Ukranian Born - Veteran of WWI & WWII
Frank Israel Averbach was born in Tomashpil, Russia (present-day central Ukraine) in 1892 to parents Louis & Mary Averbach. At the time of Frank’s birth, their village was under rule of the Russian Empire. The family immigrated to the United States and by October 1903, Louis Averbach appeared before the United States District Court in Pittsburgh to “renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to the Czar of Russia.” When the Great War broke out in Europe in 1914, the Averbach family was living in Herminie, PA. In March 1917, Czar Nicholas II abdicated his throne, the Russian Revolution bringing an end to the Romanov Dynasty. Three months later, Frank Averbach signed his draft registration card for possible service in the World War.
Louis Averbach (1872–1943) and Mary Robinsohn Averbach (1876–1967)
Frank Averbach was not immediately sent overseas for the war in Europe. When drafted into the United States Army, he was fortunate enough to miss combat altogether when his troop transport sailed for France exactly one day after the Armistice was signed. He served 9 months overseas in a medical detachment, but this would not be his last time serving during a World War.
Frank returned to the United States, operated the Penn Shirt Shop on Penn Ave in Pittsburgh as a “haberdasher,” selling men's clothing, suits, shirts, jewelry, etc. His shop was known to have a vast collection of autographed celebrity photographs in the window. However, in March 1930 he declared bankruptcy and had to close his shop.
Eight months later, his father Louis purchased Lots 406 & 408 Cavitt Avenue in Trafford. These lots were still vacant parcels first purchased by former Pennsylvania State Representative George H. Stevens in 1903 during the “Trafford Land Rush.” Stevens never developed the parcels, having passed away in January 1919. Louis Averbach purchased the lots from the Stevens Estate, built the two-story building seen here, and moved his jewelry business from Herminie to Trafford.
George H. Stevens (1862-1919) was a Representative from Westmoreland County.
In 1942, the country was again involved in a World War and Frank Averbach, now 49 years old, enlisted in the US Navy, serving a little over 2 years at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, Rhode Island. While Frank was serving, his father Louis passed away on March 9, 1943. Mary Averbach sold the Cavitt Avenue property the following month. Frank never returned to Trafford, meeting Mary Falcofsky in Rhode Island, where the couple remained for the rest of their lives.
408 Cavitt Ave (photo circa 1979) as the Style Shop operated by Helen Brickel. The property also served as Fundis Radio & TV, the Lora Jean Shop, the Coin & Hobby store, and Kirby Sweepers. 408 Cavitt Ave (photo 2022) In 1981, this building was purchased by Thomas & Jo Anne Gates for his dental practice, later sold by Gates in July 2018.
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