All About J. Zachary Stein
About J. Zachary Stein
In January 1900 Beka and Abe Stein, a butcher, traveled by ship from the Austrian (Habsburg) Empire to New York City with their two sons Morris, 3 and Jake, 1.Beka was from Pidhaitsi, Ukraine formerly Podhajce, Galicia, Austria. [Place of birth on her 1923 U.S. passport application].
Abe stated on his U.S. Naturalization application (1912) that he was born in Sasov, now Sasiv, Ukraine, formerly Austria.
They spoke Polish (not Yiddish, says Howard!) and had to learn English in New York. No problem for 3-year old Jake! |
| Abe and Beka, Morris (front left), Jake (far right), and baby Rose on lap, NYC, circa 1904. Rose was born in April, 1903 in NYC. |
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| It's only 8.6 km from Pidhaitsi to Sasiv, Ukraine |
Jake attended DeWitt Clinton High School in Manhattan, located at Tenth Avenue and 59th Street.
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| DeWitt Clinton High School Manhattan, NY, Built in 1906. Now the John Jay College for Criminal justice. |
On on July 19, 1912 Jake became a naturalized U.S. citizen along with his whole family. The document says "Jake 14 yrs." His mother is "Beckie 36 yrs." And there is "Morris 15 yrs, Rosie 9 yrs, and Gussie 6 yrs." His father Abraham was 42.
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| Abraham Stein & Family Certificate of Naturalization July 19, 1912 |
Jake's family lived at 306 East 31st Street, which no longer exists (it's now a Bank of America Financial Center). It was about 3 miles to his high school. Here is Jacob's diploma.
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Jacob's High School Diploma from DeWitt Clinton.
June 29, 1916
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| 230 East 27th St. New York [Google Maps] |
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| Jacob Stein Draft Registration Card.Local Board for Division No. 122 Parish House 240 East 31st St, NY September 12, 2018 |
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| Jacob Stein in U.S. Army uniform. New York, 1918 |
Howard says "His tour of duty was extremely short. He was still in basic training (probably in New Jersey) when the war ended. I think he then was sent home. (He always denied he was a “veteran” and would never claim that status). Since he was born towards the end of 1898, that timing makes sense to me."
Jacob in uniform.
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| Jacob Stein in U.S. Army uniform. New York, 1918 |
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Jacob Stein's Batchelor of Arts Diploma
The College of the City of New York
February 11, 1920
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Jacob earned his law degree at Columbia University law school.
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| Jacob's Columbia University Law School Diploma, January 15, 1923 |
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| Jacob Stein, Columbia University law school graduate, 1923 |
Jacob Zachary was, as an adult, known as J. Zachary (with a period).
His son Howard explained: "I think my father changed from Jacob to J. Zachary because there was another lawyer named Jacob Stein and it was causing confusion. This was when he was still in private practice."
J. Zachary Stein was a founder, former president and friend of Wel‐Met, Metropolitan Jewish Centers Camping Association.
Howard says: "My father was a lawyer, and was a “lapsed” reform, not conservative, Jew, and had no particular interest in Zionism or Israel. He was, however, on the Board of Directors of the Bronx YM&YWHA, maybe even President of the organization for a while, and was President of Camp Wel-Met."
"To help you understand my father, Wel-Met, was an acronym for Metropolitan Jewish Centers Camping Association. But Wel-Met was a rebellious organization that was aggressively non sectarian and highly resistant to interference by outsiders, such outsiders including rabbis who demanded more religious involvement and traditional practices.
"For example, Wel-Met would not have served pork, but certainly mixed dairy and meat, and Saturday was just another day of the camping week. The camp was a big force in the Jewish community since it had a population of 3,000 campers and 300 elderly over the course of the summer on its approximately 2000 acres. Maybe 700 staff, probably two thirds Jewish but none not reformed or non observant."
"Wel-Met owned 50 Madison Avenue in NY since a business of this size was a year round operation. The 2000 acres were on three sites in Narrowsburg and in Barryville New York."
Howard: "I went to camp there, worked summers there, went on the Board after my father retired. Lifelong friendships from those summers. Friends married partners they met there. One of the biggest influences of my life."
Howard: "I went to camp there, worked summers there, went on the Board after my father retired. Lifelong friendships from those summers. Friends married partners they met there. One of the biggest influences of my life."
[NYT April 25, 2005] Whatever happened to Wel-Met? "It survives in memory and online, thanks to thousands of nostalgic alumni. Wel-Met, which had divisions in Narrowsburg, Barryville and Silver Lake in Sullivan County, was founded as the Metropolitan Jewish Centers Camp Association in May 1935 and became one of the nation's largest sleep-away camps, with well over 1,000 campers a summer.
"According to some ex-campers, the name stood for Welfare Metropolitan. Like many other low-cost camps run by nonprofit associations, it fell victim to rising expenses, declining government aid and a change in trends from no-frills to more luxurious and specialty camps."
On June 1, 1933 Jacob Z. Stein married opera singer Adele Epstein.
From about 1935 to 1964 J. Zachary lived with his wife Adele and family at 1075 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY.
Howard explained:
Here is the timeline of J. Zachary Stein's life.
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| Adele Epstein, New York, NY, circa 1933 |
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| 1075 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY. [Google Maps] |
"The family lived at 1075 Grand Concourse (known as the Admiral Farragut) beyond the date you show. I don’t remember the date they moved out, but it was (slightly) after Sophie Epstein died [1964]. Sophie lived with them in her later years, and Mom and Dad were originally looking for a larger Manhattan apartment. When they moved it was to 157 East 57th Street, in Manhattan. They lived there until my mother’s death some 40 years later.
One of the reasons they lived at 1075 was an apartment was $5 a month cheaper there than on Park Avenue in the middle of the Depression. I don’t know if this was apocryphal. Originally they lived in apartment 5M, and then when they could get a larger apartment (the War, rent control, shortages) we moved to 2R.
Grandparents Stein, with Rose, lived in the building and Grandparents Epstein had a pied de terre there; the Wicherns lived a block away. (I loved Uncle Len’s Chrysler Imperial and later his 1959 yellow Cadillac; not so much his Nash or 3-door Kaiser Traveler). My lifelong friend Bob Siegel, who became a famous architect (Gwathmey & Siegel), lived in 6K; we have been friends since in utero.
What we have left out was Dad’s work. He was a lawyer specializing in real estate, in particular leases, but ran a firm named J. Clarence Davies, inc. at 518 Willis Avenue. I still remember the phone number: MElrose 8-6000 (which I have occasionally used as a password.) The company was the largest real estate firm in the Bronx, both as owners and managers for other owners, from small owners to the largest such as the Jacob Astor Estate. Mostly retail; they would only do residential if they wanted the ground floor retail stores.
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| 518 Willis Avenue, The Bronx, NY |
Later, J. Clarence Davies Jr and even later his son Terry were involved, but Junior was mainly involved in philanthropy and Terry died young; this is the reason my father had the senior management role rather than the more limited lawyers role he expected; my father was amazed he survived both of them. As conditions in the Bronx deteriorated the firm relocated to Manhattan, first in a big building at 44th and Third and then to 331 Madison Avenue. My parents chose to live at 57th Street because my father could — and much enjoyed — his walk to and from work. His work was very important to him.
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| 157 East 57th Street, Manhattan, New York [Google Maps] |
Just for the record, after law school he was in private practice, with a firm and on his own. The name Erich & Holland comes to mind, but I’m very unsure of this. In Depression years clients were scarce. The Davies firm was a client of his firm, or some such, and he was pleased to join them. His hope was that he would be able to also find personal investment properties that way. But Mr Davies had a stroke and died, and the firm’s work as owners turned from opportunity to conservation. In addition Mrs Davies continued to “live large”, as I recollect his evaluatory comments many years later, which prevented them from capturing huge opportunities. But the firm prospered for many years and was a source not only of income, but of respect and social importance. Mr Davies Senior’s collection of historical prints, maps, and ephemera are a core collection of the Museum of the City of New York. - Howard
Here is the timeline of J. Zachary Stein's life.
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Howard writes: "Dad’s date of death is Feb 10, 1978. Similar to what is going on with access these days, there was a huge snowstorm and my mother and I couldn’t get to the nursing home to be with him the night he died. He is buried in Union Field Cemetery in New York City (along with his parents, siblings except Geri Wichern, and my mother).
PS: my other grandparents and Clarence Epstein are in the same cemetery, but a different location."
J. Zachary Stein obituary notice. (See text below).
[NY Times February 11, 1978]STEIN‐J. Zachary. The Board of DIrectors of Child Study Association of America/Wel‐Met notes with deen sorrow the passing of J. Zachary Stein, founder, former president and friend of Wel‐Met. The Board wishes to express their condolences to the family.Daniel E. Siff, President Mrs. Clarence K. Whitehill, Chairman of the Bd.STEIN‐J. Zachary. On February 10, 1978. Beloved husband of Adele, dear father of Howard and Ann Roberts. Dear grandfather of Jennifer, Justine, Clement and Zachary, Loving brother of Rose Stein and Gerry Wichern. Friends may call at Frank E. Campbell, Madison Ave. at 81st St. Sunday 2.5 PM and Monday 7.9 PM. Service Tuesday 11:30 AM. A contribution to the charity of your choice would be appreciated in lieu of flowers.
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