Searching for CARL KAFRA

[Sbutler3552]

Ich suche mein Großvater CARL KAFRA, 1870 oder 1871 in Deutschland geboren. Es kann sein, daß er mit KARL HERMANN KAFRA verwandt ist, 1854 in ANGERBURG geboren. Sein Beruf (laut die Geburtsurkunde meines Vaters) ist Journalist. Er ist 1910-1912 nach der USA ausgewandert, und wohnte in New York City (Manhattan). Meine Großmutter ist ANNA MARIA BECKER, 1888 in FRITZLAR, Deutschland, geboren. Es kann sein daß sie sich in KÖLN kennengelehrnt haben. Sie ist 1910 nach der USA ausgewandert.



I am searching for my grandfather, CARL KAFRA, born 1870 or 1871, in GERMANY. He could be related to CARL HERMANN KAFRA, born 1854, in ANGERBURG. His occupation (on my Father’s birth certificate) is journalist. He would have immigrated to America between 1910 and 1912, and lived in New York City (Manhattan). My grandmother’s name is ANNA MARIA BECKER, born 1888, in Fritzlar, GERMANY. It is possible that they met in COLOGNE, where Anna worked prior to immigrating to America in 1910.

[renatehelene]

Good evening,

what religion had your grandfather ???

[Horst von Linie 1]

Good evening,

what religion had your grandfather ???

Hello Renate from Berlin,
his wife Anna Maria Friederika Becker, born 23/12/1888 in Fritzlar, was a Catholic.

[Sbutler3552]

Danke, Horst ... mein Cousin aus Fritzlar?

[Sbutler3552]

Hi Renate,
I do not know HIS religion. It was suggested that I email Olaf Jablonsky to find out more about the Kafra family from Angerburg, which I did. Still waiting for a response. I found Kafra's from Berlin as well. Do you know if the "Registry Office 1 in Berlin, Ruckerstr. 9, 10119" is the place to write to for records? Thanks!

[animei]

Can you please give us more information?
I just found your requests on ancestry, but I'm not able to find this family in New York not even your father.

[Sbutler3552]

Hi Animei,
It's been a difficult search because my father would not tell us his birth name. I found it on a 1942 FAA document. After months of searching on ancestry.com I found it:

https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=Charley_Kafra&count=50&location=2&name_x=_p&priority=usa&types=rs

If you hover over the "New York, New York, Birth Index, 1910-1965" you will see both the certificate number (43858) and a "Household Members" number (2292183). I was finally able to get my father's birth certificate, which lists my grandfather as CARL KAFRA, age 42, (in 1913), which would make his birth year 1870 or 1871. I have been in communication with the NYC Archives, but have had no success in finding out about this "Household Members" number that is linked to the "Certificate Number", so I called ancestry.com and they suggested I call the Dept. of Vital Records, which I will do next week. I have also contacted churches near where my grandparents lived, but no luck finding any baptismal records. Thoughts?

[Svenja]

Hi

I think it will be important to find his entry in the passenger list because there is usually mentionned the place of birth, the last permanent residence in Europe and a relative in Germany (or where he came from).

If you want to search for BMD records in Berlin you need to know in which part of the city the person lived, because there are many registry offices in Berlin. But aren't there some records of Berlin online on ancestry?

You can look at Berlin City Directories here:

https://www.zlb.de/fachinformation/spezialbereiche/berlin-studien/berlin-portal/wer-lebte-in-berlin.html

There are also some newspapers online:

https://www.zlb.de/fachinformation/spezialbereiche/berlin-studien/berlin-portal/berliner-zeitungen-zeitschriften-presse.html

Regards
Svenja

[Sbutler3552]

I have not found him, yet. The story was that he left with my grandmother, Anna, but I was not able to find him on the manifest. I continue to search the manifests, even coming from other countries to make sure I don't miss him. It is going to take some time.

I have no idea where my grandfather is from. The Carl Kafra from Angerburg seemed promising. Thank you for letting me know that there are many registry offices in Berlin. This is quite helpful! And many thanks for the two links that you provided. Looking forward to checking them out!!!

[animei]

Did you find your father and grandmother on any census record?

[Sbutler3552]

Yes, on the 1915 New Jersey Census, with her second husband, Hermann Wilhelm Vogel. However, my father is listed as a female, Ada J, instead of Edward K (they renamed him) and the birth year is 1912 instead of 1913. The place of birth is New York, which is correct. I found this female reference interesting because my father’s birth certificate reveals there was another child that had died before my father was born. If you are interested in the whole story, email me @ sandrabutler@atlanticbb.net. There may be something in it that will help in the search. Thanks for you help!

[Sbutler3552]

Yes. They are in the 1915 New Jersey Census, with her second husband, Hermann Wilhelm Vogel. However, my father is listed as a female, Ada J (possibly mistaken for Edward K, which they renamed my father), born in 1912 (instead of 1913) in New York (which is correct). Interestingly, according to my father’s birth certificate, there was another child born before my father, but not living at the time my father was born. The story is that my grandfather was sick even on the boat coming over, and did not live long. If you are interested in the whole story, email me at sandrabutler@atlanticbb.net. There might be something in there that you might find helpful in the search. Thanks for your help!

[animei]

What makes you think that Charley Kafra is identical to Edward K. Vogel? You wrote, Anna was born in December but according to the 1915 census she was born in April.

[Svenja]

Hi Anita

I did understand that Carl Kaffra was the father of Edward K. and Hermann Wilhelm Vogel was the stepfather of Edward K.

The story is that my grandfather was sick even on the boat coming over, and did not live long.

Hi Sbutler

Wasn't there a database which lists people who died in quarantine after arriving at Ellis Island? Did you search for a death certificat in New York, if he died short after arriving it should be online. Where did they live in New Jersey, did you look at newspapers of New York and New Jersey?

Regards
Svenja

[animei]

Hallo Svenja,

Edward K. soll als Charley Kafra, Sohn von Carl Kafra und Anna Maria Becker geboren sein.