The Jews of Windsor, 1790-1990 - Jonathan V. Plaut

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commissioners. Carried.21

      Despite a fellow alderman’s attempt, on November 26, 1900, to have the hawkers’ by-law repealed altogether, it was amended on February 11, 1901, allowing those who had paid their license fees to receive a refund. By that time, however, William Englander’s popularity had waned, obviously because of his double standard of justice. Defeated in the 1901 election, he lost his seat on Council.22

      Between 1906 and 1907, the city directory again shows him as a retail grocer. However, likely in appreciation of his past public service, and because of his language skills, he was appointed immigration officer, some time after 1913. Probably stationed at the ferry docks at the foot of Ouellette Avenue, he held the post until 1924–1925, as well as continuing as a part-time court interpreter. In fact, some records described him as a gentleman who knew the “Provision Trade for he used to deal in butter and eggs before devoting himself entirely to immigration matters.”23

      William Englander had known Windsor as a small village and had enjoyed seeing it grow. Some people remembered him as a small, rotund, and soft-spoken man with a kind disposition, who apparently helped many people with their problems. Even though he was not wealthy, it was said that he liked to put money aside “for a rainy day.” Not an Orthodox Jew, he nevertheless played an active role in the budding community’s religious affairs.24

      William was married to Wilhelmina, née Santer, a woman from Cleveland, Ohio to whom he likely had been introduced by her brother, a resident of Detroit. On December 19, 1906, the couple had adopted a daughter through the Jewish Infants Orphan Home in Cleveland. A native of St. Joseph, Missouri, they named her Rose. Wilhelmina Englander died at a young age and was buried in Detroit. In 1920, her father met Regina Stern of Detroit and after a year’s courtship, they were married in her hometown.

      On September 2, 1925, Rose Englander became the wife of Israel Milton (Slaw), son of Aaron Meretsky in a double wedding ceremony that took place at the Masonic Temple in Windsor. The other bride was Aaron Meretsky’s daughter Lillian. She was marrying Harry, the son of Michael Meretsky, who was her first cousin — a phenomenon not uncommon for those days. On April 1, 1926, seven months after the wedding, Rose’s stepmother, Regina Englander, died. Eight days later, on April 8, 1926, her father, William, passed away.25

      Photo courtesy of Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue

      Aaron Meretsky.

       Aaron Meretsky and his Family

      Aaron Meretsky was the first Jewish immigrant to come to Windsor from Shtabin, Poland. Born there in 1854, he was the second son of a family of four boys and three girls. His mother and father were simple, hard-working people, who eked out a meagre existence in Russian Poland. That was in sharp contrast to the parents of Katherine Barowsky, the woman Aaron eventually married. Born in 1856, she came from a wealthy family who had owned a tannery in Poland. In 1880, either shortly before or soon after her husband’s emigration, she gave birth on March 6, 1880, to their first child, Simon.26

      Aaron Meretsky came to Windsor without his wife and child. Having brought with him enough money to get established, he did not have the financial hardships other immigrants had to endure. Although he had only a limited knowledge of English, he must have had some education as he could read and write Yiddish.27 Trying to fit into his new surroundings, he soon decided to change his first name to Joe, sometimes using it in conjunction with his family name, but mostly calling himself Adelman, because he thought it was easier to pronounce and spell than Meretsky. He began to work on his own as a peddler, but also appeared to have been in business with William Englander for a while. He then moved to Wallaceburg, where he pursued two occupations — as a junk merchant in the summer and as a fur dealer during the winter. He also carried on business in Sarnia, briefly returning to Wallaceburg before permanently settling in Windsor.28

      Meretsky family home in Windsor, Ontario (n.d.).

      After being in Canada for seven years, Aaron sent for his wife, Catherine, and their young son.29 She also must have brought a great deal of money with her,30 since the couple soon was able to bring over her parents, her sisters, and one of her brothers, as well as Aaron’s brothers, Abraham, Jacob, and Michael, and his three sisters — Annie, who later married Joseph Mintz; Gishe (Jessie), who eventually became the wife of Orke Williams; and Ete Rive (Rebecca), who came together with her husband, Max Bernstein.

      Between 1894 and 1903, Katherine Meretsky gave birth in quick succession to five more children — Tibe, born in 1894; Harmon Cem, born in 1896; Libby, born in 1898; Edsel, born in 1900; and Israel (Slaw) born in 1903. Being an astute businesswoman in her own right, Catherine soon acquired properties in Windsor, including seven houses on Mercer Street; she and her family lived in one of them, while a second became the home of her parents.31

      Aaron established a lucrative junk business in Windsor and became a wealthy man.32 In his mid-fifties, he began to take an interest in municipal affairs. Having announced his intention to run as an alderman in the 1910 election, he conducted an active campaign and won a seat on Windsor’s City Council.33 Supported by Mayor Hanna, he was immediately appointed to the Board of Public Works, as well as to the fire and parks committees.34 The Evening Record gave the following colourful account of the first session attended by Alderman Meretsky:

      The manner in which the business of the evening was dispatched, the newly elected Alderman will give the city a good and business-like administration. Mayor Hanna was in exceptionally good humour and radiated cheerfulness everywhere. Ald. Meretsky and the Mayor seemed to be getting along famously. The mayor asked Meretsky to fill the big leather-backed chair on the dais during part of the reading of a by-law. Meretsky was somewhat backward in coming. The 1911 City Council got fairly underway last night at its meeting in the City Hall chambers and, judging from the forward, and explained that he was “green at the business,” but he finally took the throne, with Mayor Hanna nearby to coach him on “council etiquette.” Meretsky was loudly applauded when he took his seat in the mayoralty chair.[sic]

      Alderman Aaron Meretsky is one of the leaders in Windsor’s Jewish Colony, and is full of native shrewdness. He is said to own about 20 houses in the city, and gives his business as a real estate man.35

      Described by the local newspaper as a man who spoke “at a rate of 300 words a minute,”36 Aaron became known for his “joking” manner, despite the fact that he sometimes appeared dogmatic, strong-willed, and opinionated during Council meetings. Partly because of his charismatic personality, he subsequently received several other political appointments, including the chairmanship of the committee that selected the members for the Board of Health. Supporting among others, such amendments as making New Year’s Day the official date for municipal election, and establishing six wards instead of four, he voted against withholding a billiard license to a local business, despite complaints from neighbours. Not afraid to tackle controversial issues, he took a strong position on a matter concerning payment of certain rental fees. That brought him into conflict with a Mr. Applebe whom he accused of driving thirty families out of Windsor by serving the needs of the Erie Tobacco Company. The ensuing violent argument between the two gentlemen received the following coverage in the June 20, 1911, issue of the Evening Record:

      After the county buildings question had been dealt with, Ald. Meretsky repaired to the lobby. Later, Mr. Applebe came out. He approached Mr. Meretsky and was about to reprimand him for incivility when a near fight seemed in order as discussion became snappy.” I’m sorry, you’re not a young man or I’d certainly trim you,” said Mr. Applebe. “Alright, come ahead now. Just drop that cane and I’ll break every bone in your body. I’m right here with the goods and if ever I got my hand on your throat I would pity you,” replied Meretsky. “You’ve got a few dollars, but what did you ever do for Windsor? How much did you ever give for charity?”

      Meretsky finally went back

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