Isidor Braverman

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Birth: September 23, 1829 in Pleszew, Powiat pleszewski, Wielkopolskie, Poland
At the time of his birth, his birth city, Pleschen, was part of what would become Germany in the Prussian Province of Posen. It is now Plezew in Poland.

Death: March 14, 1905 in Victoria, B.C.

Plot: Row F – Plot 11

Inscription:

פ׳׳נ
הת׳׳ר ישראל בן הת׳׳ר דוד
בראפערמאנן, נולד כ׳׳ה אלול
ת׳׳ק׳׳פ׳׳ט ונפתר בשם טוב ז׳׳ אדר
שני ת׳׳ר׳ס׳׳ה לפ׳׳ק
ת׳נ׳צ׳ב׳ה
IN MEMORY OF
ISIDOR BRAVERMAN
BELOVED HUSBAND OF
CERLINE BRAVERMAN
BORN AT PLESCHEN
GERMANY
23 SEPT. 1829
DIED 14 MARCH 1905

Translation of inscription:

פ׳׳נ
(Abbreviation of Hebrew: “Buried here”)
הת׳׳ר ישראל בן הת׳׳ר דוד
בראפערמאנן, נולד כ׳׳ה אלול
ת׳׳ק׳׳פ׳׳ט ונפתר בשם טוב ז׳׳ אדר
שני ת׳׳ר׳׳כ׳׳ה לפ׳׳ק
(Hebrew: [unknown] Israel ben [unknown] Dovid
Braverman, born 25 Elul
5789 and passed away in good name 7 Adar
2 5665 [shortened form of date])
ת׳נ׳צ׳ב׳ה
(Abbreviation of Hebrew: “May his/her soul be bound with the bond of life.”)
In Memory of
Isidor Braverman
Beloved Husband of
Cerline Braverman
Born at Pleschen
Germany
23 Sept. 1829
Died 14 March 1905

Biography:
Tobacconist to Money Broker to Board of Directors of Royal Jubilee Hospital

Isidor came to Victoria in 1858. He was described in his obituary as a “citizen and capitalist.” He established a wholesale and retail tobacco business which, according to The Daily News on March 17, 1905. “speedily assumed large proportions.” According to the 1901 Census of Canada, Isidor was naturalized in 1870, spoke English and was literate.

In 1862, Isidor joined miners, prospectors and merchants on the Cariboo Gold Rush trail in the central interior of British Columbia. He formed a business partnership with H. Lewin in March 1862. According to the Victoria City Directories and the local papers, Lewin had previously been a business partner with the trader David Sokolosky. The Daily Colonist reported on April 10, 1862 that “Braverman & Lewin have taken the stock now lying at Antier Creek and Forks of Quesnelle, and will continue to do business under the firm of Braverman and Lewin.”

In late July 1862, H. Lewin, David Sokolosky and the Nanaimo trader-turned packer Charles Rouchier set out on the trail from Keithley Creek to Quesnelle Forks. It was reported in the Weekly British Colonist on August 12, 1862 that Lewin was carrying about $12,000 (over $364,000 in 2023), Sokolosky about $1000 (about $30,400 in 2023), and Rouchier about $5000, (about $152,000 in 2023). The paper reported on July 26, 1862 that the three were robbed and murdered. The perpetrators took their “treasure…their watches and jewelry, and even their hats.”

There is confusion in various publications about which Lewin was murdered. Some sources said that the murder victim was Isidor’s business partner, which is unlikely. It seems more realistic that the Lewin that was murdered was the brother of Isidor’s business partner. The Daily Evening Press ran an offer of a reward of $1000 (over $30,000 in 2023) to anyone who gave information which led to the arrest and conviction of the murderer(s). The reward was offered by Isadore Braverman and Heiman Lewin and ran on August on 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 24, 31, September 3, 10, 19 at least. No one was convicted of the crime and the reward money was never collected.

The Daily Colonist reported on August 12, 1862 that the bodies of Lewin and Sokolosky, two of the three “unfortunate men who lost their lives at Cariboo at the hands of unknown highwaymen will be brought to Victoria for interment by Mr. Braverman…. The remains of the poor fellows were placed in tin coffins at the Forks of Quesnelle, where they at present lie.” The paper cited Isidor as the business partner of Lewin and that he travelled north in order to fetch the remains. There are no records of either man being buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Victoria. But, there is a plaque remembering them in Quesnel.

According to the Victoria City Directories, Isidor Braverman and H. Lewin were cigar and tobacco dealers at a shop at 73 Yates Street. Marcus Lewin was listed as an employee. The listing for Isidor in the 1871, the directory read: “Bravermann Isidor, cigar, tobacco dealer, Yates Street.” Heiman Lewin was listed as; “cigar and tobacco store on Yates Street.”

The 1874 directory recorded that Isidor was a pawnbroker at the corner of Broad and Pandora Streets. Lewin was listed as a tobacco merchant on Yates Street. That was the last listing for Lewin. Isidor was not listed until the 1882-3 edition which recorded that Isidor was money broker. It seemed that Isidor began his money brokering business at his residence at Pandora Street near Government and moved in 1884-5 to Police Alley, near Langley Street.

The Victoria Daily Times reported on July 7, 1886 that Isidor had returned from his extended European visit. He visited the principal cities in Germany and England. The paper highlighted that Isidor went to the Colonial Exhibition, including the timber exhibit from B.C. and that he was “fascinated by it.”

According to the Victoria Daily Times on April 29, 1887, Isidor had been making “periodical” visits to Germany and had returned in “matrimonial bliss”. Mrs. Braverman was described as a “young amiable and accomplished brunette and the daughter of a prominent citizen of Posen Germany.” The couple were planning to live on Clarence.

After his marriage to Cerline, the Victoria City Directories recorded that from 1887-1904, Isidor was a money broker in Bastion Square.

Isidor was involved in Jewish and civic affairs. He was elected treasurer of the Board of Directors for the synagogue, according to The Victoria Daily Times on October 16, 1889. The synagogue’s other business was a unanimous motion to try to find a “regularly ordained clergyman from one of the three Jewish colleges in England”, and to put a new fence around the Jewish Cemetery and around the synagogue.

Isidor retired in the 1890’s, but remained active in civic affairs. When the Royal French Hospital* was established at the head of Pandora, Isidor was one of its first subscribers. According to The Victoria Daily Times on June 30, 1898, Isidor was re-elected as a “representative” of the French Benevolent Society. When the Royal French Hospital was absorbed by the Provincial Royal Jubilee Hospital, Isidor was one of three men who were permanently appointed as members of the Board of Directors.

In October 1901, the Duke and Dutchess of Cornwall visited Victoria. The Weekly News Advertiser on October 8, 1901 noted that a memento of the Royal visit was a page put into the Visitors book dated October 2, 1901 and signed by I. Braverman and Joshua Davies.

Isidor also owned property at 218 Kingston Street. According to The Victoria Daily Times on September 6, 1900, Isidor went to a City Council meeting and informed the Council that the sidewalk on Kingston Street between Montreal and St. John Street had been taken up earlier in the year and that he wanted it to be replaced. The matter was referred to the Streets, Sewers and Bridges Committee. On July 6, 1903, Isidor applied to the city to have the building at 218 Kingston Street connected to the sewer.
Isidor died in the family home at 172 Yates Street at the age of 75 after a protracted illness.

According to the Victoria Daily Colonist on March 29, 1905, Isidor’s estate was worth $54,550 (close to $2 million in 2023). While the bulk of his estate went to his widow, Cerline, $200 (almost $7,000 in 2023) was left “to the Jewish congregation Emanuel” to be used to renovate the synagogue, “either outside or inside or both conditionally that prayers be said on the occasion of each anniversary of the death of the testator.” Isidor also left $250 (almost $9,000 in 2023) to the Jewish congregation of Plescheu, Germany with no strings attached. He remembered his nephew David and niece Bertha with $500 (just over $17,000 in 2023). Isador also left $300 (over $10,000 in 2023) to the Royal Jubilee Hospital.

The Nanaimo Daily News reported on June 6, 1905 that Lot 6, block 60 was transferred from I. Braverman to Mrs. I. Braverman. According to The Victoria Daily Times on August 13, 1907, two old one-story frame buildings on 124 block B which faced Store Street had been assessed in the name of Mrs. C. Braverman of 172 Yates Street. Those buildings were subsequently destroyed, according to the August 20, 1907 edition of The Victoria Daily Times.

Sibling:
Isaac Braverman

Spouse:
Cerline Brash Braverman Nodek (1863-1935)

Additional Images:

• For more information about the “Little French Hospital”
  https://victoriahistoricalsociety.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-VHS-Winter-Newsletter-58.pdf