Lara's Jewnealogy: Ancestor Deep Dive: Zlata Tzipra Sanshuck Supkoff

Zlata Tzipra Sanshuck Supkoff

My great-great grandmother, Zlata Tzipra Sanshuck Supkoff was likely born in Krasnoye, Podolia (now Vinnitsa), Ukraine (then Russian Empire). The Tzipra was in memory of her grandmother Tzipra Brandman who had died in the cholera epidemic of 1849.
Her implied birth year varied wildly across different documents, with the following years/ages given:

Year	Age Given	Implied Birth Year	Source
1895	36	1859	1895 Shpikov Households List
1908	42	1866	Ship Manifest
1910	41	1869	1910 United States Census
1920	55	1865	1920 United States Census
1930	60	1870	1930 United States Census
1939	69	1870	Death Certificate
1939	78	1861	Tombstone

Her parents were Aryeh Leib and Rochel (nee Brandman) Sanshuck, both of whom were likely born in Krasnoye as well, since their families were both registered there with the Russian Empire. Zlata Tzipra had at least two brothers, Shneur Zalman and Naftali.

Zlata Tzipra married Yeshaya Zubkis (later Supkoff) from Shpikov and moved there. As Yeshaya was single and living with his father, stepmother, brother, and half sisters in 1882 and Zlata Tzipra and Yeshaya's first child was born in 1885, they were married at some point between 1882-1885.

Their eight children (6 of whom survived to adulthood) who were born between 1885 and 1904, all in Shpikov; the name of one (and possibly two) is unknown:

Leib (later Louis Supkoff), born May 15, 1885
Elka (later Elka Bryer), born July 15, 1889
Yankel, born about 1892, likely died young in Shpikov--or maybe didn't exist (see below)
Malka (later Mollie Tolchin), born April 7, 1893--my great grandmother
Frima (later Frances/Fannie Supkoff--she married a cousin), born August 5, 1897
Shaul Dov (later Saul Supkoff), born December 25, 1900
Rochel (later Rose Malinger), born December 25, 1902

Note that many of these birthdays may not be accurate. In fact, several of them were very inconsistent on exact birth dates (which they likely didn't know); these are the ones used the most often.

The family appeared in the 1895 Shpikov Households List:

1895 Shpikov Households List; Zubkis Family

Zlata Tzipra was 36 and was living with Yeshaya and those of her children who had been born then (Leib, Elka & Yankel). Malka was not listed and Yankel was; potentially there was a misunderstanding. Yankel may not have existed and have been a census taker error, or he may have existed and Malka was missed for some reason. Regardless, he did not come to America.

They were also living with Yeshaya's step-mother Sima and his half sisters Esther and Frima.

Starting in 1905, the children began emigrating from the Russian Empire to Pittsburgh. Louis left first in 1905; Malka and Elka followed in 1906. Zlata Tzipra and Yeshaya came with the rest of their children in 1908, landing at the Port of Baltimore; they were going onto Pittsburgh to join Leib (and not mentioned, but Elka and Malka as well).

Zlata Tzipra Supkoff Ship Manifest; Bremen->Baltimore; 1908, Page 1 (line 17)

Note that the manifest has her born in "Krosny," whereas her husband and children were born in "Spikoff."

By 1910, Zlata Tzipra (enumerated as Elizabeth) was living in Pittsburgh with Yeshaya (Sam here)

1910 United States Census; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Zlata Tzipra Supkoff (Elizabeth Soupcoff) (line 66)

Zlata Tzipra states that she was 25 at her marriage (which isn't correct unless Leib was born before she and Yeshaya were married; it was likely an approximation). She also states that she had born 8 children, 6 of whom were still live. She is unable to read or write.

Note that this 1910 census is the only time Elka is listed as "Annie" rather than Elka or Ella.

By 1920, she has learned to read and write (which may or may not be accurate) and is living with Yeshaya (Josiah here) in a home that they own on Webster Avenue in Pittsburgh.

1920 United States Census; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Zlata Tzipra Supkoff (Elizabeth Supkoff) (line 97)

By 1930, Yeshaya had died, and Zlata Tzipra was living in the home they owned with her daughter Rose as well as her son Saul and his wife Hannah (nee Epstein) and her daughter Frances and her husband Ben and their son Jerome. Here again, she cannot read or write, so likely the 1920 census was incorrect. This census has her age at marriage as 18. Interestingly, there were many birthplaces on this page for Russia (including hers), but they all were crossed out and substituted with Poland. Krasnoye was still part of the Russian Empire at this time, so the original entry was correct.

1930 United States Census; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Zlata Tzipra Supkoff (Elizabeth Supkoff) (line 9)

My grandfather Lou Tolchin (born 1919) remembered spending a lot of time with his Supkoff grandparents and said that his grandmother in particular spoiled him. Some of his reminiscences can be seen here.

Zlata Tzipra died on August 15, 1939 in Pittsburgh of a cerebral hemorrhage; her death certificate puts her age at 69; her first name is spelled "Szlottie."