Available documents to be posted in the future: 1920 and 1930 Federal Census, 1907 and 1909 ship's passenger records, son Jack Peselnick World War I registrations and naturalization papers.

Isaac (Yitzhak) Peselnick was born on 4/15/1874 in Tolochin, Belarus.  He died on 12/24/1933 in Brooklyn, NY and was buried in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery, Glendale, Queens, NY.  He married Celia (Tzippe) Fitlin (daughter of Shimon FAJTLIN) about 1896 in Mogilev, Belarus.  Celia (Tzippe) FITLIN was born about 1873 in Mogilev, Belarus.  She died on 5/18/1939 in Brooklyn, NY and was buried in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery, Glendale, Queens, NY.

Isaac Peselnick's Immigration to the U.S.

Itchik (later known as Isaac) Peselnick sailed on the S.S. Majestic from Southampton, England on 8/21/1907 arriving in New York City on 8/29/1907.  The ship's manifest showed him as being a 34 year old ladies tailor from Russia.  His last permanent residence was in England where he listed as a friend a Mr. Davies in London.  He was in possession of $30 and was going to his brother, a Mr. Peselnick (who would have been Charles) at 220 Cherry St. in NYC.  Isaac was 5'3", fair complexion, with brown hair and brown eyes.  He was shown as being born in Dulachine, Russia.  (Dulachine is phonetically equivalent to Tolochin, a town near the city Mogilev (in Belarus today) in the province of Mogilev.) 

Isaac's Wife Celia and Family's Immigration to the U.S.

Zippe (later known as Celia) Peselnick (maiden name Fitlin) and the rest of the family sailed on the S.S. Birma from Libau (today known as Liepaja in Latvia) on 8/3/1909 arriving in NYC on 8/17/1909.  On the ship's manifest, Zippe was shown as a 37 year old housewife from Russia and was in possession of $28.50.  She was accompanied by five children, Feige (a 1 year old girl, later known as Fannie--the age would be incorrect and was probably meant to be 11), Jankel (a 10 year old boy, later known as Jack or Jacob), Ester (9 years old, later known as Esther), Jassel (an 8 year old boy, later known as Joseph), and Gerschen (a 7 year old boy who died soon after arrival from an injury suffered on the ship).  Zippe was 5'3", light complexion, with brown hair and brown eyes.  She and the five children were all shown as being born in Mogilev, Russia with Mogilev also being their last residence.  (Mogilev was a name of a province as well as a city.)  Their closest relative in Mogilev was Simon Feitlin (who would have been Zippe's father).  Zippe was going to see her husband Itsik Peselnick, c/o Heim, 274 Henry St., NY.  Their residence in August 1909 was 58 Gouverneur St. in Manhattan.  Isaac and Celia had four more children in New York.  Their nine children were named Jacob (Jankel), Fannie (Feige), Esther (Ester), Joseph (Jassel), Gerschen, Morris, Samuel, Sydney, and Florence.

Gerschen Peselnick

Gerschen was injured on the S.S. Birma enroute to NYC in August 1909.  He was hospitalized (at Willow Parker Hospital) after arrival and died on 9/1/1909 after only two weeks in the U.S.  Gerschen's death certificate indicates he was buried at "R Ocean View Cem." in Staten Island; however, it is more likely that he was actually buried nearby at what is now known as Mt. Richmond Cemetery (also known as the Hebrew Free Burial Assoc. Cemetery).  (Gerschen's death certificate #26185 was filed under the name George Passelnik.) 

Jack Peselnick

Jacob (known as Jack) Peselnick, born 8/15/1895, single and living at 322 Madison, New York, NY, born in Mogilev, registered for the World War I draft on 6/15/1917.  At that time he worked as a salesman at Levinson & Shapiro, 98 Canal St.  A second undated draft registration card showed a Jacob Peselnick, 20 years old, born 11/15/1897, living at 287 Henry St., a traveling salesman at Levinson Shapiro.  Jacob declared his intention to become a citizen on 5/15/1915, at which time he was living at 324 Madison St.  He became a citizen on 9/7/1922.  His Petition for Naturalization was filed 4/20/1922, at which time he was living at 402 East 8th St. (a family member suggests this was actually 402 E. 9th St.) with his wife Julia (maiden name Levow).  Jacob's witnesses were Abraham Hurwitz, Jobber, and Jack Bagin, Packer.  Jacob Peselnick's naturalization papers show that he was the Jankel Peselnick that arrived on the S.S. Birma on 8/17/1909.  The 1930 Census (misindexed as Pesclnick) shows Jack and his wife Julia and son Murray living at 1475 Townsend Ave. (with a rent of $63) in the Bronx. 

Clothing Stores:  Peselnick Brothers, Joseph Pesesnick, Winner Wear

Jack and Joseph Peselnick started a clothing store at 184 Canal St. in New York City.  Joseph Peselnick later owned and operated his own clothing store at 262 Canal St. under the name Joseph Pesesnick.  Sydney and Samuel Peselnick originally worked at one of the earlier stores, but later started their own clothing store.  Their business was known as Winner Wear and was located at 257 Canal St., just across the street from Joseph's store.  One of the stores (probably Joseph's) was listed as a slop chest provider under the name Peselnick Brothers by the U.S. government's War Shipping Administration in 1942.  Jack later (early 1950's to early 1960s) owned a men's clothing store at Greenwich St. and Rector St. (across from a Horn and Hardart).          

Sam & Beckie Fitlin

Celia Peselnick's brother Sam Fitlin (Sha'oil Feitlin) [misindexed at Ellis Island Records under Schoel Feritlin], a 35 year old cigar maker, arrived in the U.S. on 6/11/1911 on the S.S. Cincinnati from Hamburg enroute to his brother-in-law "Isre Pesilnik" at 902 Madison in NYC.  Sam Fitlin's wife Beckie (Rivka, daughter of Hirschel) and their four children arrived in the U.S. on the S.S. Russia from Libau on 5/29/1914 enroute to husband "S'h Faitlin" at 118 E. 28th St. in NYC with an added notation of "Sam Faitlin, 28 Gouverneur St., NY."

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The author of this site would like to hear from Peselnick and Fitlin descendants.  Please contact him by sending e-mail to greg@peselnick.com.