Steve's History Website
my family's journey through time
Shugaevsky Family
Part 19 Back in the US for three months
1922 / Back in the USA / More Letters about the Check
I haven’t located the passenger list for Marcus’s return trip. On September 18, 1922 he obtained his emergency passport for a “DIRECT VOYAGE TO AMERICA”, but according to his 1923 passport application he didn’t arrive till November. I don’t know where he spent the intervening time.
We know from a letter that Marcus visited his brother, Valentin, on this first trip. In late 1917, before Marcus departed the US, his father Andrei died. Valentin left Petrograd where he worked in the Ministry of Finance and traveled to Chernigov to be with their mother. Valentin ended up staying in Chernigov and I assume that this is where the brothers met. Brother Anatoly was alive till 1925 and probably in the Baltic States, but I don’t know if Marcus saw him there.
The evidence for the meeting with Valentin is from another letter to the First Bridgeport-National Bank concerning the same check. The letter is dated November 19, 1922 and Marcus mentions that he just returned from Russia and spoke to his brother. He claims that Valentin received no check and no money. In the letter he asks “ Kindly advise me what can be done now and how I can get my money back as Mr. Shugaevsky is no longer in Petrograd.”
Marcus’s return address is ℅ Mr. Wadham on 36 Wall Street. After I found these documents and questioned my mother, she confirmed that Marcus visited the Kunashov family (Valentin’s in-laws) in what was then Petrograd. She thinks he probably visited his mother in Chernigov, and we have evidence that he saw his brother Valentin.
Here is a portion of Marcus's letter to the bank dated November 19, 1920.
I just returned from Russia, where Mr. Shugaevsky told me he received neither the cheque not [sic] the money
Kindly advise me what can be done now and how can I get the money back, as Mr Shugaevsky is no longer in Petrograd.
Click on images to enlarge.
Letter from Marcus Terbey to The First Bridgeport National Bank dated November 19, 1922. This must be a handwritten draft or copy that has some notes on the back.
This is the last letter about the check (I promise).
The Bolshevik's banking system was in disarray and the currency was practically worthless. The banks response to Marcus is below. It looks like the money is lost.
Bank letter, November 21, 1922, addressed to Mr. M. Terbey, c/o Mr. Wadham, 36 Wall Street, New York City, N.Y.
Marcus was only home for three months before he departed for Europe. We continue following his trail after finding out about some of his his associates.