Jewish Cemetery


Photos courtesy of Debra Musgrove


History of the cemetery shared by David Blount

It was once known as ‘House of Life Cemetery’. It is located at the south end of Calvary Catholic Cemetery at Lexington and South ‘H’ St. The earliest grave is dated to 1869. I could not find who it was. However early immigrant Jewish Pioneers, Louis and Rosalie Tilles, are interred there in 1875 and 1872 respectively. Tilles was likely involved in the formation of the Cemetery Association for the Jewish Cemetery in 1871. Tilles became a prominent businessman in Fort Smith after his arrival in 1863.

The original Jewish Synagogue in Fort Smith was dedicated in 1892 and was attended by Judge Isaac C. Parker. It was located at 11th and E Street. It was sold to the Lutheran Church in 1956 and moved to its new location at 126 N 47th Street. To my knowledge the synagogue maintains the Jewish Cemetery to this day.

In 1897 the United Hebrew Congregation of Fort Smith was formed uniting the 3 reform groups of the Jewish community.

The Jewish Cemetery is the final resting place of many prominent Fort Smith residents. The Jewish community in Fort Smith has always been somewhat low key and under the radar. A walk through this small cemetery will enlighten you as to the many notable names you will see there. The picture below is the original Jewish Synogogue at 11th and E street.


Name Dates Notes Marker Photo
Albert, Mollie (Berman) Sep 19, 1871 - Jun 16, 1921

Born and died in Ft. Smith, AR; daughter of Puncus Berman and Hanna "Anna" Raysel (Tilles) Berman; wife of Samuel Berman, sister to Carrie Berman, Phillip Berman, George Berman & Rachel Berman.

Photo
Baer, Jacob d. 1931 Obit
Baer, Samuel 1843 - 1908 Obit
Becker, Mrs. Pearl d. 1933 Obit
Berman, Hanna Raysel "Anna" (Tilles) May 27, 1844 - Feb 3, 1920 Born in Poland, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Pinkles Berman; mother of Carrie, Mollie, Josephine, Phillip and Rae Photo

Obit
Berman, Pincus "Pinkles" Aug 1, 1839 - Aug 3, 1910 Born Poland, died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of Hanna Raysel (Tilles) Berman. Father of Carrie Berman, Mollie Berman Albert, Josephine Berman Hopp, Phillip Berman and Rae Berman Cohn Photo
Braht, Emil Sep 7, 1891 - Dec 4, 1946   Photo
Braht, Selma Aug 19, 1865 - Mar 7, 1957   Photo
Cohen, Elizabeth (Ney) Oct 3, 1894 - Oct 8, 1932 Born in AR, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of L. Cohen, mother of M. Rosalie Cohen Photo

Obit
Cohen, Jenny Marx Oct 22, 1898 - May 28, 1967   Photo
Cohen, Leon d. 1918   Obit
Cohen, Louis Oct 7, 1889 - Nov 25, 1960 Born in NY, died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of E. (Ney) Cohen, father of Rosalie Cohen Photo
Cohn, Alfred 1908 - 1986 ossw Consuela Photo
Cohn, Berman "Rae" Jul 18, 1877 - Jun 30, 1961 Died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of William V. Cohn, mother of Mark S. Cohn and Henrietta Cohn; daughter of Pinc S. Berman and Hanna Raysel (Tilles) Berman Photo
Cohn, Consuela 1911 - 1988 ossw Alfred Photo
Cohn, Mrs. Henrietta d. 1896   Obit
Cohn, Isaac d.1899 Obit
Cohn, M. S. d.1930 Obit
Cohn, Solomon C. Nov 2, 1877 - Apr 4, 1940 Son of Mark S. and Henrietta Cohn; husband of Minnie I. Cohn Photo
Cohn, Will E. May 18, 1876 - Jan 20, 1937   Photo
Cohn, William V. "Will" May 18, 1876 - Jan 20, 1937 Died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of Rae (Berman) Cohn, father of Henrietta and Mark S. Cohn Photo

Obit
Cowne, Mahalie "Maggie" E. 1841 - 1917 Born in AR, died in Greenwood, AR; wife of A. White Cowne, mother of Robert and William Cowne  
Cowne, Robert 1876 - 1880 Died in Greenwood, AR. Son of A. White Cowne and Mahalie "Maggie" Cowne  
Czarnikow, Rosa d. Dec 30, 1928 Obit
Faier, Margot Oct 25, 1925 - . Wife of Samuel Z. Faire. Photo
Faier, Samuel Z., M.D. Jan 1, 1907 - Sep 6, 1994 Born in NE, died in Ft. Smith, AR. Son of Sam and Libby (perper) Faire, both of whom were born in Romaina. Brother of Ella, Sarah, Tillie and Esther. Husband of Margot (Stien) Faire; father of S. Gail Faier and Sandra Lynn Faire. WWII Army Veteran Photo
Photo
Falk, Ella Tilles Mar 12, 1902 - Apr 21, 1999 ossw George R. Falk Photo
Falk, George R. Aug 26, 1892 - Dec 6, 1963 Ossw Ella Tilles Falk Photo
Farbman, Janet Louise Sep 25, 1942 - Nov 17, 1942   Photo
Fensin, Morton Nov 16, 1911 - Jun 25, 1993 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Fish, Jonas Jun 19, 1840 - Nov 15, 1881 Aged 41 yrs, 4 mos 15 days Photo
Friedman, Abraham Spiro Apr 26, 1898 - Nov 21, 1902 Born and die in Ft. Smith, AR. Son of Lewis and Leah Friedman; age at death: 4 years, 6 months and 27 days old. Photo
Friedman, Elizabeth Stein 1897 - 1981   Photo
Friedman, Irving J. 1889 - 1964   Photo
Friedman, Leah (Spiro) 1874 - Nov 26, 1928 Born in Tenessee, died in Ft. Smith, AR. Parents were born in Germany. Wife of Lewis Friedman, mother of Miles Friedman; age at death: 51 years Photo
Friedman, Lewis 1873 - Sep 3, 1944 Husband of Leah (Spiro) Friedman. Age at death: 71 years. Photo
Friedburger, William 1862 - 1919 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Goldstein, David Woolf, MD Sep 14, 1888 - Jun 12, 1980 Born in Greenville, MS; died in Ft. Smith, AR. Husband of Florence Pahotski (married in 1917) 2nd wife Leona Farber Heilbron Photo
Goldstein, Jane Rose Jul 18, 1921 - Jul 20, 1921 Born & died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Grossman, Sig. Nov 1, 1861 - Sep 24, 1938 Born in Hungary, came to America in 1904; died Ft. Smith, AR. Husband of Jamie Grossman Photo
Helvarg, Max Mar 14, 1910 - Mar 21, 1978 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Hopp, Josephine (Berman) Mar 31, 1875 - Mar 3, 1953 Born in AR, died in Ft. Smith, AR; daughter of Pincus and Hanna "Anna" Raysel (Tilles) Photo
Hopp, Max c. 1863 - Nov 6, 1932 Born in Krayanka, Prussia; husband of Rebecca Hopp, father of Cecil L. Hopp and Hazel R. Hopp, brother-in-law to Phillip Lons Photo
Hopp, Rebecca 1870 - 1956 Wife of Marx Hopp Photo
Isaacson, Cecilia Nov 30, 1867 - Jun 27, 1941 Wife of J. Isaacson Photo
Isaacson, Hazel Rae Aug 17, 1896 - Sep 29, 1972 Born in TX, died in Ft. Smith, AR; Wife of Paul Isaacson; mother of Isabel and Paul Photo
Isaacson, Julius May 3, 1871 - Mar 27, 1918 Husband of Cecilia Isaacson Photo
Jacobs, Ike Nov 4, 1887 - Jan 21, 1964 Born in MO, died in Ft. Smith, AR; Husband of Stella M. Jacobs; father of Bertha Photo
Jacobs, Joseph Hyman c. 1829 - 1934 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Jacobs, Minna Summerfield Aug 7, 1848 - Mar 23, 1898   Photo
Jacobs, Stella M. Jan 27, 1893 - Oct 26, 1957 Born in KY, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Ike Jacobs, mother of Bertha Photo
Jaye, Emanuel Dec 18, 1912 - Apr 8, 2004   Photo
Kahn, Lehmann Jul 1, 1879 - Feb 2, 1927 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Kahn, Lucien Lippman Mar 20, 1877 - Aug 8, 1923 Born in Schirhofen, Germany; died in Ft. Smith, AR. Child of Daniel Kahn (born in Germany) Photo
Kasten, Louis Feb 23, 1897 - Oct 1, 1976 Husband of Sarah Kasten; father of M.E. Kasten, Reba Kasten Nosoff and Dr. Anna Kasten Nelson. College proffessor at Stenen's Inst. Photo
Kasten, Maurice E. Jun 4, 1923 - Nov 21, 2000 Born in Ft. Smith, AR and died in New York, NY. Son of L. & Sarah Kasten, brother of Reba Kasten Nosoff, and Dr. Anna Kasten Nelson. WWII veteran. Photo
Kasten, Sarah Oct 31, 1899 - Jan 4, 1996 Wife of Louis Kasten; mother of Maurice E. Kasten, Dr. Anna Kasten Nelson and Reba M. Kasten Nosoff. Photo
Kaufman, Gladys Sophia Jan 7, 1900 - Jul 1, 1900 Daughter of Henry and Rose (Block) Kaufman Photo
Landau, Carrie B. Jan 1, 1866 - Sep 5, 1958 Wife of Sam N. Landau;Order of Eastern Star Photo
Landau, Samuel N. Dec 22, 1861 - Dec 21, 1932 Husband of Carrie B. Landau; Masonic Mason Photo
Langfelder, Blanche L. (Hegmann) 1881 - 1965 Born in AR, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Ludwig Langfelder Photo
Langfelder, Ludwig 1870 - 1953 Born in Hungary, died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of Blanche L. Langfelder Photo
Levin, Herman Apr 14, 1880 - Nov 13, 1929 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Levin, Lena 1878 - 1970 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Levinson, Minnie Harris Feb 14, 1862 - Dec 19, 1946 Born in KS, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Newman P. Levinson; mother of Leon Levinson Photo
Levinson, Newman P. Apr 2, 1854 - Mar 9, 1921 Born in OH, died in Ft. Smith, Ar; husband of Minnie Levinson; son of Philip Levinson and Sophia Levinson; father of Leon Levinson Photo
Levy, Belle (Wolf) 1872 - 1955 Born in TN, died in Ft. Smith, AR. Wife of Morris Levy; mother of Hubert Cerf Levy and Cyril J. Levy Photo
Levy, Hubert Cerf Nov 5, 1892 - Oct 12, 1918 Born in AR, died in Ft. Smith, AR. Son of Moris Levy (born France) and Belle Levy (born in TN); World War I veteran, Masonic Mason Photo
Levy, Morris c. 1866 - sometime after 1910 (1910 - 1920) Born in France; husband of Belle Levy, father of Huber C. Levy & Cyril J. Levy Photo
Levy, Nathan 1875 - 1928 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Lightman, Helene (Friedman) Dec 27, 1920 - Apr 24, 1951   Photo
Loeb, Clara 1860 - 1914 Wife of Henry Loeb Photo
Loeb, Henry 1856 - 1916 Husband of Clara Loeb Photo
Marks, Armand Morton July 9, 1905 - October 2, 1971 Born in Tennessee and died in Ft. Smith, AR. Son of Morton B. Marks and Ruth J. Marks; brother to Isia, Jeannete, Merle and Perle Marks. Photo
Marks, Isabel Lappin Jun 28, 1920 - Apr 23, 2011   Photo
Marks, Lee Eisen Feb 7, 1918 - Feb 7, 1976   Photo
Marks, Morton B. Jr. Sep 20, 1916 - Mar 11, 2008   Photo
Marks, Nathan Jacob May 1844 - Apr 1922   Photo
Marks, Rose S. Jan 9, 1887 - Nov 3, 1972 Wife of William E. Marks Photo
Marks, Ruth Frauenthal Oct 20, 1879 - Mar 8, 1955   Photo
Marks, Sam May 12, 1873 - Dec 3, 1956   Photo
Marks, William E. Sep 16, 1877 - Jul 17, 1949 Died in Fort Smith, AR; husband of Rose Marks Photo
Mayer, Alvin Eugene Jan 22, 1919 - Jan 23, 1934 Son of E. and Celia (Mincer) Mayer; brother to Joe I. Mayer Photo
Mayer, Celia (Mincer) Oct 19, 1883 - Mar 28, 1945 Daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Jacobs) Mincer; wife of Eugene Mayer Photo
Mayer, Eugene Oct 8, 1878 - Oct 8, 1957 Husband of Celia (Mincer) Mayer; father of Joe Irving Mayer and Alvin E. Mayer Photo
Mayer, Joe Irving Apr 18, 1912 - Sep 10, 1912 Infant son of Eugene and Celia (Mincer) Mayer Photo
Mendel, Pauline Nakdimen Oct 21, 1899 - Oct 10, 1953 Born in MO, died in Ft. Smith, AR; father-in-law was Albert Mendel Photo
Mendelsohn, Ernest A. Jan 14, 1912 - Dec 24, 1979 Husband of Urusla Mendelsohn Photo
Mendelsohn, Kaete Jul 20, 1879 - Jun 16, 1951 Born in Germany; died in Ft. Smith, AR. Wife of Dr. Ludwig Mendelsohn, mother of Dr. Hans Mendelsohn and Dr. Ernest Mendelsohn Photo
Mendelsohn, Dr. Ludwig Mar 28, 1878 - Aug 22, 1948 Born in Germany; died in Ft. Smith, AR. Husband of Kaete mendelsohn, father of Dr. Hans and Ernest Mendelsohn Photo
Mendelsohn, Urusla Sep 2, 1915 - May 2, 2000 Wife of Ernest Mendelsohn Photo
Miller, Alex E. May 22, 1900 - Apr 21 1985   Photo
Miller, Charles S., Sr. "Charlie" Aug 21, 1868 - May 1, 1922 Husband of Mamie Miller; father of Hugo Miller Photo
Miller, Dorothy Yaffe Apr 16, 1919 - Nov 25, 2004 Wife of Theodore A. Miller; married on 28 Jul 1943 Photo
Miller, Flora K. Aug 7, 1890 - Jan 11, 1973 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Miller, Gussie G. Jul 15, 1902 - Oct 24, 1976   Photo
Miller, Hugo May 9, 1896 - Jun 14, 1929 Born in MO. Son of Charlie & Mamie Miller; 32nd Degree Mason Photo
Miller, Mamie Jan 21, 1870 - Dec 29, 1934 Died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Charles "Charlie" Miller, Sr., mother of Hugo Miller Photo
Miller, Theodore A. Aug 26, 1912 - Feb 25, 1997 Husband of Dorothy (Yaffee) Miller; married on 28 Jul 1943 Photo
Miller, Dorothy Yaffe Apr 16, 1919 - Nov 25, 2004 Died in Saranac, New York; wife of Theodore A. Miller, mother of Marilyn Miller Stodghill and Joan Miller Donaldson Photo
Miller, Theodore Arthur Aug 26, 1912 - Feb 25, 1997 Husband of Dorothy (Yaffe) Miller; father of Marilyn and Joan Photo
Mincer, Abraham 1846 - Feb 21, 1899 Husband of Sarah (Jacobs) Mincer. Photo
Mincer, Sarah Jacobs Oct 14, 1857 - Dec 20, 1928   Photo
Moses, Isidore Nov 24, 1971 - Jun 23, 1958 Born in Germany, died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of Yetta Moses, father of Pauline & Frida Moses Photo
Moses, Yetta May 14, 1872 - Apr 14, 1944 Born in MO, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Isidore Moses, mother of Pauline & Frida Moses Photo
Nakdimen, Celia Sep 11, 18?? - February 2, 1942   Photo
Nakdimen, Hiram S. Nov 12, 1901 - Dec 20, 1955   Photo
Nakdimen, Iser H. Sep 15, ?? - Apr 19, ??   Photo
Ney, Marie (Baer) 1870 - Mar 19, 1922 Born in Germany, fied in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Rudolph Ney Photo
Ney, Rudolph 1860 - 1936 Born in Germany, died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of Marie Ney, father of Elisabeth, Esther, Gladys, E.B. and a son ? Photo
Oppenheimer, Harry Feb 28, 1882 - Dec 5, 1894 Aged 12 years, 9 months and 7 days; son of J.H. & S.A. Oppenheimer.  
Pahotski, Ike Jun 22, 1882 - Mar 14, 1924 Born in Warsaw, Poland, died in Paris, AR; husband of E. Pahotski Photo
Pahotski, Louis C. 1848 - May 12, 1924 Born in Poland, came to America in 1865, died in Ft. Smith, AR; husband of Carrie Pahotski; cotton buyer by trade Photo
Pahotski, Minnie Rose Oct 11, 1882 - Jul 27, 1968 Daughter of Louis & Carrie Pahotski Photo
Pansy, Felix Edward Jun 11 1916 - Nov 29 1991   Photo
Pansy, Perle Marks Nov 7 1914 - Apr 2, 2005   Photo
Pollock, Alfred Feb 27, 1871 - Jan 4, 1931   Photo
Pollock, Ben Sidney May 25, 1916 - Dec 19, 1965   Photo
Pollock, Joanne Mendel Apr 11, 1921 - Nov ??, 2004   Photo
Pollock, Mae Wolf Apr 8, 1880 - Nov 6, 1987   Photo
Rosenstiel,, Albert Dec 14, 1879 - Apr 16, 1958   Photo
Rosenstiel, Florence Sep 14, 1876 - Apr 17, 1942   Photo
Rosenstiel, Joseph Jun 18, 1873 - Sep 2, 1939   Photo
Scholem, Edythe N. Nov 27, 1911 - Jan 28, 1981   Photo
Scholem, Edwin J. Mar 14, 1908 - Jul 30, 1982   Photo
Sherman, Albert Leonard Dec 19, 1892 - Nov 5, 1979 Died in Ft. Smith, AR; double marker with S. Esther Sherman Photo
Sherman, Minerva 1896 - 1984   Photo
Sherman, Sue Esther Oct 10, 1913 - Mar 20, 1990 Died in Ft. Smith, AR; double marker with Albert L. Sherman Photo
Stein, Benno May 26, 1870 - Feb 3, 1927 Born in Germany, immigrated to America in 1885. Husband of Anna Stein (1st wife) and Jennie S. Stein (2nd wife). Photo
Stein, Bert Aug 31, 1914 - Nov 10, 1971   Photo
Stein, Jeanette (Gutman) Oct 19, 1902 - Mar 15, 2003 Born in Clayton, MO. Daughter of Adolph and Hulda V. Gutman (in New Mt. Sinai Cemetery in Affton, MO) Photo
Stein, Jennie S. Jul 20, 1870 - Aug 17, 1900 Wife of Benno Stein; mother of Elisabeth Stein Friedman Photo
Stein, Jennings Julius Aug 9, 1900 - Mar 2, 1995 Son of Benno and Anna (Mincer) Stein; husband of Jeanette Stein Photo
Stein, Mildred     Photo
Stein, Sherman Jan 16, 1912 - Apr 22, 1917 Son of Benno and Anna (Mincer) Stein Photo
Strasberg, Abraham Jun 12, 1848 - Aug 31, 1921 Husband of Sarah Strasberg Photo
Strasberg, Sarah Apr 11, 1855 - Mar 22, 1949 Wife of Abraham Strasberg Photo
Sugarman, Bertha Jan 21, 1873 - Sep 2, 1937 Born in Russia, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of David Sugarman, mother of Rosa Photo
Sugarman, David Jan 20, 1870 - Jul 5, 1937 Died in Ft. Smith, AR Photo
Sugarman, Jeannette Marks 1910 -   Photo
Sugarman, Sam 1906 - 1982   Photo
Tilles, Alvin Summerfield Jan 27, 1894 - Aug 19, 1978 Born in AR, died in Ft. Smith, AR. Son of Sam and Bertha Tilles. Photo
Tilles, Bertha (Jacobs) Apr 13, 1868 - Jan 1, 1959 Born in KS, died in Ft. Smith, AR; wife of Sam Tilles, mother of Sophia Tilles and Alvin Tilles Photo
Tilles, Ella Jul 18, 1862 - Feb 18, 1899 Wife of George Tiles. Married on Feb 7, 1883 Photo
Tilles, George Sep 11, 1859 - Nov 26, 1929 Son of Louis and Rosalie (Peck) Tilles; husband of Ella Tilles. Photo
Tilles, Samuel "Sam" Jun 6, 1864 - Mar 9, 1923 Born in Austria-Hungary, died in Ft. Smith, AR. Husbandof Bertha Tilles, Father of Sophia Tilles and Alvin S. Tilles Photo
Unknown, Phillip Illegible   Photo
Winter, Clara Dec 22, 1866 - Jun 10, 1952 Born in Tennessee; daughter of Moses & Sarah Winter (both born in Germany) Photo
Winter, Marx Nov 18, 1871 - Mar 28, 1944 Born & died in Ft. Smith, AR; son of Moses & Sarah Winter. **His World War I draft registration shows his DOB as Nov 18, 1872. Photo
Winter, Meyer Jan 20, 1869 - Aug 14, 1912   Photo
Winter, Moses Jun 9, 1834 - Mar 17, 1915 Husband of Sarah (Braun) Winter; father of Sylvan, Clara & Marx Winter Photo
Winter, Sarah (Braun) Feb 15, 1837 - Jan 15, 1923 Wife of Moses Winter; mother of Sylvan, Clara and Marx Winter Photo
Winter, Sylvan Mar 15, 1863 - Sep 27, 1944 Son of Moses & Sarah Winter; husband of Sophie (Greenbaum) Winter Photo
Wolf, Ben Apr 30, 1847 - Aug 20, 1916 Husband of Zippie Wolf. Photo
Wolf, Herbert O. Apr 24, 1885 - Mar 28, 1926 Husband of Nannette; father of Herbert O. Wolf, Jr. Photo
Wolf, Zippie Jul 29, 1859 - Nov 21, 1923 Wife of Beno Wolf Photo

Last Updated: Saturday, 28-Aug-2021 16:56:09 MDT