Foxman Family of Eastern North Carolina

 

This beautiful lady is my great grandmother, Hattie Foxman Adler.  I've had a great time recently exploring the Adler and Foxman families, but I have to say the Foxman line is a bit of a mystery. 

The surname of Foxman could have been Anglicized from Fucks, Fox, or Foxe. Or even something else. That's part of the mystery and what makes it difficult to trace the line.

Hattie's parents,  Louis Foxman and Celia Hacker, immigrated from Russia sometime between 1883-1885. They provide a different year of immigration to the census taker each year in 1900, 1910 and 1930.

In 1900, the family was living in Baltimore, Maryland. Family lore has it that Louis walked from Baltimore to Kinston, NC and it took nearly a year.  A year!  Can you imagine?!?

In the 1900 census, the family was living in Queen Anne County, Maryland. Louis reported that he was born May 1864 in Russia, that he immigrated in 1883, and that he was a tailor.  He was married to wife Celia, born February 1879, who also immigrated from Russia in 1885. She reported they had 5 children, 3 of whom are living in 1900.  Those children were Hattie, Benjamin, and Sarah.  All of the children were born in Maryland. 

By the 1910 census, the family was living in Kinston, Lenoir County, NC at 112 Haulage Street. They reported that they immigrated from Russia, but in 1884 (not in 1883 as in 1900), and had 9 children, 6 of whom are living.  They reported all of their living children were born in NC (not in Maryland as in 1900).

In a news article in the Daily Free Press (Kinston, NC), on 1 February 1922, Louis said he lived in northern Russia as a child. This would have been in the late 1860s.) He said homes there had huge brick stoves in the center of the house. Children would sleep on top of the stove to stay warm, once it had cooled down.  He said Russia "was a good old country in those days".

Louis Foxman is listed as part of the influx of Jewish immigrated from eastern Europe around the turn of the century in an organized Jewish community in Kinston, NC. The majority of this group were merchants and in 1903 they established Congregation Tifereth Israel. (Source:  Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities)

There are quite a few news articles pertaining to the family in the Kinston Free Press between 1916 and 1934.

14 April 1916

4 Jan 1917

11 April 1922

Louis passed from lung cancer 27 Dec 1934. He is buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Kinston, NC.  Celia passed 16 Jan 1943 and is buried next to Louis. 

Stay tuned for more information on Hattie. She was a VERY accomplished lady!