Looking for Town of Lena Kovitz, Born in Russia

[j.golden1]

Thank you all for your help, based on the WWI registration card I contacted the Lithuanian archives, and they are researching the surname in the area of Kovno, I will let you guys know the results!

[j.golden1]

It has been several years and I still have been unable to progress on this side of the family (the last part of my family tree that I haven't been able to trace)! My goal is to figure out where in Lithuania this side of the family came from (or at least a naturalization record for one of them).

If anyone is willing to help, it would be much appreciated!

There are a number of things I find strange:

1) I have been unable to find a naturalization record for a single member of this family, even though they all indicate on censuses that they have been naturalized.

2) The marriages are very confusing. Here we have the marriage certificate of Lena Kovitz to Harry Levine: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4D8-S2W. I know that this is the correct certificate because a physical copy has been passed around in the family. HOWEVER, this lists Lena's parents as "Samuel Kovitz" and "Annie Cohen". This is where the confusion starts. This 1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF9M-R8Q shows Lena's parents as "Zelda Kovits" and "Michael Kovitz". I also know that this IS the correct census, as I have personally met the Minnie and Bessie mentioned there. However, again in the 1910 census (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2K2-YSX) we have Michael's wife listed as "Jennie Kovitz". I have absolutely no idea who Lena's mother was. It should also be noted that this record(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N46L-XZL) lists them as "Max Kovitz" and "Zelde Sneider".

3) The locations where this family lived (although all in the Kaunas Governate) are different:
Samuel's WWI draft registration (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6W2Q-11R) shows him as being from Linkuva. A naturalization of what is likely Harry Kovitz in Boston, however, shows him as having been born in Ponevezh.

[shellyesq]

On the 1920 census, it says Lena was naturalized in 1909, which was the same year as her marriage to Harry, who was already naturalized according to the census.  If that was the case, she would have been naturalized automatically then.  https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1998/summer/women-and-naturalization-1.html

Have you found a passenger list or death record for Lena's parents?

My husband has a branch of Russian Jews in his family, and I have noticed a good amount of name changing going on from census to census in that bunch too.  My guess is they could have been nicknames, Hebrew names, or whatever anglicized name sounded good at the time. 

[RJ137]

Preview peeks of Lena's obit in 1968.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kso/

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ksp/

[j.golden1]

Thanks!

I haven't been able to find death records for Lena's parents or their passenger list.

[shellyesq]

Michael and Zelda's burials are here - https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GSln=Covitz&GSiman=1&GScid=1962218&

The 1952 Boston city directory says that Zelda Covitz, widow of Michael, died Feb. 21, 1951.  The Massachusetts death index says that Zelda died in Boston in 1951 and her maiden name was Sobel.

Massachusetts death index says Michel (that was the spelling on the index) Covitz died in 1927 in Boston.  The 1928 Boston city directory says that Michael Covitz died Nov. 27, 1927.

[shellyesq]

I found 1920 & 1929 declarations of intention for Samuel Covitz born 6 May 1890 in Lithuania.  It says he sailed to New York on the vessel Statendam arriving July 1906.  Samuel filed another declaration of intention in 1943 that said he was born Lincovo, Russia and that it was his last place of foreign residence.

The passenger list can be seen on the Ellis Island website using this link - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JFZT-64F  His father appears to be listed right above him.  It says they were going to join Michal's son/Samuel's brother.  The name is hard to read but looks something like Sobel Kotzen.  There is also a 17 year old female whose name is hard to read beneath them - it was transcribed as Hinde Kowetz on a subscription site, but it looks like Kotzen was written in for her surname.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JFZT-668  On another record, it says that Michal and his 2 chidren were held for special inquiry.  There is a note about a doctor's certification, and there appears to be hernia written on the passenger list.

[j.golden1]

Thanks so much Shelly, much appreciated!!!

[shellyesq]

I wonder if this is another family member- Annie Kovitz, sister to Lena

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4HZ-R3T

Here she is with sister Rose
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K4V9-RV2

She can be seen with name Katzen/Katgen/Kotzen and variations.

I think Annie's husband may be the son/brother that Michal and Samuel were traveling to join, as she was married before they arrived.  The address where they were going looks like it could be 69 Lowell St., and the marriage record has her husband's address as 59 Lowell St.

Annie & kids in 1920 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF99-6DB

Annie & kids in 1940 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4V9-RV2

Here is a snippet of Annie's obit - http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kt6/ 

I found a 1944 petition for naturalization for Annie.  She lived at 50 Greenwood St., same address as 1940 census & the obit.  It says she was born Mar. 1879 in Zamel, Russia, and the marriage date for her & husband Joseph was the same as mentioned above.  It says she traveled under the name Annie Izekovitche in July 1902 on the Statendam.  Her 1940 declaration of intention has the same information, and a picture of her.