Samuel Kroloff (1877 - 1960)

Samuel Kroloff, known as Sam, is the brother-in-law of Sarah Ann Levin, my 2x great aunt. The surname was originally Krulivetsky. Helfet family HERE

Parents: Jacob Kroloff (1841 - 1942) and Chia Leah (1846 - 1890)

Tombstone for his father Jacob Kroloff who is buried in the Mount Carmel Cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. His mother Chia Leah Kroloff died in Kapulye, Minsk, Belarus in 1890

Born: 15 March 1877 in Timkovichi, Minsk, Russian Empire, nowadays Tsimkavichy, Belarus (Belarusian: Цімкавічы, romanized: Cimkavičy; Russian: Тимковичи, romanized: Timkovichi). The date is as per his obituary and death certificate although his 1904 naturalization papers list him as being born in 1878, his World War 1 and 2 registration cards give him as being born in 1879 while his tombstone states 1875!

Hebrew name: Shmuel son of Yaacov

Occupation: Merchant and store owner

Migration: Sam came to the USA on 7 December 1895 when he was 18

Naturalization

Sam's naturalization card dated 24 October 1904. His address was given asd 89 Waller Street Chicago and he arrived in the USA in New York on 7 December 1895. His date of birth is given as 13 March 1878

Married: Sarah Helfet in Chicago, USA on 29 January 1905 when Sam was 27 and Sarah 20

Sarah and Samuel on their wedding day, 29 January 1905 in Chicago, USA

Children

Their first child was born in 1905 when Sam was 28 and Sarah 20. Their last child was born in 1915 when Sam was 37 and Sarah 30

• Archie Kroloff (1905 - 1964) married Florence Kauffman (1907 - 1992) on 13 March 1932
• Maxwell Nathan Kroloff (1908 - 1959) married Mary Goldstein (1909 - 2004) on 24 December 1933
• Ina Kroloff (1915 - 2003) married Irving Levich (1918 - 2006) on 3 November 1938

Census details

1910

In 1910 Sam and Sarah are living at 3a West 5th Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Samuel is 29 and a merchant in a retail store, Sarah is 24 and the children are Archie age 9 and Maxwell age 2. Living with them is a servant, Lena Christensen, age 16

1920

In 1920 the family are living at 1826 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Sam is 40 and a proprietor of a grocery store, Sarah is 34 and the children are Archie age 14, Maxwell age 11 and Ina age 4

1925

In 1925 the family are still living at 1926 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Sam is 48, Sarah is 39 and the children are Archie age 19, Maxwell age 17 and Ina age 10. Living with them is a servant, Emma Paczosa, age 16

1930

In 1930 the family are still living at 1926 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Sam is 52 and a manager of a grocery store, Sarah is 43 and the children are Archie age 24, Maxwell age 22 and Ina age 15. Living with them is a servant, Ruth Christenson, age 18

1940

Sam is age 63 and, following the death of his wife Sarah the previous year, is living with his daughter Ina, age 25 and her husband Irving Levich age 21 at 3335 Nebraska Street, Sioux City, Iowa. Ina and Irving were married on 3 November 1938. Sam's occupation is listed as a wholesale grocer

1950

Sam is age 76 and still living with his daughter Ina, age 35 and her husband Irving Levich age 31 as well as their children Stanley age 5 and Barton age 2, at 1617 W 14th Street, Sioux City, Iowa

World War 1 registration

Sam's World War 1 registration card

World War 2 registration

Sam's World War 2 registration card

Biographical information

Sam's brother-in law, Jacob Dobrofsky, wrote a detailed autobiography entitled "This is my Life", which includes information on Sam and his family and which is available HERE

Death

2 February 1960 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA, age 82. Sam was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa on 3 February 1960

Tombstone for Sam Kroloff in the Mount Carmel cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa. Samuel Kroloff 1875 - 1960. Hebrew translation: Shmuel so of Yaacov, Passed 4th of Shvat, year 5,720

Death certificate

Sam's death certificate. Cause of death was cancer of the bladder

Obituary

SAMUEL KROLOFF

Samuel Kroloff, 82, 2815 Summit Street, died Tuesday at a Sioux City hospital.

Mr. Kroloff was born in Russia March 15, 1877. He came to the United States and New York in 1903. He moved to Sioux City in 1909 and had resided here since that time.

He operated a grocery at W. Third and Turner streets for 21 years and for several years operated the Kay Cookie Co., retiring in 1952.

Mr. Kroloff was a charter member of Shaare Zion synagogue and was a member of B'nai B'rith and the Golden Age club.

His wife Sarah died 21 years ago.

Survivors include a son, Archie of Chicago; a daughter, Mrs. Irving Levich of Sioux City; two brothers, E. Kroloft of Sioux Falls and Archie Kroloff of Des Moines; a sister, Mrs. Ida Herzoff of Beverly Hills, Cal., and six grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1 p. m. today at Shaare Zion synagogue. Rabbi Philip Silverstein and Cantor Felix Glatstein will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Carmel cemetery under the direction of the Rutledge funeral home. Sioux City Journal, 3 February1960

Place of Birth

Sam Kroloff was born in  Timkovichi, Minsk, Russian Empire, nowadays Tsimkavichy, Belarus (Belarusian: Цімкавічы, romanized: Cimkavičy; Russian: Тимковичи, romanized: Timkovichi). 

Timkovichi is a small village located in Belarus, in the Kopyl District of the Minsk Region. Here is an account of life there at the around the turn of the 20th century

Tymkowicz, my hometown, lies ten viorst (a measure slightly longer than a kilometer) from Kopulie. The majority of the population was Christian, but around 400 Jewish families lived there, forming a vibrant and industrious community. Among the Jews were prominent merchants, such as the Dworecki brothers, who engaged in large-scale trade, exporting eggs across Russia and abroad. The Pjolka brothers excelled as forest merchants. Two notable figures were the Dayan (rabbinic judge) Reb Avrohom Moishe Perlin and the scholar Areh Gershon Meyer’s Rockewycz, both of whom devoted themselves to Torah study day and night while their wives, Yudis Perlin and Soroh Rochel, managed their businesses.

Mordechai Mockewycz oversaw the Tymkowiczer estate's production of manufactured goods. Other prominent figures included Grunem and his wife Esther Rabinowycz, Polye Sodowski, Meyer Goldberg, and Velvel and Nachman Kiewicki, who were grain merchants. Leybel Michol’s family and others from the Sodowski lineage were also engaged in commerce.

Jewish residents traded extensively in livestock, particularly oxen, which were herded to Gorodaj (Zamiriya) for transport by train to foreign markets. The marketplace was bustling, with shops offering a wide variety of goods. Village residents visited twice weekly, on Sundays and Tuesdays, to sell their produce and purchase essentials such as farming tools, kerosene, tar, herring, sugar, and handmade goods.

Twice a year, large fairs filled Tymkowicz with activity, featuring the trade of horses, flax, linseed, and more. Merchants traveled from afar, and gypsies arrived with their swift, trained horses. Four times a week, the famous Slutsker "Oriol" wagon connected Tymkowicz to Zamiriya's train station, transporting goods in both directions. Local drivers, like the well-known Pulka, provided daily transport to Slutsk for passengers and cargo.

Jewish families in Tymkowicz also engaged in farming, working the fields, plowing, sowing, and harvesting. One of the most respected workers was Volf Yelin, who managed estate horses. The town offered inns for travelers and "clinics" for visiting peasants seeking medical care. Notable innkeepers included Areh Tzernogubowski, Shifrin, Fraide Chaya Leibes, and Fruma Tolyes-Kulakowski.

Tymkowicz boasted a provincial hospital with a Christian doctor and a rotating private doctor. Among them were Drs. Gersonowycz, Levinson, and Roginski. For specialized consultations, doctors like Slepian or Katzenelenboigen from Nesvyzh were called. The largest practice, however, was that of my father, Itche Kazhdan, of blessed memory. Known for his dedication, he treated peasants and aristocrats alike, often providing free medicine and assistance, even on Jewish holidays. He passed away in 1934 at age 70, followed by my mother, Taibe, that same year.

A fascinating tale surrounds Tymkowicz’s pharmacist, Cernomordik. It was rumored that Chekhov’s story At the Pharmacy was inspired by a visit to this very town, drawing on the pharmacist’s name and character.

The town was home to various trades: there were brewers, millers, and artisans, including coppersmiths, tailors, shoemakers, and furriers. These artisans served both Jewish and non-Jewish patrons, including local nobility.

One beloved figure was Reb Elye Yessil’s Gowiznianski, a businessman and community leader. He ensured the Beis Medrash was warm in winter, maintained the bathhouse, and supported orphans and poor brides. When he traveled to America for a year, townsfolk remarked that the absence of his generosity made weddings and funerals noticeably subdued.

Education thrived in Tymkowicz. Teachers like Reb Yosef Yudel, Reb Leizer, Reb Nochum Bruks, and Reb Shloime Perles left lasting impressions. Modern education also emerged, with Hebrew schools and a library founded by Nisel Kontor.

Tymkowicz had a rich spiritual life, including a misnagdishe shul, a Chassidic shtiebel, and a "cold" shul. While the Chassidic shtiebel lacked a regular minyan, it was overseen by figures like my father and Pole Sodowski.

In the summer of 1914, just before World War I, my husband Shimshon Nachmani and I left Tymkowicz for Israel.

Residences

According to the 1920 and 1930 census the family lived at 1926 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA

In 1939 when Sarah died they were living at 1405 West 6th Street, Sioux City, Iowa

In the 1940 census Sam is living with his daughter Ina and her husband Irving Levich at 3335 Nebraska Street, Sioux City, Iowa

In the 1950 census Sam is still living with his daughter Ina and her husband Irving Levich, but are now at 1617 W 14th Street, Sioux City, Iowa

Sarah Helfet (1884 - 1939)

Sarah Helfet is the sister-in-law of Sarah Ann Levin, my 2x great aunt. Helfet family HERE

Parents: Jacob Helfet (1849 - 1899) and Leah Cohen (1852 - 1898)

Tombstones for her parents Jacob Helfet and Leah Cohen. They are both buried in the Rice Lane Cemetery, Liverpool, England

Born: 15 December 1884 in Chernuch, Russian Empire, nowadays Chornukhy (Ukrainian: Чорнýхи; Russian: Чернýхи), a rural settlement in Lubny Raion, Poltava Oblast, central Ukraine

Migration: The family came to Liverpool, England in 1892 when Sarah was 8 years old. Sarah then migrated to the USA arriving on 11 February 1903, age 18

Sarah sailing to the USA on the SS Ivernia departing Liverpool on 31 January 1903. She travelled with her sisters Esther and Minnie

Married: Samuel Kroloff in Chicago, USA on 29 January 1905 when Sam was 27 and Sarah 20

Sarah and Samuel on their wedding day, 29 January 1905 in Chicago, USA

Children

Their first child was born in 1905 when Sam was 28 and Sarah 20. Their last child was born in 1915 when Sam was 37 and Sarah 30

• Archie Kroloff (1905 - 1964) married Florence Kauffman (1907 - 1992) on 13 March 1932
• Maxwell Nathan Kroloff (1908 - 1959) married Mary Goldstein (1909 - 2004) on 24 December 1933
• Ina Kroloff (1915 - 2003) married Irving Levich (1918 - 2006) on 3 November 1938

Census details

1901

The younger members of the Helfet family are, following the death of their parents, living at 23 Warren Street, Liverpool, England. Sarah is age 16 and she is living with her siblings; Harry age 20, Esther age 18 and Minnie age 14. Also at the house is her married sister Mary, her husband Nathan Dobrofsky and their infant child Jacob

1910

In 1910 Sarah and her husband Sam are living at 3a West 5th Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Samuel is 29 and a merchant in a retail store, Sarah is 24 and the children are Archie age 9 and Maxwell age 2. Living with them is a servant, Lena Christensen, age 16

1920

In 1920 the family are living at 1826 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Sam is 40 and a proprietor of a grocery store, Sarah is 34 and the children are Archie age 14, Maxwell age 11 and Ina age 4

1925

In 1925 the family are still living at 1826 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Sam is 48, Sarah is 39 and the children are Archie age 19, Maxwell age 17 and Ina age 10. Living with them is a servant, Emma Paczosa, age 16

1930

In 1930 the family are still living at 1826 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Sam is 52 and a manager of a grocery store, Sarah is 43 and the children are Archie age 24, Maxwell age 22 and Ina age 15. Living with them is a servant, Ruth Christenson, age 18

Biographical information

Sarah's brother-in law, Jacob Dobrofsky, wrote a detailed autobiography entitled "This is my Life", which includes information on Sarah and her family and which is available HERE

Death

30 September 1939 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA, age 54. Sarah was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa on 1 October 1939

Tombstone for Sarah Kroloff in the Mount Carmel cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa

Death certificate for Sarah Kroloff. At the time of her death they were living at 1405 West 6th Street, Sioux City, Iowa. The cause of death was pneumonia and hypertension

Obituary

MRS. SARAH KROLOFF

A native of England, Mrs. Sarah Kroloff, 54, 1405 W. Sixth street, died Saturday in a hospital here following a three-week sickness. Born in Liverpool in 1884, Mrs. Kroloff came to Sioux City 37 years ago. She and Sam Kroloff were married in Chicago in 1904. She was a member of the Shaare Zion synagogue.

Besides the widower, Mrs. Kroloff is survived by two sons, Max and Archie, and one daughter. Mrs. Irving Levich, all of Sioux City; five sisters, Mrs. Matt Dobrofsky of Sioux City, Mrs. Jake Dobrofsky of Upland, Cal, Mrs. S. Goldsmith of Venice, Cal, Mrs. H. Hulman of Liverpool and Mrs. J. Cohen of Chicago and two brothers, Harry Helfet of Chicago and Leon Helfet of South Africa.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p. m. today at the Shaare Zion synagogue. Rabbi H. R. Rabinowitz will officiate Interment will be in Floyd cemetery. The Rutledge funeral home has charge of arrangements. The Sioux City Journal, Sun, Oct 1, 1939, p. 27

Place of Birth

Sarah Helfet was born in Chernuch, Russian Empire, nowadays Chornukhy (Ukrainian: Чорнýхи; Russian: Чернýхи), Chernich (Yiddish) and Chernuchi (German), a rural settlement in Lubny Raion, Poltava Oblast, central Ukraine.

Chornukhy

The earliest known Jewish community was by the end of the 18th century. In 1900 the Jewish population was 275 and in 1926 it was 366. Chornukhy was occupied by the Germans on September 17, 1941. During that month 132 Jews were shot by local police in the Chornukhy County park. The village was liberated by the Red Army on September 17, 1943. The present town population is 1,000-5,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

Poltava Region
Jews began to settle in the region during the early 17th century in the process of Jewish participation in the colonization of Ukraine. By 1610 there was a Jewish community in Berezan (to the north of Pereyaslav), and within a few decades about a dozen Jewish communities were established in the districts of *Pereyaslav and Mirgorod, of which the largest were in Pereyaslav and *Lubny. Jews engaged in commerce and the leasing of estates, flour mills, liquor distilleries, breweries, and inns. There was strong competition from Christian towns-men, and during the *Chmielnicki massacres of 1648 these communities were among the first to be destroyed. After the region came under Russian rule Jews were not permitted to live there until the first partition of Poland in 1772. Individual Jewish families, however, settled in various estates under the protection of their owners despite frequent expulsions by the authorities.

After the first partition of Poland in 1772, Jewish settlement on the eastern bank of the river Dnieper was renewed, and by 1792 there were over 700 Jews in the region, most of whom lived on estates or in villages. In 1794 this region, which then formed part of the province of Yekaterinoslav, was incorporated within the *Pale of Settlement. In 1803 there were 82 Jewish merchants and 2,030 Jews classed as townsmen living in the province of Poltava, which was formed in 1802. The community of *Kremenchug was the largest in the district, and developed in particular owing to its position on the Dnieper, the main waterway from Lithuania to the south. It accounted in 1897 for 30% of the Jews in the province. In 1847, 15,572 Jews were counted in the 18 communities of the province (which also included the Jews in the small settlements and their environs). Their numbers increased as a result of a large emigration from Lithuania and Belorussia, and were estimated at 84,000 in 1881. The census of 1897 recorded 111,417 Jews (4% of the total population) in Poltava province (the lowest percentage of Jews in all the provinces of the Pale). The Russian-Ukrainian majority had a strong assimilationist influence on the Jews in the province, who were a minority in all the towns; it was only in Kremenchug that their numbers approached half the population. On the other hand, *Chabad Ḥasidism, which penetrated from the north, was an important spiritual influence (the tomb of *Shneur Zalman of Lyady, the founder of Chabad Ḥasidism, is in *Gadyach in Poltava province).

About one half of the Jews of the province of Poltava earned their livelihood from commerce (in contrast to 38.5% in the whole of Russia), and about 30 percent were engaged in crafts and industry. Commerce was principally conducted in grain and other agricultural produce. Although some Jews owned sawmills, brick-kilns, flour mills, alcohol distilleries, and other enterprises, the overwhelming majority of the workers in them were non-Jews. During the spring of 1881 pogroms occurred in the north of the province of Poltava. In 1905 a wave of pogroms swept across 52 settlements of the province. The most severely affected were Gadyach, Kremenchug, Romny, and Zolotonosha.

During World War I thousands of refugees and Jews expelled from the battle zone arrived in the province of Poltava and found refuge in the Jewish communities. During the Civil War, the communities of the western section of the province suffered especially from pogroms by bands of Ukrainians and the "volunteer army" of A.I. *Denikin. In 1926 there were approximately 93,000 Jews in the five districts (Kremenchug, Lubny, Poltava, Priluki, Romny) of the former territory of the province of Poltava.

Residences

According to the 1920 and 1930 census the family lived at 1826 West 3rd Street, Sioux City, Iowa, USA

On her 1939  death certificate her address was given as 1405 West 6th Street, Sioux City, Iowa

Jacob Dobrofsky (1883 - 1967)

Jacob Dobrofsky, known as Jake, is the brother-in-law of Sarah Ann Levin, my 2x great aunt. Helfet family HERE. Dobrofsky family HERE

Parents: Nachum Benzion Dubrowski (1845 - 1902) and Rosa Tander (1844 - 1918)

Tombstones for his parents Nachum Benzion Dubrowski and Rosa Hinda Dubrofsky. Nachum is buried in the Rice Lane Cemetery, Liverpool, England and Rosa in the Mount Carmel Cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa, USA

Born: 22 September 1883 in Mena, Sosnitsa, Chernigov in the Russian Empire, nowadays Mina, Chernihiv, Ukraine. However his date of birth on his World War 1 and 2 draft cards is given as 22 May 1883 and in a 1930 article his date of birth as given as 16 September 1882 

Siblings

• Sarah Dobrofsky (1869 - 1951) married Barnett Charles (Boruch) Shubb (1891 - 1918) before 1891
• Hyman Dobrofsky (1872 - 1916) married Sarah Nepomnickcha (1872 - 1948) before 1898
• Nathan Dobrofsky (1873 - 1950) married Mary Helfet (1879 - 1948) in 1899
• Katherine (Kalia) Dobrofsky (1877 - 1963) married Charles (Hatskel) Shubb (1879 - 1920) in 1901
• Rachel (Broche) Dobrofsky (1882 - 1961) married Barnett Ginsburg (1882 - 1960) in 1903

Charles and Bennett Shubb were brothers and Esther and Mary Helfet were sisters

Occupation: shopkeeper

Migration: Jake to Liverpool, England in March 1897 age 13 and then migrated to the USA in May 1902, age 19

Married: Esther Helfet in Chicago, USA on 6 September 1904 when Jake was 21 and Esther 18

Jake Dobrofsky

Children

Their first child was born in 1905 when Jake was 22 and Esther 19. Their last child was born in 1919 when Jake was 36 and Esther 33

• Lilian Dobrofsky (1905 - 1979) married George Greenspan (1903 - 1968) on 14 May 1932
• Katherine Dobrofsky (2 March - 27 December 1909)
• Tola Dobrofsky (1911 - 2010) married Milton Apel (1902 - 1994) on 16 June 1935
• Ruth Dobrofsky (1919 - 2005) married Jerry Adler (1920 - 2018) on 25 October 1943
• Naomi Dobrofsky (1919 - 2005) married Edward Zinkow (1921 - 2015) on 9 June 1946

Census details

1901

Jake is living with his family at 52 Warren Street, Liverpool, England. He is 19 and a general dealer. The family are his parents Benzion age 54 and Basi age 53 and his siblings Kate age 24, Rachel age 21. Hyman (Barnet), age 29, his wife Sarah age 27 and their children Rose age 3 and Nathan, an infant

1910

In 1910 Jake and Esther are living at 2a Main Street, Newcastle, Nebraska, USA. Jacob is age 27 and a store owner, Esther is age 26 and their child Lily is age 4

1920

In 1920 the family are living in Hinton, Plymouth, Iowa, USA. Jake is 37 and a store owner and Esther is age 35. The children are Lilian age 14, Tola (Sarah) age 8, and Ruth and Naomi (Mary L), the twins, are infants

1930

In 1930 the family are living at 211 South Central Avenue, Chino, San Bernardino, California, USA. Jake is 46 and a merchant and Esther is age 45. The children are Lilian age 23, Tola age 19, and Ruth and Naomi both age 10. There is also a servant, Lean Sutton, age 41

1940

The family are living at 341 South Euclid Avenue, Upland, California, USA. Jacob is 57 and an owner operator of a retail enterprise and Esther is 55. The two children still at home are Ruth and Naomi, both age 20

World War 1 Registration

Jake's World War 1 registration card dated 12 September 1918. He was living in Hinton at the time and had brown eyes, black hair, was short with a medium build and had one short arm

World War 2 Registration

Jake's World War 2 registration card 

Biographical information

Jake wrote a detailed autobiography entitled "This is my Life", which is available HERE

And here is an account of his life written in 1930

Getting Acquainted With Chino Business Men

J. DOBROFSKY Merchant 

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That adage which has long been impressed upon us is well adapted to the subject of our sketch. this week. To us, who might not have been similarly situated, the life of this Chino merchant affords cause for some merriment and yet, pondering well the problems he has faced, one can readily realize the seriousness of the situations. 

Picture in your mind a small village in Southern Russia where Jacob Dobrofsky was born on September 16, 1882, to Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Dobrofsky, who were engaged in the wholesale fishery business. He was the youngest of seven children, three sisters and three brothers being older. In this environment young Dobrofsky lived for sixteen years of his life when finally persecution of his race caused the father to take his family to Liverpool, England, sacrificing practically all of his life's earnings to escape to a country where he could rear his family and live in peace and happiness. Something of the dogged determination which has ever characterized the people of Jewish descent bad been transmitted to this young man, today one of the leading merchants of Chino.

At the age of 20 young Dobrofsky decided to try his fortune in South Africa and purchased his ticket for that promised land. In doing so he spent 35 of of the 50 pounds sterling he had as his worldly wealth only to discover that a law required that he have considerably more finances before he could land in South Africa. So he traded his ticket for one to America and landed at Philadelphia in May of 1902. After three months he went to Sioux City, lowa, and for eleven months worked in grocery store.

Fortune favored the immigrant and he decided to try life in Chicago. There in 1904 he met and married Miss Esther Helfet. Sioux City still held its attractions and in 1907 the family returned to the city on the banks of the Missouri river. He remained there for a year and three months before chasing a general store at Newcastle, Nebraska. In this business the Dobrofskys prospered in spite of the small size of the village. But misfortune stood around the corner and on July 4, 1911, while most of the townspeople were elsewhere on celebration, a carelessly thrown fire cracker set fire to a nearby building and before help could reach the little town, the business district was wiped from the face of the earth. The Dobrofskys arrived back in Newcastle just in time to see the roof of their store fall. With that fire went all the possessions of the family and relatives in Sioux City had to help them return to that city.

Mr. Dobrofsky borrowed finance enough to start himself again in the grocery business and for four yours enjoyed prosperity again. In 1915 he sold his business in Sioux City and went to Hinton, lowa, where he purchased a general store which he operated successfully for seven years. Fortune had been too good and he sold out to enter the cleaning and dyeing  business in Sioux City. That enterprise spelled another ruin and only enough was saved from a good-sized bankroll to bring the family to Los Angeles in 1924.

He entered the wholesale grocery business in that year and then in 1926, in partnership with Herman Cohen, bought the Chino Mercantile Co. from I Cline. A year later Mr. Dobrofsky purchased the interest of his partner and has since continued the sole owner of the business.

During the years that fortune fluctuated, Mr. Dobrofsky retained a cheerfulness which carried him over the humps. His happy situation today is probably due to this optimistic outlook on life. He and Mrs. Dobrofsky have four lovely daughters, the two youngest being twins about nine years of age who provide enough diversion for any person, according to Mr. Dobrofsky.

During his residence in Chino Mr. Dobrofsky has taken part in the civic and social life of the community. He served as a member of the board of directors of the Chino Business Men's association and is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. Chino Champion Fri, Sep 12, 1930

Death

27 May 1967 in Upland, California age 83. Jake was cremated and his remains interred in the Home of Peace Memorial Park, Los Angeles, Mausoleum, Corridor of Remembrance, Crypt 206 SW

Place of Birth

Jake was born in in Mena, Sosnitsa, Chernigov in the Russian Empire, nowadays Mina, Chernihiv, Ukraine

Mena is a historic town located in Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, center of Mena district. Records from the early 19th century describe the general population in Mena at around 6,000 people. The Jewish population of this time is not mentioned but reference is made to the existence of a synagogue and another Jewish house of worship. Jews began to settle actively in Mena after the construction of the Liubavo-Romenska railway in 1873, which passed through Mena. The Liubavo-Romenska railway was one of the main routes for exporting grain from the Russian Empire. The Jews mostly lived on Shevchenko Street, which stretched from the centre of the town to the railway station.

According to the 1897 census, 6,277 people lived in Mena, more than a quarter of whom were Jews. The main activities of the Jewish population in the 19th and early 20th centuries were in trade and crafts. In 1902, the rabbi in Mena was Itshok- Isaac Lurvin (1865 -?) and in 1904-06, Shneur-Zalman Ginzburg (1876 -?).

Many Jews were involved in the purchase and resale of tobacco. Tobacco cultivation has been widespread since the 18th century, so Mena was called the capital of tobacco. This activity was pursued by small traders and merchants of the first guild, who had large warehouses in Mena. Jews would come from Mogilev, Shklov, and Gomel to buy tobacco. Before the Revolution of 1917, there were two synagogues in the town. 

Holocaust

At the war’s outbreak, many Jewish families found a way to evacuate to the east of the country. The main evacuation routes were railroads and water transport by the river Desna towards Bryansk. Those who remained in the city either had not been able to take a long journey or had been convinced of the “civilized” behavior of German soldiers. Many older adults remembered the Germans who occupied Mena in 1918 and did not want to evacuate. Also, for evacuation, money was needed, and most Jews in Mena were poor.

The Nazis occupied Mena in September 8, 1941.

The German commandant’s office listed all the Jews and forced them to wear yellow circles on their clothing. After that, policemen and Germans began systematically abusing Jews, forcing them to work, beating and robbing them, and raping many Jewish women. Local non-Jews threw a gun clip into the house of a tailor named Shmerlin and reported to the Germans that he was hiding weapons. The Germans came to his home and shot the entire family.

On October 15, 1941, the Nazi units and local policemen shot 124 Jews (according to other sources, 31 Jews) at the local Jewish cemetery. The mass killing continued throughout November and December. From the night of November 30th to December 1st, 1941, the Germans began to go to Jewish homes and shoot everyone they found there. The Pergament family and many other families perished this way. Among the killed was Mones the Butcher, who was 104 years old. The local residents pointed out the Jewish homes. Part of the Jews were taken to the Jewish cemetery and shot there. There are two fraternal graves at the cemetery, one smaller and the other larger. The victims of the second, largest shooting are buried in the larger one.

On November 29, 1941 near railway bridge on the Desna River in Makoshino  50 local Jews were killed. On December 15, 1941 on the territory of the monastery in village Dominitsy of Menskiy district The Germans shot and killed 34 children from the local orphanage. Among the dead were five Jewish boys and girls. The last mass shooting that occurred in Mena was held February 2, 1942 in an open field near the road to the village, Kukuvichi.

Residences

In 1930 the family are living at 211 South Central Avenue, Chino, San Bernardino, California. Where the property was has been replaced with a car park

In 1940 the family are living at 341 South Euclid Avenue, Upland, San Bernardino,California