shtetl research:panevezys, lithuania

The Gross-Steinberg Family Tree presents:

Shtetl Research:
Panevezys, Lithuania

by James Gross

Panevezys, Lithuania:
located on the Neviazha River, about 7000 Jews before WWI
coordinates:55 44'/24 21'

Hello there,
I am researching the shtetl of Panevezys, Lithuania. I am on the listserve called "Jewishgen" and have pulled relevant posts from this service. I have put together this compilation of Panevezys, Lithuania coorespondence under "Panevezys Info Dump". I also have a copy of a database prepared by Jeffrey Maynard ([email protected]) and distributed by by Ed Cohler. It is my understanding that Ed's disks were erroneously entitled "Prenumeration Lists". The lists are translations of donations made by Jews in Eastern Europe during times of famine and other needs. These lists, including the Hammagid List, were authored by Jeffrey Maynard ([email protected]) and specific questions regarding entries should be addressed to him. You can access these 2 pages at the bottom of this page.
Legal stuff:I have the permission of Mr Maynard to share this info with you. Use of this info for financial gain is not permitted by the author.

I have obtained several maps of Panevezys,Lithuania from the Library of Congress.
These maps include:

Lithuania 1926 by Friedrichsen-Ozel (copy#1) scale 1:750,000

Lithuania 1917 by Salcius, scale 1:835,000

Poland 1935 call# G6520 S100.P6,#26-39
town of Panevezys,55 44'/24 21', scale 1:100,000

U.S. Army map series N501, town of Panevezys,55 44'/24 21'

You can get the above maps by sending a letter requesting cost information to:
The Library of Congress Attn:Willard Roberts Geography & Map Division Washington,D.C. 20540

Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996
From: [email protected]
Subject: map info
Jewish Gen researchers, I recently posted a variant of this letter on Jewishgen. In the list below I have indicated 4 sources for maps.

1. a great map of lithuania "The Baltic States-1845" by Adolph Steiler Map #M7 from Jonathan Sheppard Books P.O. Box 2020 Plaza Station Albany,NY 12220 Price: 5.95 + 3.75 rolled shipping.

2. Contact the the Library of Congress Send a letter to him asking for info on old WWII maps and/or preWWII maps for your town. Supply the town name variants and coordinates. Also ask for any reference info from historical gazatteers. They will send you complete info on your town, including excerpts from old maps. After getting the free sample copies, you can request a full sized copy upon payment. Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division,Washington,D.C. 20540

3. National Archives, Attn: Robert Richardson Cartiographic Branch,Washington,D.C. 20408 Ask him for any info on old maps, or German aerial photos of your town. Supply the town name variants and coordinates.

4. Geneology Unlimited: 1-800-666-4363 good for poland maps: do 2 things,ask for catalog and send them a large SASE letter requesting a free copy of the series ME200 map grid of Middle Europe & a copy of the series ME75 map grid of Middle Europe

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 1995
From: James Gross ([email protected])
Subject: Lithuanian Jews, Phila,Pa

The following charter info is based on some research that I did at the Phila,Pa City Hall in late 1994. My list is not complete as the film was hard to read.

The Alliance of American Lithuanian Jews of Phila Charter states that they meet at the Young Mens Hebrew Assoc, Broad & Pine St. The charter states that the alliance was established in Phila,Pa on 3/9/1944. It is listed as BPN #4, March Term 1944.

Members Include:

Jacob Davis 6261 North 17th St
David L. Pransky 5739 Rodman st
Aaron Schulman  5448 Walnut St
Michael Levin 4943 Sansom St
___ Davis 5507 Pine St
___ Love 6048 Catherine St
Simon Goldman 1429 N 7th St
Harry Uditzky 1325 N Franklin St
Jacob Burnstein  1936 N 7th St
Harry Daroff  1513 N 7th St
William Hougilman 1336 N 6th St
____Fischer 1312 N 7Th st
___ Spiegelman  1336 N 6th st
___ Perlman  5761 N 17th St
Isaac Jaffe  5513 Pine St

shared by James Gross/ e-mail: [email protected]

Date: Fri, 12 May 1995
From: Fred Davis
Subject: Panavezys, Lith. landsmansch.
On March 27, James Gross posted a listing from the incorporation papers of the Alliance of Lithuanian Jews of Philadelphia. It included two DAVIS', who are likely relatives of mine (family originally was DAVIMES in Joniskelis, Lithuania) and a LEVIN, also a possible relative. I let him know I had seen other landsmanschaftn incorporation papers at the American Jewish Historical Society. He encouraged me to post such listings and asked if any were Lithuanian. I have looked for two towns, both from Lithuania: Joniskelis --no luck, it was a very small town;Panavezys--big town--with three different landsmanschaftn in New York City. The incorporation papers, copied, are part of the large "New York Incorporation Papers" collection, call number I-154. The collection has been indexed geographically.

Here are the listings I found for Panevezys:

1889 United Brethren of Poneweisch (#657)
Directors and Trustees:
Abram KATZ--President
Abraham W. DEMBO--Vice-President
Bernard A. KADYSCHEVITZ--Treasurer
Jacob HURWITZ--Secretary
Charles ABRAHAMSON--1st Trustee (signed as Abramson)
Michael HAMMERMANN--Trustee
Louis BROSIN--Trustee
signed Aug. 29, 1889

1903 Ponevez Young Men Benevolent Assoc. (#1807) "...for promoting social intercourse among its members and to voluntarily take care of such of its members and their families who are sick and needy..."

Directors:
President, Samuel SAPIN--28 Henry St., Apt. 6

V. Pres., Daniel FEINBERG--14 Rutger Pl.
Rec. Sec., John KAPLAN--149 Broom St.
Fin. Sec., Isak WALD--516 E. 11 St.
Treas., Harry JAFFE--202 Broome St.
Sgt. at Arms, Harry FRIED--276 Madison St.
Trustee, Jacob D. BEHRMAN--194 Eldridge St.

1901 Independent Young Men of Poniewiez (#1729)

Charles RUBINSTEIN--President
Louis STROLL--Vice-Pres.
Joseph SOFFERMAN--Recording Sec.
Julius BECKE--Fin. Sec.
Abe MILLER--Treas.
Harry KAPLAN--1st Trustee
M. ROSENSTEIN--2nd Trustee
B. GINSBURG--3rd Trustee
Mayer HOROWITZ--Marshal
Louis MILER--Sgt. at Arms

Many more such listings for other towns are to be found at the AJHS in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Fred DAVIS, Medfield, MA

------------

To: [email protected]
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 12:33:25 -0700
Subject: Join the Panevezys Uyezd Research Group

Each of you to whom we are sending this e-mail were listed in the Jewish
Genealogical Family Finder (JGFF) as researching family in towns that
are located within the Panevezys Uyezd (District) of Kovna Gubernia
(Province) in Lithuania.  We apologize if you have already received this
via LitvakSig Digest. We know that not all of you receive LitvakSig
(Litvak Special Interest Group) Digest. For more information about
LitvakSig and what we are about, click on our LitvakSig web page

http://www1.jewishgen.org/litvak/

Do any of these towns/shtetls listed below sound familiar to you?
There were (are) all in the Panevezys Uyezd (District) which was part of

Kovna Gubernia (Province) in Lithuania during the 1800�s.  If so, we
invite you to join us as we form the Panevezys Uzezd Research Group
(PURGroup), sponsored by LitvakSig.

 Birzai (Birzh, Birshe)
 Gelaziai (Gelez, Gelazo)
 Joniskelis (Yanishkel, Yoganishkeli)
 Krekenava (Kravkinovo)
 Krincinas (Krinchin, Kritzian)
 Kriukai (Kruki)
 Linkuva (Linkovo)
 Naujamiestis Panevezys (Noiye Mesto, Naishtot Ponevezh)
 Nemunelio Radvilioski (Nei-Radvilishok)
 Pakruojis (Pokroi)
 Panevezys (Ponevezh)
 Pasvalys (Posvol)
 Pumpenai (Pumpian, Pompiany)
 Pusalotas (Pusholat)
 Ramygala (Remigola)
 Salociai (Salat, Salaty)
 Upyte
 Vabalninkas (Vabolnik, Voboniki, Abolnick)
 Vaskai (Vashki)
 Zeimelis (Zheimel, Zhemeli)

 We are soliciting monetary pledges and non-financial commitments
(translation and data entry) to help in the work.  As soon as we are
able to gauge the financial commitment of those of us whose ancestors
once lived in the Panevezys Uyezd, we will be able to move forward to
purchase Panevezys Uyezd   Revision Lists (census records) for
translation and database entry into the All Lithuanian Database, the
purpose for which this group has been formed.  This project will require

many individual pledges of $100 or more.

 These Revision Lists are �powerful genealogical resources� and an
�unbelievable gold mine� of information for the family researcher,
according to Harold Rhode.  This is a unique opportunity for us to
greatly expand our knowledge of our ancestors, to understand the world
in which they lived, and to honor their memories.

 Please let us know that you are interested in this project by sending
us the following information:

 Name and e-mail address
 Shtetls and surnames you are researching
 Amount of money you would like to pledge
 Participation in the form of translation or data input

 Thank you for your interest.  We look forward to hearing from you by
e-mail, fax, or phone.

Michael & Devera Witkin
Co-Coordinators, Panevezys Uyzed Research Group (PURGroup)
2 Southern Heights Avenue
San Francisco, CA  94107

phone  415.648.1137
fax  415.648.1191
e-mail  [email protected]
------------------

From: Devera Witkin 
To: James Gross 
Date: Sat, 04 Jul 1998 17:49:51 -0700
Subject: PURGroup business

Dear James,

Thanks for your response.  Michael & I have divided up the names of
those who have responded to our solicitation for membership in the
Panevezys Uyezd Research Group (PURGroup), and you are on my list.
First, thank you for your pledge of $10.  We are going to the annual JGS
seminar in Los Angeles on July 11th for a week.  At that time we'll find
out the answers to our  questions (like how much is the revision list
for our district, preferably the 1858 revision list, which usually is
the most complete list.  We also expect to find more people to join our
group, translators and data enterers.  Once we get back (July 19th), we
will know more about how much we have to raise to purchase the revision
lists, what work has to be done, etc.  We have spoken with a couple of
LitvakSig mavens and the revision lists are truly a goldmine of
information which should allow most of us involved in genealogy to add
substantial numbers of family to our own family trees.

How long have you been researching?  Have you had any successes?
Although we have been researching our families for little more than a
year, we are beginning to understand what we are looking for, and
sometimes even where and how to find the information.

We will get in touch with any new information after we return from the
seminar.  Are you, by any chance, going?  Let me hear from you.

Regards,  Devera Witkin, Co-Coordinator, PURGroup