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Abe and Bertha Palmer family fonds

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn101249

Collection: Abe and Bertha Palmer family fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 file, 2 photographs : b&w

Fonds No.: I0002

Date: ca. 1971

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of news clippings; an advertisement for Rideau Plumbing and Heating; and 2 photographs.

Collection: Abe and Bertha Palmer family fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 file, 2 photographs : b&w

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of news clippings; an advertisement for Rideau Plumbing and Heating; and 2 photographs.

Date: ca. 1971

Fonds No.: I0002

Storage Location: A.1.1 - Individuals Boxes

History / Biographical: Abe Palmer, son of Moshe and Rose Palmer, was born at Billings Bridge, Ottawa. When he was ten or eleven, the family moved to Ottawa and he attended Rideau Street Public School. Bertha Palmer was born in Navazibkoff, White Russia and came to Ottawa in 1927 as a young woman of 16 or 17 years of age with her senior matriculations and a fine singing voice. SHe was sponsored by her uncle Louis Leiken who had come to Ottawa in 1910 with her father, Joseph Leiken. Bertha Palmer became the first UJA Women's Division chair in 1972. Abe Palmer was a successful businessman. Early in his business life he had a partnership with his cousin Abraham Held, in a business called Rideau Plumbing and Heating Limited. Then he established a wholesale plumbing and heating business called Palmer’s Plumbing and Heating Supply Limited. He sold this business in the 1960's to a Calgary firm called Westburn Industries Ltd. He was a “mover and shaker” in that industry and was the Plumbing Division Chairman of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating. The Palmers were always active and highly respected in the Ottawa Jewish community and were among the founders of the Ottawa Modern Jewish School. Abe served two terms as chairman of Israel Bonds in the late 1960's and was President of the Jewish Community Council of Ottawa from 1970-1972.

Notes: 1. Family information from the Palmer’s daughter, Sunny Tavel, July, 2006. Her Uncle Louis and her grandfather Joseph Leiken came to Canada in 1910. Joseph died in 1914 and is buried in Ottawa. Bertha came with her sister-in-law Zena Leiken, and two nieces, Libby Katz of Ottawa and Ethel Kesler of Montreal. Zena, Libby and Ethel were sponsored by Harry Leiken. When Bertha arrived in Ottawa, she lived with her Uncle Louis.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Abraham Caplin fonds

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn101145

Collection: Abraham Caplin fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: multiple media

Physical Description: textual material, objects

Fonds No.: I0007

Date: [ca. 1924]

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of: a photocopied letter from Rabbi Fyne, July 18, 1924; a hand coloured certificate of condolence when Abraham Caplin died in July, 1924 signed by S. Spevak (President) and A. Sugarman (Vice-President) (see 1-1007); and four shoichet knives. The shoichet knives (butchers knives) we…

Collection: Abraham Caplin fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: multiple media

Physical Description: textual material, objects

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of: a photocopied letter from Rabbi Fyne, July 18, 1924; a hand coloured certificate of condolence when Abraham Caplin died in July, 1924 signed by S. Spevak (President) and A. Sugarman (Vice-President) (see 1-1007); and four shoichet knives. The shoichet knives (butchers knives) were owned by Abraham Caplin. Two have stamps from New Jersey, a third was made in Germany, and the fourth is unmarked. Three also have what seems to be early Bakelite handles - the earliest type of commercial plastic. This would put the date of their manufacture at any time after 1907. The handle from Germany however is made of ivory and is stamped with the name G. Gruenwald / Konigsberg. Gruenwald specialized in making ritual knives like circumcision blades and other slaughterer's tools. These knives were likely made between 1850 and 1915. Allan has memories of his grandfather sharpening the knives using a whetstone, again and again, until they were sharper than a razor blade. "He would run his fingernail down the length of the blade looking for any chips, and if there were, back to the stone."

Date: [ca. 1924]

Fonds No.: I0007

Storage Location: A.1.1 - Individuals Boxes

History / Biographical: Abraham Caplin (b. unknown - d. 1926) arrived in Ottawa in 1889 from Russia. He came with his wife, Doris (Pullan), daughter Bessie Caplin (b. 1888- d. 1951) and sons Louis Caplin and Manny Caplin. Abraham was a cantor but was unable to make a living as a cantor in Ottawa as the Jewish community was simply too small - only around 25 to 30 people. In the late 1890's or early 1900's, he became a shochet, as well as a secondhand goods merchant. The family has a small home and shop located at 479 Wellington (See Ottawa's 1907 City Directory). The family eventually moved to 367 Besserer which was much closer to the slaughterhouse, which at the time was located in a park that located at the corner of Charlotte and Laurier Avenue. Allan Maser, Abraham's grandson, recalled "it was on the very edge of the town at that time. Beyond that was Eastview (now Vanier) and then fields and fields." Abraham was a founder and strong supporter of Agudath Achim, Ottawa's second congregation, and was mourned deeply by the entire community when he passed away in 1926. Abraham's son Louis Caplin married Alice Adler and lived in Toronto. Son Manny moved first to Detroit, then settled in Los Angeles. Daughter Bessie married Rabbi Max Maser (b. 1886- d. 1953) sometime between 1906 and 1911. Bessie met Rabbi Maser when he was invited to perform High Holiday services for Agudath Achim and stayed at the family's home. Rabbi Maser subsequently became the Assistant Cantor of Congregation Agudath Achim and would serve the congregation between 1924 and 1954. The couple had nine sons, seven of whom served overseas in World War II, and a daughter.

Acquisition Source: Allan Maser.

Notes: 1. Biographical information provided by Allan Maser and by the Honourable Abraham H. Lieff, 2001. 2. The Caplan surname is usually spelled with “a,” however, Abraham Caplin’s headstone in the Bank Street cemetery is spelled with an “i”. Allan Maser suggested (July, 2014) that the change in spelling likely occurred during the immigration process.