Goldie Ostaszewer

1880s–1890s

Born about 1882 in the Russian Empire. Married Louis Kutner about 1899; their daughter Rose was born in Plosk, Poland.

1900s

Daughter Stella was born about 1902 in Warsaw and son Benjamin about 1904. Joined Louis in America around 1907–1908.

1910s–1920s

Raised a large family in Brooklyn. Lost Benjamin young and her daughter Beckie in 1920; her youngest, Helen, was born in 1925.

1940s–1960s

Attended Helen's wedding in 1948 and was still living at Christmas 1960.

From Russia to Brooklyn

Golde (Goldie) Ostaszewer was born around 1882 in the Russian Empire; her surname also appears as Ostershaver, and other records call her Goldie Shachlewsky or Goldie Friedman. About 1899 she married Louis Kutner. Their daughter Rose was born around then in Plosk, Poland, followed by Stella (Ben's great-grandmother) about 1902 in Warsaw and a son, Benjamin, about 1904. Louis left for America in 1904, and Goldie brought the children over around 1907 or 1908. Stella arrived speaking mainly Yiddish.

In Brooklyn the family lived at 57 Seigel Street in 1910, where Louis ran a moving-van business, then on Ellery Street and Hopkins Street. Goldie had more children in New York: Rebecca (Beckie), about 1910; Pauline (Pearl), about 1912; Sylvia, about 1917; and Helen, born in June 1925, when Goldie was in her forties. She lost two of them young. Benjamin apparently died between 1910 and 1915, and Beckie died at the Jewish Hospital in Brooklyn in November 1920, at ten.

Goldie saw her daughters married: Rose in 1925, Pauline in 1931, and Helen, whose wedding she and Louis attended in 1948. At Christmas 1960 she joined Stella, Helen, and Helen's family at a family gathering. The date of her death has not been found.