie died in Alexandria, VA perhaps she was living with or near Libby & Sid.

Descendants of Sam Moro  

 ..... 1 Louis Moro
..... + Dora Siegel
........... 2 Sam Moro (1886 - 1973)
........... + Jennie Bergman (1891 - 1979)
................. 3 Soloman Moro (1911 - 1991)
................. + Sylvia Gold
....................... 4 Donald Moro
....................... + Mary Jo Anderle
....................... 4 Stephen Moro
....................... 4 Cynthia Moro
................. 3 Lillian (Libby) Moro (1914 - )
................. + Sidney Baken
....................... 4 Sara Baken
....................... 4 Allen Baken
................. 3 Nathan Moro (1918 - 1989)
................. + Shirley Unknown
....................... 4 Steve Moro
....................... + Marsha UNKNOWN
....................... 4 Debra Moro
....................... + Malcom Rothman
....................... 4 Alan Moro
....................... + Jenny UNKNOWN

 

 

ÜWELLER HISTORY

ÜWELLER DESCENDANTS