The Lang-Bosswick Family Tree

The Lang and Bosswick families were joined through the marriage of Stephen and Rhonda Lang in 1979. The following is the combined history of the ancestors of the Lang and Bosswick families and is a work in progress. I am working on collecting more images and source documents in order to update and create the most complete tree possible. Enjoy! 

The Lang Family

The surname Lang has a number of origins. It is a Scottish, English, Dutch, German, Danish, Swedish, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) name. It is a nickname for a tall person, from the word lang – meaning long – in Older Scots, Middle English, Middle Dutch, Middle German, and Danish, and the Swedish form lång. In Hungarian, the name Lang comes from the word láng ‘flame’, hence probably a nickname for a passionate person, or a man with a fighting spirit. Alternatively, it may be an indirect occupational name for a smith or someone who worked with fire.

The patriarchal side of the Lang family can be traced back to Abraham Langovage and Mary Pollman Lang who immigrated to New York from Eastern Europe. According to his naturalization documents, Abraham was born in on April 15, 1885 in Marenpole, Russia and Mary was born in Shrednick, Lithuania on September 15, 1886. The two were married to in Seredžius, Lithuania (known as Shrednick in Yiddish) on February 7, 1905.

Marinpole, Russia

In 1905, Abraham traveled to the United States from Hamburg, Germany aboard the S.S. Patricia and arrived in New York in September 1905. Although his name is listed as Abraham Langewitz on the ship's manifest and Abraham Langovage on his naturalization documents, the surname Lang was adopted. According to the ship's manifest, Abraham arrived in New York with only $10 in his possession and was listed as a "Hebrew" under Race/Nationality. Abraham and his family eventually settled in the Bronx, New York and he worked as a painter. 

Abraham Langewitz is listed as passenger number 14 on the ship's manifest:

Mary Lang arrived in the United States in 1909, four years after Abraham. She had one brother, Samuel Pollman who also immigrated to the United States. Mary's mother, Anna Pollman, arrived in the United States in 1913 and she lived with Abraham, Mary, and their children. 

The following documents mention Abraham Lang, Mary Lang, and Anna Pollman: 1915 New York State Census, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, 1925 New York State Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, U.S. Naturalization Documents for Abraham Lang, World War I Draft Registration Card for Abraham Lang, and the Naturalization record for Anna Pollman. 

Abraham and Mary Lang had five sons and two daughters between the years of 1906 and 1924. Samuel and Harry were born outside of the United States. They likely immigrated with Mary in 1911. Rose, Phillip, Nathan, and Evelyn were all born in New York between the years of 1912 to 1924. Jack W. Lang – the patriarch of the current Lang family – was born on December 5, 1916 in Manhattan, New York. 

The Ring-Baldinger Family

The matriarchal side of the Lang family can be traced back to the Ring and Baldinger families from modern day Poland. Both Joseph Ring and Yetta Baldinger were born in a town listed as Krenitz, Austria, which at the time was a part of the Austrian Empire. Today, this is the city of Krynica-Zdrój, Poland. Joseph Ring was born on July 10, 1886, in Krenitz and Yetta was born in June of 1898, making Joseph 12 years Yetta's senior. 

Joseph immigrated to the United States in June 1905 aboard the ship S.S. America which departed from Hamburg, Germany. Yetta Baldinger, later to be Joseph Ring's wife, left for the United States from Rotterdam, Holland with her brother Jacob on October 17, 1912. Yetta and Jacob's father – a rabbi in Austria – sent a letter to his children already living in America. He requested money from them to help pay their siblings passage to the U.S. Yetta and Jacob immigrated to New York aboard the S.S. Campanello.

This is passenger manifest from the S.S. Campanello on October 17, 1912. Yetta and her brother Jacob are listed second and third on the list. Their nationality is listed as Austrian and under Race they are listed as Hebrews. 

Upon arrival, Yetta lived with her sister on Canon Street in New York City. She worked in the house as a servant in order to pay for her board - cooking, cleaning, and doing various chores. Coincidentally, Yetta's first cousin, also named Joseph Ring, was the one who introduce Yetta and Joseph, her future husband. Yetta's father was a Rabbi in Austria. Joseph and Yetta maintained a religious household and frequently attended services at the local synagogue. Although the two spoke fluent English, they continued to use Yiddish at home and with other immigrants and customers.

Joseph was a butcher in Austria and after marrying Yetta, the two moved to Ozone Park, Queens where they rented an apartment and established a Kosher butcher shop. Around 1927, Yetta and Joseph purchased their first home in Richmond Hill, Queens and similarly moved the butcher shop to that area. 

The butcher shop closed promptly on Friday afternoon before Shabbat entered and remained closed Saturday, as well as Sunday because of the "blue laws" in New York City, preventing businesses from operating on Sunday. Nevertheless, Joseph and Yetta were committed to their customers and often provided services on Sunday for those in need.  Joseph and Yetta had three daughters, Ruth, Molly, and Marilyn between the years of 1921 and 1934. 

The following documents mention Joseph Ring and Yetta Baldinger Ring: 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 1915 New York State Census, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, 1925 New York State Census, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, U.S. Naturalization Records for Joseph Ring, World War I Registration Card for Joseph Ring, World War II Registration Card for Joseph Ring. 

Jack Meets Molly

Molly Ring was born on August 21, 1922 to Joseph and Yetta Ring. She grew up in their Ozone Park apartment until the age of 5, when the family moved to Richmond Hill. Molly graduated from John Adams High School in Queens, New York when she met Jack Lang. They met at an American Legion ball at the Hotel Diplomat in Manhattan, and began dating shortly after. On May 1, 1941, Jack and Molly were married in New York, New York. 

Molly Lang speaks about growing up in Queens, New York and marrying Jack Lang: 

Jack and Molly moved into an apartment on Clinton Avenue in New York City. Nine months after their wedding, Molly gave birth to their first son Allen on February 17, 1942. Just six months after Allen's birth, on August 20, 1942, Jack was drafted into the United States Army to serve in World War II. He was processed at Ft. Joy on Governor's Island. Molly and Allen moved into her parent's apartment for the four-and-a-half year period of Jack's army service overseas. 

After Jack's return from Europe in 1946, Jack and Molly moved into a Quonset hut in Carnarcie, Brooklyn. Soon after, in 1947, Molly gave birth to their second child, Ronnie. While living in the Quonset hut, Jack worked producing tissue boxes, backrests and headboards while Molly raised the children. In 1949, their third child, Barbara, was born around the same time that Jack began working for John's Bargain Store. Not long after, Jack and Molly purchased their first home in Bethpage, New York where they resided for 12 years. In 1955, their fourth and final child, Stephen, was born. The family eventually moved to a house in Huntington, New York where they lived for 22 years. 

In 1981, after years of hard work and raising four children, Jack and Molly moved to Ft. Lauderdale, New York. In 1995, Jack passed away and Molly followed him many years later in 2014, reaching the age of 92. Together, Jack and Molly were the parents of four children, grandparents of more than 23 grandchildren, and the great-grandparents of many Langs to come!