The Denver Jewish news., 1921-09-28

Franks. Col. Solomon Bush, Col. Isaac
Franks. Major benjamin Nones. Capt.
Jacob de Ia Motta, Lieut.. Abraham
Seixas, and Lieut.. David Sarzedas.
The company of the Charles Town
tCharlestom, $. G., regiment of mill
LuShihgton, included twenty-siN Jews.
Jewish Colonial Heroine
Esther Hays was a Jewish hero
inc of the Revolution. Her husband,
David Hays. was in the patriot army
she was left with her children in the
home in Bedford. Westchester County,
New York. In July. 1870. Tories en-
tered her home while she was lying
i'll. and demanded of her information
concerning the patriot plans which she
was supposed TO possess. When she
refused, her home was fired: she and
her children were saved by faithful
negro servant.
The Jewish congregation of New
York, led by irs patriot rabbi, Ger
shom Mendes SciNas. disbanded when
the British approached the city. Mr..
Scixas left New YORK. and, after II
brief sojourn at Stratford, Conn, re-
moved to Philadelphia, taking with
him the sacred belongings of the syna-
gog. Quite number of the patriot
Jews who had left New York on the
approach of the British had settled in
Philadelphia, and desiring to organize
n congregation, induced Mr.. SeiNas
TO come to Philadelphia for this pur-
pose He did so. and organized with
them the Mickye Israel congregation.
In lTS he returned TO New York.
where he continued to be "A prominent
figure: he was IL trustee of King
(now Columbia) College. In 1ISo. NJ
the Inauguration of President Wash
ington. he participated in the cere-
monies together with thirteen min
listers of other crceds.
Haym Salomon rendered invaluable
financial services to the government
during the darkest days of the Rev
olutionary War. He was the chief
Individual reliance of Robert Morris
the Governments Superintendent OF
Finance. In Morris diary, in which
he recorded his financial transactions.
Salomon's name appears scventy-iive
times. The sums advanced by Saio
mon in aid of the Government az
rregatcd apparently 100000 dollars.
Besides the aid rendered the strug-
Cling patriot cause, Solomon came To
the rescue of prominent statesmen
who were in neccssitous straits. James
Madison, later Prcsicnt, who was
delegate from Virginia to the Con
grcss sitting in Philadelphia. wrote in
1872. Il lave for some time past
been pensioner on the favor ol
Raym Solomon, Jew broker" 80
also it is recorded that had It no'
been for the aid administered will
equal generosity and delicacy' by
Salomon to James Wilson. one OF
Pennsylvania most prominent pa
triots. he would have been forced TO
leave the public service.
The heirs of Haym Solomon made
number of attempts TO secure from
the Government settlement of claims
for sums advanced by him to the Gov
ernment. AlthO committees of both
branches of the National Legislature
rcportcd fuvorably to the heirs. no
approprintion was made. Finally, III
lSo3, the heirs agreed to forego their
claims if Congress would have goid
medal struck in recognition of Saio-
mons services. The House Committee
TO whom this was referred reported
favorably. but the House failed to pass
the report.
Another lew. Isaac Moses, helped
out Robert Morris by pledsing 3,ooC
pounds to the patriot cause.
Philip Minis advanced 1000 dollars
towards paying the troops of Virginia
and North Carolina in the State of
Georgia.
The services of the Jews at this
critical time, when the whole Jew
ish population was scarcely three
thOsand, were referred TO Dy toi- d.
w. d. worthington. in 1924. during
the deliberations of the Maryland Leg
islature on the so-called jew Bill, In
these words. There We're many val
rable Jewish members, officers prin-
cipally, in the Revolution, from the
South chiefly, and these were ever at
their post and always foremost in
hazardous enterprises"
Just as Jews fought side by side
with their fellow citizens of other
faiths in the War of the Revolution
so also were they at the front in all
the other wars which have been wag
ed in defense of their country. The
lists of Jews who fought in the War
of 1870 the Mexican War. and the