Joseph Dux

Joseph (Josef) Dux was born on August 30, 1909 in Naumburg (Hesse) Germany (US Draft Registration card).  His mother died at a young age from complications of childbirth.  His father then married his wife’s sister, who was also widowed, so Joseph, along with his siblings, was raised by his aunt (also my great-grandmother).  Joseph immigrated to the US in June 1929, traveling on the SS New York (SS “New York" ship manifest of June 14, 1929).  He settled in Manhattan, living with his older stepbrother/cousin, Martin Gunst, and worked as a baker (1940 US census).  When Martin and his wife bought a farm in upstate New York, Joseph did not want to leave the city.  Eventually, his family lost contact with Joseph, and was unable to find him.  Joseph died in 1985, at the age of 75, at the Whitehouse Hotel, a “flophouse” located at 340 Bowery.