Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Fonds

Physical Description

.06 m of records, 2 framed certificates, 4 B&W photographs, 2 colour, 12 souvenir pins, 1 Byward Market street sign.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of the Rivers family Naturalization Certificate - 1926; Albert Rivers talk on Jewish Commerce in the Byward Market 1920's -1940's - June 28, 1992; A report of a survey of the older Jewish population of Ottawa-Carleton, Albert Rivers, Chairman - 1979; News clippings about Leah Rivers, Albert Rivers and Irving Rivers; Leah River’s Jewish National Fund certificate celebrating her 75th birthday; 12 souvenir pins, including four from Hadassah-Wizo; Irving Rivers Correspondence; Irving Rivers business card; Irving Rivers posters; Jewish National Fund certificate in memory of Jacob Rivers - 1949 (see 1-991); A small hand written Hebrew book of religious thoughts read by Jacob Rivers; Ben Goldberg’s Jewish National Fund certificate - 1991; 24 Byward Market street sign; Jewish National Fund certificate presented to Leah Rivers by her children on the occasion of her birthday - 1964 (see 1-964)

Date

1926-1992

Fonds No.

I0203

History / Biographical

Jacob (b. 1880 - d.1949) and Leah Rivers (b. 1889 - d. November 1, 1977) fled Russia to escape the Cossacks and settled in Ottawa in 1921. Jacob and Leah had five children, Elenor (b. May 11, 1909 - d. July 6, 1984), Thelma (originally Tanya) (b. May 1 1912 - d. November 7, 2004), Albert (b. 1915 - d. October 15, 2002), Irving (b. August 15, 1923 - November 1, 1997), and Goldie (b. 1924). Jacob Rivers started his business by renting a “stand” in the Byward market soon after his arrival. By 1924 he had enough saved to rent a store at 16 Byward Market where he sold fruits and vegetables, both wholesale and retail. The business was named J. Rivers Fruits. Later in 1946, the fruit store gave way to a clothing store which Jacob operated with a relative. Leah Rivers went to night school twice a week to learn English. She helped in the shop and was a strong support for her family. She maintained a kosher household and observed most of the Holy days. Jacob's son Albert pursued an accounting career, graduating from Queens University in 1938, and earned his Chartered Accountant’s qualifications in 1956. Albert married Goldie Schacter (b. 1921 - d. 2013) and had three children - Cynthia (Nathanson), Stephen (b. 1948) and Jason (b. 1956). Another son, Irving, bought the retail clothing business from his father in 1950. Irving Rivers named his Market store after himself and adopted the slogan “We corner the market” for his shop which sells a variety of goods from work boots to Canadian flags to hats and more. He was a popular personality in the market area. The store still exists at 24 Byward Market as of 2023 and is run by Irving's daughter, Ellen Rivers. Irving married Ethel Sandler (d. August 24, 1975) and had three children - Jacqueline (b. December 1954), Ellen (b. November 1957), and Ilsa (b. June 20, 1960).

Notes

1. Souvenir pins, Jewish National Fund certificates donated by Eileen Goldberg (Mrs. Ben) July, 2002, a daughter of Leah and Jacob Rivers. 2. 24 Byward Market Street sign donated by Howie Osterer, June 27, 2004 (see - 1-956). 3. Naturalization Certificate and 3 photographs including the Rivers Family, 1945, donated and identified by Gail Victor, November 28, 2007. 4. Jewish National Fund certificate in memory of Jacob Rivers, 1949 located in over-sized certificate box, donated by Goldie Rivers Cantor, summer, 2007. 5. Small Hebrew Book entitled Imre Shefer (Words of Beauty) is a book containing various prayers, recitations, incantations against the evil eye, quotations, formulas, verses from the Torah, Gemorrah etc. The book would have provided inspiration to the reader who painstakenly copies these works from a printed source. 6. Irving Rivers yellow posters stored in Mixed box 13.

Related Material

Related material in Cantor, Steinman and Victor family fonds.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

1967

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-01

Storage Location

vault

Creator

Bill Fleischer, 2831-B Sandalwood Dr., Ottawa

Acquisition Source

Eileen Goldberg

Notes

L-R: Irving Rivers, Ethel Rivers, Nathan Steinman, Thelma (Rivers) Steinman, Goldie Rivers, Albert Rivers, Goldie (Rivers) Cantor, Leah Rivers (with hand on TV), Ben Goldberg, Eileen (Rivers) Goldberg.

Donation of a television to Hillel Lodge to honour Leah Rivers's 80 years of age (b. 1889 - 1977).

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

December 4, 1967

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-02

Storage Location

vault

Acquisition Source

Albert Rivers

Notes

All five men attended Queen's University together in Kingston, Ontario.

Photograph was taken in Albert Rivers home.

L-R: Hy Soloway, Albert Rivers, Lorne Green, Joe Greenblatt and Elliott Gluck.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

1933

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-03

Storage Location

vault

Acquisition Source

Albert Rivers

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

April 23, 1933

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-04

Storage Location

vault

Acquisition Source

Albert Rivers

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

[198-?]

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-05

Storage Location

vault

Acquisition Source

Albert Rivers

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

1921

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-06

Storage Location

vault

History / Biographical

Eleanor married Ben Wallock. Eileen married Ben Goldberg. Thelma married Nathan Steinman.

Acquisition Source

Gail Victor

Notes

Top L-R: Jacob, Eleanor and Leah (Keller) Rivers. Bottom: Albert, Eileen and Thelma.

The photograph was from a Russian passport.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

1949

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-07

Creator

Malak, Ottawa

Acquisition Source

Goldie Rivers Cantor

Notes

L-R: Seated; Fred Wallach, Gail Victor (Steinman), Howard Goldberg and Elaine Shapiro. Seated on a bench are Goldie Cantor, Albert Rivers, Thelma Steinman, Jacob Rivers, Leah Rivers, Eleanor Wallach, Eileen Goldberg and Irving Rivers. Standing: Morris Cantor, Goldie Rivers (a sister-in-law), Nat Steinman, Ben Wallach and Ben Goldberg.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

1945

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-08

Storage Location

vault

Creator

Newton

Acquisition Source

Gail Victor

Notes

L-R: Front (seated); Fred Wallach, Leah and Jacob Rivers, Elaine Steinman. Back; Thelma Steinman, Gail Steinman (on lap), Nathan Steinman, Ben Wallach, Elenor Wallack, Irving Rivers, Goldie Cantor, Albert Rivers, Ben Goldberg, Eileen Goldberg, Howard Goldberg (on lap).

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Date

[198-?]

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-09

Storage Location

vault

History / Biographical

Mrs. Wallach was married to Ben Wallach. She died around 1983 according to an OJB article written in 1986.

Acquisition Source

Gail Victor

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Date

1988

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-10

Storage Location

vault

History / Biographical

Ilsa is the youngest child of Irving Rivers.

Acquisition Source

Gail Victor

Notes

Victor family: 4th row from bottom, third from left is Andrea Victor, Jodie Victor is behind groom with head raised, Stephen Victor is in third row from bottom, 2nd from right. Gail is beside him.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Date

[199-?]

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-582-11

Storage Location

vault

Acquisition Source

unknown

Notes

Electronic image only.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

object

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Date

2011

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-956

Storage Location

Frames

Acquisition Source

Howie Osterer

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

object

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Date

1964

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-964

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

object

Physical Description

1 photograph : col.

Date

1949

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 1-991

Storage Location

OS Mixed Box 10

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail

Collection

Rivers Family fonds

Description Level

Item

Material Type

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Date

[193-?]

Fonds No.

I0203

Item No.

OJA 2-085

Storage Location

vault

History / Biographical

The name Rivers was originally Riber meaning brother in Russian. It was changed to Rivers after the family arrived in Ottawa.

Acquisition Source

Irving Rivers

Notes

L-R: Unknown individual, Thelma (Steinman) Rivers, Leah Rivers, Jacob Rivers.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Ottawa Jewish Archives

Less detail