Benjamin
Benjamin married Rose Feld in 1897 according to the New Jersey Marriage Record collection. It is believed he was born circa 1874.
(Source: New Jersey State Archives; Trenton, New Jersey; New Jersey, U.s., Marriage Records, 1670-1965 ,Ancestry.com. New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Records, 1670-1965 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Marriage Records. New Jersey Marriages. New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.)
The 1900 Federal Census shows that Benjamin was living with his in-laws. His father-in-law also worked in the hat industry. Interestingly, Benjamin was going by the name Watson instead of Wosnitzer. However, he did revert to using Wosnitzer at a later date. Also, he and Rose now had a son, John.
In 1912, he is listed in the Newark, New Jersey City Directory. He is working as a hatter and living at 329 Belmont Avenue.
His World War I Draft Card confirms that he lived on Belmont Avenue in Newark and that he worked for the Hudson Hat Company. This record was found in Ancestry.com (Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.).
The 1920 US Census, shows that he and Rose and 6 children. Also, Rose’s parents were living with his family.
(Source information for the 1920 Census is:
Year: 1920; Census Place: Newark Ward 16, Essex, New Jersey; Roll: T625_1038; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 290
Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).}
In 1925, his son Joseph applied for a marriage license to Elsie Schanker.
According to Joseph’s granddaughter, Joe and his brothers worked for various hat manufacturers. At one point, Joe worked for Resistol hats for a Mr. Rolnick. Joe;s family lived in West Orange, New Jersy, but after Joe married, he moved to Fal River, MA. In the mid-1940’s he moved back to New Jersey.
Joe change his name to Joseph Watson to sound more “American” but later changed it back to Wosnitzer since that was a well-known name in the hat industry.
Benjamin’s obituary appeared in the Courier-News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, on Friday, June 30, 1944. It was downloaded from Newspapers.com
On October 16, 1950, Benjamin’s son, Joseph, and his wife attend a Hat Research Foundation dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
Joe and his wife are on the left.
Below is another photo of Joe.
