Mr Sinai (Sehua) Kantor, 34, from Vitebsk, Russia (modern-day Belarus), boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger together with his wife Miriam. To reach their destination in New York, they bought their second class ticket number 244367 for £26.
Already both university graduates it is believed that Sinai intended to study medicine and his wife dentistry. It is thought he may have been going to study at Hospital for Joint Diseases on Madison Avenue, only a ten-minute walk from their intended home at 1735 Madison Avenue. Titanic survivor Henry Frauenthal worked at the same hospital. In the meantime Kantor had a business importing several furs intended for sale on commission.
The couple were probably travelling with Israel Nesson.
NO. 283. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 36. VERY FAIR HAIR AND MOUSTACHE.
CLOTHING - Grey and green suit; green overcoat; blue shirt; check front marked "F"; black boots; "C" on singlet.
EFFECTS - Pocket telescope; silver watch; Pocketbook with foreign notes; letter case; empty purse; purse; £1 10s. in gold; ten shillings in silver and other coins.
NAME - S. KANTO.
Mr Kantor died in the sinking. His body was recovered by the MacKay Bennett (#283).
His body was forwarded to 1735 Madison Ave. New York, care of Spieler. He was buried at Mount Zion Cemetery, Queens, New York, USA
No. 228. (Russian). The husband, about thirty years of age, was drowned. He was travelling with his wife, who was saved. He had been a commission merchant, earning about $2,500 a year, and was bringing to this country several trunks of valuable furs which he had expected to sell here. Both he and his wife were university graduates. He was ambitious to study medicine and planned [to] take night courses after he should get his business established in New York. His wife expected to continue to study dentistry. She is unwilling to return to Russia, where she would be helpless to earn her living. She lives with cousins in New York City. After she learns the language, she will carry out her intention of learning and practising dentistry. She can live on $50 a month while pursuing her studies, and the appropriation of this Committee is intended to cover her tuition and school fees and living expenses for the period of four years, at the end of which time she expects to be self-supporting. The money has been placed in charge of the Council of Jewish Women, who will keep supervision of her plans. Her husband helped to support his father and mother who live in Russia, and their circumstances were reported to the English Committee, which made an appropriation of £100. From other relief sources the widow received $809.98. — The Emergency and Relief booklet by the American Red Cross, 1913.
Number P. 64. Kantor. Widow and father received a grant of £100.
Insurance claim C64. Life $50,000. Property $2,200 filed by his wife. Annual income $2,500. — Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet, March 1913
A distinctive silver pocket watch recovered from Sinai's body was marked with Hebrew letters and embossed on the rear with a design showing Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. The watch was sold at auction in 2018 for $57,500.
Comment and discuss
-
In Brian Ticehurst s book "Titanic Memorials World-wide Sinai Kantor is briefly mentioned:"Second class passenger 34 years old. Buried at Mount Zion Cemetery, Queens, N.Y." The Mount Zion Cemetery in Maspeth, N.Y. kindly sent me a picture of his gravestone. It is a jewish cemetery. The letters on the gravestone seem to be in hebraic,russian language, inpossible for most people to understand. In Hermann Soldner s book "RMS Titanic Passenger and crew list" also Miriam Stenitchav Kantor is mentioned. A survivor with question marks with regard to when she was born and when and where she died.Both came from Witebesk, White-Russia, not far from the border to Russia. Accordigng to the cemetery records Sinai Kantor was buried there May 5 1912. Anybody know anything more about survivor Mirian Kantor? According to the cemetery homepage it is open for visitors seven days a week. On the same homepage there is much about the jew societies in White Russia. It seems that a majority of those...
-
Hello Arne, - Here is my complete printout on Mr. Kantor it might help you: Kantor, Mr. Sehua. Missing. Aged 34 years. Of Moscow Russia, en route to 1735 Madison Avenue, New York. To study medicine. Was also a commission agent and was importing several trunks of valuable furs, he was a university graduate. (From: Mansion House Titanic Relief Fund Booklet, March 1913) Number P. 64. Kantor. Widow and father received a grant of £100. Insurance claim C64. Life $50,000. Property $2,200 filed by his wife. Annual income $2,500. Body recovered number 283. Male. Estimated age, 36. Very fair hair and moustache. clothing:- Grey and green suit; green overcoat; blue shirt; check front marked ''F''; black boots; ''C'' on singlet. Effects:- Pocket telescope; silver watch; pocketbook with foreign notes; letter case; empty purse; purse; £1.10.0d in gold; ten shillings in silver and other coins. Name S. Kantor. Body delivered to Mrs. Miriam Kantor, 1735, Madison, Avenue, New...
-
Of the Kantors I have little information, although I was recently in touch with a relative of 2nd class victim Israel Nesson, an electrician who travelled in company with Sinai and Miriam. It might be prudent to re-establish contact with the relative in the hope that further light might be shed on the couple. The Russians aboard the Titanic were, by all accounts, an elusive bunch, with the few survivors leading seemingly nebulous lives post-1912. Arne - I would be fascinated to see the photograph of Mr. Kantor's headstone. If you could provide the web address for the cemetery, I would be most appreciative. Best Regards, Ben
-
Hi Arne, Mr. Kantor is buried at the Mount Zion Cemetery in Queens, New York. Maspeth is a district in the borough of Queens, New York. Did you take notice of the inscription on Mr. Kantor's stone? Interestingly, Mrs. Kantor saw to it that the inscription on his stone read that he was a victim of the Titanic disaster. Of all the victims who were buried in New York City, and the surrounding boroughs, only Mr. Kantor, Mr. Chapman and Mr. Van der hoef have mention of the Titanic on their markers. As you may know, Mrs. Kantor isn't buried with her first husband but up until her death had requested that a spray of flesh flowers be placed at his grave every April 15th. Sincerely, Mike Findlay
-
Dear Brian, In addition to your excellent summary of Mr. Kantor, I would like to add that Mr. Kantor was going to study medicine at the North General Hospital on Madison Avenue in Manhattan - located in East Harlem secton of Manhattan. Dr. Henry Frauenthal was active with this particular institution for many years, and his ashes were held at this location for many years. The North General Hospital was originally the Hospital for Joint Diseases (a field Dr. Frauenthal was a specialist in) but this particular unit was later relocated to Southern Manhattan where it operates today as the Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute. The Kantor's home at 1735 Madison Avenue still stands, but unfortunately needs considerable work. Sincerely, Mike Findlay
-
Thank you Brian, Ben and Michael for interesting inputs. I got the letter from Mount Zion Cemetery, Maspet. It is probably this office which keeps the records for both cemeteries (Queens and Maspet) As I wrote the inscription on the stone is probably in Russian language. I was not able to read Titanic, 1912 or something like that on the picture. Interesting to be reminded about Dr. Henry Frauenthal. I have with interest read the peculiar story of his ashes kept on the hospital for so many years. I had never heard of anything like that before. Have any of you looked at the homepages of the two cemeteries?
-
In "Roots Key" a magazine issued by Jewish Genealogical Society, Los Angeles Summer/Fall 2005 there is an article about the couple Kantor. Obviously the magazine is read by many Jews. Perhaps one of the Jewish readers know what happened to Miriam Kantor in later life? I sent the picture of the inscription to the Jewish Society. They answered me that the inscription was wrong. The grave belonged to another Jew.
Open Thread Leave a Reply