DISCUSSION

"Who Was Max Porvin ?"                            

 The surname "PORVIN" is a unique name that represents only one family.  However, according to Social Security Death Index posted at geneaology.com, a few of Porvins  are not recognized by the Porvin family in Detroit and Los Angeles.  Max Porvin and David Porvin are  two of the  examples.  The information about Max is particularly interesting.  He was listed in the SSD Index as follows:

 

His Social Security was issued from State of Michigan and died in Farmington,  Michigan 33179.  He was born in June 10, 1890.  According to her family, the oldest child among the Porvin children was Fruma who died of typhoid in 1918.  Her birth year was listed as 1900, 10 years younger than Max. Therefore,  we can conclude that  Max cannot be children of Isruel (Sam) Pervin.   What if Leib Yahuda and Isruel Samuel had other brothers who were younger than themselves,  Max would  fit in their line as  an  uncle of the Porvin children.

　

 Motel Pervin arrived Ellis Island on May 28, 1910.  He was 20 years old and his destination was listed as 300 Alfred St, Detroit, Michigan.  He stated he was visiting his brother who lived in the above stated address.  According to the ship manifest for the Porvin children, their father Samuel Porvin was living at 266 Alfred Street, Detroit, Michigan.

 

There has being a speculation that Motel could be the younger brother to Samuel,  unless there was an another brother living in that address.  Motel and Max Porvin share the same birth year.  Therefore, Motel and Max may be the same person.

 

Ricki Tobisman explains her recollection of Max Porvin in her e-mail dated March 25, 2002.  The following article has been excerpted from her mail.

　

　

By Ricki Tobisman

　

RickiHal@aol.com

　

Copyrighted©2002 by Rochell Tobisman

　

March 25, 2002

　

I know there's some confusion about S. Porvin on Alfred Street in 1910 when Motel came.  My brother, Stuart, thinks it's possible that my grandfather came earlier because, unlike most , they had enough money for him to go back and forth.  He could possibly have come to the U.S. in or before 1910 and gone back to Russia to help his wife and family close down the house for their trip in 1914 and then returned ahead of them to get things ready when the war broke out.  It's too much of a coincidence for it to be S. Porvin on Alfred Street and not be him.

　

My brother remembers meeting family who lived in Toledo; I don't.  He led me to my father's funeral papers where I found S.F. Pervin and Maurice Pervin.  Pretty exciting.  Max Porvin is there from Detroit.  I believe he and Max Pervin are different people.  I remember mention of a Max Porvin when I was growing up but I remember little else about him.  If he was born in 1890 and came here in 1910 to his brother whom I assume is my grandfather, it would appear that he is the third brother.  Obviously there's no way I can know for sure but it does track.