SHEINAUS, Abraham[1, 2, 3, 4]

-
Name SHEINAUS, Abraham Birth Abt 1860 Romania (Kishinev, Moldava) [5, 6]
Gender Male Birth 1867 Kishinev, Russia [7]
Birth 10 May 1869 Kishinev, Bessarabia, Russia [8]
Arrival 18 Aug 1891 [7, 9] Arrival 31 Oct 1891 [8] - Abraham told this to granddaughter Vivian Lerner in an undated letter, Elissa Lerner Treuer emailed to Nan Asimov on 5.2.2018
Arrival 1893 [10] Arrival 1894 [11] - But his wife and family arrived July 24, 1893
Immigration 1896 [12] - But his wife and family arrived July 24, 1893
Occupation 1897 Portrait artist [7]
Naturalization 3 Mar 1897 [7] Naturalization 3 Mar 1897 Supreme Court, NYC [13]
Naturalization 18 Mar 1897 Supreme Court of NY, First Judicial District [8]
CITN 10 Mar 1898 received citizenship papers [8]
- Abraham told this to granddaughter Vivian Lerner in an undated letter, Elissa Lerner Treuer emailed to Nan Asimov on 5.2.2018
Occupation 1900 "Factory Head" in Hartford, CT [14]
Residence 1900 Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut [10]
Residence 1910 194 Audobon Ave. #78 Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York [9]
Residence 1910 506 W. 179th St. 12-Wd Manhattan, New York, New York [2, 3]
Residence 1920 481 Van Buren St. apt. 78. Brooklyn Assembly District 6, Kings, New York [11]
Residence 1930 1330 Eastern Parkway #408 Brooklyn, Kings, New York [3]
Arrival 31 Mar 1936 New York, New York, New York [4]
Occupation Electrical engineer. Worked w/ Thomas Edison Occupation Portrait artist. Same source lists him as a manufacturer whose business is at 49 Essex St., NY in 1897 [13] Residence 451 Van Buren P Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA [15]
Death 23 Mar 1957 New York [16]
Burial Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY [17]
Notes - When he arrived in the United States -- through Castle Garden, not Ellis Island, he told his grandson, Pete Scheiner -- he recalled walking across a bridge into Manhattan "and didn't know what the hell he was doing."
In the 1940s, Abraham wrote his memories of meeting his wife, Fannie Orel (Little Bubbe). He also published a series of paperback pamphlets called "Hodge Podge," filled with useful advice, like Poor Richard's Almanac.
He was an inventor, an artist, and electrical engineer. He worked with Thomas Edison, who is said to have given Abraham a gold watch when he retired (although Edison, born in 1847, was older).
Abraham invented a car battery.
In addition to painting, Abraham carved beautiful walking sticks, the best of which were stolen from the nursing home where is son, Louis, lived in the late 1970s.
His granddaughter, Ruth Sheinaus Asimov, said that when Abraham arrived in the US, "he opened a little art store doing portraits...eventually he sent for his family. I don't know the chronology, but eventually, I know he gave up the art store and worked on electic automobiles in Hartford, where my father went to elementary school. (Either the "Brown School" on Darling street, or the "Darling School" on Brown St.) Abraham's collaborator was Mr. Landau," after whom a style of car was named.
Also from Ruth:
"They also lived in Elizabeth, NJ, where Lizzie was born, and Washington Heights where Rosie
was born. (Liz was the youngest.) Abraham worked for the Edison company, had
met Thomas Edison on a number of occasions, and became foreman of the battery
department. He invented some kind of storage battery that they used there. When he
retired, he got either a gold medal or a gold watch, neither of which are
around."
"After he retired, he and his wife, Fannie took a trip back to Kishinev. (1936) They traveled to Europe on the Ile de France, via Rome. I still have the bracelet they brought me from Rome."
Where did the name Sheinaus come from? Ruth says that Abraham made it up. He was originally "Schinder," and changed his name apparently to avoid being conscripted into the Russian Army. By taking the name Sheinaus, he could pretend to be a family's only son, and the Russian Army was thought not to take only sons.
CENSUS ADDRESSES:
1920: 481 Van Buren St. Brooklyn. With Fannie, Esther Sheinaus Lerner, Henry Lerner, Louis Sheinaus (sp Schanaus), Nettie Pollakoff Sheinaus (sp Schnaus) Rose Sheinaus Karshmer (sp Kosmer), Louis Karshmer (sp Kosmer)
1925: 481 Van Buren St. Booklyn. With Fannie and Elizabeth
1930: 1330 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn. With Fannie.
Person ID I731 Hugh Byrne and Nanette Asimov Lines Last Modified 28 Jan 2025
Father SCHINDER, Israel Alte, b. Abt 1840, Kishinev, Moldava Mother UNKNOWN, Rosa, b. Abt 1840, Kishinev, Moldava Marriage Abt 1855 Kishinev, Moldava Family ID F281 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family OREL, Frima (Little Bubbe) (Fannie), b. 1867, Tiraspol, Russia d. 15 Aug 1949, Jewish Sanitarium & Hospital for Chronic Diseases, Brooklyn, NY
(Age 82 years)
Marriage 26 Aug 1885 Russia [8]
- Elissa said Esther said that Abraham and Fannie celebrated their 50th on July 29, 1885
Children 1. SHEINAUS, Esther, b. 29 Jul 1886, Gregorispol, Russia d. 22 Nov 1972, Miami, Florida, USA
(Age 86 years)
2. SHEINAUS, Louis (Foff) Pinkas, b. 11 May 1892, Russia (Kishinev, Moldava), then Roumania d. Oct 1979, Larchmont, NY
(Age 87 years)
3. SHEINAUS, Rose, b. 16 Dec 1895, New York d. 27 Jul 1987, Los Angeles, California
(Age 91 years)
4. SHEINAUS, Elizabeth, b. 16 Aug 1901, Elizabeth, New Jersey d. Abt 1980, Sunnyside, Queens, NY
(Age 78 years)
Photos Fannie Orel (Sheinaus), Joan Karshmer, and Lou Karshmer Abraham Sheinaus & Fannie Orel Sheinaus at a resort
Abraham Sheinaus & Fannie Orel Sheinaus at a resortFannie Orel Sheinaus & Abraham Sheinaus
Fannie Orel Sheinaus & Abraham Sheinaus1330 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, home of Abr and Fannie Sheinaus, and birthplace of Ruthy Sheinaus Family ID F282 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 29 Jan 2025
-
Event Map = Link to Google Earth
Pin Legend : Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
-
Photos Abr Schinder's Nov. 2 1891 arrival aboard the Italia At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld. At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
Documents AS garment hanger drawing Abraham Sheinaus' NYTimes obit. March 25, 1957
NYT obit for Abraham Sheinaus (misspelled in obit) March 25, 1957Grandpa Abraham Sheinaus
Abraham Sheinaus (c) 1950AS garment hanger specs.1940 AS filling aparatus drawing 1918 as filling aparatus specs 1918 AS garment hanger patent 1940 AS filling aparatus patent 1918 Abraham Sheinaus Naturalization record 1897
-
Sources - [S297] .
- [S14] Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Indexed by ProQuest from microfilmed schedules of the 1910 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1910 Federal Population Census. T624, 1,784 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. 12-Wd Manhattan, New York, New York, ED 681, roll 1026, part 1, page 160A.
- [S17] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001-. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1930 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. Brooklyn, Kings, New York, ED 728, roll 1529, page 18B, image 318.0.
- [S92] Ancestry.com, New York Passenger Lists, (Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005), Ancestry.com. New York Passenger Lists [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data:,
- New York. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Micropublication M237. Rolls # 95-580. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
- [S17] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), As Grandpa Abraham wrote his birthplace in the 1930 federal census, "Roumania.".
- [S20] Abraham Sheinaus' written recollections.
- [S1054] Abraham Sheinaus’ Naturalization Record.
- [S267] Elissa Lerner Treuer.
- [S14] Ancestry.com, 1910 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Online publication - Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2006. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910.T624, 1,.
- [S13] Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Ancestry.com. 1900 U.S. Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 1900 United States Federal Census. T623, 1854 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. Hartford, Connecticut, ED 146, roll T623 136, page 11B.
- [S15] Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2005. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1920 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration.1920 Federal Population Census. T625, 2,076 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.
- [S298] .
- [S633] New York Naturalization Petitions, 1794 - 1906.
- [S13] Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004).
- [S561] NYC Census 1925.
- [S19] Abraham Sheinaus' grave, Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY, Abraham Sheinaus' grave, Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY. The grave states: "Age 97 years," which means his date of birth was 1860. His passport and US census records suggest he was born later that decade.
- [S111] Ruth Sheinaus Asimov.
- [S297] .
This site powered by The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding v. 14.0.3, written by Darrin Lythgoe © 2001-2025.
Maintained by Hugh Byrne. | Data Protection Policy.