St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-11-14
MlLLsToNEs CENTURIES OLD.
shearifh Israeps Relics of an Old Place
of Worship.

ShearfEh Israeps Relics of an Old Place |
of Worship.
Considerable historic interest at
bound with iron and mounted in black
walnut, occupy a position in the vesri-
bule of the new synagogue of the con-
gregation of Shearith Israel, Fifth av-
aenue and Nineteenth street. Their his
tory has been often repeated, and their
historic value is douhly appreciated by
the congregation Shearith Israel from
the fact that the stones were q part of
the old horse power mill in Mill street,
which was converted into a synagogue,
and in which their ancestors worshiped
over 200 years ago.
Attention has been called to the relics
recently by reason of a misstatenent as
to how the 1nillstones came into the
possession of the congregation of
Shearith Israel. AS is well known, this
rs the oldest Jewish society, and the
oldest but one OF any denomination In
New York city. The congregation be-
gan worship in 1852 in the old mill on
Mill street, which was rented from
John Harpording. In 172s the first
synagogue was built on nearly the
same site as that occupied by the mill.
In 1918 new synagogue was built on
the same site. Later q synagogue was
erected in Crosby street, and, in an ar
ticle published in d New York neWspa-
per about two years ago, it was stated
| that these two millstones had formed a
part of the foundation of the Crosby
street synagogue, but that they had
| been lost sight of until they We're
| brought to light in the course of an ex-,
caTation for u new building, when they
were recovered by n. Taylor Phillips,
secretary Of the Shearith Israel congre-
| CATION. g
Caleb S. Fordham, the agent for the
Thomas McMullen estate, who is some-
| what familiar with the history of the
| two millstones, said the other day that
| the heirs of the McMullen estate took
| exception to the statement that the
| two stones had formed a. part of the
foundation of the Crosby street syna-
| gogue. The McMu1len estate owns the
property where the old mill and first
/ synagogue stood, not far from the
building in which the eaice is now lo-
Gated, at, A Beaver street.
sThose miilstones were never off this
/ property said he, until about two
years ago when they were presented to
/ the shearith Israel congregation, upon
receipt of q request from N. Taylor
i Phillips. There were originally 16 OF
| them, and we have every reason to be-
lieve that they were not the full set.
They were a part OF the first set of mill
stones brought to this country over zoe
| years ago. The stones were piled up on
/ the property for a great many years
after the mill had been torn down, and
i finally they were laid down as paving
stones in the court in the rear of this
building"
/ Mr.. Fordham showed To a reporter
for the New York Times the letter from
Mr.. Phillips, asking permission to re.
4 move the two miI1stones. The remain
ing IA stones were also shown, as wei
i as the new fiagstones marking tbs
place from which the two had been re
moved.
] i. Napoleon Levy, president of the
congregation of shearith Israel, said
/ that there had been a mistake III tho
newspaper article referring to the two
i millstones.s He said they We're original
| Iy in use in the old mill, which was aft
| erward converted into Q. synagogue. HI
said they had never been part of tlit
old synagogue on the mill site, but hae
been. piled up, in the yard great, n,n man.
| years. The congregation had lost sigh
| of them until few years ago, Whe1
| they were discovered doing duty q
paving stones, and had been secures
from Thomas Day, then executor Of tn
] AeMullen estate.-N. Z. Times.