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Morris Cussin, brother to Abraham and Hyman

Morris with his wife Betsy. I am sorry about the quality of the image on Betsy's chin area. I had nothing to work with and so tried
to add some texture to the missing parts pf the photograph. However, here is the only known picture of Morris Cussin and his wife Betsy

Here is the original in case anyone can help me by doing a bit better for dear Betsy's chin.-This image has been thumb nailed so click to get a big picture.

These are Morris Cussins naturalisation papers from when he settled in the UK from Zagare in Lithuania.
Click each one for a bigger picture and then click your back button to return to this page or print these out to read them at your leisure.
We have the same papers fro his brother Hyman and Abraham

February 7th 2010:

Philip and Craig went to Manchester and we met Leslie and Val Graham. Leslie is the grandson of Morris. Val is Leslies wife. We will have their own page linked from here' Joining  us was Eda Addelman Morris's grand daughter
.

Leslie, Val, Eda. Feival and Craig February 2010
 

20th May 2009:

December  2008

Morris had 6 children:- Sammy, Barney, Hilda, Minnie, Rachel, Ronnie and Shai

Sammy was from Leeds and his father was Morris, Hyman and Abrahams brother.

This info came from Hilda Small (nee Rubin)

The path that brought us back the family of Morris Cussin.

Dear Craig,

Herewith the results of my research into Morris CUSSIN, the brother of your great grandfather Abraham.

Morris married at the New Briggate Synagogue; details here:-

Whilst looking at the marriage records for this synagogue I also noticed the following of his brother’s marriage:-

Your great great-grandparents.  This fits with the time of his immigration, 1888.

Re your ggf.   I note from the photo of his gravestone that his first names, in Hebrew, were Shraga Fivel.  This is one of the common couplets that are a feature of many Jewish names from Eastern Europe , where the first is the Hebrew name and the second is its Yiddish equivalent. (Both originate from the Greek name of Phoebus, the Latin form of Greek Phoibos (Φοῖβος) "Shining-one", the Hebrew form is Uri quite a common name in Israel) . Just to complicate matters in this case however, the first, Shraga, is probably Aramaic. 

I checked various death registers but it seems that all the CUSSIN family were buried in the New Central Vilna Cemetery at New Farnley as follows:-

I could only find the marriage of one of Morris’s children, Barnet, known later as Barry, at the Great Synagogue Belgrave Street.:-

After that it was almost a fruitless search until, by a stroke of luck, I came across Wendy, the only child of Barry.  I had known her for some years but never knew what her maiden name was until I mentioned my CUSSIN enquiry to someone in our synagogue who directed me to her.

I sent her an email :

Wendy,

Just to remind you about the family history enquiry I received the other day concerning your family which I mentioned in kiddush this morning.

Your grandfather, Morris Cussin, had two brothers, Abraham and Hyman - both of whom settled in Glasgow .  The enquiry comes from a great grandson of Abraham - Craig Cussins (now in his early 60's) who does not appear to be Jewish.

He wants to know more about Morris and descendants but this is what he already has:-

Marriage details of Morris Cusson they had 10 children:-

She replied:

Hello Murray

Got your Email.  Found it fascinating.  I have put together everything I know of the family.  I didn't realise I knew so much!  See attachment.

Let me know of any response

Regards

Wendy

Thus, it appears that although Morris and wife had as many as 10 children they only produced 7 grandchildren.  Unfortunately, this was typical of that generation, particularly of Jews.  Wendy is married and she and husband have I think two children – neither of whom live in Leeds .  If you want to get in touch with her she has given me permission to give you her email address;   xxx    I have tried to work out her relationship to you and I think it is second cousin once removed.

I note that your Cussin  family were Cohanim (priestly caste).  Also that your genes show this.   J1 includes I think the Cohen haplotype which may go back to the very first Cohen, Aaron the Priest, brother of Moses. I don’t know whether you are aware that one of the impediments of being a Cohen is that contact with dead bodies is forbidden.   Thus a Cohen can only attend a cemetery for the burial of a close relative and then not at all.  (Another restriction is that marriage with a divorcee or a convert is disallowed.)

Rakusin may, as you observe, come from the name of a town/village in Lithuania , but I could not find it in a list (and map) of Jewish shtetls and communities prior to WW2 in the Encyclopaedia Judaica. My favourite surnames book actually gives it as an ethnic name in Czech meaning a German!  Incidentally, it is worth noting that civil surnames came relatively late to Ashkenazi Jews, possibly as recently as the 1820’s in the part of the Russian territories we are concerned with here.  There is a well known company in Leeds called Rakusen which makes, matza, biscuits, and other kosher food products.  I don’t know if there is a connection – but there won’t be if the Rakusen family aren’t Cohens.

 (see the page on Rakusins Leeds here www.coussins.org/leeds.htm)

All the best,

Murray Freedman