Charles (Isaac or Judah) Fryer

Fri, 14 January 1927 = 11th of Sh’vat, 5687
י״א בִּשְׁבָט תרפ״ז

See the profile of his daughter, Ida (Etlya). It looks like his name was Leyb Ber (in the Russian record) or Leyb Dov (in the Hebrew record) son of Menakhem. This has to be him although my understanding from other records was that his father's name was Getsel. Previously, I speculated that his name was Judah (Yehudah) which of course is also with Leyb very often, as the religious name.

Also in the above record: "Father - from Olevsk community. Correction " son of Menakhem" is correct-signature."

Update - it seems likely that Charles, Asher, and Zindel were related, possibly brothers. Charles has stated that his father's name was Gottshalk or Gece and Asher and Zindel's father was Yaakov.

Charles is buried in Jerusalem so we could possibly find his gravestone. His given name is also unclear, either Isaac per his son's gravestone or Judel (Judah) on the passenger manifest. Possibly Yitkhak Judah. See above. It looks like his name was Judah (Yehudah Leib).

Update - it is very likely that the eldest son listed on the ship manifest below, Lippe age 19, was Lippe Reib or Rubenstein, now proven brother of Max Reib Rubenstein. I requested a photo of the headstone of Gabriel Rubenstein, whose descendants call themselves Reib, and it said Lippe son of Nachum. I wondered where Lippe went since he disappeared altogether. The birthdates work since Gabriel was born in 1864. [Hatte Blejer, Feb. 2017 and Sept. 2017]. There is no doubt that Lippe was the brother of Max Reib Rubenstein who took the name Gabriel Rubenstein.

About Muscatine, Iowa:

"...A minyan also met in Charles Fryer's house. It was across from the freight house on W. Front Street between Chestnut and Pine. There was a Mikveh in the house and Fryer's home was the center of Jewish life. A flat was finally secured in the second story of a house on 4th and Mulberry over a store called the Beehive across from the courthouse. Many Jews lived in the area and the community lay religious leader was Isaac Helman who guided the Muscatine Jews until 1890, a very important date for that community...."

Source: The Illinois-Iowa Jewish Community on the Banks of the Mississippi River"

Given name on the death certificate of his son Samuel is "Isaac" as Samuel's father.

Given name on ship manifest - Judel (hard to read). JUDEL FRIER

City of Berlin, left Hamburg on July 15, 1883. In his party were

• Judel age 40 laborer
• Malie age 38 wife
• Lipe age 19
• Saml age 14
• Abram age 10
• Chaye age 5 (last name and age difficult to read)

He states in 1924 that he sailed from Russia out of Odessa.

Was in Muscatine most of his life in America. Towards the end of his live, he lived in Davenport. He was a real estate agent later in life.. Was a religious leader of the small group of Jewish immigrants in Muscatine. Still alive and living in Muscatine in 1915. His sons were living in Rock Island. He remarried after the death of Mary (Malka) to a non-American named Hanah.

Was issued a passport on 28 Apr 1906 at which time he had resided in Muscatine since coming to the U.S. Sailed from Hamburg on City of Berlin on July 15, 1882. Naturalized Sept 16, 1887. 5'8 in height, black hair, brown eyes, dark complexion. Lived to be 82 years old and was apparently very robust, traveling abroad at age 79.

Was issued another passport in 1924 and stated he was going to France, Palestine, and Italy. Died in Jerusalem, Palestine of myocarditis at age 82 while abroad on January 14, 1927. Died in the New Bikur Cholim Hospital. His widow Hanah was listed as residing in Mea Shearim and not being a U.S. citizen. His son Abraham N. Fryer was notified.

Muscatine, Iowa, the residence of Charles Fryer housed a ritual bath and seems to have served as the center of Jewish life in the late nineteenth century.

Sued by his daughter and son-in-law for $1000:

M. L. Urdangen, Appellee, v. Charles Fryer, Appellant.

COMPROMISE AND SETTLEMENT: Consideration—Unfounded

March 12, 1918.

Action on the alleged settlement and for services resulted in a judgment for plaintiff. The defendant appeals.— Affirmed.

Settlement: ... entered into an agreement March 4, 1914, whereby the defendant undertook to pay plaintiff the sum of $1,000 by executing a note for that amount and mortgage to secure the same; and that, though plaintiff complied with the terms thereof, the defendant failed and refused to carry out his agreement. In a second count of the petition, plaintiff demanded compensation for expenses and services subsequently rendered.

The defendant specifically denies that, from and after the 5th day of June, 1912, he was ever indebted to said plaintiff, M. L. Urdangen, and denies that, in the month of March, 1914, a settlement and accounting was had between himself and the plaintiff. He further denies that, at Mason City, Iowa, or at any other time or place, he ever agreed that he was indebted to said plaintiff in the sum of $1.00(1 or any other sum, but avers the facts to be that, in a settlement and accounting had by and between himself, A. N. Fryer, M. L. Urdangen, and Ida Urdangen at Rock Island. Ill., on or about the 5tb day of June, 1912, it was there and then orally agreed by and between all of said parties that all claims and indebtedness owing from one to the other should be adjusted and settled, and that, in pursuance of said oral agreement to account and adjust their various claims, the said indebtedness then owing by this defendant unto said plaintiff was agreed to as fully paid."

That part from "but avers to the end was stricken on motion, as constituting no defense and as incompetent and immaterial to any issue in the case. Segregated from the remainder of the division, the portion stricken had little or no bearing; but, considered in connection therewith, the pleading (1) alleged that there was a complete settlement of all matters between the parties on the day stated, and (2) denied that defendant had ever become indebted to the parties..

Iowa State Census 1915 lists in Muscatine Charles Fryer, age 70, widower, born in the "Soviet Union"