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Rēzekne Families Stories and Pictures

The HORWITZ Family

Horowitz, Horovice Hurewitsch, Hurvitz, Hurwitz, Hurvics,
Gurewitsch, Gurowitz, Gurowitz, Gurvitz, Gurwitz,Gureviz, Gurvich, Gurevich,
Gurewitsh, Gurevits, Gurevitch, Gravetz, Gurewicz

This material was submitted by
Dave Howard (Nee Horwitz)

All the genealogical information plus additional information
about Rezekne can be found at Dave's personal family history website
FamRoots.org

Download PDF of Family

The Horwitz Family is an old Rezekne Family. The Surname Horwitz is the one most of my relatives chose to use when they came to America. The Family name comes from a city in the Czech Republic by the name of Horovice and was given to the family when they had moved from Spain in the 15th century. In Spain it was the Ha-Levi Family. It has always been a Rabbinical Family with many famous Rabbis. The Horowitz Family Association in Israel has traced the family back to about BCE 1000.

       The Horovice name was Horowitz in Yiddish. However, when the family members moved to parts of the world where Polish, Russian or other languages were spoken it was translitterated phonetically recreated so that when it is transliterated back into English it can be any of the variations at the top of this page.

      A branch of this family did well in Latvia. Family members lived in Riga, Daugavpils, Rezekne, Ludza and many other places. They were in the timber business and family members would cut the trees and float them in the river to be picked up in Riga. When I look closely at my great-grandfather's photo below it looks like he had been hit in the forehead, the eybrows and his mouth by timbers during the course of his working life.

The family was in the beer business in Daugauvpils.

HHGurevich Photo

Henoch Hirsch Horwitz

My great-grandfather, Henoch Hirsh Horwitz, was married three times and had at least 17 children of whom 13 reached adulthood and married. 11 of his children came to Chicago by way of many other cities and settled there. Two of his married children stayed in Latvia and were murdered in the Shoa. He was not a poor man.

According to his daughter, Bessie Horwitz, who I interviewed in 1979, he and his brothers were in the timber business. From the scar above his eye and his lip that also looks to have been scared he must have been hit in the face by some logs from time to time. He was known as a quiet man who never used strong language.

He had a large family by his first wife, Feiga. They had 7 children born from 1859 to 1875. She apparently passed away about 1878 at about age 40. He then married Basheva in about 1879 when he was 41 and she was 27 and they had 10 more children born from 1880 to 1896. Basheva died about 1904 at age 47. His oldest child, Eliah Horwitz was 37 years old when his youngest sister was born. Henoch Hirsh married for the third time to a woman with three children. She and his own young children still at home did not get along with the new mother. Food was scarce and she hid it for her own children. This is when the rest of the Horwitz family migrated to the USA in about 1905. Henoch died in May 1909 at age 70 four months after his oldest son Eliah.

Eliah was survived by his wife Gutta and their seven children. They all moved to Chicago where she went on to survive as the matriarch of a large family and lived until 1935 and passed away at age 73. The seven children were born from 1882 to 1904 and overlapped with Eliah's own siblings born during that same time span.

In the All Russia Census of 1897 the family shows up as living on a street named Malaya Ludzenskaya house #34. Malaya Ludzenskaya translates to Kleine Luziner in German and shows up on the old German map in the Rezekne Museum. Today, in Latvian it is Zilupes iela or Hway P54 to Ludza. On Google Maps Street View there is a house number 34 on that street and its photo is below.

Zilupes iela 34

If you click on the little symbol in the family tree there will be a report produced that links all the ancestors of the individual. By clicking on a name you will be taken to my website that has the complete family history.

Generation: 1

 
  1. 1.   Henoch Horwitz was born 1745, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Henoch  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 2. Shevel Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1771, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 3. Raphael Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1785.
    3. 4. Afroim Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1788, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died 14 Jan 1880, Rezekne, Latgale, Lavia.

     

Generation: 2

 
  1. 2.   Shevel Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1771, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Shevel  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 5. Leiba Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1801, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 6. Jewno Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1802, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 7. Henoch Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1804, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    4. 8. Meyer Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1809, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  2. 3.   Raphael Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1785.

    Raphael  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 9. Jankel Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1810, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 10. Getzel Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1814, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 11. Jeckel Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1819, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  3. 4.   Afroim Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1788, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died 14 Jan 1880, Rezekne, Latgale, Lavia.

    Afroim  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 12. Leiser Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1813, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 13. Henoch Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1817, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     

Generation: 3

 
  1. 5.   Leiba Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1801, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Leiba  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 14. Getzel Leiser Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1814, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  2. 6.   Jewno Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1802, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Jewno  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 15. Genuch David Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1824, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  3. 7.   Henoch Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1804, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Henoch  Hana. Hana was born 1809; died 30 Jul 1877, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 16. Itsik Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1841, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 17. Yevna Hirschev Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1857, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  4. 9.   Jankel Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (3.Raphael2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1810, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Jankel  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 18. Pinchus Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1830, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 19. Michel Raphael Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1827, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 20. Raphael Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1833, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  5. 10.   Getzel Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (3.Raphael2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1814, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Getzel  . Unknown [Group Sheet]

     
  6. 12.   Leiser Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1813, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Leiser  Hana. Hana was born 1818, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 21. Henoch Beinus Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1837, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 22. Afroim Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1838, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 23. Mowscha Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1842, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    4. 24. Jankel Horwitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1848, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  7. 13.   Henoch Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1817, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Henoch  Sora. Sora was born Abt 1820, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died 19 Mar 1878, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 25. Morduch Jacob Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1845, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 26. Ziska Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1853, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     

Generation: 4

 
  1. 14.   Getzel Leiser Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (5.Leiba3, 2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1814, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Getzel  Itka. Itka was born 1818, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died After 1896, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 27. Movsha Leizerov Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1837, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 28. Henoch Hirsch Horwitz/Gurevitch/Gurvich  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1838, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died 18 May 1909, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 29. Afroim Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1840, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    4. 30. Shevel Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1842, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    5. 31. Yacov Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1845, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  2. 15.   Genuch David Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (6.Jewno3, 2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1824, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Genuch  Genuch's First Wife. Genuch's was born Abt 1824. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 32. Jankel Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1838, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Genuch  Gnesa. Gnesa was born Abt 1830. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 33. Getzel Haim Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1851, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 34. Gabriel Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1858, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  3. 16.   Itsik Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (7.Henoch3, 2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1841, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Itsik  Haya. Haya was born Abt 1840, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died 11 Sep 1866, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Itsik  Beila Abramova. Beila was born Abt 1849, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 35. Berke Elye Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1877, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 36. Sora Haya Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1879, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 37. Hirsch Well Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1881, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    4. 38. Hana Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1884, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  4. 17.   Yevna Hirschev Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (7.Henoch3, 2.Shevel2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1857, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Yevna  Hanna Sora. Hanna was born Abt 1872, Shavli. [Group Sheet]

     
  5. 18.   Pinchus Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (9.Jankel3, 3.Raphael2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1830, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Pinchus  Zisa Reisa Daug of Leiba. Zisa was born 1842, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 39. Mera Lea Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1852, Ludza, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 40. Getzel Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1859, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 41. Mowscha Awsey Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1871, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  6. 20.   Raphael Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (9.Jankel3, 3.Raphael2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1833, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Raphael  Raina. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 42. Samuil Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1850, Tallinn, Estonia.
    2. 43. Pinchew Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1857, Tallinn, Estonia.
    3. 44. Michel Berka Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1858, Tallinn, Estonia.
    4. 45. Berka Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1861, Tallinn, Estonia.
    5. 46. Srol Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1863, Tallinn, Estonia.
    6. 47. Jsak Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1866, Tallinn, Estonia.
    7. 48. Benzion Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 20 Feb 1872, Tallinn, Estonia.
    8. 49. Haim Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 19 Nov 1873, Tallinn, Estonia.
    9. 50. Simon Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 11 Feb 1877, Tallinn, Estonia.

     
  7. 21.   Henoch Beinus Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (12.Leiser3, 4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1837, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Henoch  Itka. Itka was born 1838, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 51. Sora Hasya Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1857, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 52. Leiba Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1858, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 53. Gena Mera Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1877, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    4. 54. Haya Riva Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1891, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Henoch  Rocha Iska bat Ziska. Rocha was born Abt 1852, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

     
  8. 22.   Afroim Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (12.Leiser3, 4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born Abt 1838, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Afroim  Liba. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 55. Asriel Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1865, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 56. Getzel Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 1871, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  9. 23.   Mowscha Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (12.Leiser3, 4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1842, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Mowscha  Etka Sora. Etka was born 1843. [Group Sheet]

     
  10. 24.   Jankel Horwitz Descendancy chart to this point (12.Leiser3, 4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1848, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Jankel  Nechama. Nechama was born 1853, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Jankel  Sora. Sora (daughter of Schimon Leib) was born 1876, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

     
  11. 25.   Morduch Jacob Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (13.Henoch3, 4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1845, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Morduch  Chana Daug of Benjamin. Chana (daughter of Benjamin) was born 1847, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 57. Ephroim Schabsay Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born 31 May 1876, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    2. 58. Sheina Basya Morduchova Horowitz  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1880, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 59. Rafael Gurvitch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1882, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

     
  12. 26.   Ziska Horowitz Descendancy chart to this point (13.Henoch3, 4.Afroim2, 1.Henoch1) was born 1853, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

    Ziska married Lea Elyasheva Fainstein 6 Jan 1878, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia. Lea (daughter of Elyash Fainstein) was born 1859, Dunabourg-Daugavpils, Latvia. [Group Sheet]

    Children:
     
    1. 60. Wulf Gurewitsch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia; died 4 Dec 1904, Riga, Vidzeme, Latvia.
    2. 61. Sheina Chaya Gurvitch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1880, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    3. 62. Itsik Ziskov Gurvitch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1883, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    4. 63. Yankel Ziskov Gurvitch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1888, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    5. 64. Riva Gurvitch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1894, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.
    6. 65. Israel Ziskov Gurvitch  Descendancy chart to this point was born Abt 1896, Horwitz Family Residence, Rezekne, Latgale, Latvia.

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