Biographies
Baum Family Biographies
Abraham Baum, a Jewish immigrant from Bavaria, Germany, permanently settled in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in the late 1860s with his wife, Mary Anspach Baum, also a Jewish immigrant from Germany. Abraham and his wife had thirteen children, all of whom survived to adulthood. Abraham first worked as a wines and liquors dealer in Bellefonte with his brother, Adam Baum, then later as a horse dealer. Several of Abraham’s siblings eventually settled in Philadelphia, but one of his brothers, Simon Baum, died at Abraham’s home in Bellefonte. Abraham’s niece, Matilda Baum, also died as a toddler in Bellefonte before her parents, Adam Baum and Caroline Hirschler Baum, moved to Philadelphia. Simon and Matilda are both buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. Abraham, his wife, Mary, and six of their children, Alfred Baum, Freida Baum, Harry Baum, Maurice Baum, Rosa Baum Hassel, and Simeon Baum, are also buried in the cemetery.
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Fauble Family Biographies
Martin Fauble, a Jewish immigrant from northern Germany, settled in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in 1863. He married Jacobena “Bena” Loeb, also originally from Germany, in Bellefonte. Martin and Bena had nine children. Martin worked as a peddler, as a clerk at S. and A. Loeb, and later opened his own clothing business, Rochester Clothing House, later known as Fauble’s and M. Fauble & Son, in Bellefonte. Martin and Bena’s oldest son, Adolph Fauble, helped Martin operate the family clothing business. Martin served as a director of the First National Bank in Bellefonte and was a member of the Bellefonte lodge. Martin, along with his wife, Bena, and three of their children, Adolph Fauble, Ella Fauble, and Hannah Fauble, were buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte.
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Grauer Family Biographies
Louis Grauer of Baltimore, Maryland, started his professional career in Baltimore working as a clerk in a large dry goods business. Louis frequently traveled to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, to visit his sister, Rosa Grauer Loeb, the wife of a local businessman, Adolph Loeb. Through his travels, Louis made connections with the local Bellefonte community, which encouraged him to eventually settle in the area. On April 29, 1895, Louis married Mathilde “Tillie” Lyon of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. They had two children together. Mathilde’s father Bernard Cerf Lyon, had a dry goods store, Lyon & Co., in Bellefonte with two of his sons. In 1901, after Bernard and one of his sons died, the management of Lyon & Co. passed to Mathilde and Louis. Mathilde closed the Lyon & Co. business following her husband’s death in 1927. Both Mathilde and Louis are buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte.
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Hanau Biography
Samuel Hanau was born to unknown parents in 1861. Very little is known about his life. Samuel died at twelve years old. He was buried at the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
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Hassel Family Biographies
Jacob David Hassel, born in New York, lived in Syracuse, New York, during his early life. He married Rosa Baum of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on March 16, 1897. They had three children together. After Jacob and Rosa married, they lived in Syracuse for a couple years, where David worked as a dry goods merchant. Around 1904, Jacob, Rosa, and their children moved to Columbus, Ohio, where David worked as a traveling salesman in jewelry supplies. In 1922, Rosa died from severe burns she sustained in a cooking accident. She was buried in her family’s plot in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. Jacob was later buried alongside his wife and her family in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery.
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Loeb Family Biographies
Isaac Loeb, a Jewish immigrant from southwestern Germany, immigrated to the U.S. with his wife, Johanna Belfort, and their four children around 1853. The family temporarily lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, before moving to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. In 1860 and 1870, Isaac lived with his daughter, Amelia Loeb Newman, his son-in-law, Nathan Newman, and his grandchildren in Clinton County, Pennsylvania. Isaac worked as a butcher and served in the American Civil War. Isaac was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte along with two of his daughters, Amelia Loeb Newman and Jacobena “Bena” Loeb Fauble. Issac’s nephew, Adolph Loeb, is also buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery. Adolph was born in Danville, Pennsylvania, to Isaac’s brother, Jacob Loeb. Adolph moved to Bellefonte around 1861, where he began working as a clerk for Isaac May and Marks B. Loeb’s store, May & Loeb. Adolph later became a partner of the store and it was renamed Loeb, May, and Loeb and then S. & A. Loeb.
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Lyon (Bernard Cerf) Family Biographies
Two unrelated Lyon families lived in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and members of both families were buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery. Bernard Cerf Lyon was the head of one of the Bellefonte Lyon families. Bernard was a Jewish immigrant from France. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1864 with his wife, Estelle Hanan Lyon, and their six children. Bernard’s family settled in Bellefonte in 1870 and he opened a dry goods store, Lyon & Co., with his two sons. In 1901, after Bernard and one of his sons died, the management of Lyon & Co. passed to one of Bernard’s daughters, Mathilde Lyon Grauer, and his son-in-law, Louis Grauer. Mathilde closed the Lyon & Co. business following her husband’s death in 1927. Bernard, his wife, Estelle, and his daughter, Mathilde, are all buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte.
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Lyon (Simon) Family Biographies
Two unrelated Lyon families lived in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and members of both families were buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery. Simon Lyon was the head of one of the Bellefonte Lyon families. Simon Lyon was a Jewish immigrant from France who arrived in the U.S. in an unknown year. He settled in Bellefonte as late as 1863. Simon married Lena Weil, originally from the southwest of Germany, in the early 1860s. Simon and Lena had nine children together. Simon worked as a butcher in Bellefonte and later Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. Simon died within months of the family’s move to Philipsburg in 1881. Simon was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte along with two of his children, Abram Lyon and Gustie Lyon.
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Manasses Biography
Priedora Manasses was born to J. Manasses and H. Manasses in 1868. Very little is known about her life. Priedora died at six years old, more than likely in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. She was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte.
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Marks Biography
Jacob Marks, born Marcius Podolsky, was a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe. He immigrated to the U.S. around 1880 and originally settled in New York City. Members of Lyon & Co., a dry goods store operated by Bernard Cerf Lyon and his two sons, Gustave and Moyer, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, however, soon solicited Jacob to come work as a clerk for their store. Jacob agreed and worked as a clerk for Lyon & Co. for approximately 29 years. In Bellefonte, Jacob was a landlord, involved in local real estate, and a member of both the Bellefonte Elks and the Logan Fire Company. Jacob was also a veteran of the Spanish American War. Following his death, Jacob was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte.
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Mayer Family Biographies
Mathias Mayer, a Jewish immigrant from Bavaria, Germany, immigrated to the U.S. from the port of London, England, in November of 1850. He arrived in New York on December 26, 1850. Mathias married Emma Schmidt, also originally from Germany, in 1873. They had three children together. On their marriage certificate, Mathias was listed as a resident of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. In 1880, however, Mathias lived with his wife and two of their children in Houtzdale, Pennsylvania. Mathias’ occupation was listed as a grocer in 1880. Emma preceded Mathias in death and was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. Mathias died seven years later and was buried alongside Emma in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery.
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Newman Family Biographies
Nathan Newman, a Jewish immigrant from southwestern Germany, immigrated to the U.S. in 1854 from the port of Le Havre, France. After arriving to the U.S., he married Amelia Loeb, also originally from southwestern Germany, and they had seven children together. In 1860, Nathan lived with his wife, children, and father-in-law, Isaac Loeb, in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania. Both he and his father-in-law worked as butchers. In 1870, Nathan lived with his family in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Prior to his family’s move from Lock Haven to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Nathan died. He was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. Nathan’s wife as well as his daughter, Ellen Newman, who died as a teenager, his son, Joseph Newman, who died at thirty years old, and his granddaughter, Esther Newman, who died as a baby, are also buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery.
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Rhinefelt-Persing Family Biographies
Jacob Rhinefelt, a Jewish immigrant from Austria, immigrated to the U.S. in an unknown year. He married Jennie C. Smith Luvely, later known as Jennie C. Smith Persing, who was originally from Pennsylvania. Jacob and Jennie married between 1870 and 1880 following the death of Jennie’s first husband, John Luvely. Jacob lived with Jennie in Gulich, Pennsylvania, and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a butcher. Jacob died in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, and was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Following Jacob’s death, Jennie remarried to David Persing of Woodward township in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. On Jennie and David’s marriage certificate, David’s profession was listed as a farmer while Jennie’s was listed as a dressmaker. Jennie and David lived in West Houtzdale, Pennsylvania, and Woodward, Pennsylvania, together. Jennie preceded David in death and she chose to be buried with her second husband, Jacob Rhinefelt, in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. She, however, has no surviving headstone.
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Schmidt Family Biographies
Fannie Schmidt, a Jewish immigrant from southwestern Germany, immigrated to the U.S. around 1865. She had ten siblings, six of whom eventually settled in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. After immigrating to the U.S., Fannie settled in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, with three of her brothers. She later moved to Philipsburg with two of her brothers, Henry Schmidt and Solomon Schmidt. In Philipsburg, Fannie began working as a sales lady. Around 1892, Fannie left her job to start a dry goods store, Fannie and Rosa Schmidt, later known as F. & R. Schmidt’s, with her sister, Rosa Schmidt. Fannie died in Philipsburg and was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. Two of her siblings, Bertha Schmidt and David Schmidt, who also resided in Philipsburg, were buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery. Fannie, Bertha, and David’s nephew, Morris Schmidt, who was the son of their brother, Henry Schmidt, was also buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery.
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Siemientek-Hogg Family Biographies
Rose Spiro Siemientek, a Jewish immigrant from Warsaw, Poland, immigrated to Israel in an unknown year. In Israel, she married her first husband, Paul Muller. Rose and Paul had one child together, Gabriela “Gaby” Muller Hogg, who was born in Tel Aviv in 1937. In 1951, Rose and Paul divorced, and Rose remarried David Siemientek of Caracas, Venezuela. Rose, David, and Gaby left Israel for Venezuela and lived in Venezuela for twelve years before immigrating to the U.S. in 1963. It is unknown where the family first settled in the U.S. In 1967, however, Gaby received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkley, and received a master’s degree in chemistry from Northwestern University in 1970. She married Richard “Dick” Hogg in Chicago, Illinois, on September 21, 1970. Gaby and Dick later moved to State College, Pennsylvania, where Gaby further pursued her graduate studies at the Pennsylvania State University. Rose and Gaby both died in State College and were buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Rose and Gaby’s graves are the two most recent burials in the cemetery.
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Stern Family Biographies
Bernhard “Bruno” Stern, a Jewish immigrant from Bavaria, Germany, fled Germany in 1938 after he escaped a German concentration camp. Bruno sailed with his wife Frida from Germany to London, England, on December 30, 1938. On March 15, 1939, Bruno and Frida arrived in New York on the S.S. Europa. According to the ship’s manifest, their final destination was St. Louis, Missouri, to the home of their son, Dr. Franz Stern. As late as April 18, 1940, however, Bruno and Frida settled in State College, Pennsylvania. In State College, Bruno sold magazine subscriptions and Frida operated Frida Stern, a baking and catering company selling sandwiches, cookies, fruit punch, cakes, canapes, and other foods. Her advertisements sought business from local community members, students, and fraternities. Both Bruno and Frida are buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
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Sternberg Family Biographies
Jacob Sternberg, a Jewish immigrant from Central Europe, met and married his wife, Jette Sternberg, in Germany. They had at least one child together, Adolph Sternberg, together. It is unknown what year Jacob and his family immigrated to the U.S. Jacob lived in the U.S., however, as late as May 1864, when he was documented as working as a peddler in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Little is known about Jacob Sternberg and Jette Sternberg, who were both buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte. Following their deaths, however, their son, Adolph Sternberg, became the first Jewish mayor of Bellefonte. Adolph served as mayor for one term. According to an article from Hugh Manchester in the Centre Daily Times on January 1, 1995, Adolph is one of the first, if not the first, Jewish mayors in the United States.
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Tarkoff Biography
Henry Tarkoff, a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe, immigrated to the United States on the SS Merion via Liverpool, England, in 1909. He arrived in Philadelphia on December 27, 1909. Henry was a second-year student at the Pennsylvania State College in State College, Pennsylvania, and a member of the class of 1916. He returned to campus early for the fall semester of 1914 to earn his board working at the college’s foundry. After working for a couple weeks, Henry fell down the foundry’s elevator shaft and fractured his skull. He died from his injuries hours later. Henry was buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
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Weil Family Biographies
Veit Hirsh Weil, a Jewish immigrant from Württemberg, Germany, immigrated to the U.S. with his wife, Mariam Raff Weil, and at least four of their five children in 1853. By 1860, Veit and his family resided in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania. Veit and Mariam lived together in Tylersville, Pennsylvania, in 1870 and 1880, where Veit worked as a peddler. Veit and Miriam were buried in the Rodef Shalom Cemetery in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
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