Individual Details
Esther Moshontz
(Oct 2, 1895 - Jul 10, 1975)
Events
| Birth | Oct 2, 1895 | Zabiele, Poland |  | ||
| Marriage | Feb 15, 1914 | Poland - Morris Gray | | ||
| Immigration | Nov 23, 1923 | New York, New York, United States |  | | |
| City Directory (Fam) | From 1925 to 1939 | Morris Gray | | | |
| Miscnote (family) | Oct 1, 1929 | Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine, United States - Morris Gray | | | |
| Census (family) | 1930 | Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine, United States - Morris Gray | | | |
| Naturalization | Apr 8, 1931 | Auburn, Androscoggin, Maine, United States | | ||
| Miscnote (family) | Oct 1, 1933 | Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine, United States - Morris Gray | | | |
| Census (family) | 1940 | East Liverpool, Columbiana, Ohio, United States - Morris Gray | | | |
| City Directory (Fam) | 1943 | Morris Gray | | | |
| Death | Jul 10, 1975 | Beachwood, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States | | ||
| Obit | Jul 11, 1975 | Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States | | | |
| Burial | Jul 11, 1975 | Mt. Olive Cemetery, Solon, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States | | ||
| Alt name | Estera Grajewska | |
Families
| Spouse | Morris Gray (1893 - ) |
| Child | Rose Gray (1916 - ) |
| Child | Louis Gray (1917 - 2011) |
| Child | Evelyn Gray (1921 - 1974) |
| Father | Ruben Moshontz (1865 - 1923) |
| Mother | Anna Laya Gross ( - 1920) |
| Sibling | Pearl Moshontz (1885 - 1964) |
| Sibling | Evelyn Moshontz (1901 - 1961) |
Notes
Immigration
She arrived on the SS Mongolia with her three children. She was 28 years old and had last resided in Ostrov, Poland; her nearest relative left behind was her father, Rubin Mosiondz. They were headed for Sedalia, Missouri where her husband was a rabbi living at 900 S. Stewart St. She was five feet three inches tall with brown eyes and hair. She had been born in Zabiele, Poland.City Directory (Fam)
In 1925 they were listed in the Sedalia, Missouri city directory. From 1930 to 1933 they were listed in the Lewiston, Maine city directory. In 1939 they were listed in the East Liverpool, Ohio city directory.Miscnote (family)
The following article originally appeared on October 29, 1929, in the Lewiston Daily Journal:"Rabbi Morris Gray. who had succeeded Rabbi Segal at Beth Jacob Synagogue conducted his first services here. They were on the eve of the Jewish New Year. Rabbi Gray, who came here from Tarentum.Pa.. had been in this country but eight years, coming from Poland."
Census (family)
They were renting ($48/mon) 30 Howard St in Lewiston, Maine with their children. Neither had attended school and Yiddish was their native language. He could speak English; she could not. He was a rabbi.Miscnote (family)
The following is a portion of an article from the Lewiston Daily Sun of September 1, 1933:"Morris Gray, for four years Rabbi of the Beth Jacob Synagogue, has resigned his position and will leave this city the first of the month. In leaving the local synagogue, the Rabbi will drop his clergical duties and enter business in Brooklyn, N.Y. Rabbi Gray gave as his reason for leaving, dissatisfaction of a certain group in the congregation.
The Rabbi came here four years ago from Tarentum, where he held a similar position. The past four years Ii said to have been the most successful in the history of the local congregation. Rabbi Gray succeeded Rabbi Siegel, who for 35 years was head of the congregation.
Rabbi Gray stated "Politics among the congregation, especially this group of relatives of Rabbi Siegel, who wished that he remain as head of the synagogue until death completed his work, is one of the reasons for my resignation. Those who are engaged in congregation politics, and to whom politics means more than religion and anything were offended because the congregation did not retain Rabbi Siegel. I am going to take a two weeks' vacation, and then enter business in Brooklyn, N.Y."
Rabbi Gray termed the four years spent in Lewiston the four most unpleasant of his life. During his stay in Lewiston Rabbi Gray has made many friends not only of the Jewish faith but of all faiths."
Census (family)
They were living with their children at 324 Ninth St in East Liverpool, Ohio. He had finished 4 years of college and she had finished 8 years of grade school. In 1935 they were living in New York City; he was a rabbi earning $2100/year.City Directory (Fam)
In 1943 they were living at 1159 Parkwood Drive in Cleveland.Obit
The following obit appeared in the July 11, 1975, Cleveland Plain Dealer:"Esther Gray, devoted mother of Louis, Mrs. Rose Arbeit of New York and the late Evelyn Gray, loving grandmother of five. Services held at the Mt. Olive Cemetery, 27855 Auroro Rd., Friday, July 11, at 1 p.m. Arrangements by Berkowitz-Kumin Inc. Memorial Chapel, 1985 South Taylor Rd., Cleveland Heights."
Endnotes
1. "Maine, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990", images; Familysearch.org, Estera Grajewska: Petition 2239 Androscoggin Petitions for Naturalization: 1931, Vol 22, No 2184-2283 (accessed Oct 3 2014) [E-1742].
2. "Maine, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990", images; Familysearch.org, Estera Grajewska: Petition 2239 Androscoggin Petitions for Naturalization: 1931, Vol 22, No 2184-2283 (accessed Oct 3 2014) [E-1742].
3. "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957", digital images, Ancestry.com, Estera Grajewska: SS Mongolia: 1923; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 3418; Line: 22; Page Number: 6 (accessed Oct 4 2014) [E-1743].
4. "U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989", database on-line, Ancestry.com, Morris Gray: Sedalia, Missouri, 1925; Lewiston, Maine, 1930; 1932; 1933; East Liverpool, Ohio, 1939 (accessed Jan 8 2015) [E-1905].
5. "Lewiston [Maine] Evening Journal", online database, (news.google.com/newspapers), Article: Morris Gray; "25 Years ago today 1929" Oct 6, 1954; Page 4 (accessed Oct 1 2014) [E-1737].
6. 1930 U.S. Census: Maine, Androscoggin County, population schedule, Digital images, Ancestry.com, Morris Gray: Lewiston; Roll: 827; Page: 12B; ED: 0030; Image: 916.0; FHL microfilm: 2340562 (accessed Oct 1 2014) [E-1739].
7. "Ohio, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1977", database with images, FamilySearch.org; {data from county courthouses}, Esther Gray: 1931: GS Film number: 2247341, Digital Folder Number: 005486569, Image Number: 02648 (accessed Oct 3 2014) [E-1742].
8. "Maine, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990", images; Familysearch.org, Estera Grajewska: Petition 2239 Androscoggin Petitions for Naturalization: 1931, Vol 22, No 2184-2283 (accessed Oct 3 2014) [E-1742].
9. “Lewiston [Maine] Daily Sun”, online database, (news.google.com/newspapers), Article: Rabbi Morris Gray: "Head Local Jewish Synagogue Resigns", Sep 1, 1933 (accessed Oct 1 2014) [E-1737].
10. 1940 U.S. Census: Ohio, Columbiana County, population schedule, digital images, Ancestry.com, Morris Gray: East Liverpool, Ohio; Roll: T627_3044; Page: 6A; ED: 15-33 (accessed Oct 1 2014) [E-1740].
11. "City Directories, Cleveland Ohio", online database, Cleveland Public Library (cpl.com), Morris Gray: 1943 Cleveland City Directory (accessed Oct 3 2014) [E-1741].
12. Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2002; Ohio Death Index", database, www.ancestry.com", Ohio. Division of Vital Statistics. "Death Certificates and index, December 20, 1908-December 31, 1953", State Archives Series 3094, Ohio Historical Society, Ohio. Ohio Department of Health. "Index to Annual Deaths, 1958-2002", Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus, OH, USA., Esther Gray: Death: July 10, 1975: Certificate: 049202 (accessed Jan 8 2015) [E-1906].
13. Social Security Administration, "U.S. Social Security Death Index", online database, Ancestry.com, Esther Gray: Death: July 1975 (accessed Jan 8 2015) [E-1906].
14. "Cleveland Necrology File", database, Cleveland Public Library, includes: The Cleveland Plain Dealer (1850-1975), The Cleveland Herald (1833, 1847-1848, 1876, 1878-1879) & The Cleveland Press (1941-1975) , Esther Gray: Jul 11, 1975: Cleveland Plain Dealer: Roll #113 (reaccessed Jan 8 2015) [E-0446].
15. "JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry", online database, Jewishgen.org, Esther Gray: Burial; July 11, 1975 (accessed Jan 8 205) [E-1906].
16. "Maine, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990", images; Familysearch.org, Estera Grajewska: Petition 2239 Androscoggin Petitions for Naturalization: 1931, Vol 22, No 2184-2283 (accessed Oct 3 2014) [E-1472].