Russian People Aboard

[Alexandra V. Plechyova]

Hi All,

I’m interested in passengers and crew members who came from Russia or were Russian.
Some Russian books say that there were more than 16 russians aboard, somewhere it’s written that there were 20 immigrants from Russia, travelling to the States, but I haven’t found any information about them. None of them are listed anywhere.
I’ve done a small research and came across some people who had Russian citizenship or worked in Russia.
Here’s the list of those whom I’ve found:

1. Mr. Arthur H. Gee, 47, boarded the Titanic as a 1st class passenger at Southampton
2. Mr. Israel Nesson, 26, electrician from Russia, boarded the Titanic as a 2nd class passenger at Southampton.
3. Mr. Aaron Willer, 37, a tailor from Russia, boarded the ship at Cherbourg as a 3rd class passenger.
4. Mr. David Livshin, 25, a jeweller from Russia, boarded at Southampton as a 3rd class passenger
5. Mr. Samuel Greenberg, 52, from Russia, boarded at Southampton as a 2nd class passenger
6. Mrs. Beila Moor, 27, a tailor from Russia, boarded at Southampton as a 3rd class passenger. Survived.
7. Master Meier Moor (son). Survived.
8. Mr. Sinai Kantor, 34, lived in Vitebsk, Russia. Boarded the ship Southampton as a 2nd class passenger.
9. Mrs. Miriam Kantor (wife). Survived.

Note, that none of them had russian names or surnames, which means that they weren’t russian.
In another source I’ve found that 27 passengers from Russia boarded at Southampton:
First Class 0
Second Class 9 (3 survived)
Third Class 18 (6 survived)
Total 27 (9 survived)
But were they russian?

One of the most often mentioned russians aboard is Mikhail M. Jakovsky (I’m not sure if i spell it correct), who is said to be a crew member of the ship — he was a cashier, a son of General M. N. Jadovsky. I haven’t find any information about him.

I’m completely lost. It’s unbelievable that there were no russians aboard. Can anyone help me with this question?

Thank you,
Alexandra V. Plechyova

 

[Delia Mahoney]

Hello Alexandra,

Another Russian passenger was Moses Aaron Troupiansky from second class.
I guess that third class passenger Jennie Dropkin could be from Russia but I'm not sure. Good luck in your researching!

All the best,

Delia

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Hallo, Alexandra. The following passengers were, I believe, Russian-born:

3rd Class
Jacob Cook
Henry Corn
Nathan Goldsmith
Simon Kutcher
David Livshin
Simon Meizner
Beila Moor
Joseph Murdlin
Selman Slocovski
Aaron Willer
Usher Pullnor

2nd Class
Samuel Abelson
Anna Abelson
Samuel Greenberg
Sinai Kantor
Miriam Kantor
Israel Nesson
Moses Troupiansky

Jenny Dropkin was born in Byelorussia. Several other passengers who were born in Poland might have been considered to be Russian-born, as Poland was a part of the Russian Empire at the time of their births. I've never heard of Jakovski (or Jakowski) and I don't think there were any Russian-born members of the crew.

You should not assume that any of these people were not Russian because their names do not suggest Russian ancestry. Many of these passengers were Jewish, and their names often reflect this and a long tradition of movement from one country to another. In some cases also the names were changed by marriage, or anglicised following emigration.

There are other members who can tell you more, but hopefully this will help to get you started.

 

[Ron Betnesky]

David Livshin was from Latvia not Russia

 

[Karen]

Moses Troupiansky was my grandmother's first cousin. His family was from Lithuania. He was on his way to visit my grandmother's family in New York City. My great grandfather went to identify his body, but he was not recovered from the ocean. According to my family Moses and his family lived in South Africa, which makes sense since many Lithuanian Jews immigrated there.

If anyone knows any more about him I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks,
Karen

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Hallo, Ron. Owing to changing political geography there can be some confusion over where people were born and what their nationality was at various times in their lives. Back in 1912 Latvia did not exist as a sovereign state, so Livshin's nationality at that time was Russian and technically he was Russian-born. For similar reasons the Irish were regarded as British Nationals, the Lebanese as Syrians, and so on.

 

[Mark Baber]

Hey, Bob---

Ron Betnesky hasn't visited us since 2009. He's therefore not likely to see your message.

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Good God, Mark, is it 2011 already? At my age it's so hard keeping track of time.

 

[Mark Baber]

Um, you've lost a few years, Rip Van Godfrey?

;-)

 

[Bob Godfrey]

Mark: Well, I'd like to, but have you seen the price of botox?

Karen: Like Mr Livshin and for the same reason, Moses Troupiansky was a Russian national in 1912, at which time he was 22 years old and unmarried. There is some information about him in Craig Stringer's book Titanic People. According to Craig he had indeed been working in South Africa (in the retail trade) and must have done well for himself as he was travelling 2nd Class and intended to start a business of his own in the US after joining his relatives in New York. Prior to that he had been sending money to support his widowed mother Zlate and an invalid sister. After his death Zlate received assistance from the American Red Cross and she also made a claim against the shipping line for compensation for the loss of her son and his property.

 

[Brian J. Ticehurst]

Here is the Red Cross details for Mr. T - I hope they help?
Cheers Brian

(From the Red Cross Emergency Relief Booklet, 1913)
Case number 457. (Russian Jew). This young business man was lost while coming from South Africa to join his widowed mother and three sisters in New York and to establish himself in business here. He had been sending $20 a month to his mother. Two daughters were working; one was in an institution, a permanent invalid. Emergent needs were cared for by this Committee. ($400).
Insurance claim C77. Life: $50,000. Property: $5,000. Claim filed by his mother.