This photo, printed in Albany, N.Y., came to me from Germany. I’ve identified the handsome fellow as Silas Ballin. I was told the Yiddish/Hebrew (?) writing underneath his name means “groom”. Was this photo taken on Silas’ wedding day?
Another detail that caught my eye was his extravagant tie pin. At first I thought it was a symbol of some sorts. But I came to the conclusion that it was a custom-made tie pin bearing his initials SB. That young man certainly appreciated expensive style! And I would soon enough find out how he might have come to own such a precious tie pin. Oh, and please make sure to read till the end of this blogpost, I promise you a juicy twist in the story!
Silas Ballin was the youngest son of Samuel (Simon) Ballin, an optician, watchmaker and jewellery salesman in Albany, N.Y. Was the tie pin a father’s wedding gift to his son, who would follow in his footsteps and one day come to run his jewellery business?
Silas’ father Samuel (Simon) Ballin had emigrated to the US from Heiligenstedt, Germany (then Prussia) in 1853 together with Levi and Mayer Ballin, perhaps Silas’ uncles. Silas’ mother Sarah née Cohen had been born in Bavaria. I don’t know when she came to the US. In any case, in the 1880s when this photo was taken, Silas probably had relatives in Germany. And maybe this is why Silas’ photo ended up in Germany, How wonderful that someone kept it in almost mint condition all these years, and it survided two world wars...
Silas Ballin was born on May 21, 1859 in Albany. He had an older sister Eva, and an older step-brother Solomon. Silas married Bertha née Blum in the early 1880s. In 1883, the couple welcomed their first child Eva Bertha Ballin.
I was then to find out that Silas experienced more than his share of grief in his life. His 20-year-old sister Eva died in 1877. Silas’ first son Seth lived only one year and died in 1886. In the same year, Silas also lost his 25-year-old wife Bertha, and a year later his 31-year-old step-brother Solomon. Silas was fortunate to find love again soon, and married his second wife Augusta née Lewi in March 1888. In the same year their daughter Grace Lewi Ballin was born and died. 5 years later in 1894, Silas lost his third child under the age of 1. In 1895, Silas mother Sarah passed away, and in 1898 his father Simon. In 1906, Silas was widowed once again.
Of Silas' four children, his oldest daughter Eva was the only one to survive. She married Milton Silas Lowenthal and the couple settled down in Butler, Pennsylvania where Milton was the President of a rubber company. After the end of his military service in the US Army during WWI, the couple moved to South Bend City in Indiana where Milton held a managerial position in a clothing company. A decade later I find the couple and their three children - Milton Jr., Ballin and Betty - in Washington, Columbia, running a shop of Delicatessen together.
At the beginning of this blogpost I promised you a twist in the story. I surely did not expect what I discovered next:
In 1908, an Albany man named Martin Loonan broke into several houses and apartments in Massachusetts, Ohio and New York states, and stole jewellery, watches and other valuable articles. And guess where he stored the booty? In the jewellery shop of one watchmaker Silas Ballin from Albany!
Link: newspapers.com
Silas was arrested in the late 1908, and accused of being an accomplice to the crimes committed by Loonan. Silas was charged with criminally receiving stolen goods and he was tried in the Criminal Court of Albany in May 1909.
Link: newspapers.com
Silas pleaded not guilty, but admitted to having warned Loonan of the police watching him, and therefore helping him to avoid arrest in early December 1908. Loonan admitted that most of the stolen goods were handled by Silas. Silas later confessed that he had melted a large part of the booty and disposed of it.
Link: newspapers.com
Loonan was sentenced to 10 years in prison. It didn’t take him long to end up back behind bars – he was charged with another burglary in 1921!
I don’t know if Silas was sentenced, I don’t think so. He was still listed in the Albany city directories as a watchmaker from 1910-1914. Silas Ballin passed away in February 1915 of gangren. At the time, he was staying with his daughter Eva’s family in Butler, Pa. His remains were removed to Albany where he was probably buried next to his parents, his wives and children at the Beth Emeth Cemetery in Loudonville, Albany. His gravesite is unmarked.
According to the newspaper coverage of Loonan's crimes, Silas’ arrest caused quite a sensation in Albany “as he had the reputation of being strictly honest and is considered one of the best watchmakers in town.” The motivation for his participation in the crimes is unclear to me. His father Simon’s last will left him with a substantial inheritance. Or was it the loneliness or boredom that made him long for some excitement. I wish I could read the court ruling of his case. Maybe a mug shot of Silas exists somewhere in his file.
I will add his photo to FindaGrave and FamilySearch.
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