Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-31

SIR NOSES HoNrErIoRE.

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{ Mis- Race sevss Visits 20 faiessise -c'sse
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Although we gave brief sketch OF
tho life Of Sir Moses Montchore oa the
occasion Of the celebration OF his one
hundredth birthday, our readers will
thank us for refreshing their memories
regarding his remarkable career.
> Sir Moses MonteIiore died Tuesday
aftcrnoon at Rsmsgste, Eng. The whole
lie Of the venerable Hebrew philan-
thropist, the patriarch in Israel, was
devotion TO worthy but once seem
inrly unsurmountable object---.o relieve
the prosecutions and alleviate the suffer-
incs Of the Hebrew race, OF which he
was the acknowledged head. He was
a man whom a nation or race might
well be proud TO prominently place in
its pages Of history. Few men have
epjoyed so long q career, and fewer
still have been able TO look back from
the summit Of their one-hundredth year
over so benefcent and honorable life.
For generation he was held in honor
throughout me world. Having adj
vanced far beyond the allotted time Of
man on earth. he had figured as tradi-
ton when others far on in years were
young. Sir Moses lived to see
The consummation Of his greatest hopes
and prayers in the grand movement in
Europe which first established the right
Of his race to share in charities, TO
open shops in the cities, and to practice
at the bar; later their admission to
Parliament, and last the opening to
them Of the universities. His exempla-
~ life, his earnest labors for the bene-
ft Of his co-religionists in this and
other countries, and his ceaseless beney-
olence had much to do with the reno
val Of the relics of medieval prejudice.
HIS PARENTS AND PLACE OF BIRTH.
Sir Moses was born at Leghorn, Italy,
October "a, 1884. His father, Joseph
+. Monicfore, neutrality-suspicious.
English merchant, was driven byperse-
cution. with his family, to Italy, and
in that connection was interested IL a
commercial expedition to that country.
The boy was born soon after the
arrival Of the expedition at Leghorn,
and the old mansion in which the
event occurred is standing. Little is
known the family history ofthe Monte
flores beyond the four generations set
tied in England. The family took its
name from the beautiful hillside village
called Mount Of Decentralization, a
town Of 1000 inhabitants, situated on
the eastern slope Of the Apprentices in
the province Of the Papal Marches.
The Montefores trace their ancestry
back to Spain. in the sixteenth CEN
tury they were driven by persecution
to Italy, where they settled and
amassed great wealth. The family's
antocedents first made their appear
ance in England soon after the inter-
cession of the Jews with Cromwell.
Moses Vita Montefore, the grand
father Of Sir Moses. married Han
nah, a daughter Of Magood Racah,
of LeghOrn, Italy. With his young
wife he settled in London in 1852.
lie had seventeen children, all OF whom
lived to very old age. Mr.. Monte
flores country-seat was the then SUI
burban district Of Bethnal Green.
Moses Vita Montefiore did business
as a merchant and amassed great
wealth, leaving at the time Of his death.
which occurred in 1889, nice fortune
to each Of his seventeen children. Joseph |
Elias Monteiore, Sir Moses's father,
was the sixth son, and was born
in Loudon on October Is, 1859. He
did business as merchant, and dealt
chiefly with Italy. He married Ra-
chel, daughter of Abraham Mocutta, Of
the well-known family Of lIiSpsnO-
Moorish Jews. The last expedition
which the grandfather embarked in
with the other fleeing Jews turned out
disastrously. and he was one Of the few
who survived its many trials and re-
verses. lie returned home to London
with his family, and wrote an account
OF his adventures. 1t was he who
hoisted the British flag ON landing at
Bulama, and he, too. organized the
whole offensive and defensive economy
Of the colony. The colony was after
ward wrecked by tribe Of hostile In
dams, and Joshua Montetiore then
travelled into the Sapel country.
EARLY LIFE AND MARRIAGE.
And now begins the life Of the young
Moses which was lived for others. His
earliest years were passed in Italy, but
he was brought up and educated in the
home Of his parents in London, and,
after subsequent careful commercial
training, he was admitted to member
ship in the stock exchange, though not
as his father had destined him. In
1872 he married Judith, daughter
Of Mr.. L. b. Cohen, and sister-in-law
Of Nathan Meyer Rothschild, the
founder Of the London branch Of the
great banking establishment. Judith,
who lived happily with her husband for
fully fifty years, though unhappily
childlcss, was his unwcaried assistant
in all his good works. She was lady
Of great mental endowment, charming
character, Of fine literary tastes, and
she wrote an interesting account OF
one Of her numerous philanthropic
journeys with her husband, pub
lished in ls44, under the title, 4" Notes
Of Private Journal Of Visit to
Egypt and Palestine" She died
September 25, 1862, and Sir Moses EN-
bodied at once his lcve and his bereave-
ment in his noble declared determine
ton TO embalm her memory BY ere
doubling his benevolence toward the
living" This he has done by his an
nusl gift in hername to Bell-Lane Jews
Free School for Girls and in countless
other ways. The Convalescent Home
at South Norwood was built by the
English Jews in memory Of Lady
Monteiio,e. Sir Moses also endowed
the Jewish college at Ramsgato in her
Aame.
SHE PHILANTHRoPIsT KNIaHrEp.
u is fact well worthy of note.
kmid whatever records Of court cere-
fmonial and of political change, that
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