ALBERT FREED and BERTHA HOLLANDER

Albert (Americanized from Aladar) was born on 24 July 1885, in Kecskemet, Hungary.  He arrived at Ellis Island, New York, with his mother, Fannie and Brothers Max and Rudolph on 12 Aug 1893.

 

They joined their father, Samuel, who was living in Mauch Chunk, PA, working as a tailor.  Sam had immigrated to the US in October, 1888. 

 

In August, 1894, Brother Charles was born in Pennsylvania.  By 1897, the family had moved to New York City, and Rose was born, followed by Louis in 1899, Anna in 1900, Nora in 1902 and Sam in 1906 (one month after father, Samuel, died).

 

Some time around the turn of the century, Albert brought a violin home.  Self-taught, the boys had an aptitude for music, and all learned to play the violin, cello and mandolin.  

 

24 April 1910, Albert (nicknamed Cully), was living with the family on East 119 St in Manhattan, working as a carpenter.

 

During that year, Albert played fiddle in the orchestra at a Bronx vaudeville theater where Bertha Hollander worked, selling tickets in a booth outside.  In 1910, they were married.

 

Bertha was born in Hungary in 1885.

Bertha’s brother, Alexander Hollander arrived at Ellis Island on 17 Oct 1904, on the SS Blucher.  He was 23 years old.  His destination in the US was to a cousin, Josef Fleisher, in New York City.

 

On 12 Mar 1906, Bertha (22) and her sister, Sidonia (26) arrived on the SS Patricia.  Their destination was to Alexander Hollander (brother), 317 E 59^th St, New York.

 

On 16 April, 1910, the census lists Sidonia and Gustave Newrath, married six months.  They were living at 761 E. 156 St in the Bronx, NY.  Living with them, was Bertha Hollander, 25, a dressmaker.

 

On 05 Jan 1920, Sidonia and Gustave Newrath were living on Davin St, in the Bronx, NY.  Living with them was: A son, Walter, and a daughter, Vivian.  Also living with the Newrath’s were Sedonia’s mother, Leonara Hollander (arrived 1912 at Ellis Island), and Milton, Bennie and Yunka Hollander, brothers and sister of Sidonia and Bertha.

 

On 05 April, 1930, Sidonia and Gustave Newrath were living on E 163 St in the Bronx, NY.  Walter and Vivian were still living at home, as well as Leonara Hollander and Johanna Hollander, 28, another sister of Sidonia and Bertha.  

 

12 Sept 1918, Albert registered for WWI draft, listing his address as 335 E. 32 St in New York. He was listed as an unemployed musician. 

 

17 January 1920, Albert and Bertha were living at 1373 Mc Bride St, in Far Rockaway, Queens, NY.  He was working as a musician.

  

 

Lucille Freed was born 23 June 1920.

 

13 Jan 1924, Albert worked as a musician on the SS Vauban cruise ship, sailing round trip from NY to Buenos Aires.  His brother, Sam was the bandmaster.  His brother, Lou, also is listed on the manifest of this trip as a bandsman. 

 

04 April 1930, Albert, Bertha and Lucille were living at 102 E 156 St, Bronx, NY. Albert was working as a carpenter.

 

17 June 1930 Albert died of a cerebral thrombosis at Morissania Hospital in the Bronx, NY, and was buried at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Queens, NY.  He was 43 years old. 

 

After Albert’s death, Bertha and Lucille moved to Washington, DC, where she worked as a cashier at a cafeteria owned by a relative, Joseph and his wife, Blanche (who was reputed to be a great Hungarian beauty).  Joseph could have been the cousin, Joseph Fleisher, that sponsored Bertha’s brother, Alexander , when he arrived at Ellis Island.

 

In 1931, Nora Freed’s husband, Max died.  Sometime after Max’s death, Nora, and her daughter, Gaygy (Fannie Helen), also left New York City to work as a hostess in Joe’s cafeteria.  

 

For Joe to provide this opportunity was life-saving for both the young widows and their daughters, who had no other means of support during the Depression. 

 

During the summer heat of DC, both Lucille and Gaygy were sent to Coney Island to spend time with my Grandparents, Rube and Gussie.  I’m sure it was a welcome relief to see the family again and enjoy the beach with their cousins. 

 

At this writing, the number of years spent in DC is unclear. Gaygy attended High School in DC, but quit at 16 years old, about 1941-2.  I have been told that they returned to NYC soon after Gaygy quit school.   

 

When Bertha returned to NY, she and Lucille lived in a boarding house owned by an uncle.  Jeannie remembers this house in the 14^th Street area. 

 

Lucille attended, but did not graduate from, Washington Irving High School on East 16th St near Gramercy Park. The school started out as a branch of Wadleigh High School, then was known as Girls’ Technical High School, the first school for girls in the city.  In 1913,the name changed to Washington Irving, and many years later it became co-ed.

 

Later, Lucille worked as a telephone operator in NYC, and then moved to Florida, where she was briefly married and divorced.

 

Bertha died in April of 1945, and is buried at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Queens, NY.

 

 

Shortly after the funeral, Lucille moved to California, where two of her cousins on the Hollander side lived.  She worked for a time at a Beverly Hills law office as a switchboard operator.

 

In 1948, Lucille Freed married Sol Garber, and they had three children, Ronald (b.1948), Denise (b.1951), and Lance (b.1954).  Sol died in Dec 1986, and Lucille still lives in Los Angeles.

 

Oddly, Sam and Albert Freed’s families were in Los Angeles, but no connection was made between the two.

 

Notes: 

Bertha’s Strudel:

Bertha taught Ralph’s wife, Nelly how to make strudel.  She also taught my Grandpa, Rube the secret, and I remember how delicious that strudel was.

  

 

Bertha’s Sewing Machine:

Bertha taught many of her dressmaking techniques to the family, and her big, black singer sewing machine was passed to Ralph’s daughter, Jeannie, when Bertha left for Washington, DC.  In the mid and late 1940’s, that machine was used by my grandpa, Rube, who made many of my clothes when I was a child. He taught me how to use it when I was 7 or 8 years old.  In the 1950’s, Rube gave the machine to my brother, Dickie.  I sewed many, many curtains during my early married years on that machine.  When Dickie died, in 2001, I brought the machine to my home, where it is today. 

 

Cully’s Cello: 

Cully gave Ralph his cello when Ralph’s cello fell apart.  When Ralph died, Rube, my grandfather, had the cello for a few years.  Rose’s son, Woody was touring in a play, and Rube gave him the cello to travel with.  At one point, Lou’s son, Stephen Paul went to see Woody in a play at the Barter Theater in Virginia, and remembers Woody playing Cully’s cello!  Finally, Woody returned the cello to Lucille…and now it is back in New York City with Lucille’s granddaughter, Amy!