Just ran across your message today. We may be connected. My great-grandfather Tobias Gassmann came from Plawno in the Russian Empire and his wife Dora Schacher settled briefly in New York in 1872, but were in Chicago by the time of the 1880 census.

Although his older sister Yetta IMrs. Gabrield Radbel) was born in New York, my grandfather Isaac Gassman (note that he dropped the second "n") was born in Plawno during a family visit. He always referred to himself as having been born in Germany.

Tobias ran a furniture store in Chicago for many years. I believe it was in south Chicago. My grandfather's younger sister Rosie was a piano teacher in Chicago until she married an actor, Sam Klein, who was in vaudeville. I've never been able to trace them.

The Radbels remained in Chicago, but my grandfather moved his family to Detroit. Later these Gassmans moved to San Antonio, Texas.

Is any of this ringing a bell with you? I;ve been able to find out quite a bit about Tobias' lineage, but absolutely nothing about his wife.

Carolyn Gassman Simon, Tucson, AZ