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Rose
Ginsberg (1884-1975) was only nineteen but when she saw a fire on the stage at the
Iroquois Theater, her instincts accurately told her it could
mean extreme danger to herself
and fellow occupants of the third floor balcony. She
offered to help a nearby mother and her two young
children evacuate. The mother, a stranger to
Rose, declined,
confidant the fire would be put out.
Rose left her
seat and approached an exit that was attended by an
unidentified usher. She asked him to open the
curtains covering the exit so she could leave the
auditorium. He refused, Rose reported later, and threatened to
have her arrested if she "made a fuss." When she
ignored him and opened the door anyway, he remarked
that the fire troubled him as well – and followed
her out.
Rose was one of the first audience survivors to
speak publicly about Iroquois ushers behaving in a manner
that demonstrated poor management. It would
become clear later in trial testimony that the only
training received by Iroquois ushers was at a prior
performance when theater manager,
Will J. Davis, reprimanded one in their number
for opening an auditorium fire escape exit to let in
a breeze. Translation: opening a door may tick
off the boss and cost your job. No surprise
then that their responses to the fire were
scattershot. A few were concerned for the
safety of others in the theater, one losing his life
in the process; more were worried about preserving
their job and/or personal life and limb, some even
going so far as to run home when the fire broke out.
A resident of Aurora,
Illinois, west of Chicago, Rose had come to the city
to pay an unannounced call on her aunt Bertha Vehon
Lewis (1846-1905). On route, Rose decided to
take in the Mr. Bluebeard matinee before
surprising her aunt. The performance had
already started and only standing room space in the
gallery was available.
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Rose's family
Rose was the
daughter of European immigrants, Nathan B. Ginsberg
(1860-1937) and Yetta
Arnsdorff Ginsberg (1858-1936). Her father and
his brother, Isaac Ginsberg, co-owned a dry goods
store in Auorora, Il, a community of around
twenty-five thousand people forty miles west of
Chicago. Years later the brothers would separate and
each operate their own store in Aurora, Nathan's
specializing in clothing. Rose was one of five
born to Nathan and Yetta, and the oldest of their
four daughters. One of the girls passed in 1906.
Rose and the surviving two girls lived in the family
home throughout their lives and worked in their
father's store.
Ginsberg Vehon Arnsdorff
Lewis connection not connecting
I failed to find the familial
connection between Rose Ginsberg (or her mother
Yetta Arnsdoff), and her aunt Bertha Vehon Lewis so
hope
someday a genealogy researcher will come across this
story. My
information on the Lewis side is very skimpy so that
may be where the connection will be found. Here's
what I've turned up so far:
Bertha's late husband,
Moses Lewis (1849-1896), was a Russian immigrant who
worked as a peddler in Chicago. He died in
April, 1896 from injuries suffered when he was run
over by a horse and buggy while crossing the street.
(The horse stepped on and broke Mose's leg and the
buggy wheels passed over his body, causing internal
injuries. The driver at fault drove away, ignoring
commands to stop by police officer Denney.)
Bertha and Moses had three children - Charles, Dora
and Nathaniel. I do not know the names of
Mose Lewis's parents or siblings.
Bertha was the only daughter
and youngest child of Solomon and Hannah Burnhaven Vehon. Her brothers were Solomon
jr., Henry, Wolfe, Silas, Joseph and Abraham.
Some Vehon genealogy compilations do not include Bertha in
the family but her newspaper death notice tells the tale:
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