Ancestry of Al Franken

compiled by Christopher Challender Child


The following material on the immediate ancestry of Al Franken should not be considered either exhaustive or authoritative, but rather as a first draft.

Material based mostly on censuses, Minnesota Death Index, Al Franken's Harvard Class Reports, the New York Times, and the [Minneapolis] Star Tribune.

This report is by Christopher Challender Child. The contribution of the undersigned is that of HTML-izing Mr. Child's report.





William Addams Reitwiesner

wargs@wargs.com


Ancestry of Al Franken
1 Alan Stuart Franken ("Al") [Harvard '73], b. New York, New York 21 May 1951
m. 2 October 1975 Frances Bryson [Simmons College '73]
Issue: 
Thomasin Davis Franken, b. 1981
Joseph Franken, b. 1984
PARENTS
2 Joseph P. Franken, b. 30 March 1908, d. Hennepin Co., Minnesota 28 December 1993 [Minnesota Death Index]
m.
3 Phoebe G. Kunst, b. Pennsylvania 25 February 1918, d. Hennepin Co., Minnesota 7 December 2003 [SSDI 104-03-4815]
GRANDPARENTS
4 Otto David Franken, b. Germany 29 Sept. 1875, d. New York, New York 19 March 1924 [1930, 1920, 1910 Census, New York, New York]
m.
5 Clara Oppenheimer, b. Germany Nov. 1877, immigrated 1895
6 Simon Kunst, b. Grodno, Russia 10 Sept. 1888, d. New York, New York 3 Aug. 1972, immigrated 1902/3 [1930 Census Mount Vernon, Westchester, New York; 1920 Census, Manhattan, New York, New York; 1917 draft card at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 1910 Census (perhaps) Pittsburgh, Penn.]
m. ca. 1916
7 Rose M. ---, b. Pennsylvania 1897
GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
8 Jacob Franken, b. Germany Feb. 1848, d. New York, New York 29 Feb. 1924 in his 77th year, immigrated 1883 [1920, 1910, 1900 Census, New York, New York]
m. ca. 1877
9 Flora ---, b. Germany Sept. 1848
10 --- Oppenheimer, b. ... , Germany, ... , d. ... [by 1900]
m.
11 Ruth ---, b. ... , Germany, ... Nov. 1853, immigrated 1895, d. ... [living 1900]
14 --- b. Russia
m.
15 --- b. Russia
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS






NOTES






3 -- Franken Phoebe, devoted wife of the late Joseph P. Franken; proud mother of Owen and Alan; loving grandmother of Tunui, Manui, Thomasin and Joe; cherished mother-in-law of Annemiek Franken and Franni Franken; beloved sister of the late Lionel Kunst and dear sister-in-law of Anita Kunst; caring aunt of Genevieve and Adlai Kunst and Claire and Charles Franken, died this Sunday at the age of 85. A private memorial service for family and friends will be held in Phoebe's honor Thursday 3 PM in the Deinard Chapel at Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Ave S. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Jones-Harrison Residence, 3700 Cedar Lake Ave., Mpls 55416, where Phoebe received wonderful care. Arr. Hodroff & Sons

Published in the Star Tribune from 12/9/2003 - 12/10/2003.



5 -- Her brother Ernest Oppenheimer, d. River Vale, New Jersey, 15 March 1955























ABSTRACTS from the U.S. FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS







1930 Census, Manhattan, New York, New York

Franken, Clara, H, W, F, 52, wd, 26, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, Na
     Joseph P., S, W, M, 22, S, NY, Ger, Ger
     Erwin S., S, W, M, 19, S, NY, Ger, Ger

--------

1930 Census, Mount Vernon, Westchester, New York

Kunst, Simon, H, W, M, 43, M, 29, Rus, Rus, Rus, 1907, Na
     Rose M., W, W, F, 33, M, 19, Penn, Rus, Rus
     Phoebe G., D, W, F, 12, S, Penn, Rus, Penn
     Lionel J., S, W, M, 7, S, NY, Rus, Penn

--------

1900 Census, Brooklyn Ward 24, Kings, New York

Oppenheimer, Ruth?, head, W, F, Nov. 1853?, 47, Wd, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, 5
     Mathilda, dau, W, F, Dec. 1875, 25?, S, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, 5
Oppenheimer, Clara, dau, W, F, Nov. 1877, 22, S, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, 5
     Pauline, dau, W, F, Dec. 1878, 21, S, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, 5
     Ernest, son, W, M, Mar. 1881, 19, S, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, 5
     Helen, dau, W, F, Sept. 1885, 14, S, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1895, 5
     Moses, bro, W, M, Apr. 1848, 52, S, Ger, Ger, Ger, 1890, 10

--------










SOURCES CONSULTED AND CITED


See above.









William Addams Reitwiesner

wargs@wargs.com