You probably didn’t know I was almost Italian. I’ll get to that in a second, and a little further along in this blog, I’ll get to that over-100-year-old beautiful Waltham pocket watch you see above.
Samuel Berkowitz, my father’s father, came to the United States through Ellis Island around 1911. Over two-thirds of the people in the US can trace their origins to an ancestor who entered the US through Ellis Island. That’s going to change at some point in the near future, I think, as the number of folks who come here across our southern border continues to grow, and that’s okay in my book. I’m a staunch conservative and I lean right, but I go against the grain of my Fox News compadres on immigration. I’m all for immigration and welcoming more people into the US (that’s a topic for another time). The message in this paragraph is Poppy (and I’ll get to that name in a second) processed in through Ellis Island. If you’ve never visited Ellis Island, you need to. It is a national treasure. The Ellis Island tour is something I will never forget.
When Poppy came to the US, the person who processed him into America was a recent Italian immigrant. They did that at Ellis…they couldn’t find enough people to do all the work that needed doing (sound familiar?) and they used immigrants to fill the gaps. Grandpa Berk came from Rumania to escape the pogroms there and for the opportunity here. The Italian-now-American administrator asked his name and Grandpa told him: Samuel Berkowitz. “Berkowitz?” the man said. “I don’t know from Berkowitz…from now on, you Bercovici. Sam Bercovici.” And that’s how his name was entered into the logbook as he entered America. I know. I’ve seen it. Like I said, I was almost an Italian.
Bercovici, Berkowitz…it was all too confusing and it was all too European. Poppy changed it, probably informally, to just plain old Sam Berk. And that’s how we became Berks. People sometimes ask me what Berk is short for. I always tell them, “Berque…my grandfather changed it because he didn’t want people thinking we were French.”
Now, about the “Poppy” business. My Dad always called his father Pop. When we were little kids, for us he was Poppy. Grandma was always Grandma, but Grandpa was always Poppy. At least until I was 6. That’s when Poppy died. I was a wee one then, but I remember Poppy well. He was a good guy.
Last week, I was back in New Jersey on a secret mission, and while I was there I visited with my sister. We were chatting it up at her place and I was expounding on wristwatch accuracy when she suddenly asked: “Would you like Grandpa’s watch?”
The question caught me off guard. I didn’t even know Poppy had a watch. I for sure didn’t know he had one and it somehow ended up in my sister’s possession. But I didn’t need to think about it. “Yes,” I said. I was shocked when I saw it. It’s beautiful, it’s engraved, and it has my grandfather’s initials on the back. I think it’s white gold (if it was silver, it would be tarnished). I wound it just a little and it started right up. Tik tik tik tik tik tik tik…it was cool. I listened to the same ticking Poppy heard a hundred years ago.
Looking at the dial and its patina, my first thought was that the little black erratic lines I saw on it were mold. I had a polarizer go south on me on the motorcycle ride across China and the marks on it were eerily similar; the camera store guy told me the lines on that polarizer were mold. But in researching who to send the watch to for servicing, I found the place I am going to use up in Portland. It is WatchRepair.cc. The man there is Terry Nelson, who responded quickly when I sent an email and a photo (and this was on a Sunday). I asked if I was dealing with a mold problem, and Terry’s prompt reply was:
Its dial shows normal blemishing from a century of use and exposure to the environment and ultra-violet light. It was originally painted with a mixture of paint and finely powered silver and then coated with an early “clear coat.” The clear coat has slowly flaked away in certain areas allowing the underlying silver to tarnish, which may appear like mold. My in-house dial cleaning will assist in making the dial more uniform yet – be ready for only a moderate improvement.
I was impressed and pleased. No mold, a quick response from a craftsman who obviously knows his business, and no extravagant claims. Terry told me if I wanted a full restoration he could bring the dial back to its original condition, but I don’t. I want a little patina. Maybe I’ve been watching American Pickers too long. Like Mike Wolf always says, it’s only going to be original once. My watch is headed to Portland for Terry to work his magic next month, and it will be back the following month. I can’t wait.
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I have my grandfather’s pocketwatch. Illinois Watch Co. Lever set, like the railroads used, but he was a farmer. It has a fabulous chain that you use when wearing a vest; the end in one vest pocket and the watch in the other. Still runs great.
My grandfather, when he retired from the railroad in the mid 1900’s received a gold pocket watch with a train etched into it. My brother has it. He too came through Ellis Island from the Ukraine and because of the difficult name, his was also changed. All of my grandparents came through there, my mothers side was from Italy. It’s a good way to shut down the immigrant arguments. I tell people “I really can’t complain seeing that my family were immigrants”. Then I ask them where theirs was from. It usually gets quiet. But sometimes I’ve heard “My great great grandparents came over on the Mayflower”, to which I reply, “Oh, the original immigrants”. Then it gets quiet.
Good one, Marcus.
Bullshit reply.
I have ancestors on both my parents side from the mayflower.
My mothers grandparents came in thru Elis island in the late 1800’s.
Gustav Larson is engraved somewhere on Elis . My great grandfather . I have his gold retirement watch . Pretty much a standard Elgin for the times.
People should shut up about original immigrants . The mayflower is significant in history , but it is not the original immigrants . That’s totally wrong . Peoples were in from Asia long before . And if yiu are only considering white peoples there was colonies of Vikings and even Druid’s or celts.
As to Beck . A conservative in name only it appears . Beck seems to imply the thousands of invaders illegally crossing into the country is something he supports . A conservative would want law and order at the boarder. US law an order , not cartels running Chinese fentanyl and human trafficking.
My wife is an immigrant and 2 of my kids are dual citizens. I am pro immigrant . But I paid dearly to do it proper . Shelled out a lot of money and waited months. Including medical clearance!
What’s going on at the border is disgusting . It’s a big middle finger by jobama to every American who did things the right way . And to every American who has to pay for it and the American border family’s that have been over run and those that have lost lives to Chinese fentanyl .
Berk – you certainly have a right to speak your opinion , but it’s nothing to do with Berk a wicz or baloney .
I am rather appalled you would support this lawless invasion of America and call yourself a staunch conservative.
We already know you support communist China , but your endorsement of unfettered illegals goes beyond the pale.
We will see if you allow my post to stay up . I hope so .
But please remind the fool that claimed the pilgrims were the first immigrants that he is wrong . Thanks.
Who is “Beck?”
What is the “boarder?” Is someone living here I don’t know about?
Where, exactly, is “Elis?”
Sorry . I meant Berk, not Beck .
I assume that was obvious.
And I do apologize .
Way too long a rant .
Too over the top rag on Beck .
Not a problem for me or Beck. Or Grech. As always, we appreciate the inputs. Keep ’em coming.
I always get a chuckle about the stories of when Christopher Columbus “discovered” America that the authors totally discount the fact that there were people already living here. (Same with when the Vikings allegedly came here.) What those people were called, I don’t know? We now call them Indians because Columbus thought he was in the Indies, LOL. But they were probably people from what we now call Mexico, USA and Canada. See what I mean about the alleged descendants of the Mayflower? Being from Boston I hear it more than you think, especially if the people are from Plymouth. (Visit Plymouth Rock only if you feel like getting ripped off. I went there on a field trip when I was very young and even being young and impressionable I saw it as a fake). Anyways Hacksaw, it is “yiu” that is mistaken.
So Marcus – the pilgrims you say are fake?
And even though you agreed with me on the first immigrant thing yiu say I am wrong.
Ok.
Those Canadians you mention immigrated from Asia.
For reasons idk, my phone doesn’t allow me to go back and fix typos.
Why is ok to bash pilgrims pride but okay to praise one’s Elis Island forebearers?
Totally bigoted .
Indians? What should Columbus have called them ! Cleveland Guardian’s?
That has exactly what to do with pilgrims ?
Now that’s a good story.
Well it seems like I couldn’t even get my response past the automatic censor to be considered for inclusion here.
So much for free speech .
Quick points –
The pilgrims are NOT the first immigrants.
My great grandfather name is engraved on Elis. Late 1800’s
Both my parents are descendants of the mayflower
My wife is now an
American citizen . Immigrated legally .
Anyone whom implies they support the invasion of Chinese fentanyl and human trafficking is NOT a law and order supporting Stanch conservative and should be embarrassed to call themselves thst
Depending on when or how I reply , I get different or even no response to posting here.
Thank you Joes for allowing free speech.
This is why ExNotes rarely mentions politics. But maybe it’s time we put our cards on the table…
They gave you cards?
Of course! Free liberal cards!
Check they aren’t aces and eights.
Which is a good one for Back to look into .
What pistol was carried by Hickok?
Wild Bill Hickok was carrying his Smith & Wesson Model No. 2 Old Army Revolver. It sold at auction just a few days ago for $235,000. The auction and several photos are here.
Not sure what that means , it’s your blog .
Again I do say I should not have made such an emphatic post .
The problem is how does one define politics in regards to times past when discussing it in present day?
Why can somebody post the pilgrims are fake while the overall blog discussion implied pride in Elis island immigration?
As mentioned earlier , I am descendent of both deals. And thankful to both .
People get too hung up on their ancestry. They use it as a crutch because they really have nothing else going on.
The guy that became a US citizen yesterday is every bit as American as the guy whose parents came over on the Mayflower.
What’s disappointing to me is that we seem to have given up on addressing this issue in an informed and logical manner. We don’t have enough people to fill all the jobs that are available, and people want to come to the US to work. This doesn’t seem to be that difficult of a problem to solve.
Joe, even though I probably met your grandfather when I was young, I don’t remember him. However, I enjoyed your story about his watch and the family name change. Next time I see you, we should go out for some good Italian food, in honor of your “ancestry”. Regards, Jeff
Deal. Let’s make it happen, Jeff. You have to tell how your visit to Europe went!