Said to have been orphaned at age 5 and raised by her grandparents. She left home at about age 15 and worked as a translator/interpretor for steamship company since she spoke 5 languages. During her ship journey to the US, she befriended a woman who would later marry Dr. Abraham Ornstein, a famous American psychoanalyst who studied with Sigmund Freud. The Ornsteins were married in Sarah's house. Her first husband, Nathan Silverman, died ca. 1904.
Sarah married Solomon Silber about 1905 and they moved to Camden, NJ (ca. 1906) and Lynchberg, VA where Sarah ran a dry goods store. About 1909, Solomon left the family and moved to Texas. Sarah and her three children then moved to Camden and on to Philadelphia.
1910 US Federal Census: Lynchburg City, Campbell Co., Virginia, Ward 2, District 84. Living with Harry, Jacob, Isadore and Edna. ‘Widowed’.
1920 US Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Co., City of Philadelphia, vol. 266, ED# 1386, sheet 57A, line 40. Owned residence at 2416 South Lawrence St. with sons, Jacob, Isadore and daughter, Edna. Yr of immigration to US listed as 1890. BP listed as Russia, mother tongue Yiddish, parents listed as both from Russia and speaking Yiddish, listed as unemployed.