Mayersohn Family

The 1892-94 Ukmerge Family List tells us that the Mayersohn and Polin families came to Kupiskis in 1862 and 1865 respectively from Pumpenai, Lithuania. The Mayersohn family mentioned was Movsha-Aron ben Osher Mayersohn, who was born circa 1851, his wife Rochlia, and their children David-Mikhel and Sheyna-Rovzha.

The Polin family was listed as Zelman Polin, his wife Estra-Rokhlia, and their children Mendel, Yankel, Chaya-Shora and Tserna. Family legend, reported by Yitzchak Polin in Israel, stated that the Polin family came to Kupiskis before 1816.

According to Stanley Mayersohn and the Kupiskis marriage records, his parents, David ben Azriel-Josel Polin, age 27, from Svedesai, and Beila-Gitla bat Orel Shevell, age 19, from Kupiskis, were married in Kupiskis on December 24, 1910. David's sister Rose Polin married Julius Kaufman. His sister Chana Polin married Shmerel Tuber and they had the following children: Yechiel Tuber, Laibel Tuber, Berel Tuber, Pesah Tuber, Josef Tuber and Ella Tuber Gendelis. Josef Tuber and Ella Tuber Gendelis managed to settle in Israel while Yechiel Tuber became a rabbi and received his rabbinical "smichah" from Yeshivah Bet-Rubenstein in Panevezys shortly before he was killed with the rest of his family in 1941.

See the excerpt of the monograph on the family and Kupiskis written by Stanley Mayersohn and also the piece done by his son Rabbi Mayersohn , following his visit to Kupiskis that can be found elsewhere on this site.

The photo depicts a row of young Jewish Red Army military recruits from Kupiskis prior to World War II. The scene was taken during the winter. Note the rabbi standing at the table leading them in prayers.

The photo depicts a Purim celebration in Kupiskis prior to WWII. Note the elaborate costumes. There is only one woman in the photo, Queen Esther.

The back of the photos states in Yiddish: "To remember forever to my Uncle David and Aunt Beila (Mayersohn) from me, your nephew, Kievel Isaac Tuber, that wishes all of you health and a good living. Where the circle is marked, that's me." (He is the first person on the left on the bottom row.)

This is "downtown" Kupiskis, 1924. The Mayersohn home is at the corner of Bahn Gahs (Gediminas gatve) and Kovno Gahs. Note the arrow pointing out its location which is the far back left of the photo.

The Polin home was at 50 Gediminas gatve, the Snierson family at 49 Gediminas gatve and the Shevel family was next door. All the homes were across from the Kupiskis City Hall and the bridge over the Kupa River.

This photo of David Mayersohn was taken in 1911 when he was 28 years of age. He was the son of Azriel-Josel Polin, but he took the name of his grandmother Mayersohn. He married Beila-Gitel bat Orel Shevel (became Shavell in America) of Kupiskis and settled in Cincinnati, OH. Their children were Stanley, Harry and Alice Mayersohn.

The family of Beila-Gitel Shavell can be traced back to 1877 in Kupiskis and before that to Raguva, Lithuania. The names of Orel and Shlioma have been carried down in her family from the 1700's. Her great grandfather was Orel Shevel, her grandfather was Shlioma ben Orel Shevel (wife Khanna), her father was Orel ben Shlioma Shevel, born 1838 (wife Ginda Sprintsa), and her brother was Shlioma ben Orel, born 1884.

(Photos donated by Stanley Mayersohn and his son Rabbi Michael Mayersohn in memory of Rabbi Yehiel Tuber and the rest of the Mayersohn, Polin, and Tuber family who perished in the Holocaust.)