Benjamin was believed born in Monastyriska, Austria (today in Ukraine). He was a member of the Przemysl society, a group formed by people from the area of the city of Przemysl, currently in southeastern Poland, about 120 miles west of Monastyriska.
Benjamin left Europe from Hamburg, Germany on December 19, 1889, taking the German boat "Bohemia", under Captain Leithauser. His Yiddish name, Beryl, was shown on the passenger log for the trip. He arrived in New York City on January 7, 1890.
Upon arrival in New York City, Benjamin began working in a cloak and suit establishment where his father David worked. Four months after his arrival in the United States, on April 30, 1890, he joined the Operators and Cloakmakers Union. He spoke Yiddish and some Polish, and attended night school classes, where he learned fluent English, as well as reading and writing. He initially maintained the double "n" in Waldmann, before shortening it to an "n" with a line over it, and finally using only one "n".
On June 11 or 12 (marriage record says 12th, invitation says 11th), 1895 Benjamin married Minnie Lacher at the Starlight Hall, 145 Suffolk Street in Manhattan, New York.
After working as a tailer at several Canal Street addresses in Manhattan, he went into his own clothing manufacturing business, specializing in stylish stouts.
At the time of his first child's birth (Louis in December, 1896) he lived at 120 Suffolk Street in Manhattan.
It was on June 2, 1902 that Ben obtained his citizenship, an accomplishment he held with much pride. In 1906 the family bought a new home at 1657 Prospect Place in Brooklyn. The home was one in a row of new houses in the midst of some Brooklyn farmland ripe with goats and chickens, and was a major investment of some $5,000. The mortgage was for $3,000, dated April 19, 1906. There was no electricity, lighting was by gas jets, and heating was by a coal stove in the kitchen and a fireplace in the parlor. A key reason for choosing this location was the school PS 144, located at the other end of the block, a two minute walk for the children.
In the meantime Benjamin was continuing his clothing manufacturing career, making merchandise for some of the largest stores, such as J.C. Penny. In 1918 he owned a cloak and suit manufacturing establishment located at 137 West 28th Street in Manhattan. Later he decided to go into retail selling, and he opened a small store at 67 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. His son Irving was a salesman in the store, and wife Minnie sent their meals in with son Sam, who was a high school student at the time. Transportation to and from the store was by Ralph Avenue trolley car. The store did reasonably well, but after several years they had to vacate the premises as the owner was expanding his neighboring store.
Benjamin set up new facilities at 92 and then at 102 Manhattan Avenue, but after a while business deteriorated and the store had to be given up. He then took on several odd jobs, including door-to-door salesman assignments, but eventually the family prevailed upon him to retire.
Through the years Benjamin was well-known and well thought of in business circles. Dun and Bradstreet, in 1908, described him as "doing a living business," with an estimated net worth of $5,000. He was a regular attendee at manufacturing organization meetings, keeping up with the latest manufacturing methods. An income statement from 1920 shows a net worth for Waldman & Sacher of over $22,000. In 1923, his own store had a net worth of about $9,000.
Benjamin was always very much a family man, spending much effort to insuring a closely knit family. He became endeared to the opera, obtaining season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera House which he attended with Minnie. Some of this interest was probably spawned by his knowledge of Italian. He had learned to speak Italian fluently, since his employees were largely Italian.
In the late 1930's the address of the home on Prospect Place was changed by the city from 1657 to 1661. After Sam and his family moved out of the house in 1950, and son Louis died in 1953, Ben's daughter Ann and her family moved into the upper floor. This worked out well until finally, in the early 1960's he sold the house and moved into the Coronet Nursing Home at 3353 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, where he was well cared for, and the family set up regular visiting days, so he was rarely without guests.
It was on August 30, 1964, Benjamin said he was feeling weak and requested a chair. Before it could be brought his heart gave out and he collapsed and passed away. To this day he is looked back upon as the "family founding father" by many of his large group of decendants.
Benjamin left Europe from Hamburg, Germany on December 19, 1889, taking the German boat "Bohemia", under Captain Leithauser. His Yiddish name, Beryl, was shown on the passenger log for the trip. He arrived in New York City on January 7, 1890.
Upon arrival in New York City, Benjamin began working in a cloak and suit establishment where his father David worked. Four months after his arrival in the United States, on April 30, 1890, he joined the Operators and Cloakmakers Union. He spoke Yiddish and some Polish, and attended night school classes, where he learned fluent English, as well as reading and writing. He initially maintained the double "n" in Waldmann, before shortening it to an "n" with a line over it, and finally using only one "n".
On June 11 or 12 (marriage record says 12th, invitation says 11th), 1895 Benjamin married Minnie Lacher at the Starlight Hall, 145 Suffolk Street in Manhattan, New York.
After working as a tailer at several Canal Street addresses in Manhattan, he went into his own clothing manufacturing business, specializing in stylish stouts.
At the time of his first child's birth (Louis in December, 1896) he lived at 120 Suffolk Street in Manhattan.
It was on June 2, 1902 that Ben obtained his citizenship, an accomplishment he held with much pride. In 1906 the family bought a new home at 1657 Prospect Place in Brooklyn. The home was one in a row of new houses in the midst of some Brooklyn farmland ripe with goats and chickens, and was a major investment of some $5,000. The mortgage was for $3,000, dated April 19, 1906. There was no electricity, lighting was by gas jets, and heating was by a coal stove in the kitchen and a fireplace in the parlor. A key reason for choosing this location was the school PS 144, located at the other end of the block, a two minute walk for the children.
In the meantime Benjamin was continuing his clothing manufacturing career, making merchandise for some of the largest stores, such as J.C. Penny. In 1918 he owned a cloak and suit manufacturing establishment located at 137 West 28th Street in Manhattan. Later he decided to go into retail selling, and he opened a small store at 67 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. His son Irving was a salesman in the store, and wife Minnie sent their meals in with son Sam, who was a high school student at the time. Transportation to and from the store was by Ralph Avenue trolley car. The store did reasonably well, but after several years they had to vacate the premises as the owner was expanding his neighboring store.
Benjamin set up new facilities at 92 and then at 102 Manhattan Avenue, but after a while business deteriorated and the store had to be given up. He then took on several odd jobs, including door-to-door salesman assignments, but eventually the family prevailed upon him to retire.
Through the years Benjamin was well-known and well thought of in business circles. Dun and Bradstreet, in 1908, described him as "doing a living business," with an estimated net worth of $5,000. He was a regular attendee at manufacturing organization meetings, keeping up with the latest manufacturing methods. An income statement from 1920 shows a net worth for Waldman & Sacher of over $22,000. In 1923, his own store had a net worth of about $9,000.
Benjamin was always very much a family man, spending much effort to insuring a closely knit family. He became endeared to the opera, obtaining season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera House which he attended with Minnie. Some of this interest was probably spawned by his knowledge of Italian. He had learned to speak Italian fluently, since his employees were largely Italian.
In the late 1930's the address of the home on Prospect Place was changed by the city from 1657 to 1661. After Sam and his family moved out of the house in 1950, and son Louis died in 1953, Ben's daughter Ann and her family moved into the upper floor. This worked out well until finally, in the early 1960's he sold the house and moved into the Coronet Nursing Home at 3353 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, where he was well cared for, and the family set up regular visiting days, so he was rarely without guests.
It was on August 30, 1964, Benjamin said he was feeling weak and requested a chair. Before it could be brought his heart gave out and he collapsed and passed away. To this day he is looked back upon as the "family founding father" by many of his large group of decendants.
Benjamin was believed born in Monastyriska, Austria (today in Ukraine). He was a member of the Przemysl society, a group formed by people from the area of the city of Przemysl, currently in southeastern Poland, about 120 miles west of Monastyriska.
Benjamin left Europe from Hamburg, Germany on December 19, 1889, taking the German boat "Bohemia", under Captain Leithauser. His Yiddish name, Beryl, was shown on the passenger log for the trip. He arrived in New York City on January 7, 1890.
Upon arrival in New York City, Benjamin began working in a cloak and suit establishment where his father David worked. Four months after his arrival in the United States, on April 30, 1890, he joined the Operators and Cloakmakers Union. He spoke Yiddish and some Polish, and attended night school classes, where he learned fluent English, as well as reading and writing. He initially maintained the double "n" in Waldmann, before shortening it to an "n" with a line over it, and finally using only one "n".
On June 11 or 12 (marriage record says 12th, invitation says 11th), 1895 Benjamin married Minnie Lacher at the Starlight Hall, 145 Suffolk Street in Manhattan, New York.
After working as a tailer at several Canal Street addresses in Manhattan, he went into his own clothing manufacturing business, specializing in stylish stouts.
At the time of his first child's birth (Louis in December, 1896) he lived at 120 Suffolk Street in Manhattan.
It was on June 2, 1902 that Ben obtained his citizenship, an accomplishment he held with much pride. In 1906 the family bought a new home at 1657 Prospect Place in Brooklyn. The home was one in a row of new houses in the midst of some Brooklyn farmland ripe with goats and chickens, and was a major investment of some $5,000. The mortgage was for $3,000, dated April 19, 1906. There was no electricity, lighting was by gas jets, and heating was by a coal stove in the kitchen and a fireplace in the parlor. A key reason for choosing this location was the school PS 144, located at the other end of the block, a two minute walk for the children.
In the meantime Benjamin was continuing his clothing manufacturing career, making merchandise for some of the largest stores, such as J.C. Penny. In 1918 he owned a cloak and suit manufacturing establishment located at 137 West 28th Street in Manhattan. Later he decided to go into retail selling, and he opened a small store at 67 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. His son Irving was a salesman in the store, and wife Minnie sent their meals in with son Sam, who was a high school student at the time. Transportation to and from the store was by Ralph Avenue trolley car. The store did reasonably well, but after several years they had to vacate the premises as the owner was expanding his neighboring store.
Benjamin set up new facilities at 92 and then at 102 Manhattan Avenue, but after a while business deteriorated and the store had to be given up. He then took on several odd jobs, including door-to-door salesman assignments, but eventually the family prevailed upon him to retire.
Through the years Benjamin was well-known and well thought of in business circles. Dun and Bradstreet, in 1908, described him as "doing a living business," with an estimated net worth of $5,000. He was a regular attendee at manufacturing organization meetings, keeping up with the latest manufacturing methods. An income statement from 1920 shows a net worth for Waldman & Sacher of over $22,000. In 1923, his own store had a net worth of about $9,000.
Benjamin was always very much a family man, spending much effort to insuring a closely knit family. He became endeared to the opera, obtaining season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera House which he attended with Minnie. Some of this interest was probably spawned by his knowledge of Italian. He had learned to speak Italian fluently, since his employees were largely Italian.
In the late 1930's the address of the home on Prospect Place was changed by the city from 1657 to 1661. After Sam and his family moved out of the house in 1950, and son Louis died in 1953, Ben's daughter Ann and her family moved into the upper floor. This worked out well until finally, in the early 1960's he sold the house and moved into the Coronet Nursing Home at 3353 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, where he was well cared for, and the family set up regular visiting days, so he was rarely without guests.
It was on August 30, 1964, Benjamin said he was feeling weak and requested a chair. Before it could be brought his heart gave out and he collapsed and passed away. To this day he is looked back upon as the "family founding father" by many of his large group of decendants.
Benjamin left Europe from Hamburg, Germany on December 19, 1889, taking the German boat "Bohemia", under Captain Leithauser. His Yiddish name, Beryl, was shown on the passenger log for the trip. He arrived in New York City on January 7, 1890.
Upon arrival in New York City, Benjamin began working in a cloak and suit establishment where his father David worked. Four months after his arrival in the United States, on April 30, 1890, he joined the Operators and Cloakmakers Union. He spoke Yiddish and some Polish, and attended night school classes, where he learned fluent English, as well as reading and writing. He initially maintained the double "n" in Waldmann, before shortening it to an "n" with a line over it, and finally using only one "n".
On June 11 or 12 (marriage record says 12th, invitation says 11th), 1895 Benjamin married Minnie Lacher at the Starlight Hall, 145 Suffolk Street in Manhattan, New York.
After working as a tailer at several Canal Street addresses in Manhattan, he went into his own clothing manufacturing business, specializing in stylish stouts.
At the time of his first child's birth (Louis in December, 1896) he lived at 120 Suffolk Street in Manhattan.
It was on June 2, 1902 that Ben obtained his citizenship, an accomplishment he held with much pride. In 1906 the family bought a new home at 1657 Prospect Place in Brooklyn. The home was one in a row of new houses in the midst of some Brooklyn farmland ripe with goats and chickens, and was a major investment of some $5,000. The mortgage was for $3,000, dated April 19, 1906. There was no electricity, lighting was by gas jets, and heating was by a coal stove in the kitchen and a fireplace in the parlor. A key reason for choosing this location was the school PS 144, located at the other end of the block, a two minute walk for the children.
In the meantime Benjamin was continuing his clothing manufacturing career, making merchandise for some of the largest stores, such as J.C. Penny. In 1918 he owned a cloak and suit manufacturing establishment located at 137 West 28th Street in Manhattan. Later he decided to go into retail selling, and he opened a small store at 67 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. His son Irving was a salesman in the store, and wife Minnie sent their meals in with son Sam, who was a high school student at the time. Transportation to and from the store was by Ralph Avenue trolley car. The store did reasonably well, but after several years they had to vacate the premises as the owner was expanding his neighboring store.
Benjamin set up new facilities at 92 and then at 102 Manhattan Avenue, but after a while business deteriorated and the store had to be given up. He then took on several odd jobs, including door-to-door salesman assignments, but eventually the family prevailed upon him to retire.
Through the years Benjamin was well-known and well thought of in business circles. Dun and Bradstreet, in 1908, described him as "doing a living business," with an estimated net worth of $5,000. He was a regular attendee at manufacturing organization meetings, keeping up with the latest manufacturing methods. An income statement from 1920 shows a net worth for Waldman & Sacher of over $22,000. In 1923, his own store had a net worth of about $9,000.
Benjamin was always very much a family man, spending much effort to insuring a closely knit family. He became endeared to the opera, obtaining season tickets to the Metropolitan Opera House which he attended with Minnie. Some of this interest was probably spawned by his knowledge of Italian. He had learned to speak Italian fluently, since his employees were largely Italian.
In the late 1930's the address of the home on Prospect Place was changed by the city from 1657 to 1661. After Sam and his family moved out of the house in 1950, and son Louis died in 1953, Ben's daughter Ann and her family moved into the upper floor. This worked out well until finally, in the early 1960's he sold the house and moved into the Coronet Nursing Home at 3353 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, where he was well cared for, and the family set up regular visiting days, so he was rarely without guests.
It was on August 30, 1964, Benjamin said he was feeling weak and requested a chair. Before it could be brought his heart gave out and he collapsed and passed away. To this day he is looked back upon as the "family founding father" by many of his large group of decendants.
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