This rather extensive family tree of over 1800 names has been over 30 years in the
making.    My mom, Helen Jean (FRUMHOFF) BUSH,  started her research around 1975 and
worked for many years putting together the SHANIN; DAVIS / FRUMHOFF history.  Before
the internet even existed, mom worked tirelessly in the "old way"-- corresponding with
relatives, taping conversations, visiting the Family History Library in Salt Lake City,
and sending for vital records from around the country. 

Family records (past and present) have been located in Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus,
Ukraine, South Africa, Argentina, and the USA.  

The genealogy bug bit me sometime after 1998, when my mother died.  With the help of
the internet, most specifically, Jewishgen.org,  I continued this research on the
SHANIN /FRUMHOFF branch back to  Belarus.  I also began to research my father, George
BUSH's REST / BLUSHINSKY ; BUSH family history. With an enormous amount of information
gathered from several relatives (particularly REST cousins Arliss and Reva, my late
aunt Shirley Holtzman, and members of the BUSH /PASIMANEK branch), and a large amount
accumulated data from various databases,  I have made an attempt to piece together the
puzzle of this family's recent and early history in Lithuania and Latvia.  Most events 
for the early REST / BUSH; BLUSHINSKY family are documented according to sources, and
where appropriate, I have indicated where I have assumed a questionable connection.  It
is quite daunting a task to try to figure out who's a cousin and who's a sibling when
given names arerepeated several times over in just one generation. 

This family site is a work in progress!  I have many pictures yet to upload!  If you
have additional information which you would like me to include, or corrections to make,
I would most appreciate your contributions.  Pictures, too, are most welcome!  Enjoy,
let me know what you think, and please sign the guest book.

BRIEF NARRATIVE OF THE BUSH/BLUSHINSKY FAMILY ORIGINS:

IOSEL / JOSEPH BLUSHINSKY
Iosel / Joseph Blushinsky, the son of Mordukh and Sheyna Beyla, was born in 1844.  In
1875 at the age of 23  he was living in Postavy-- a shtetl in the Vilnius gubernia in
Lithuania.  (Postavay is located in Belarus today).  Later records show him to be
living in Moletai (Malat) Lithuania.  It seems the Blushinsky family lived in different
towns in the Svintsyn district of greater Vilna:  Postav, Nemincine, Moletai.   In
notes from my father passed on to my brother, it is mentioned that Joseph  "was an
overseer on a large Russian estate.  He was killed while trying to tame an unbroken
horse."  Also in the notes was a reference to the Vilna Gaon and a relationship to the
Blushinsky family.  Not sure if this was true-- apparently many Jewish families from
Vilna liked to think of themselves as relatives of the Gaon!  The Blushinsky family is
Cohanim.

Joseph and Shirley (Americanized) Blushinsky had 5 children:   Jacob, Abraham  (b1876),
Benjamin Ezhiel "Berko" (b1869), and Khaia (b 1869).   There was reportedly another
son-- but I do not know his name.   Abraham, Jacob, and Benjamin all came to the USA. 
Jacob reportedly changed his name to BLASH and lived in New York.  Abraham and Benjamin
changed their name to BUSH and lived in Chicago.

ABRAHAM BUSH (1876-1925) my grandfather:
Abraham came to the US in 1902 and at age 27 worked as a laborer in a book-bindery.  At
the time of his death in 1925, he was in the roofing business.  I have not been able to
find immigration records for Abraham.  He may have also been known as Benjamin or a
form of that name.   Abraham married Sophie REST in 1910.   They had four children: 
David, George (my father), Earl and Shirley (twins).

BENJAMIN BUSH (1864 or 1869-1956):
By 1900, Benjamin and his wife Elka PASIMANEK were living in Chicago.  Married before
coming to the US, Elka arrived  in 1898 with three children-- after her husband who
came in 1895.  I have not found his immigration records.    Benjamin's occupation in
1900 was "capmaker"-- name is still BLUSHINSKY.   By 1910 he was a real estate agent
and the name had been changed to BUSH.   Benjamin and Elka had 8 children:  Belle,
Bessie, David, Florence, Harry, Joseph MIchael, Ruth (Jennie Rachel), Sheine / Sadie
(died at age of 2 in a a backyard fire when her clothes caught fire from a candle.)

JACOB BLASH / BLASHINSKY:
My aunt Shirley BUSH HOLTZMAN remembered that there was a brother living in New York. 
"Jacob" is mentioned as a brother in an obituary for one of the BUSHes.  Unfortunately
I cannot put my finger on that-- not sure who it was-- but I *think* it was for
Abraham.  New information and a new contact may make Jacob a "documented" brother!