David Ballella

I'm named after my grandfather, David Bellel. He died in 1932 in a garment factory elevator accident. My father was 11 at the time. I was supposed to be named David Louis (Louis for my maternal grandfather who had died in the 1920's) but my tough and superstitious Greek grandmother Anna would not permit a middle name. I couldn't find any Bellel's in the 1920 or 1930 census but I found a David Ballella in 1920. It has to be him, because it has him living with my grandmother Anna (Annie in the census) at the address they lived at, 122 Orchard Street. There is also a brother Samuel (my great uncle?, who I know nothing about and unforunately I have no one alive who might know). Notice how the entire building is made up of Greeks and Turks (click on the image above), while 124, next door, was Russian and Roumanian Looking closely you can see that my grandfather was 27 and my grandmother was 21. It looks like they emigrated in 1915 and 1913 respectively. The rent was $16.In the image below you can see the specifics more clearly when clicking on it