SHEINAUS, Abraham

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

Male Abt 1860 - 1957  (97 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name SHEINAUS, Abraham 
    Birth Abt 1860  Romania (Kishinev, Moldava) Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6
    Gender Male 
    Birth 1867  Kishinev, Russia Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Arrival 18 Aug 1891  [7, 8
    Arrival 1893  [9
    Arrival 1894  [10
    • But his wife and family arrived July 24, 1893
    Immigration 1896  [11
    • But his wife and family arrived July 24, 1893
    Occupation 1897  Portrait artist Find all individuals with events at this location  [7
    Naturalization 3 Mar 1897  [7
    Naturalization 3 Mar 1897  Supreme Court, NYC Find all individuals with events at this location  [12
    Occupation 1900  "Factory Head" in Hartford, CT Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
    Residence 1900  Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Residence 1910  194 Audobon Ave. #78 Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [8
    Residence 1910  506 W. 179th St. 12-Wd Manhattan, New York, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Residence 1920  481 Van Buren St. apt. 78. Brooklyn Assembly District 6, Kings, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    Residence 1930  1330 Eastern Parkway #408 Brooklyn, Kings, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Arrival 31 Mar 1936  New York, New York, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Occupation Electrical engineer. Worked w/ Thomas Edison Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation Portrait artist. Same source lists him as a manufacturer whose business is at 49 Essex St., NY in 1897  [12
    Residence 451 Van Buren P  Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [14
    Death 23 Mar 1957  New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [15
    Burial Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY Find all individuals with events at this location  [16
    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 31 Jan 2023 

    Father SCHINDER, Israel Alte,   b. Abt 1840, Kishinev, Moldava Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother UNKNOWN, Rosa,   b. Abt 1840, Kishinev, Moldava Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage Abt 1855  Kishinev, Moldava Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F281  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family OREL, Frima (Little Bubbe) (Fannie),   b. 1867, Tiraspol, Russia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Aug 1949, Jewish Sanitarium & Hospital for Chronic Diseases, Brooklyn, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years) 
    Marriage 26 Aug 1884  Russia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. SHEINAUS, Esther,   b. Jul 1887, Russia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Nov 1972, Miami, Florida, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years)
     2. SHEINAUS, Louis (Foff) Pinkas,   b. 11 May 1892, Russia (Kishinev, Moldava), then Roumania Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Oct 1979, Larchmont, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years)
     3. SHEINAUS, Rose,   b. 16 Dec 1895, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 Jul 1987, Los Angeles, California Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 91 years)
     4. SHEINAUS, Elizabeth,   b. 16 Aug 1901, Elizabeth, New Jersey Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1980, Sunnyside, Queens, NY Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
    Photos
    Fannie Orel (Sheinaus), Joan Karshmer, and Lou Karshmer
    Fannie Orel (Sheinaus), Joan Karshmer, and Lou Karshmer
    Abraham Sheinaus & Fannie Orel Sheinaus at a resort
    Abraham Sheinaus & Fannie Orel Sheinaus at a resort
    Abraham Sheinaus & Fannie Orel Sheinaus at a resort
    Fannie Orel Sheinaus & Abraham Sheinaus
    Fannie Orel Sheinaus & Abraham Sheinaus
    Fannie Orel Sheinaus & Abraham Sheinaus
    1330 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, home of Abr and Fannie Sheinaus, and birthplace of Ruthy Sheinaus
    1330 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, home of Abr and Fannie Sheinaus, and birthplace of Ruthy Sheinaus
    Family ID F282  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 28 Mar 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Abt 1860 - Romania (Kishinev, Moldava) Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 1867 - Kishinev, Russia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 26 Aug 1884 - Russia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsNaturalization - 3 Mar 1897 - Supreme Court, NYC Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - 1900 - "Factory Head" in Hartford, CT Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1900 - Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1910 - 194 Audobon Ave. #78 Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1910 - 506 W. 179th St. 12-Wd Manhattan, New York, New York Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1920 - 481 Van Buren St. apt. 78. Brooklyn Assembly District 6, Kings, New York Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1930 - 1330 Eastern Parkway #408 Brooklyn, Kings, New York Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsArrival - 31 Mar 1936 - New York, New York, New York Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - - Electrical engineer. Worked w/ Thomas Edison Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 451 Van Buren P - Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 23 Mar 1957 - New York Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Washington Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY Link to Google Earth
     = 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
    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
    AS garment hanger drawing
    Abraham Sheinaus' NYTimes obit. March 25, 1957
    Abraham Sheinaus' NYTimes obit. March 25, 1957
    NYT obit for Abraham Sheinaus (misspelled in obit) March 25, 1957
    Grandpa Abraham Sheinaus
    Grandpa Abraham Sheinaus
    Abraham Sheinaus (c) 1950
    AS garment hanger specs.1940
    AS garment hanger specs.1940
    AS filling aparatus drawing 1918
    AS filling aparatus drawing 1918
    as filling aparatus specs 1918
    as filling aparatus specs 1918
    AS garment hanger patent 1940
    AS garment hanger patent 1940
    AS filling aparatus patent 1918
    AS filling aparatus patent 1918
    Abraham Sheinaus Naturalization record 1897
    Abraham Sheinaus Naturalization record 1897

  • Sources 
    1. [S297] .

    2. [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.

    3. [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.

    4. [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:,
    5. New York. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Micropublication M237. Rolls # 95-580. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

    6. [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.".

    7. [S20] Abraham Sheinaus' written recollections.

    8. [S1054] Abraham Sheinaus’ Naturalization Record.

    9. [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,.

    10. [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.

    11. [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.

    12. [S298] .

    13. [S633] New York Naturalization Petitions, 1794 - 1906.

    14. [S13] Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004).

    15. [S561] NYC Census 1925.

    16. [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.

    17. [S111] Ruth Sheinaus Asimov.



This site powered by The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding v. 14.0.3, written by Darrin Lythgoe © 2001-2024.

Maintained by Hugh Byrne. | Data Protection Policy.