simowitz draftsimowitza.html

FAMILY OF HENRY SIMOWITZ, 1700s-2000s

prepared by Allen Henry Greenfield

research by Sheila Lee Greenfield

I was given my middle name in memory of my maternal grandfather, Henry Simowitz. We have succeeded in tracing some family lineage back to what is now Slovakia, as far as the late 1700s. This is a working text. A separate page is being developed for my paternal family, the Greenfields. There is a salute to some of my relatives on both sides of my family who fought in World War II for those who are interested.

Joseph Weber (circa b. 1790), Wife Leah Weber. Origin unknown; name means "weaver" in German. Note that German-speaking areas existed all over Europe, from France to Russia. of the area in which the family, even extended family, seems to have moved is in the present Ukraine (Munkacevo) and Slovakia (Muckacevo, Velke Kaposney and later Homonna). German-speaking people were settled for political reasons as far East as the then Tsarist Empire of Russia. In the 1800s until the First World War, most of this area was under control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in the Hungarian region.

Their daughter, Reisel Weber married Rabbi Eleazer HA KOHEN Samunovics (b. circa 1820) (variant of Simowitz or Simonowitz). Reisel was a native of Kapusany in Solvakia. Rabbi Eleazer seems to have been associate with the Kapuscher Rebbe, and the great center of Chassidic learning founded by the latter in Velke Kaposy.

Henry Simowitz was born in 1856, probably also in Kapusany. His Hebrew name was Chaim HA KOHEN Yechiel, and he went by the Hungarian name Mihaly Samunovics (derived loosely from the Hebrew name "Yechiel" which rhymes with Michael). He was drafted into the Hungarian army in 1882. He appears to have married during or shortly after this period. Three children were born between 1887 and 1889, two in 1889 alone (10 1/2 months apart).

From November 3, 1889 to at least August of 1894 Henry Simowitz lived in Homonna, on the Hungarian-Slovakian frontier, in the Carpathian Mountain foothills. On November 7, 1889 he was granted a Shoemaker's trade license under the name Mihaly Samunovics. He was said also to be a blacksmith, and darkly rumored to have traded in stolen horses. Internal evidence of documents suggests that he was considered something of a scholar in the Jewish community. Mrs. Samunovics was also granted a trade license, as a grocers in Homonna on October 20, 1892.

At this point, something happens. It may be that Mrs. Samunovics died suddenly, leaving Henry with three small children. Before the end of 1892 he was married to the daughter of Rabbi Akiva Dov (Moreinu Harav; Our teacher, the Rabbi), Chana (Hannah) Friedman. There is some evidence that she may have been a relative of the Kapuscher Rebbe's extended family.

The Fried or Friedman family of Velke Kaposney were the wellspring of a distinguished lineage of Chassadic Rebbes known as the "Kapusher Rebbes" (see below). According to our cousin Eli Pollack, the tombstone of Rabbi Joshua Fried was turned into a picture postcard, presumably by his followers. In 1885 the Kapusher Rebbe, Herman Fried, had married Henry Simowitz's sister Sari to an Ignatz Gottesman of Munkacevo in Kapusany. As late as 1937 a Rabbi Alex Friedman was signing official Hungarian government records in this area. These may be the family of Hannah Friedman Simowitz. An official document indicates they declared intention to leave Homonna August 2, 1894. On October 15 1894 a daughter was born to them. Another child, a son, was born in 1895. Somewhere during this period, as Henry and Hannah Simowitz, they relocated to Cincinnati,Ohio in the United States where they had relatives. They probably arrived at Boston in 1895. On June 15, 1897 Henry Simowitz declared his intention to become a U.S. Citizen. This was granted 12 October, 1899. Shortly thereafter, the family relocated to Augusta and Waynesboro, Georgia USA. They had a total of eleven children, including the three from Henry's first wife.

Their children were:

(These were all children of Hannah and Henry Simowitz (center rear). All married, all had children. Photo was taken about 1916.)

Henry Simowitz died December 4, 1919.

Hannah Simowitz died May 31, 1945.

Both are buried at Augusta, GA USA.

Munkacs-A typical village in the "Simowitz area"

Grand Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Hakohen Fried of Kapusch was born in 1824 he passed away in 1921. He performed the marriage of Sari Simowitz, daughter of Rabbi Eliazer. He was a student of Reb Chaim of Sanz, Reb Tzvi Hirsch of Liska and Reb Yitzchok Eizek of Zidichov. He became a Chassidic "Rebbe" in 1870, and established a "Great Yeshiva" (Jewish School for Higher Talmudical Education) in Kapusch (Velke Kapusany), and wrote a book called "Zichron Yehoshua" In 1900 gave over the leadership of his followers to his son Reb Yaakov Meir, who died in 1935.