I am seeking information about the heritage of Etti Esperanza Gabay, whose father was David Antoine Gabay, born in Hamburg, Germany in 1832. Her mother was Sarah Lawton Blackburn, born in Poughkeepsie, NY to Joseph and Elizabeth Blackburn.
David Gabay came to New York City from Havana, Cuba in the 1840s. NYC directories list him as "cegars". There was also an Isaac and a Samuel Gabay listed. Isaac was also "cegars", Samuel, "merchant".
David went to work for McKesson Robbins in 1877 where he became head of the sponge department and worked there until his death in 1905.
Esperanza Gabay was an artist and a teacher, living in New York City until she moved to the Berkshires in Massachusetts in 1927. She died there in 1963.
I am looking for any and all information regarding the Gabay and Blackburn surnames that would be links to my Gabay.
The Gabays that I have found, namely David, Sarah, their children Arthur, Charlotte and Esperanza were of the Episcopal faith and are all buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn.
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Esperanza Gabay relative of Rafaela Gabay from Hamburg to Cuba?
My gggrandfather was Jacobo Heymann married to Rafaela Gabay both also from Hamburg, who went to Cuba, where I was born. In 1960 most of my family moved to USA. I'll be visiting Hamburg in Aug 2009 and would like to know more of your family to see if we are related. Silvia
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Re: Esperanza Gabay relative of Rafaela Gabay from Hamburg to Cuba?
Silvia,
I would love to learn more about David Antoine Gabay who immigrated from Hamburg to Cuba c. 1842. His father is unknown, possibly mother's first name was Esperanza, no surname. Her first name appears on his death certificate in January 1905 as his mother.
David was a pharmacist working in the Sponge Department for McKesson Robbins until his death. McKesson submitted his obituary to a pharmacutical magazine in which it states that David spent several years in Cuba before coming to the US.
In 1850 he appears for the first time in NYC in several directories, with several other Gabay surnames, namely Samuel and Henry. Their occupation was first mentioned as "cegars", and they all lived in the same area of NYC.
As I am merely a research/biographist, I have no family connections with the Gabays. My Esperanza was his daughter and an American woman artist. I have two of her oil paintings, which started me trying to write her biography.
My questions about David stem from his lineage, which is listed as both Spanish and Italian on manafests to this country. Why did he go from Hamburg to Cuba if there was no family to connect with in that island country? Are he and Henry Gabay related in any way? They both had daughters named Esperanza, that name being common amongst that culture, but maybe more than a coincidence.
IF you have a chance when you are in Hamburg, it would be lovely to find a connection with David A. Gabay to the other Gabays who migrated to our shores in the 1800s.
Thank you for keeping in touch. Good luck in your search, and how wonderful it would be if we could establish a link.
Sincerely, Nancy
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Esperanza Gabay relative of Rafaela Gabay from Hamburg to Cuba?
you mentioned "they both had daughters named Esperanza" but I don't see who you refer to "both" (?) Keep in mind that the surname Gabay is surely a Jewish surname (it means the "guy" that helps run the services at the synagogue!) and that the name "Esperanza" is also, since after the Jews were outstead from Portugal and Spain, they had to prove that they had indeed converted to Christian, and what better way than have their kids named with Christian names...such as: Sacramento, Rosario, Caridad, Jesus, Christobal, etc Esperanza etc
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Isaac Levy Gabay and Rafael Gabay in Cuban cemetery
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Re: Isaac Levy Gabay and Rafael Gabay in Cuban cemetery
Silvia,
This is in reply to both your responses today. "Both" means Henry and David each had a daughter Esperanza.
I understand the Jewish connection and why so many southern Europeans migrated to Germany from Spain, etc. History tells us there were many religious uprisings throughout Europe. The immigrants would have migrated to Germany to escape the Spanish inquisition and the Napoleanic wars.
I don't know if the Isaac Gabay in NYC had a middle initial or name. Thank you for the translation of Gabay to the "guy". I love word connotations and finding the root of words.
Because my David Gabay married a protestant with British ancestory, I did not have the Jewish link in mind when researching David. The more I learn, the more I realize that link.
Thank you so much.
Nancy
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Isaac Levy Gabay and Rafael Gabay in Cuban cemetery
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Re: Esperanza Gabay relative of Rafaela Gabay from Hamburg to Cuba?
my Heymann family had a buisness in Cuba maybe related let me now if you want to know more
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