A Family History of Charles Login and Dora Finkelstein

Family Tree
Biography
Records
Documents and Articles
Photographs

     

Family Tree

Charles Login, son of Abraham Lagovsky and Libe Goodseit, was born on 14 Mar 1885 in Minsk Guberniya, Russia and died on 4 Aug 1960 in San Diego, San Diego, California at age 75.

Charles married Dora Finkelstein, daughter of Phillip Finkelstein and Gittel Katz in 1915. Dora was born on 15 Oct 1889 in Prusnkh, Poland and died on 26 Jul 1980 in San Diego, San Diego, California at age 90.

Charles and Dora had three children:

Ethel Login was born on 9 Apr 1917 in Lewistown, Fergus, Montana and died on 21 Apr 1998 in Centerville, Barnstable, Massachusetts at age 81.

Ethel married Richard Bernard Koff, son of Isadore Koff and Pauline Goldstein. Richard was born on 27 Feb 1925 in Brooklyn Kings, New York and died on 11 Nov 1992 in Centerville, Barnstable, Massachusetts at age 67. They had no children.

Rosalie Login was born on 12 Jul 1920 in Lewistown, Fergus, Montana and died on 9 July 2014 in Chula Vista, San Diego, California at age 93.

Rosalie married Jacob (Jack) Edelman, son of Joseph and Sarah Edelman in 1950. Jacob was born 21 Aug 1909 in Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey and died 29 Dec 1976 in Manhattan, New York. They had three children:

Irwin Edelman was born 19 Aug 1954 in New York and died 25 Jun 2006 in New York.

Susan Edelman was born in 1956 in New York.

Susan married Hamesh Singh. They have no children.

Charles Edelman was born in 1961 in New York.

Charles married Sabine Feltes in 1991 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Sabine, daughter of Gerhard and Margharita Feltes, was born in 1961 in Germany. They have two children: David and Michael.

Gertrude Login was born on 16 May 1922 in Lewistown, Fergus, Montana and died on 5 Mar 2010 in La Jolla, San Diego, California at age 87.

Gertrude married Charles W Lamden, son of Edith Leveson, on 24 Dec 1941 in Glendale, Humboldt, California. Charles was born on 23 Aug 1916 in Ohio and died on 9 May 1992 in La Jolla, San Diego, California at age 75. They had two children:

William E Lamden was born in 1946 in San Diego, San Diego, California. William married Evelyn Olson. They have two children: Leah and Charles W. "Chaz".

Carol A Lamden was born in 1951 in San Diego, San Diego, California. Carol married Randolph Corby. They have two children: Allison and Michelle.

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Biography

Charles Login was born Golulie Lagovsky on 14 Mar 1885 in the Russian town of Slutsk in the old Lithuanian province of Minsk in what was then known as the Pale of Settlement and now is called Belarus. His parents were Abraham Lagovsky born in 1858 and Libe Goodseit born in 1859. At the time of his birth he had two living sisters: Gittlja born in 1876 and Chisha born in 1881. A brother Motil followed in 1886 and a sister Chaie in 1891 and a sister Esther in 1893.

At age 18 Charles immigrated to America abroad the ship Amsterdam. He arrived in New York on in 2 Feb 1904 and joined his father Abraham and brother Max. Abraham had immigrated in late 1899 or early 1900 and Max in 1903. His mother Libe and sisters came later: Libe and Esther in 1905; Sarah in 1906; Anna and her son Harry in 1907 (they joined Anna's husband Samuel Lewow who had immigrated in 1904); Gertrude (Gussie) and her children Dora, Sadie, Herman and Rose in 1913 (they joined Gertrude's husband, Louis and son Max who had immigrated in 1904). This staggered pattern of immigration was not unusual for Jewish families immigrating from the Pale during this time period. Money for passage was scarce and husbands and older sons usually went first to raise money for the rest of the family to immigrate.

In another move common to many immigrants during this period, especially those from eastern Europe. the four younger Lagovsky siblings changed their names: Motil Lagovsky became Max Login, Golulie Lagovsky became Charles Login, Chaie Lagovsky became Sarah Login and Esther Lagovsky became Esther Login. They wanted their names to sound more American so they changed it to one they thought sounded Irish. However they didn't know how to spell Logan correctly so they spelled it Login instead!

Charles married Dora Finkelstein in 1915. Dora was born on 15 Oct 1889 in the Polish territory of Russia. Her parents were Phillip Finkelstein born in 1857 and Gittel (Gussie) Katz born in 1859.  Dora had a bother Samuel born in 1891 and a sister Bertha born in 1893. She may have had two more siblings because in the 1910 census her mother is listed as having 12 children with 5 of them living in 1910. At this point the names of those siblings is not known. Dora immigrated to America in 1902 when she was 13 along with her brother Samuel. They joined their father who had immigrated in 1901. Dora's mother and sister immigrated in 1903. Dora grew up and lived one block from Charles in New York City but they didn't meet until Charles came back to New York from Montana to find a wife. He knew a woman in the garment industry and mentioned to her he was looking for a wife. The woman knew Dora and thought they would be a good match so she introduced them and they married in 1915 in Manhattan.

In 1910 Charles was still in New York and living with his parents while working as a carpenter. By 1914 he and his brother Max were trading hides and fur in Laramie, Wyoming. In 1915 he went back to New York to find a wife and married Dora. He brought her back with him to Montana. In 1916. Charles and Max and sister Esther's husband Joseph Libin, incorporated their hide and fur trade into the Lewistown Hide and Fur Company. Charles and Dora remained in Lewistown for over 10 years. During that they had three daughters: Ethel born in 1917, Rosalie born in 1920 and Gertrude born in 1922.

Charles and his brother Max traveled around dealing in hide and furs. At one time they even traveled to China. Around 1920 Charles and his brother Max had a falling out. They had decided to invest their savings in a plan to buy fur in Nome, Alaska and bring it back to Montana to sell it at a profit. Charles was given the money and the task of buying the furs. While in Nome, something happened and the money was lost. Both brothers ended up broke. Max blamed Charles and the brothers did not talk for several years after that although they eventually reconciled.

Charles and Dora and their daughters left Lewistown soon after the Nome debacle. In 1930 the family was in Modesto, California where Charles was working as a cattle buyer with his brother Max. According to their son , Charles, they bought a house in Modesto but didn't like the location so they moved the house to a new location! Charles and Dora raised their family in Modesto. All three of their daughters were accomplished musicians.

Ethel Login was a gifted violinist. She graduated from San Francisco State University, attended the University of California at Los Angeles and the Juilliard School of Music. Ethel met her husband, Richard Koff in the course of their musical careers.  Richard, who served in the US Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II, was a percussionist.  He was nine years junior to Ethel.  Ethel always talked about first meeting and dating Richard, his "baby" face and his "young" age, referring to him as "this kid".  Ethel even debated marrying Richard due to his age. Richard always referred affectionately to Ethel as "Red", nicknaming her the color of her hair.  Both had successful careers playing for the Venezuela National Orchestra in Caracas, Venezuela, for two years and in various symphonies and concerts in the United States including the orchestra of many Broadway plays. Richard was the original drummer and percussionist for the play "Man of La Mancha" starring Richard Kiley. His drumming can be heard on the entire original cast album of the play. Ethel also taught music in New York and later in Cape Cod.  After Richard's death and right before her death, Ethel established the "Richard & Ethel Koff Memorial Scholarship" as part of the Cape Cod Foundation. Richard and Ethel did not have children which Ethel always regretted.

Rosalie Login was an accomplished musician on the cello. She moved to San Francisco from Modesto in 1939 where she joined her sister Ethel. While in San Francisco, she worked at a law firm and other businesses and then in 1948 she moved to New York where Ethel was then residing. The third week Rosalie was in New York she saw an advertisement for a Sunday Jewish dance in Manhattan which she attended. While there she met her husband, Jack Edelman. After two years of courting they married in 1950. Jack and Rosalie's son, Charles, said Jack was always known as a tough guy. He was a drill sergeant in WWII in Korea. Being Jewish and a drill sergeant was a rare combination so he had to be tough. During WWII Jack had married another woman who died in childbirth along with their baby. That hit him very hard and was the reason he hesitated about marrying again and having more children. Rosalie and Jack had three miscarriages before their three children, Irwin, Susan and Charles, were born. Rosalie worked at the New York City Board of Education during her marriage and for two years during the mid 1060's she supported the family while Jack was battling cancer. Rosalie moved to San Diego after Jack died to be near her sister Gertrude.

Gertrude Login played classical piano at the concert level. While attending the University of California at Berkeley she decided to major in the more stable and practical field of accounting rather than pursue a musical career. She met her husband-to-be Charles while they were both attending UC Berkeley. They planned to get married upon graduation, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (12-7-41) changed everything. Charles enlisted in the Navy and was to report for training and a military position in the Office of Price Administration in Washington DC. They were hastily married in a Jewish Ceremony on December 24th, 1941 in the Glendale home of Charles mother. Gertrude was only 19 years old. She completed her final courses for her undergraduate degree by correspondence while in Washington (and a friend quipped that she should have had her graduation ceremony at the US Post Office). She found a job in the Bureau of Census as a statistician. In a series of military transfers, the young couple finally came to San Diego in 1945 after the end of the Second World War. Their son William was born in 1946 and daughter Carol was born five years later. In between, Gertrude returned to school at then San Diego State College, where Charles was already teaching accounting, and obtained her CPA certificate. Gertrude actually enrolled in one of Charles' accounting classes in preparation for the CPA exam. Both Gertrude and Charles worked for the big accounting firm Peat Marwick and Mitchell in San Diego.  Charles Lamden later became a partner with Peat Marwick, which brought Gertrude and Charles to live in both Manhattan and Paris, France.  After retiring from Peat Marwick, both Gertrude and Charles moved back to San Diego where Gertrude built up a significant Real Estate empire and Charles headed up the Accounting Department at San Diego State University. In 2008, Gertrude donated ten million dollars to San Diego State University's School of Accounting in honor of her late husband, Charles Lamden, the first dean of SDSU's College of Business Administration.

Charles died in 1960 and Dora died in 1980. Both died in San Diego, California where their daughters Gertrude and Rosalie were living.

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Records

Immigration Records

Charles Login immigrated in 1904 on the Amsterdam

Passenger  Information

Original Passenger Manifest

Ship: Amsterdam

Name:

Lagowskie, Golulie

Ethnicity:

Russia Hebrew

Place of Residence:

Slutzk

Date of Arrival:

February 27, 1904

Age:

18y

Gender:

M

Marital Status:

S

Ship of Travel:

Amsterdam

Port of Departure:

Rotterdam,  Netherlands

Dora Finkelstein immigrated in 1904. No immigration records have been found so far.

Census Records

      1910 census  

Head Abraham Lagofsky age 52 born in Russia married 34 years immigrated 1889 occupation: presser of cloaks
Wife Libbie age 54 born in Russia married 34 years children: 9 born-6 living immigrated 1906
Dau Sarah age 18 born in Russia immigrated 1906 occupation: ladies waist operator
Son Max age 22 born in Russia immigrated 1903 occupation: operator cloaks
Son Charles age 25 born in Russia immigrated 1904 occupation: carpenter houses
Dau Esther age 16 born in Russia immigrated 1906 occupation: flower worker
Boarder Kadish Ida age 19 born in Russia immigrated 1904 occupation: trimmer paper boxes
Boarder Kadish Freda age 20 born in Russia immigrated 1902 occupation: trimmer paper boxes
Boarder Kadish David age 17 born in Russia immigrated 1906 occupation: errand boy paper boxes
State: New York County: NEW YORK Locale: 7-WD MANHATTAN Series: T624 Roll: 1007 Part: 2 Page: 34A
 

      1920 census

Charles Login age 35 born in Russia Occupation: Proprietor Hides and Fur
Wife Dora age 28 born in Poland
Dau Ethel age 2 born in Montana
State: Montana County: Fergus Township: Lewiston ED: 87 Roll: T625_969 Page: 14B
 

      1930 census

Charley Login age 45 born in Russia (Lithuania) occupation cattle buyer
Wife Dora age 39 born in Russia (Poland)
Dau Ethel age 12 born in Montana
Dau Rosalie age 9 born in Montana
Dau Gertrude age 7 born in Montana
Modesto, Stanislaus, California; Roll: T626_223; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 14
 

1940 census

Charles Login age 54 born in Latovia trucking proprietor
Dora Login age 50 born in Russia
Gertrude Login age 17 born in Russia
Modesto, Stanislaus, California; Roll: T627_351; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 50-19
 

Military Records

World War II Draft Card
Charles Login
 

   

 

 

Vital Records

Death Records and Obituaries

       Charles Login

California Death Index

Name: Charles Login Sex: Male Birth Date: 14 Mar 1885 Birthplace: Other Country Death Date: 4 Aug 1960 Death Place: San Diego Mother's Maiden Name: Gottesfr

       Dora Finklestein Login

California Death Index

Name: Dora Login Sex: Female Birth Date: 15 Oct 1889 Death Date: 26 Jul 1980 Birth Place: Other Country Death Place: San Diego Father's Surname: Finklestein

Social Security Death Index

Dora LOGIN Birth Date: 4 Apr 1889 Death Date: Jul 1980 Social Security Number: 549-21-8214 State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: California Death Residence Localities ZIP Code: 92038 Localities: La Jolla, San Diego, California

Ethel Login Koff

Massachusetts Death Index

Name: Ethel Koff Certificate: 026955 Death Place: Barnstable Death Date: 21 Apr 1998 Birth Place: Montana Birth Date: 9 Apr 1917

Social Security Death Index

Name: Ethel L. Koff SSN: 557-12-6005 Last Residence: 02632 Centerville, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States of America Born: 9 Apr 1917 Died: 21 Apr 1998 State (Year) SSN issued: California (Before 1951)

Obituary

Cape Cod Times
April 28, 1998
CENTERVILLE Ethel L. Koff, 81
Concert violinist music teacher bulldog enthusiast
Ethel L. (Login) Koff, 81, a teacher and violinist, died Tuesday at her home in Centerville after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late Richard Koff. Born in Lewiston, Mont., Mrs. Koff lived in Centerville for many years, previously living in New York and San Francisco. She graduated from San Francisco State University, attended the University of California at Los Angeles and the Juilliard School of Music. A violinist, Mrs. Koff played in symphonies in Caracas, Venezuela, for two years and in various symphonies and concerts in the United States. She was a music teacher for the New York school system and also taught on the Cape. She was a bulldog enthusiast and a member of the New England and Maine bulldog clubs. Surviving are two sisters, Rosalie Edelman of San Diego, Calif., and Gertrude Lamden of La Jolla, Calif. and several nieces and nephews. Services will be held in New York. A memorial service on the Cape will be announced at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association, 434 Route 134, South Dennis, MA 02660.

Gertrude Login Lamden

Social Security Death Index

Name: Gertrude M. Lamden SSN: 567-09-8621 Last Residence: 92038 La Jolla, San Diego, California, United States of America Born: 14 May 1922 Died: 5 Mar 2010 State (Year) SSN issued: California (Before 1951)

Obituary

Mrs. Gertrude M. Lamden
BORN: May 14, 1922
DIED: March 5, 2010
LOCATION: La Jolla, CA
Gertrude Lamden, who passed away March 5, 2010, will be best remembered by the San Diego community for her generous Ten Million Dollar gift to San Diego State University, making possible the naming of the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy in honor of her husband, Charles W. Lamden, the acknowledged founder and first Dean of what is now the San Diego State University College of Business Administration.

Gertrude Lamden, given the nickname "Trudy" by her husband Charles, was a very accomplished woman. Early on, this daughter of Lithuanian and Polish immigrants attracted the notice of her parents and teachers as an excellent student with great musical talent. She played classical piano, including the works of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Gershwin, at the concert level. Trudy's husband to be, Charles, at once noticed that she was bright, able, and attractive, and after they were married he noticed how focused and motivated that she was. Trudy's associates and senior co-workers noticed her competence, and professionally she became recognized as a pioneer career woman that would later be honored for her lifetime service as a Certified Public Accountant. Business associates over the years could not help but notice her drive and ambition, especially as her real estate investments became more numerous. And the community at large could not help but notice her ability to make things happen, her wherewithal accumulated over time, and in the end, her ultimate generosity. Gertrude's life is testament to the fact that she was a fervent planner. Born May 16, 1922 in Lewistown, Montana, she lived through the Great Depression and never forgot the hardships of those times. Early on, she became aware of her family's less than modest circumstances. Once when she was in grade school, she went shopping with her mother for school supplies. They did not have enough change to buy a simple pencil box, and this experience of deprivation affected her thinking and outlook for the rest of her life. Whenever she acquired anything, it was meant to last a lifetime, whether it be a bedspread or a piece of property. While attending school in Modesto California, she worked in a fruit cannery to help support her family. When it came time to make the choice between a career in music as a concert pianist or pursuing further education at the University of California at Berkeley that would lead to more stable and practical pursuits, she chose the latter, because she understood at the young age of sixteen that despite her talent, she did not desire the instability often associated with the life of a musician.

Gertrude met her husband-to-be Charles while they were both attending UC Berkeley. They planned to get married upon graduation, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (12-7-41) changed everything. Charles enlisted in the Navy and was to report for training and a military position in the Office of Price Administration in Washington DC. They were hastily married in a Jewish Ceremony on December 24th, 1941 in the Glendale home of Charles mother. Gertrude was only 19 years old. She completed her final courses for her undergraduate degree by correspondence while in Washington (and a friend quipped that she should have had her graduation ceremony at the US Post Office). She found a job in the Bureau of Census as a statistician. In a series of military transfers, the young couple finally came to San Diego in 1945 after the end of the Second World War. Their son William was born in 1946 and daughter Carol was born five years later. In between, Gertrude returned to school at then San Diego State College, where Charles was already teaching accounting, and obtained her CPA certificate. Gertrude actually enrolled in one of Charles' accounting classes in preparation for the CPA exam. Their first property purchase was their home in Kensington.

In 1952, Gertrude decided to buy a post-war four-plex on a section of Iowa Street that is now the 805 freeway so that she could bring her mother and ailing father from San Francisco to San Diego. As a result, her parents were now "property manager" and "handyman", and Gertrude was now "landlord" and "general manager", a role that she further assumed as she then continued to acquire property after property over a period that spanned nearly 50 years. According to Gertrude's plan, an income stream would eventually be established that would provide financial independence for her and her husband in their declining years and an estate would be established that would provide position and income for their heirs. There are other specific personal qualities that led to Gertrude's great success. She was very competitive. She was challenged by the efforts and achievements of others to always attempt to do better. As an auditor, studied the strategies of her clients, and she learned the long term benefits of both saving and investing. Gertrude was a risk taker. In 1980, she was willing to put up as security every piece of property that she and her husband owned, including their residence, to purchase a 14 story building on the corner of 3rd and A in Downtown San Diego, known as the Centre City Building, which Building is still owned by their Trust. Gertrude was a decision maker. She acquired, she traded, she managed and she hired and fired all based on her own evaluation, judgment and intuition. Although, she sought the advice of others often, her decisions were most often independently derived. Gertrude was a tireless worker. For many long days and late hours she labored over spreadsheets, contracts, leases and the day-to-day business of property management. When she finally convinced her son Bill to return to San Diego to help her with the property management, he assembled a full staff of people to do the same work that she had previously performed single handedly. Gertrude lived her life always looking to the future. Although she was encouraged by many advisors to take the conservative approach, she always remained aggressive and optimistic. Her gift to San Diego State University in order to name and perpetuate the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy is a tribute to her optimism and the belief shared with her husband Charles that the San Diego State University School of Business will continue to assume leadership status among all business schools nationally and world wide. Gertrude was driven. She always intended to be more, to produce more, to have more and to give more. She never of her own volition stopped moving ahead. Retirement was not a word in her vocabulary. She simply slowed down, little by little. Gertrude showed her love by seeing that those close to her were given opportunity, counsel and means in order for them to learn and acquire the ability to take care of themselves, and she always demonstrated that possibility to others by her own personal example. Her vision and her husband's legacy, the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy at San Diego State University will be perpetuated by her heirs.

Gertrude Lamden is survived by her son, Dr. William E. Lamden and his wife Evelyn, her daughter, Dr Carol A. Lamden/Corby and her husband Randolph, and grandchildren Allison Corby, Michelle Corby, Leah Lamden and Charles W. "Chaz" Lamden.


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Documents and Articles

 

Documents

Charles Login Passport and Business Card
 

Business Card for Sam Finn (brother of Dora)

Sam Finn's business card.

Sam wrote on the back of the card the funeral day (Memorial Day) for Charles Login, part of it in Hebrew.
 

Sam Finn was Dora's brother. He changed his name from Finklestein to Finn. He was an actor in Hollywood. Dora told her her son, Charles Edelman, how she would go to the movies and see her uncle suddenly appear in the film. Sam played "Fingers Danny" in the original Superman TV Series with George Reeves.

Newspaper Articles  

Aug 30, 1919: Anaconda Standard, Helena Montana

Lewistown Hide and Fur Incorporation Article
Joe Libin, Max Login and Charlie Login

   
December 29, 1941 Modesto Bee and Herald News

Wedding of Gertrude Login and Charles Lamden
 

   
June 3, 2008 San Diego Union Tribune

Article about Gertrude Login Lamden's $10 million donation to San Diego State University's School of Accounting in honor of her late husband, Charles Lamden, the first dean of SDSU's College of Business Administration.

 

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Photographs

Charles Login Charles and Dora Finkelstein Login with daughter Ethel Charles and Dora Finkelstein Login with daughters, Ethel, Gertrude and Rosalie Rosalie and Ethel Login
circa 1927
       

Dora Finkelstein Login with daughters, Ethel and Rosalie, circa 1920

Irving, Abe and Jack Edelman circa 1920
   
 

Rosalie Login

 

"The Lagofsky Trio"
Rosalie, Gertrude and Ethel Login

     

 

Gertrude Login and Charles Lamden
Wedding December 29, 1941

Rosalie Login and Jacob Edelman
Wedding 29 June 1949

Ethel Login and Richard Koff
Wedding

 

 

A special thanks to Charles Edelman, son of Rosalie Login Edelman, for sharing photographs and biographical information.

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