ACADEMIC GENEALOGY

Academic Genealogy of Ken Suslick (pdf)
Genealogical Tree (pdf)
Genealogical Box Chart (pdf)

Mainz/Girolami Chemical Genealogy Database

 

SUSLICK FAMILY GENEALOGY

"I once knew a man who could trace his family tree
back to the time when they lived in it."
— Mark Twain.

 

The Moldavian Suslick/Suslik family has at least four extant branches: one in the U.S., one in Brazil, another in Australia, and some now in Germany.

The American Branch:

Our grandfather, Morris Suslick, arrived in Chicago in 1905 as a small child with his family. The family was fleeing the pogroms of the area (notably the one in Kishinev/Chisinau). They arrived at Ellis Island on the ship Patricia from Hamburg on January 11, 1904. Morrie's siblings included Bertha Suslick Karol, my great aunt from whose notes this information derives, who married Jack Karol, her highschool boyfriend, after he became a widower at age 70; Goldie Suslick Kulchinsky, who was married to Sasha, my middle namesake; David Suslick, who owned an insurance agency (his motto: "Insure in sure insurance"); Rose Suslick and Ethel Suslick Grubman (who was married to Joseph Grubman and had Sylvia, Lillian and Ann).

Morrie married Ann Jafee and their sons were Alvin and Leonard. Alvin's brother, Leonard Suslick, is still alive and married to Barbara; they have three children Leslie, Nancy and Steve. Alvin married Edith Ruth Paul (Yompaulski) and their children are myself, my brother Richard and sisters Laura and Janet (who lives in Sweden). Richard is married to Margaret and their children are Gina and Phillip. Janet's sons are Joey (Joachim) and Daniel Pejer. My son is Benjamin. Laura is married to Chuck Deach and insists that dogs are easier. Some photos of the American Branch are located at the end of this page.

Morris's father, Shmelko Suslick (b. 1862), came from Orlik (small village in what is now Moldova, then Russia, previously Bessarabia; Orlik no longer exists but it was about 10 km NE of Orhei, which is near Kishinev/Chisinau, Moldova's capitol. Shmelka was married to Charna (Zarne) Fischer (b. 1866) from Orhei, also near Chisinau and they had 10 children, six of whom survived to come to the U.S. in 1904 (Ettel/Ethyl age 23; Golde/Goldie, 20; Resi/Rose, 16; David, 8; Brane/Bertha, 3; Moses/Morris; 7 mo.). Just to add to the confusion, in America Shmelka used as his first name 'Samuel', perhaps to honor his brother of the same name (who emigrated to Brazil--see the section below).

For maps of the the region, see Expedia Maps

Built for Hamburg-American Line, German flag, in 1899. Hamburg-New York service. Laid-up 1914-1919. Transferred to United States Government, American flag, in 1919 and renamed USS Patricia. US Government service. Built by A/G Vulcan Shipyard, Stettin, Germany, 1899. 13,023 gross tons; 585 (bp) feet long; 62 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 13 knots. 2,489 passengers (162 first class, 184 second class, 2,143 third class). Scrapped in 1921.

Charna Fischer Suslick was the daughter of Chaim Layb Fischer and the sister of Avrom (Abraham) Fischer who had sponsored them into the U.S. Avrom was married to Annie and they had five children (Leo, Joe, Maurice, Francis, Lucille)

Shmelka's father was Shlomah (Saude) Suslick from Orlick, and he was married to Towba (family name unknown). Shmelka had a brother, Samuel, and apparently another named Leib, both of whom emigrated to Brazil. There was also three sisters (one named Bryna who had a son Laybill, the others unknown).

My father, Alvin, married Edith. They had known each other in high school and both ended up in medicine: Al as a psychiatrist after serving in the Battle of the Bulge in WWII (complete with purple heart), and Edee as an R.N. and eventually Head of Nursing at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Lukes Hospital in Chicago. Edee was born in the U.S., but her father (Simon Paul, originally Yampolski, b. 1894) and mother (Clara, b. 1896) and older brother Zisi/Greg and sister Sophie/Sonnie were from Batonm, Russia (near Moscow). Simon was a photographer and had the distinction of being the Czar's first and only ariel photographer in WWI: he took photos over the enemy lines from a tethered balloon! When the revolution occurred, he deserted, smuggled his family into Turkey and from there to England, then France to arrive eventually in St. Louis by way of Ellis Island on the S.S. Berengaria from Cherbourg on September 1, 1923.

The Berengaria. Built for Hamburg-American Line, German flag, in 1913 and named Imperator. Hamburg-New York service. Intended to be the Europa. Largest ship afloat 1913-14. Laid up in 1914. Given as reparations to US Government, in 1919. Ceded to Britain in 1920; resumed sailing but under British flag. Sold to Cunard Line, British flag, in 1921 and renamed Berengaria. Refitted. Transferred to Cunard White Star Line, British flag, in 1934. .Built by Bremer Vulkan Shipbuilders, Hamburg, Germany, 1913. 52,117 gross tons; 919 (bp) feet long; 98 feet wide. Steam turbine engines, quadruple screw. Service speed 23 knots. 4,594 passengers (908 first class, 972 second class, 2,714 third class). Withdrawn 1938; scrapping began in 1939. Final remains broken in 1946.

 

The Brazillian Branch:

Also see Felipe Suslik's home page:
http://www.geocities.com/felipesuslik/suslik.html

After the US closed down immigration from Europe during WWI, South America became a common destination for Eastern Europeans fleeing the chaos. There are Suslicks/Susliks in Brazil. Felipe Suslick has done his own geneological digging (see his website above). Felipe's father is Jose Cesar Suslick. Felipe's great uncle is Jose, whose father was Samuel Suslik (b. 1893). Samuel came from Kishnev to Brazil in 1911 on board of a JCA (Jewish Colonization Association) ship, together with his mother Tube (Towba). When he arrived in Brazil, he went to a Jewish colony called Phillipson near Santa Maria. Samuel´s mother died on Nov. 25, 1939 in Phillipson and she is buried there.

I've also been in contact with Professor Saul B. Suslick, an internationally known petroleum geochemist of UNICAMP, the state university of Campinas and one of the very best universities in Brazil, who is also part of the clan. I was able to visit them in 2005 on a trip to the Brazilian Chemistry Society meeting. Saul is married to Desiree and has a daughter Julia and a son Joel. Saul's father's name was Jacob, and his grandfather, Leib Suslick, also came from Bessarabia, a region under Romania's occupation, the name of the village was Marquilech (something like this). They arrived in Brazil in the beginning of 20's. He believes that he has some relatives in Israel. Leib (in Portuguese Leao/Leon) was Samuel's brother, and he lived in Uruguaiana, RS Brazil, until his death in 1968. Leao married Sara Grossman, and they had two sons, Jacob and Moises(Moishe). Jacob maried Dora Barisnik and their children are Saul Barisnik Suslick, Raquel Suslick Mortara, and Rosa Suslick Pinczwoski. Each of these couples have two children.

Moises is still alive, and he and Lea Horschfeld had two sons Simone and Carlos. Carlos and Lisa Suslik live in Sao Paulo and have two sons, Bruno and Rafael; there is a photo at the end of this page.

 

The Australian Branch:

Also see Igor Suslik's home page:
http://www.myheritage.com/site-14686791/suslik-koulemina-family-tree-site

I have also been in contact with Igor Suslik, who is married to Julia Koulemina, son of Leonid Suslik and Tatiana Bogomolets, grandson of Yakov Suslik, great grandson of Miron Suslik.

Here is his email:
Hi, this is Igor Suslik. I will tell you the latest update, the investiation wich we undertook. After speaking to my grandmother and the relative in Israel (she is my grandfather's sister, my grandfather died in 1989)this is what i found: That the place Orlick (it is Yarlick) was the place where my grandfathers father (my grand grand father)and his family were from. She also remembers from the stories of her mother of a place in Orlick, wich was owned by Suslik family (land and windmill). Also she remembers (the story) of two people who left to United States around the times of 1900's, who were as she roughly thinks Professor of Philosophy and his wife, Pharmasist.
Around 30 or more years ago, people in America were looking for Suslik's in Moldova region . At that time he refused to recognise the fact, due to reasons relating to communism, people were affraid of the cold war laws in those days. There was a parcel sent from the US during 1930's, when my grandfather was born his mother sent a photo of him as a child to the US; and parcel was the result.
KSS note: My great aunt Bertha mentioned the sending of this package (clothing mostly) in her family notes.

 

The European Branch:

In May, 2004, I received an email (below) from Ms. Olga Gabelis, whose grandmother was Sprintea Suslik, both from the Kishinev region of Moldova. It is likely that Sprintea was related to the American and Brazilian branches, although it looks like neither of us have the information to make the direct connection between Sprintea Suslik and my line of Suslicks. The name is most uncommon, and the time and location certainly match. Sprintea may well have been a sister or cousin of Shlomah Suslick, which is as far back as my data takes me; Shlomah died in 1939.

At 06:00 AM 5/25/2004:
Dear Mr. Suslik,
my name is Olga ,I am 31 years old. I live in Germany now, I was born and grown up in Moldova in Kishinew. For a long time I was trying to find my grandfather’s relatives, but all my searches were unsuccessful. Several days ago sitting at my computer, I was very surprised and pleased as I found your homepage. I’d love to give you the information about my ancestor, that I know. My grandfather’s name was Iser (Isaak) Gabelis. His parents were: Mother ­Sprintea (Shprintsa) Suslik and Father - Boruh Gabelis. Sprintea Suslik was born in 1880 in Bessarabia. Her Father`s name was Mosko Suslik. Unfortunately, I don’t know her mother’s name. In 1890 Sprintea Suslik married Boruh Gabelis. They had three children: Wolf Gabelis (was born between 1901 - 1905) , Polina Gabelis (1912 - 1915 ) and Iser Gabelis (my grandfather) was born in 1920 Approximately 1933- 1936 Sprintea Gabelis (born Suslik) went to France to visit her sisters, who emigrated there at the begin of the century, and her son Wolf Gabelis , who migrated later in 1925. In 1942 Wolf Gabelis was shot in France In 1941 my grandfather was recruited for the Second World War. In 1943 he received a wound and became an invalid grade and because of it was demobilized. In 1942 as he came to Kishinew he had got, that his mother (Sprintea Suslik),his father (Boruh Gabelis ) and his sister (Polina Gabelis) were shot too. So my grandfather remained alone. In 1945 he met my grandmother Susana and married her in a short time. They have two daughters. In 2001 my grandfather migrated in Germany. In 2003 in the age of 83 he died. If you have any questions I'll be pleased to answer all of them.
Sincerely yours, Olga.

 

 

PAST GENERATIONS:

Al and Edee Suslick, c. 1945





Alvin Suslick, c. 1940





Alvin Suslick, c. 1930





Alvin and Lenard Suslick, c. 1930





Alvin Suslick, c. 1928





Morris and Ann Suslick, c. 1950





Morris and Ann Suslick, wedding, c. 1925





Sacha and Goldie (nee Suslick) Kulchinsky, c. 1935





Goldie Suslick Kulchinsky, c. 1920





Shmelka Suslick, Morris's father





Charna Fischer Suslick, Smelka Suslick's wife, Morris's mother





The European Branch: Sprintea Suslik and Boruh Gabelis with their children Polina and Iser.

Samuel Suslick with his wife and first two children. Samuel emigrated to Brazil with his mother, Towba





Brother of Samuel Suslik (Leib (?)) during engagement party of his daughter.

Sister of Samuel Suslik





A major flood in Orhei (small village in what is now Moldova, then Russia, previously Bessarabia; it's near Kishinev/Chisinau, Moldova's capitol) in about 1890.





Reverse of the flood photo reads: "This postcard is about the flooding of our town [Orhei]. I am in the boat with the stick in hand. The man standing in water by the house is Jacob Beznos [unusual name; literally, 'no-nose'], a neighbor. Other people are also neighbors. The ridge on the left side is full of people looking at this catastrophe. --Chaim Fischer [uncle to Morris, Bertha, and Goldie]"





Flood closeup.





Towba (Wife of Shlomah) Suslick or the Wife of Chaim Fischer





Shlomah Suslick or Chaim Layb Fischer

CURRENT GENERATIONS:
DESCENDENTS OF ALVIN AND EDEE SUSLICK

Kenneth Sanders Suslick and son Benjamin Adam Suslick





Ken and Ben, again.





Ben, no Ken.





Ben, again.





Ben, again, again.





Laura Susan Suslick Deach and nephew Ben





Chuck Deach (Laura's husband) and Ken





Richard Lee Suslick and his wife Margaret





Gina and Phillip Suslick, children of Rich and Margaret





Rich, his children Gina and Phillip, and Chuck





Gina and Phillip with uncle Chuck Deach





Janet Lynn Suslick with sons Joey and Danny Pejer





Joey and the Jellyfish (great name for a rock band!)





Danny





Phil and Joey





Phil, Joey, and Danny





Laura and nephew Joey

From left to right, standing: Richard, Joey, Matts (Janet's elder son), Ben (my son), Margaret (Rich's wife), me, Chuck Deach (Laura's husband, who actually took the photo, and then he and I switched and I photoshopped him into the photo--virtual reality is here!). From left to right, sitting: Laura Suslick Deach (my youngest sister), Janet Suslick, and Danny Matts (Janet's younger). Plus Laura's dog. We're standing in front of Laura's garden "shed", a log structure the size of a small house. They live in a log cabin (actually more like a log palace) that they built themselves.



The Brazilian Branch



Felipe Suslik, Brazil.





Saul and Desiree Suslick; Campinas, Brazil.





From left to right: Bruno, Rafael, Lisa and Carlos Suslik; São Paulo, Brazil.



The Australian Branch



From left to right: Yana, Tatiana, Igor, and Leonid Suslik