Gedaliah Eliasz Cohen

• We initially learned his name from Sarah Shapiro's (nee Cohen) tombstone, as well as her ketubah.
• His great-grandson Godfrey Shapiro Z"L (Ya'akov Gedalya ben Baruch Eliahu) was named after him.
• Jacob Cohen's tombstone gives his (i.e. Jacob's) Hebrew name as Ya'akov ben Gedalyahu. There was a family tradition that Jacob's son, Dr Rev Abraham Cohen, and my great-grandfather Barney Shapiro were first cousins. In addition, the name Gedalyahu was relatively uncommon at the time. This, plus some additional documentation, helped to establish his identity, as well as confirming the connection to Jacob Cohen.
• Furthermore, Gedaliah's identity as the person listed in various UK records was confirmed via his daughter's civil marriage license, which listed his profession.
• The family records of descendant Gregory Conway suggest that he came to the UK in 1881 so Hinda his wife must have died before that date.
• He is found residing with his son Morris in the 1891 UK census.
• After considerable effort, his tombstone (image attached to profile) was located in the Plashet cemetery, in London.
• A family tradition says that either he or his wife were siblings (or possibly cousins) of the Wartski family of Turek (i.e. Morris (Moritz) Wartski). Further research is needed to confirm the exact relationship. The reminisces of Nellie Rathbone (nee Cohen) indicate that Gedaliah was the one who was related to the Wartskis, although she didn't specify details. Several other family members recall being introduced to Wartskis as cousins. Update: The 1872 Turek Book of Residents confirms that Hinda was the sister of Roza Wartski.
• Gedaliah's original surname (Jacobowsky) was supplied by Gregory Conway, a descendant of Morris Cohen.

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https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2J5L-TXJ

Gedaliah Cohen

• England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007
• Name Gedaliah Cohen
• Event Type Death
• Registration Quarter Oct-Nov-Dec
• Registration Year 1899
• Registration District Mile End Old Town
• County London
• Event Place Mile End Old Town, London, England
• Age (available after 1866) 80
• Birth Year (Estimated) 1819
• Volume 1C
• Page 328
• Line Number 317

The details from that death certificate read as follows:

• Superintendent Registrar's District: Mile End Old Town
• Registrar's Sub-District: Mile End Old Town Western
• 1899. DEATHS in the Sub-District of Mile end Old Town Western in the County of London
• No. 164
• When and Where Died: Tenth October 1899 - 50 Settles Street
• Name and Surname: Gedaliah Cohen
• Sex: Male
• Age: 80 years
• Rank of Profession: formerly Collector to Friendly Society
• Cause of Death: Bronchitis. Certified by [?]
• Signature, Description and Residence of Informant: The mark of Isaac Cohen son. Present at death. 46 Gower's Walk, Whitechapel
• When Registered: 11 October 1899
• Signature of Registrar: John R Ratcliff (Registrar)

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His burial record:

Geddliah (Gedaliah) Cohen

• Buried 12 October 1899
• Plashet Cemetery
• Section D: Row 16: Number 38

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The Konin archives has an earlier tranche of Books of Residence for Turek. From the 1872 records:

House: #27 (family 91)
Name: Jakubowski, Gedalie Eliasz
Parents: Herz, Itta
Birth date: 19 July 1820
Place of birth: Sompolno (Kolo county)
Marital status: married
Religion: Jewish
Occupation: weaver
Notes: he went abroad on 18th December 1877; act #4827

Source: Konin state archive
Collection: Akta miasa Turek
Signatura: 2168
Pages: 568-569
Language: Russian
Translated by www.polishancestors.com

A birth record from Sompolno exists. The following translation was supplied by Maciej Kolski:

Act no. 48
Sompolno

20th of July 1820 at 2 p.m. Before us, parish priest in Sompolno came in person Orthodox Jew Hers [Hersz] Jakubiak, he is 30 years old, butcher, resident of Sompolno, and he showed us male infant that was born in his house no. 10 on 18th day of that month and year at 8 p.m., he declared he is father of that infant and mother is his legal wife – Tekla, who is 20 years old, and it is his wish to name that infant: Gedalie. Witnesses: Jakob Jaba, 30 years old, haberdasher, and Jakob Zyskin, tailor, 40 years old, they are both residents of Sompolno.

That document was signed.
- Ignacy Krantz, registrar

The Turek family register gives Gedalia's profession as "weaver". However, Pessa's birth akta from Sompolno (1848) is more descriptive: "fabrikant wyrobów bawełnianych", i.e. owner of a factory that produced cotton goods. In the UK, he worked as a collector for a Friendly Society (which one is not known).