Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-07
THE FIRST JEW
Who Sat In the House eff Commons
Representing an EDglfsh Com
sIftaeEcT-The strange,
EVeztfuI History OF
Great Family.

St. Louis Globe Democrat: "The subject of
the above brief dispatch was the third OF
that line of financial monarchs, which was
founded in 1743 by the birth at Frankfort
ou-the- Main of Meyer Anselm Rothschild,
his grandfather, and the progenitor of Il race
whose name is connected intimately with
European history during the past hundred
years. Born III a part of Frankfort known
as the Jews alley, and originally intended
for priest of the Hebrew faith, Meyer An
selm TUNED from ecclesiastical affairs and en-
gagged in business as a mouey-chanQer, IN
which Ae succeeded so well that he was soon
heard of as the financial agent of the city, in
negotiating loan TO secure immunity from
pillaging expedition by the French Republi-
can army. Later on he displayed his
astuteness by safely secreting the
Hesse Cassel at a time when the First Ma
poleon was marching upon his capital. Soon
after this the head of the family began that
system Of branching out In business, which
has been so developed since that at the pres
ent time the family has representatives IN all
the principal money and business centers of
the world. The FIST of the family to venture
abroad was his second son, Nathan, whom
he sent as his agent to Manchester, which
place he left shortly after for London, where
he gave evidence of the possession of rare
talents. The financial transactions intrusted
to him were of vast size and Importance, and
his Investments were SO sklllfully made that
the capital of the house in his hands multi
piled rapidly. One of the largest and most
profitable operations he conducted at this
time was IN his capacity of agent for the
payment of twelve million pounds sterling,
which England, by the treaty of Toe
plitz, stipulated to make to the Ger
man allies. Nathan, who was the father
of the Rothschild just deceased, was in Lon
don at the time CT his fathers death, which
foo vIaao 1910 hr xxzniah {fv,oo hanoa
had fully laid the foundation OF their present
financial Importance. The immensely wealthy
and powerful corporation was now repre-
scented by Nathan In London, Arselm IN
Frankfort, Solomon In Vienna, James in
Paris, and Charles IN Naples; Nathan, al
though the second by birth, being conceded
the head Of the family by virtue of his talents
and the greater Importance of the business
under his management. The history OF the
firm from the time Of its reaching these vast
proportions is one of immense and wonder
fully successful transactions, the bulk of
them arising from the necessities Of ma
tions engaged in war. During Eugland's
great war with France their loans were
on an enormous scale, and so success
full that, though the subsequent losses of
the firm IN the French revolution Of
1918 were popularity placed at no less
figure than eight millions sterling, the I'M
mense drain on their resources failed to dis
turb its solidity. Like his father, Nathan
was made a baron of the Austrian empire,
the title being conferred upon him in 1922.
AT the time of bis death, which happened at
Frankfort in 1886, Lionel, his eldest son (who
has just died), was twenty-eight years of
age, having been born in London in 1908.
Upon him, then, fell the burden of chief
representative of the great house of bankers.
Educated at GottIngen and trained by bis
father to occupy this position, he took the
relns OF financial government IN mis- band,
and became worthy successor of his father
and grandfather before him. In 1886 he was
married to bis cousin Charlotte, daughter of
the Baron Charles, who, as did also Anselm
and Solomon, died IN the year 1855, the for
mer dying childless, and leaving fortune
estimated at from twenty to twenty-five
million dollars. In 1847 Lionel was elect
ed to the house of commons from
London, and claimed to take his
seat, though declining, when taking the Gus
tomary oath, to use the words 'on the true
faith of christian, which he insisted were
not binding upon his conscience. The bill of
Jewish emancipation was then passed by the
house of commons, but only to be repeatedly
rejected by the lords, until 1858, when the
great object sought for was virtually secured
by his being placed on a committee
which was to hold conference with the
house of lords. Finally the lords gave way,
and the fact of Jewish emancipation in Eng
land was accomplished, Baron Rothschlld in
1853 taking the oaths and his seat in the
house, which he occupied for some years as
the representative of tue city of London.
Siace that time his brother Nathan (sluce de-
| ceased), and several other Israeiites have also
| been elected to the house of commons"