Does the full 1874 census of Karolin/Yelsk survive, and does it show Leyba’s household with young Sholom? This is the record that would seal the join between the Karolin generations and Sholom. The 1874 supplementary list (NIAB 333-9-824) has been checked and does not contain the surname, which settles nothing either way (see the negatives on the Records page). Other places to look: NIAB 330-1-121 (1874 male Jews, Mozyr county), other spellings, and the page photographs of 824 (requested). NIAB catalog ↗
How do the Karolin households fit together, and is Itzko among them? The 1811 list now shows Yankel' Meer son of Volf Serayzen (b. about 1773), and 1834 shows Vol'ko son of Dovid (b. about 1791). Neither is linked to Itzko. Is Shlioma-Mendel son of Itsik (1816) Zelik’s brother? The 1834 typed extract does not list him; the scans are awaited.
Who was the mother of each of Sholom’s children? Nechume Malle (Herman’s 1921 marriage), “Maryase” (an 1895 Oster record for Shia, per Steven Leof’s tree), “Elaine Rapeport” (Joe’s 1933 licence) and Annie (1890–1967). Are Joe and Lily full or half siblings of Herman?
Sholom’s Canadian naturalization and his 1940 Ontario death registration. The death registration should name his parents and birthplace. The free indexes searched so far stop at 1937.
Is the younger Zelik Leibov Sholom’s brother, and is Zus his son? Both rest on patronymics only.
Is the 1945 grave “Шерайзин З.З.” in St Petersburg Zus’s? And what became of Elya, born 1904?
Which Leof son is Steven Leof’s grandfather, Leonard or Julius? His tree says Leonard → Eugene → Steven; his own 1999 posts point to Julius and Celia.
How do the Mozyr household of Abram son of Mendel, the Petrikov family, Moses Sheraizen (Morris Rosen) of Philadelphia, and Chaim Yude Sherzan of David-Gorodok attach, if at all?
Herman’s uncle “Joseph Gurtstein” (Detroit, 1917): which side of the family?
Clara’s brother David Goodman: the 1917 affidavit (father Charles), the 1917 return (David), the 1921 census (age 30, Ontario-born parents) and the 1964 delayed birth record (Charles and Sarah Brody, Austria) disagree. They are kept apart, not merged.
Herman’s birth date: 2 June 1897 (most papers), 5 June 1897 (stone), 25 December 1896 (draft card), 5 June 1896 (SSDI).
Family stories still unconfirmed: the Overton/Cheesecake Factory story and the “pharmacist” story.
Questions only the family can answer
Family photographs of Sholom, Herman and Clara, or Paul as a child.
What did the family call Sholom’s wives, and where did Herman live in Toronto before 1916?
Anything remembered about the Leningrad cousins (Kalman, David-Moysha) or the Philadelphia Leofs.
Already searched (so it isn’t repeated)
US and Canada: Find a Grave, the Machpelah burial list, Detroit Jewish News, Ontario marriages 1869–1927 and deaths 1869–1937, Canada censuses 1911–1931, US censuses 1920–1950, WWI/WWII draft cards, border crossings, Toronto directories 1913–1950, the Canadian naturalization index 1915–51 (no Sherizen in any spelling), the 1921 census of Canada for Sholom’s own household (not found).
Belarus and Russia: the JewishGen Belarus database, Yad Vashem names, OBD Memorial, the Mozyr, Kalinkovichi and Petrikov memory books, the 1816 Mozyr-county revision films (Karolin, Atolin, David-Gorodok, Kalinkovichi, Lenin), David-Gorodok metrical books 1874–1910, the Leningrad blockade books, the Open List, and the 1928–35 Leningrad address books. Nothing for Elya; nothing earlier for Itzko.
Records that could be requested
NIAB Minsk: page photographs of 333-9-216 (1811), 333-9-585 (1834) and 333-9-824 (1874 supplementary), already requested; typed extracts arrived Oct 17, 2026. Still to request: the full 1874 census of Karolin/Yelsk if it survives, 330-1-121 (1874 male Jews) and the 1795 Jewish revision.
Archives of Ontario: Sholom’s 1940 death registration.
Library and Archives Canada: Sholom’s naturalization (before 1915).