Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-28
THE HEBREWS.
Historical "Reminiscences of
their Settlement in
America.

Went in bequeathing to their posterity all
records Of their history down to the first
publication of hooks and newspapers in
the county. From these accounts u
appears that the Jews were among the
pioneers who, driven by tyranny and
oppression from their homes in the old
world, colonized and peopled the new.
The Puritans, however, antedate the ad-
vent of these people into our North
American colonies many years, they
having immigrated in 1920; while the
first accounts of any Jewish exodus from
foreign shores are down to August 24th,
1894. AT this time people Of all denom'
nations were compelled to fee from their
natural homes in Europe, the Jews being
of the number who sought this continent
as refuge from religious and political
exactions there, as well as in some parts
of Asia aud Africa.
On August oath, 1894, ship arrived
at Newport, Rhode Island, then the
principal port of entry, from one of the
West India islands, with a number of
Jewish families on board. These fami-
lies, many of whom were people OF
wealth, respectabilty and.general intel
ligence, settled in Newport Some years
after their arrival at Newport Jewish
congregation was organized, called Beth
Elohim," or House of God In few
years thereafter this congregation con-
sisted of sixty active members, the Rev.
Abraham Azenedo officiating as minister,
or HazaM This synagogue in the course
of time became very numerous, having
three hundred and sixty adult members,
and including in oil eleven hundred and
seventy-fve persons usually in attend
ance at the Sabbath and holiday services
As the adjacent States, afterward form
ing the original confederacy, came to be
settled, the Jews gradually migrated to
these new States, finding the Puritanical
faith, then prevalent in the New England
States, s,Hinimical to the development of
their peculiar creed.
The next regular synagogue estab-
lished in the country was at New York,
! in Chatham street, 1929. In this city at
| the time above mentioned there were but
| few Israelites, and for many years there
after not more than three hundred jews
were known in New Amsterdam, as New
York was then called. Subsequent to
| 1929, various other ports of entry were
opened in the North American colonies,
Offering to the oppressed of all nations
of Europe a home and an asylum-New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and Charles
ton being the principal points to which
Jewish pilgrims from the old world
! wended their way. Charleston next ap-
pears to have followed New York there,
about 1865, the first Jewish synagogue
was established From this period up
to 1886, the Jews became considerable
integral element of the population, and
were highly esteemed for their respecta'
bility, intelligence and general character.
During various periods they filled many
of the offices under the city government,
and contributed much to the current
literature of the State. The most of them
were engaged in commerce, few in
mechanical pursuits, and others with the
newspaper press, the bar and the forum.
Isaac Cordozo was for many years editor
and proprietor of the Erentng Patriot,
and during his editorial career was con-
sidered the best authority in questions of
political economy in the Southern coun-
try. In belle lettres, the fine arts,
religion and general literature, the
names of Isaac Hardy, Abraham Noise,
Theodore Noise, Franklin Moses, Jacob
c. Levy, Jacob Phillips aud d. N. Car
vaino are conspicuous, all gentlemen OF
fine attainments, and highly esteemed for
their scholarly and artistic excellence.
The rapid advancement made by the
Southern cities on the seaboard in com
merce, mechanics, arts, population, etc,
in the course of years attracted the at
tention of number of Jewish residents
from Charleston, and gradual exodus
from that city to these new ports neces-
sarily followed,
The States of Georgia, North Carolina,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ken
lucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland,
etc., became the recipients Of consid-
cradle portion of the original settlers
and their descendants. These people
engaged in commerce principally, spor-
tiop of them in professional occupations,
politics and the fine arts. One Of the
first descendants of the original Newport
settlers, Julian Teuro, settled in New
Orleans, and, being man Of immense
wealth, he used HIS wealth in various
public purposes. He built cathedral
ir this city New Orleans), aud made
an unconditional present of the
buildings and grounds to the Catholic
people Of the city. lie also built a Pres
byteriau Church, which he rendered to
the Protestant residents of that portion
of the city where the building was loca-
ted, and which they we're permitted 10
occupy for thirty years free of rent The
present Franklin Bank is now the site !
of the ohurnh above named,
In California (San Francisco the jews |
are now SO numerous, and their influence |
so great, that steamers bound for foreign |
ports are frequently detained when a
Jewish festival or fast day has occurred |
on these days. Ia this, as with most
other States, Saturday, being the Jewish
Sabbath, is made holiday TO the pupils
Of the various schools.
In Cincinnati the Jews are very nu-
merous. The seats in the new synagogue
in that city, recently sold at public auc-
ton, brought extraordinary prices, the
net reosipis being over 100000, the
premium nn certain sests bringing
$500.
In 1860 there we're seventy seven
synagogues in the United States, and
thirteen congregations in New York city;
this number has increased to thirty nine
places Of public vorship in this city and
Brooklyn.
When the census Of the United States
vas taken in 1859, it <as the boast OF
the Israelites in New York that up to
this period there was not in this State a
single Jew pat on trial for any capital
offenss.and that no such thing as q con-
-.---..ttr- g. rr.I nmnHnn ]
was known up TO this time. The crm-