My Garber ancestors lived in what is now Torchin, Volhynia, Ukraine. My grandmother knew that her grandmother's maiden name was Devorah Garber, but she didn't know Devorah's parents. Devorah died around 1935 in what is now Horochiv, Ukraine (it was Horochow, Poland at the time), and there are no known surviving death records from that time and place that might mention at least a father's name. Normally she would be a dead end--except that my grandmother also told me that one of Devorah's brothers had come to America. From that brother's grave, I know that his and Devorah's father--and therefore my ggg grandfather--was Chaim Asher Garber, and from his ship manifest and other documents, I confirmed he was from Torchin. (Via DNA testing of some of his descendants, I confirmed the relationship as well.) And with the help of some Russian Empire recruit lists, I was able to trace the family even further back.
Lists of Torchin recruiting district. 1859 – 1862; Garber Family |