The Scheuer family dates back to at least the eighteenth century in Germany to Moise Scheuer (1765-1846) and Esther Ackerman (1770-1847). Their son, Isaac Scheuer (1809-1889), married Hannchen (Johanna) Strauss (1815-1878) in 1843. Isaac and Johanna had six children: Gabriel (1844-1922), Camilla (1845-1916), Edmund (1847-1943), Emma (1853-1916), Ida (1855-1902), and Benno (Benjamin) (1857-1921).
While Gabriel, Emma, and Ida remained in Europe, Camilla, Edmund, and Benno immigrated to Canada in the late nineteenth century. Camilla came to Hamilton, Ontario after her marriage in 1866 to Herman Levy, co-founder of the Levy Brothers jewellery business. Edmund became a partner in the business when he first immigrated to Canada in 1871, and lived with Camilla and Herman. Camilla became the acknowledged leader of Jewish women in Hamilton. She served in organizations such as the Deborah Ladies' Aid Society, which eventually became an auxiliary of Temple Anshe Sholom, Canada's oldest Reform congregation, often referred to as the Hughson Street Temple. Edmund established the first Sabbath School in Ontario at Anshe Sholom in 1872 and served as president from 1873 to 1886.
After he was established in Hamilton, Edmund returned to Europe in 1873 to marry Oda Strauss (1854-1913) at Forbach, Lorraine, and then brought her back to Canada with him. The couple moved to Toronto in 1886, where he established a wholesale jewellery business on Yonge Street called Scheuer's under his company Edmund Scheuer Limited. Scheuer's was one of the oldest jewellery firms in Toronto and the oldest established wholesale diamond importer in Canada. Edmund's brother, Benno, also worked for the business as the accountant and then secretary-treasurer. Benno was married to Gatella Strauss (1859-1903) and they had three children: Eddie Jr. (1884-1967), Rhoda (1886-1963) and Isadore (1887-1969). Eddie Jr. and Isadore also worked for their uncle's business. Eddie Jr. started as a clerk and then became vice-president, while Isadore started out as a travelling salesman and jeweller. When their uncle retired in 1922, Eddie Jr. took over as president and his brother Isadore became vice-president of Scheuer's.
In addition to his jewellery business, Edmund Scheuer also taught and supervised the religious school at Holy Blossom Synagogue. He went on to serve in every official capacity at Holy Blossom, including vice-chairman and treasurer of the building committee for the Bond Street building. He also founded The Jewish Free School at 206 Beverley Street for Jewish girls and wrote his own textbook for the school, the first Jewish religious school book printed in Toronto. In 1892, he founded the first Jewish benevolent society in Toronto and was later president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. In 1927, the Beverley Street building, which housed Federation offices, was dedicated in his honour and named the "Scheuer House".
Aaron Ladovsky (1888-1960) was born in 1888 in Kielce, Poland. He immigrated to Toronto in 1906 at the age of 18. Soon after arriving, Aaron Ladovsky worked to help form a Jewish bakers’ union to advocate for collective rights among Jewish Bakers. In 1911 he married Sarah Eichler who was from his home town of Kielce, Poland. In 1912 he opened the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant at Dundas and Bay Streets (known then as Agnes and Teraulay Streets respectively) in the heart of the Ward. That same year, the couple had twin sons Herman and Samuel, who were born on September 23, 1912. Only a short time later, in 1920, Aaron moved the location of his restaurant to 338 Spadina Avenue, just north of Dundas. He and his family lived in an apartment upstairs. Herman and Samuel attended Hester How Elementary School until 1919, Lord Lansdowne Public School once the family moved to Spadina, and later Central Commerce. The twins worked in the family business in the 1920s delivering fresh breads and buns by horse cart.
Aaron Ladovsky was involved in a number of community organizations. He was instrumental in founding the Kieltzer Society of Toronto in 1913; a community based immigrant-aid association extending aid to Kielcers in Poland and around the world. Ladovsky remained an active member of the organization until his death on April 5, 1960 . His restaurant provided a welcome gathering place for the Jewish community, serving traditional dishes and maintaining a friendly open-door policy. Aaron Ladovsky was known for his generosity and claimed that no one, whether they had money or not, left his restaurant hungry. The United Bakers' menu was mainly based on Sarah’s original recipes, and continues to be so to this day.
During the Second World War, Herman served overseas as an electrician in the Canadian army show with comics Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. After returning from the war, he married Dora Macklin in 1947, a registered nurse from Regina. He also began to take over management of the family business. Later, his son Philip and daughter Ruth would follow in his footsteps, helping to run the restaurant with him and later taking over managment. United Bakers remained on Spadina Avenue for 66 years – until 1986 when it moved to its current location at 506 Lawrence Avenue West, off of Bathurst Street. Herman was an active fixture in restaurant until his death on January 6, 2002. He also supported and was involved in the work of the Ontario Jewish Archives over the years. Today, Philip and Ruth carry on the family tradition of running United Bakers Dairy Restaurant. In May 2012 the restaurant celebrated it's 100th anniversary.
Nathan Farb was one of the first Jews to arrive and settle in Pontypool, which was a popular summer resort spot for vacationing Jews from the 1940s until the 1960s. The area was relatively inexpensive and had a pond as its swimming spot. Kosher meals would often be brought in for the vacationers who arrived on two trains daily from Union station.
Joseph Gary and Goldie (née Lawrence) Gary married in 1921 in Rochester, NY. Shortly thereafter they moved to Toronto. Joseph and Goldie had three children; daughters Ethel (Halter) and Shirley (Cohen), and son Leslie. In 1950, after three years of visiting the region, Joseph and Goldie purchased a home on Amelia Street in Pontypool, Ontario. As the area was a popular summer resort spot for vacationing Jews from the 1940s to the 1960s, Joseph and Goldie decided to build 10 cottages on their land for rental, which they named Gary's Cottages. The cottages were sold around 1970 and are no longer in existence, however their home is still standing.
Gottschall Frankel (1832-1918) and his wife Mina Meyer (1841-1921) were born in Biblis (Hessen) and Aschaffenburg, Gemany respectively. Gottschall died in Biblis and is buried in Alsbach, Germany. Mina passed away in Toronto and is interred in the old Holy Blossom Cemetery.
Leo Frankel (1864-1933) was one of nine children born in Biblis, Germany to Gottschall and Mina. His siblings were Salmon (1874-1906), Benno (d. 1921), Ike (d. 1950), Louis (1879- 1952), Maurice (1865-1935), Sigmund (1866-1936), Ida (1870-1952) (m.Levy) and Herman (1871-1939). Three of the siblings are buried in Montreal, and the rest in Toronto.
Leo immigrated to Canada in 1881 at the age of 17 and in 1886 established Frankel Brothers (scrap metal and processing) in association with his brothers. The siblings were eventually succeded by several sons of the original partners.The company subsequently became Frankel Steel Ltd. and Steel Structures Corporation.
Leo married Helena (Lena) Mayer of Florsheim, Germany on July 2, 1890 in New York City. They had three sons - Egmont Leo (1891-1964), Carl Milford (1894-1984), and Roy Hecker (1896-1983). The family lived at 504 Jarvis Street in Toronto from 1908, which was the former Gooderham residence.
Carl married Dorothy Jacobs (1903-1987) who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents were Bernard Jacobs of Texas and Henrietta Altheimer of Arkansas. Carl and Dorothy had two daughters - Nancy Jean Frankel (b. 1928) and Carol Nina Frankel (1930-1999).
Carl was a prominent member of the Toronto Jewish community, active in Holy Blossom Temple, several masonic lodges, and was a founder of the North Toronto Y.M.-Y.W.H.A.
His daughter Nancy attended Jarvis Collegiate Insttitute and was confirmed at Holy Blossom Temple. She married Darrell (Drapkin) Draper (1922-1992) of Fort William/Port Arthur in 1949. Darrell had studied at the University of Toronto and became a lawyer and judge. The couple's three children are Dr. Paula Jean Draper (b. 1953) a historian, Phillip Jacobs (b.1954) a real estate lawyer, and Kenneth Lewis (b.1957). Collectively the siblings have six children and several grandchildren. Nancy Draper has been a long time volunteer at the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Nancy's sister Carol married Mandel Sprachman (1925-2002), the son of a renowned architect Abraham Sprachman of the firm Kaplan and Sprachman. Mandel followed his father into the profession, specializing in cinemas and theatres, including the award-winning restoration of the Elgin and Winter Garden theatres (1985-1989).
The Frankel family genealogy is wide in scope, extending from Germany and England, to the United States and Canada. One notable ancestor with German lineage is Israel Beer Josephat who changed his name to Paul Julius Reuter and founded the Reuters News Agency.
Max and Celia Hoffman were married in 1958 in Hamilton and had two sons. Max was the owner of Hamilton Plumbing and Heating Supplies. Both were active in a number of Jewish community organizations in Hamilton such as the Council of Jewish Organizations, Adas Israel synagogue and the Union of Jewish Congregations of America, Ontario Region. They were also involved in fundraising on behalf of Yeshiva University, which is located in New York City. Max Hoffman died in 1964 and Celia moved to Toronto in 1966 when she married Sol Edell.
Aaron and Sarah (née Snider) Levine (1832-1915) were from Minsk. Sarah immigrated to Toronto with her children in 1887. In 1892, Abraham (1940-1897) and Rachel Cass (1838-1903) came to Toronto with their younger chilldren, following their elder children who had immigrated before them.
The Levine children consisted of the following individuals: Annie (m. Salamansky) (1861-1931); Moses (Moishe) Joseph (1864-1919); Michael (1869-1918); Abraham; Sam; and Rebecca (m. Samuels) (b. 1875).
The Cass children consisted of: Fayge (m. Sax) (1861-1942); Anna (Hannah) (m. Segel) (1863-1930); Martha (m. Soskin) (1866-1946); Dave Cass (1869-1959); Dora (m. Levy) (b.1870); Sarah (m. Levine) (1876-1978); Annie (m. Smith) (1880-1952); Bill Cass; and Phillip Cass.
Sarah Snider Levine lived with her son, Moses, and daughter-in-law Sarah for thirteen years. The couple first lived on Chestnut Street and then moved to Centre Avenue. They later relocated to Spadina Avenue near Dundas around 1903, and finally, moved to 224 Beverley Street near College.
Saul Cowan (1910-2002) was the seventh of nine children born to Zvi Hirsh (Harris) Cohen (1872-1954) and Chana Leah (Annie) (née Gollom) Cohen (1873-1960). His siblings were Woolf Cowan (Colvin) (1896-1987), Kate Cowan (b.1898) (m. Wener), Jack Cowan (1900-1992), Rivka (Reva) Cowan (1902-ca.2002) (m. Lieberman), Moe Cowan (b.1904), Jeanne Cowan (b.1906) (m. Kallman), Norman Cowan (b. 1909) and Miriam Cowan (b. 1919) (m. Rose).
The Cowan family immigrated to Toronto from England with their six oldest children about 1908. Harris worked as a tailor in England and an operator in men's clothing factory Tip Top Tailors in Toronto.
Saul graduated from the University of Toronto in 1931 in Honours Philosophy.
In 1932, Cowan married Lillian Rosenthal (1910-1978) the daughter of Morris (1883-1967) and Nessie (Celia) (née Soren) Rosenthal (1881-1969). Together, they had two children, Michael (b. 1939) and Trudy (b. 1941). The Rosenthal family ran a boarding house on Hanlan's Point and had a place at Belle Ewart. In 1945, Morris and Celia purchased Wapaska Lodge on Muskoka Bay just outside Gravenhurst and ran it as a family resort from 1948-1965.
Lillian, who was a public school teacher, passed away in 1978 and the following year Saul married Libbie Aiken (d. 2006) Libbie had been the head physiotherapist at the Toronto General Hospital during the late 1940s.
Saul pursued a career with the North York Board of Education serving as both Trustee and Chairman from 1958 to 1976. He was also very involved with the Jewish community and the growing North York community, involved with organizations such as B'Nai Brith, Canadian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (CPPNW), the North York Social Planning Committee, and was a founder of the York Finch General Hospital.
Trudy studied physical and occupational therapy at the University of Toronto but changed career direction when she moved to Calgary in 1969 and became involved in historical organizations such as the Glenbow Museum, the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, and the Lougheed House Conservation Society. She married Leonid Luker (b. 1937) in 1982.