Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Genealogy Blog Pool Party: Which Weiss is Which?

Bertha and Bela Roth
Elizabeth O'Neal's July theme for the genealogy blog party is Annoying Ancestor? Push 'Em in the Pool!

Well, I'm too soft-hearted to shove anyone into the pool (especially a long-lost ancestor). Still, I'm swimming in Weiss in-laws. There are a lot of Weiss folks married into my maternal Grandmother Minnie Farkas's family tree.

Trying to connect these Weisses to each other is sending me off the deep end--but I'm convinced they're related.


Herman Weiss
Which Weiss is which?!

  • Bertha Batia Weiss (daughter of Solomon and Rose Hoffner) was the 2d wife of Bela Roth, a cousin to my maternal grandmother. She, like all the other in-laws named Weiss, was born in Hungary. She and her husband visited the Farkas Family Tree from time to time and were known to be cousins, but the exact relationship remains a bit fuzzy.
  • Herman Weiss (son of Chaim Yaakov and Rose Svarcz) was the husband of Ida Farkas, known to be a distant cousin to my maternal grandma. Herman & Ida's son Johnny was a frequent visitor to Farkas Family Tree gatherings.
  • Julia Ida Weiss (daughter of Isador and Fany Roth) was the wife of Herman Wajman. My Roth cousins were aware that the family (renamed Warren after daughter Gloria became a star of stage and screen) were cousins, and my research finally proved the link.  
Other Weiss folks appear in family documents. Sam Weiss was the witness to my maternal great-grandpa Moritz Farkas's naturalization. Weiss was the maiden name of the grandmother of cousin Alex Roth's wife, Blanche Schwartz. 

So which Weiss is which? Are any of them cousins or otherwise related to each other and/or to my Farkas family beyond intermarriage? A deeper dive is in my future if I want to figure out which Weiss is which.

12 comments:

  1. I like the playful way you addressed this meme.

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    1. Thanks for reading and leaving me a comment, Wendy! It was a fun post to write and it also forced me to spend a few minutes examining all these Weiss in-laws--again.

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  2. Don't you just hate those in-laws and out-laws who just show up without telling you where they belong!? Seriously though, thank you for being our first Genealogy Blog Party guest this month. :-)

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    1. Elizabeth, you are so right about these in-laws showing up in the family tree without any introduction or explanation. Guess it's up to me to sort 'em all out. Looking forward to seeing who our blogging buddies push into the pool this month!

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  3. Sorting out the people is more than half the fun, as long as they cooperate and make themselves and their families known! Weiss isn't an uncommon surname, but I am guessing most will turn out to be first or second cousins.

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    1. Linda, I agree with your guess that my elusive Weiss in-laws will turn out to be first or second cousins to each other, and possibly second/third cousins to my Farkas ancestors. The search continues!

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  4. Maybe it's just me but doesn't your Herman Weiss look a little like Albert Einstein :) Great blog post. Lots of luck sorting out those Weiss'!

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    1. Sue, you have a good point...could that be yet another genealogical mystery to solve? Seriously, no relation, but thanks very much for reading and commenting.

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  5. I had a friend in high school named Weiss. Maybe she's related too. :~))

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    1. Susan, I wouldn't be surprised :~)) Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment.

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  6. Good luck trying to figure out which Weiss is which? You got your work cut out for you.

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    1. Many thanks for reading and commenting. You are so right about having my work cut out for me! Maybe I should push 'em all in the pool?!

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