52 Ancestors- #8: Josef Spiegel - Another brick wall!

Josef Spiegel was born on February 2, 1803 in what was then Galacia. His generation is as far back as I have gotten on my mother's maternal line. 

I need to study history and geography a bit more in order to understand the area better. The area called Galaica, at that time, was a territory of the Austrian Empire. Looking at the map, and knowing next to nothing about Josef's life, I have no idea where exactly he was born.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kingdom_of_Galicia.png

I do know that he lived in Iasi, Romania, as this is where the picture below was taken. I am truly geographically disabled; how close was Iasi? Was it in the area known formerly known as Galacia? I need to study the geography and get a grip on this. (Also spelled Jassy, the town is listed as being in the country of Moldava) I posted this picture several weeks back on the post about Josef's grand-daughter,Rosa. 

1903 Iasi, Romania - Josef Spiegel, his two daughters and their families

I think it's an amazing photo. Why were they all posing? Was it a special event? Looking at this picture of Josef and his family, I might have created several stories in my mind: impoverished farmer… old man posing with his struggling family… I would not have guessed his occupation was an accountant.

In 1838 Josef married Chaya (Chai? Clara? ) Rosentover. The couple had three children: Herman (my great-grandfather) born in 1855, and two daughters; Jennie, born in 1864 and Gitel (Gisella) in 1876.

From the little information I have, it appears that Josef's wife may have died in 1900.

The picture was taken in 1903 when Josef was 100 years old. Josef’s son, Herman had left Romania many years before to pursue a career in the retail world (Austria and the Dutch Netherlands.) His daughter Gitel had married Huna Marcovici and would leave Iasi with his granddaughter, Rosa, to settle in America. I have yet to do any research on the marriage of his daughter, Jennie to Meyer Feldman and their three children.

Josef died in 1908 at the age of incredible age of 105 in Iasi, Romania.