Luba Schachter

The year was, evidently, 1928 or 1929. The tunes of Jimmie Rodgers and Helen Kane could be heard across the country, loose-fitting low-waisted dresses were the bees knees, long locks were traded in for bobbed hairstyles, and the most fashionable of women sported trendy headbands. 

In Miami, a group of all ages posed for the camera in front of a palm-lined fountain, two of them evidently enthused by their own reflections. With a place, a date, and eight names given on the back of the photo, it was a fantastic find at Miss Pixies in Washington, D.C.

It is impossible to discern who is who in the photo, but we can make some assumptions, such as who the identity of Bobby is: likely the young boy based on his lack of a surname and the use of the nickname Bobby rather than a more formal Robert. Rose, Lucile, and Evelyn are probably the three young women sitting along the edge of the fountain. But as for the rest? Impossible to know.

What is also impossible to know is anything beyond the first names of these four people. Without last names, returning the photo to any of their family is a lost cause.

So the attention turns to the other four: Vivian Stoner, Jules Langener, Harry Ligton and Luba Schachter. 

Turns out Vivian Stoner and Harry Ligton (or Lighton, as would be a more likely surname, probably just misspelled) are also ridiculously common names. Even with a date range of 1928-1929, it seems unlikely that this photo will go to any of their descendants.

Jules Langener would seem like an uncommon enough name, but FamilySearch returned no such results. So, alas, we arrive to Luba Schachter - the shorter, older lady standing between the two men on the right - who luckily has left a strong enough paper trail for us to tell her story.

Luba (née Helfgott) was born in Kiev, Russia in 1871-72. Not much is known of her or her husband Joachim's lives before immigrating to the United States in 1890, though we can deduce that they were likely terrorized by fear and persecution as Russia instituted a wave of pogroms in the late 19th century. Luba and Joachim were indeed Jewish: Luba's maiden name Helfgott was a common Ashkenazi surname, and the 1920 census specifies that the pair spoke Yiddish. 

Luba and Joachim have their first and only child, Joseph, in New York in 1895. By 1900, the three of them along with a 30 year old Russian roomer named Vlod, live in Chicago at 239 W. North Ave. Today, W. North Ave is a bustling thoroughfare.

Joachim worked as a physician, being licensed in Illinois in 1899 according to the Illinois State Board of Health's Report on Medical Education and Official Register of Legally Qualified Physicians, published in 1903. During this same year, Joachim succeeded the previous operator of the physicians office at 215 W. North Ave, according to Volume 30 of The Pharmaceutical Era. He is listed at this address in a number of subsequent medical directories. 

By the 1910 census, Luba and Joachim, aged 39 and 40 respectively, live at 1535 W. North Ave. in Chicago. Joachim has submitted his naturalization declaration papers to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.

But what about Luba? After all, this post was about her, not her husband. As easy as it is to find details of men's lives in the early 20th century, it isn't too hard to find details of their wives - if you know where to look.

Turns out, Luba was quite involved herself.

As her husband practiced medicine and worked as a druggist, Luba was highly involved in the Chicago chapter of the National Women's Trade Union League of America, an organization formed in 1903 to better the working conditions and organize labor unions.

It would seem Luba also dabbled in sociology, as she is listed on the list of advance subscribers for An Introduction to Sociology by Arthur M. Lewis. Though a seemingly minute detail, this is actually telling of Luba: out of hundreds of advance subscribers, she is one of only a handful of women on the list.

By 1920, Joachim and Luba live at 924 Hoyne Avenue, and judging by the age of the building there today, it would seem to be the same. 

Luba and Joachim's 1920 residence: 924 Hoyne Ave

Joachim died on December 22, 1921. Luba, as a result, does what any grieving 51-year old widow with a remaining sense of adventure should do: she gets a passport.

On July 9, 1923 the State Department issues Luba her first passport in preparation for her international trip to Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy. Her son, Joseph, is the witness to her application, and this is the first time we see that he followed in his father's footsteps: he lists his occupation as Physician.

It is unclear what Luba would be doing in Miami a few years later with a group of seemingly unrelated people. I am lead to believe that this group was just visiting the area: not only because Luba was tracked down in Chicago, but because the location - Miami - was specified with very particular dates, reminiscent of someone labeling a photo from a beloved trip.

Luba Schachter's passport photo

Interestingly, there is also a Vivian Stoner living in Chicago at around the same time; unfortunately without anymore definitive details about the Vivian Stoner in the photo, it is impossible to link the two Vivians.

Do you know Luba Schachter, Vivian Stoner, Jules Langener, or Harry Ligton/Lighton?