Shtetl Links: Lyakhovichi

The 2 images of the Name Change record of three brothers surnamed Kuntsevitsky shows the kind of genealogical valuable documents that are waiting to be uncovered in the Court Records and the introduction to a case summarized from a Louisville Kentucky record of 1925 suggests the range of information now opened by digital access.

Name Change Petition David, Morris, Juklius Kuntsevitzky NYC 1900

Name Change Petition, page 2 David, Morris, Juklius Kuntsevitzky NYC 1900

In July 2009 as I was preparing to go to press, I spotted another one in Clark's Digest Annotations, vol 11, 1947.
I have not seen the actual article, just a snippet view on GoogleBooks. But in this review of New York's lower court decisions, it references "a 500.00 bequest given to the Congregation Bnai Isaac Anshe Lechowitz in the Bronx for the purpose of transmitting it to the needy of Lechowitz, Russia." I will include the full details at the next update.

____________________
206 Ky. 211
Okrent, etc.
v.
Raffa.
Court of Appeals of Kentucky.
Decided December 16, 1924.
Appeal from Campbell Circuit Court.
Page 212
FRANK V. BENTON and C. W. YUNGBLUT for appellants.
GEORGE HEROLD for appellee.
OPINION OF THE COURT BY COMMISSIONER HOBSON — Reversing.

Sam Raffa brought this suit May 18, 1922, against Joseph Okrent and his wife Ida Okrent. He alleged that they unlawfully, maliciously and wrongfully prejudiced the mind of Edith Raffa, his wife, and Maurice, his son, against him and so alienated her affection from him, and induced his wife and son to refuse to live with him, whereby he was deprived of the society, comfort and affection of his wife and son to his damage in the sum of $25,000.00. The defendants filed answer controverting the allegations of the petition. On the trial of the case there was a verdict and judgment in favor of the plaintiff for $6,500.00. The defendants appeal. It is insisted for the appellants that on the evidence the court should have instructed the jury peremptorily to find for the defendants, and that the verdict is clearly against the evidence and the amount of recovery palpably excessive.

Sam Raffa and his wife Edith were married in Lechovitz, Russia, in June, 1911. He had been married once before and, leaving that wife in Russia, had gone to South America. There he secured a divorce from that wife. After this he returned to Russia and there married Edith. About seven months after their marriage he left her in Russia and came to the United States, although she did not wish him to leave Russia. Their son, Maurice, was born two months after he left. He lived at Newport, Kentucky. There were a number of other people there who had come from the same place in Russia. They were all Jews, including Raffa. In 1922 a collection was taken up in the Jewish church and among other Jews to enable Raffa to bring his wife and son to Newport. He added some money of his own and the wife and son arrived in Newport on April 28, 1922. He met them at the station and took them to the house of a friend where they had breakfast. There one of the neighbors telephoned to Mrs. Okrent, who was an aunt of Mrs. Raffa, that her niece had arrived. Mrs. Okrent said she was baking and could not come just then. Raffa owned a house and after breakfast he took his wife and son to the house. In a few minutes he left them there and went out to buy some things or make some arrangements. While he was gone Mrs. Okrent came to the house in her car. The proof varies as to the condition of things when she got there. According to the proof for Raffa the house had been cleaned and was nice... End of Introduction Summary of Case.