Isaac Waxstock

Isaac Abraham Waxstock

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Birth: 1869/70 in Warsaw, Poland

Death: May 25, 1947 in Victoria, B.C.
His British Columbia Vital Statistics Death Registration notes his city of birth as “Warsaw, Russia”. At the time of his birth, Warsaw, now the capital of Poland, was part of Russia.

Plot: Row G – Plot 27

Inscription:
In Loving Memory of
MINNIE P. WAXSTOCK
1872-1919
ISAAC A. WAXSTOCK
1871-1947

Biography:

Tobacco merchant, property investor, billiard hall owner, leader of the Jewish community, husband and father

Isaac, his parents and two older sisters left Hamburg, Germany on November 17, 1875 and arrived in New York City on December 6, 1875. His father, Hyman, became a naturalized American on October 2, 1880 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A son and daughter was born into the family in Pennsylvania. By 1900, the family had settled in San Francisco. According to the 1900 United States Federal Census, Hyman was literate in English and was a cigar merchant. Another son was born in San Francisco.

On August 14, 1892, Isaac married Minnie Philo (1872–1919), resident of Victoria. She was second daughter the controversial Rabbi Solomon Philo. Rabbi Philo was considered too Reform for many of the congregants at the synagogue. The board tried to buy out his contract, but Rabbi Philo rebuffed the offer and remained as Rabbi until his contract expired. Rabbi Philo officiated at the wedding, and gave the groom away too.

The couple’s daughter Ethel Belle Waxstock Dobrin (1894–1942) was born on January 5, 1894 in Victoria.

In 1894, a Waxstock Brother’s Cigar Manufacturer was listed in the Vancouver City Directory, but no Waxstocks were listed in the residential section. In 1896, The Vancouver Cigar Factory was listed City Directories for Vancouver with Isaac listed as a cigar maker and his brother J. (Jacob) as the proprietor.
Minnie gave birth to the couple’s son David (1896–1953) on February 19, 1896 in Vancouver.

The 1897 Vancouver City Directory showed that Hyman Waxstock had moved to Vancouver and was a cigar maker. According to the Williams’ Official British Columbia Directory for 1897-8, Hyman, and three of his sons- Isaac, Phillip and J (Jacob) were living in Vancouver and operating the Vancouver Cigar Factory at 522 Cordova. By 1898, Isaac was listed as the proprietor of the Vancouver Cigar Factory.
According to the June 16, 1898 edition of The Province, Isaac appeared before the Health Committee of City Council in Vancouver on behalf of interested citizens. He had a petition requesting that a Jewish section of the cemetery be created. The petition was “laid over” to another meeting.

In 1899, the City Directory for Vancouver listed Isaac as a tobacconist. His daughter Regina (Rena) (1899–1986) was born on November 7, 1899 in Vancouver. From 1900-1903, Isaac was listed as living in Vancouver and working as the proprietor of the Vancouver Cigar Factory. By 1902, Isaac was the only Waxstock listed in the directory.

By 1905, Isaac and his family had moved to Victoria. Isaac continued to work as a cigar manufacturer. Minnie became the proprietor of Elite Millinery located at 43 Fort Street.

According to The Victoria Daily Times on September 17, 1908, Isaac was the president of the Trades and Labor Council.

The Victoria Daily Times reported on December 10, 1909 that Isaac was renovating a hall on Broad Street. The article boasted that the hall would feature a dining area, balcony, and spacious sitting room. As the hall would be steam heated, the article stated that the hall would be “the most desirable in town.” The 1910 City Directory for Victoria listed Isaac as the proprietor of the Broad Street Hall. Many different organizations would rent the premises for a wide variety of functions.

The Daily Colonist reported on June 8, 1911 that Isaac had been chosen for jury duty for the case against Capt. Sears involved in the manslaughter of John Brydson.

Isaac continued to as a tobacco merchant in Victoria under the business name of Province Cigar Co. Isaac was receiving shipments for his store in from 1897-99. In 1917, Isaac donated cigars for prizes at a Labor Day Sports event held by the Victoria Trades and Labor Council. In April 1918 Isaac donated a box of cigars as prize for a fundraising drive in support of the Red Cross. He also had his cigars featured at a banquet held by the St Andrew’s Society.

In addition to his tobacco business Isaac had other business interests. By 1912, Isaac and Seattle based Edward Johnson were partners in operating a poolroom at 1305 Broad Street. Minnie was a milliner.

In 1914, the Waxstock family moved to 1115 Princess Street, where Isaac remained until 1931.

On November 13, 1915, The Daily Colonist reported that due to the war, there were fewer teams of men available to compete in English billiards. However, the Waxstock Billiard Parlor was able to challenge a team from the Westholme Billiard Palor on Government Street. Beginning on November 24, they were to play a best-of-five-game series for the Burroughes and Watts championship.

Another amateur billiard championship to benefit the Returned Soldiers’ Club was held in March 1917. The Victoria Daily Times reported on March 13, 1917 that Richardson and Waxstock donated the winner’s cup for the event.

The Victoria Daily Times chronicled Isaac’s property investments at municipal property sales. While living at 201 Superior Street in James Bay, on October 15, 1907 Isaac purchased block 66 in James Bay for $750 (about $24,000 in 2024). In May 1910, Isaac bought a house at 534 Superior for $150 (close to $5,000 in 2024). In July 1911, Isaac purchased nine lots mostly in Victoria West, and also bought land in North Saanich in November 1924. According to the October 5, 1921 edition of The Interior News, Isaac owned properties in South Hazelton as well.

According to the Victoria Daily Times, in July 1911, Isaac listed a “modern cottage on Cormorant Street near Blanchard for sale for $4500 (about $145,000 in 2024). In later years, other properties that Isaac owned were listed for sale due to unpaid taxes. They included: a property on Gonzalaes Avenue in 1919 and the North Saanich property in 1925. Unpaid taxes on Lot 5 in the Malahat District from Minnie’s estate was placed placed on the market for unpaid taxes in 1921.

In 1931, twelve years after Minnie’s death, Isaac moved from 1115 Princess Avenue, where he had lived for eighteen years. He resided at 841 Pandora until 1935, when he moved to 2712 Rose Street.

Isaac was heavily involved in the Jewish community. He was President of the Board of Congregation Emanu-El from 1914-1915, 1921-1922, 1924-1925, 1927-1928, and again in 1935.

Isaac conducted the funeral service in Hebrew for Victoria Police Sgt. Hymen Alexander Levin on July 12, 1895. Isaac was also a pall bearers for Rabbi Marcus Berner at his funeral in 1941.

In 1915, Isaac was president of the Victoria Chapter of B’nai B’rith. In 1917, he was part of B’nai B’rith’s committee that organized an informal benefit dance to aid the Red Cross Society and Returned Soldiers. In the November 10, 1918 edition of The Daily Colonist, Isaac announced that B’nai B’rith had sold about $12,400 (about $221,000 in 2024) worth of war bonds and that by the end of the drive expected to raise about $15,000 ($267,000 in 2024) in total. The year 1919 was the Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary) of the founding of the Victoria Lodge of B’nai B’rith. The Daily Colonist reported on January 11, 1919 that Victoria Lodge No. 758 celebrated with a banquet. Issac was past president and his daughter Regina “contributed” musical numbers as part of the entertainment.

Isaac was also president of the Jewish Relief Society (1916-17), which raised funds for Jews in Russia and Poland. He attended meetings and talks on a wide variety of subjects of Jewish interest, including a presentation given by Dr. Wolf, Field Secretary of the Jewish Consumptive Relief Association of California on April 28, 1915. Isaac was also in attendance when S.W. Jacobs K.C. of Montreal lectured on Jews in armies throughout the world on July 16, 1915. Isaac was appointed as trustee of the Meir Tag-Day Fund in April 1917.

In addition, Isaac led the Victoria Branch of the Canadian Zionist Movement. He met with Charles A. Cowan, barrister of New York City and head of the North American Zionist movement and Professor Paul Radin of California University when they came to Victoria in August 1920. Their aim was to organize the “forces of Zionism to commence work on the drive for funds for the repatriation of the Jews to Palestine.”

Ethel, David and Regina:
Ethel, David and Regina were the progeny of Minnie and Isaac Waxstock. They were all musical and took to the stage as children. Some of their theatrical accomplishments were tracked by the papers. The eldest daughter, Ethel Belle Waxstock (1893-1942), was first mentioned in the Nanaimo Daily News on July 16, 1904. At the age of eleven she sang a duet in a school play. The Victoria Daily Times on November 12, 1907 reported that Ethel passed her primary course exams in music.

According to the Victoria Daily Times on October 12, 1908, Ethel and Regina, performed when the Victoria hive of the Ladies of the Maccabees celebrated the 16th anniversary of their order. Ethel played a piano solo and Regina sang. The Victoria Daily Times reported on April 18, 1910 that Misses Waxstock had performed at a concert for St. Andrew’s Society.

When the renowned violinist and pianist Joseph Philo was in Victoria to visit his sister Minnie Waxstock in November 1911, he accompanied his niece, Ethel, when she sang excerpts from “Spring Maid”.

In 1915, Ethel married Jacob, son of Rev. and Mrs. Dobrin of New York and moved away.

David Waxstock (1896-1953) was a musician. The Victoria Daily Times noted that he performed at a concert on December 6, 1910. On July 24, 1912, The Daily Colonist reported that David gave a “beautiful rendering of Jocelyn’s ‘Berceuse’ on the violin at a Victoria West Concert.” The concert also featured a “number of well known local performers.”

Of the three siblings, Regina “Rena” Philo Waxstock (1898-1986) got the most press. The Victoria Daily Times on September 12, 1908 reported that she won second prize in an amateur vaudeville show hosted by the Empress Theatre. She was about ten years old and sang “There’s Another Picture in My Mamma’s Frame.” She sang so well that people wanted to hear more. In response, Regina repeated the chorus.

According to The Victoria Daily Times on February 1, 1910, Regina took part in an amateur singing contest “and was much appreciated by those who heard her.” Regina won “several prizes.” The paper commented that Regina was “improving continually, and will no doubt develop to be a splendid singer.”
Regina’s singing of “The Minstrel Boy” at the opening exercises at George Jay School was noted by The Victoria Daily Times on September 5, 1914. The following year Regina sang as part of a school concert at George Jay School. The concert raised funds for cadet uniforms for the school’s corps.

On April 13, 1918, the Nanaimo Daily News announced that Regina would take part in a fundraising concert to aid the Red Cross. She was scheduled to sing “character” songs.

The Nanaimo Daily News reviewed the concert on April 19, 1918 and noted that Regina, “whose fame had preceded her from her home in Victoria, fairly brought down the house with her character songs. This versatile little lady seemed equally at home in Yiddisher dialogue, in sentimental music, in mimicry, and in eccentric songs and she met with the heartiest of receptions from the audience.”

The Vancouver Daily World advertised on August 24, 1918 that “Regina, a comedienne with a refreshing style was secured to play at a concert at the Imperial Theatre for the Social Reconstruction League.” The concert was billed as the “biggest thing of its kind ever attempted in Vancouver.”

In January 1919, the B’nai B’rith Order celebrated its diamond jubilee of it’s founding. Victoria Lodge no. 758 gave a banquet in its honor. Regina “contributed” musical numbers. Her father, Isaac was past president.

In 1924, Regina married “Bert” Abraham Robinson. The couple settled in Seattle, where Regina became a star on the radio station KJR. The Daily Colonist in 1930 advised Victorians that they could listen to Regina on Tuesdays and Thursdays and that she would be performing on the regular “Show Boat” program.

A few article referred to a Miss Waxstock performing at different event. The Evening Post on November 11, 1909 said that Miss Waxstock would be singing duets with Miss McGregor and Miss Wilson. Mr. and Miss Waxstock were scheduled to participate in a fundraising social for the Ladies Aid of the First Congregational Church held in June 1912.

Parents:
Gitel Helpgod Waxstock 1842 –1915
Hyman Waxstock 1827–1914

Siblings:
Esther Waxstock Rosenthal 1861-1941
Mary Waxstock Weiss; 1864 or 1868-1923 or 1942
Phillip Waxstock 1878-1943
Rose Waxstock Malinger 1878-1934
Louis Waxstock
Jacob Waxstock; 1881-1916

Spouse:
Minnie Philo Waxstock (1872–1919)

Children:
Ethel Belle Waxstock Dobrin (1893 or 1894-1942) who married Jacob Dobrin in 1915.
David Waxstock (1896-1953)
“Rena” Regina Waxstock Robinson (1898 or 1899-1986) who married “Bert” Abraham Robinson in 1924

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