Max Ketellapper was the youngest son of Abraham K and Rosa Wans. In the early 1900's he immigrated to the New York area and started work in the restaurant business in Staten Island. Not long thereafter he moved to Tarrytown, New York, eventually owning a restaurant/tavern, "The Strand." In 1941-1942 he was contacted somehow by Louis Grishaver, and separately by Henri Grishaver who were related to him by marriage: Louis Grishaver was married to Janse Ketellapper Aronson's daughter Adriana. Max agreed to sponsor Henri Grishaver's family escape from Europe, i.e. guarantee that that family would not become public charges. This branch of the Grishaver family arrived in New in June 1941 after 13 months homeless and stateless after escape from Antwerp. Max had agreed to sponsor Louis Grishaver's family's escape from occupied Amsterdam even earlier, but Louis Grishaver's family was trapped in Amsterdam until they managed to escape in July 1942, finally arriving in New York via Camp Gibraltar in Jamaica in July 1943. So, "Uncle Max" by his sponsorship saved two family's lives in WW2. Note that even though Anne Frank's family, Otto Frank, had contacted Strauss, a principal of Macy's Department store, for similar help in getting a visa to the U.S., they were unable to get a visa to the U.S. and had to go into hiding.
Herman Grishaver, M.D.
