ViewMate - Image Archive, Image 111867 - Translation - Tombstone - USA


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Information

Picture

Question

Category: Translation - Tombstone
Approval Date: 8/24/2025 2:49 PM
Family Surname: Center
Country: USA

Click the picture to enlarge

I am hoping someone would be kind enough to attempt to translate these headstones for me. Robert and Mollie Center were my maternal great-great grandparents. The shrubbery blocking the graves makes it more difficult, so I'll even take some educated guesses!

This photo is from findagrave.com. They are buried at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.

Robert Center died in 1928, and Mollie Center died in 1927. They settled in the US after emigrating from the Russian empire in 1899 or 1900, I believe both as minors. The other records I've found on Ancestry say they were born in Russia, Poland, or Germany.

I am looking for name variations, names of their parents, and/or places of birth. I'm hoping to use this information to find out where exactly they were from in the Russian empire, and their marriage documents.

Thank you!

Response

8/24/2025 4:12 PM

Robert:

(Presumably, above his name is the abbreviation for "Here lies")

The honored man, Reb REUVEN

son of Reb Yitzchak. He passed away 27 Tishri

5689

May his soul be bound up in the bond of life.
-----------------------------------------------
'Reb' is an honorific; it does not mean rabbi.

Reuven [reh-OO-vayn] is Hebrew for Reuben. Reuven was one of the 12 sons of Jacob, and the father of the tribe that bore his name.

Yitzchak is Hebrew for Isaac. (This name is behind the leaves, so it's an educated guess, but I am quite confident of my reading.)

If you're looking for variations: the Yiddish version of this name is Eizik.
=================================================
Mollie:

Here lies

the respected woman, Mrs.

MALKAH daughter of Reb Pinchas

She passed away the 5th of Shvat 5687

May her soul be bound up in the bond of life.
-------------------------------------------------
Malkah is Hebrew for queen.

Pinchas [PIN-chahs, with the ch as in Chanukah or Bach] is a Biblical name. (Again, this name was behind the leaves, but I'm quite confident of my reading]

======================================================
Unfortunately, there are no places of origin or mother's names. Places of origin appear rarely, and mother's names (on Ashkenazic stones) basically never (except occasionally in Hungary).

8/25/2025 11:35 PM

No middle names, just what was translated already.

ViewMate Posting VM 111867

Submitted by Sarah Conley

Learn more about our organizational leadership, mission, and values. There are numerous opportunities to get involved yourself!

Search millions of records from around the globe, including more than 4 million records related to the Holocaust, and more than 4.2 million burial records. Records are continually added each month - check back often for new information!

Discover your ancestral town, explore geographic/regional based sections of the JewishGen site (Research Divisions), and explore what daily life was like for your ancestors - and what we can learn from them today.

Enhance your research with online classes and dozens of helpful articles. University students can apply for the Bennett & Robin Greenspan L'dor V'dor Legacy Program, and those "out of school" can help preserve Jewish Heritage in Poland with unique study & volunteer experiences.

Connect with tens of thousands of other JewishGen members via the Family Finder, Discussion Group, Facebook Group, and ViewMate. It's a great way to share success, ask questions, and stay informed of the happenings throughout the Jewish genealogical community.

The JewishGen site is offered as a free public resource. However, it costs a lot of money to maintain and expand our services. If you are in a position to do so, please consider a contribution today - your support will make a difference!

ViewMate Posting VM 111867

Submitted by Sarah Conley