Evening star., 1950-07-23
Hebrews in Early Washington
BY John CIoeett Proctor

the coming of the Hebrews to the
District of Columbia. Others
more familiar with the subject
than is the writer, have tried it
and failed, except to state as a
fact that a fairly strong colony
was here as early as 1847, these
being mostly young men, clerking
in stores and going to Baltimore
for the main holiday service.
+ The late DR.. Abram Simon, that
learned and scholarly rabbi of
this city. says In his t'Notes on
Jewish Interests in the District of
Columbia" that he could find but
two Hebrew names in the Wash
ington directory Of 1884, and that
these were Capt. Alfred Mordecai
and E. A. Cohen, and then pro-
ceeds to quote Miss Rosa Nor
decai. who stated to him that
when her brother Frank died
here in 1841 her father found it
impossible to reach any Jews who
could be called to attend the
funeral rites.
E. A. Cohen & Co., referred to
by DR.. Simon. is said to have pub
lished the directory mentioned.
Nine years later the same source
discloses but two Cohens living
here: Robert H., shoemaker, and
Mrs. S. j., boarding house keeper.
Alfred Mordecai was then an
Army captain, residing on the
north side Of Pennsylvania avenue
between Nineteenth and Twentieth
streets. which was probably in one
Of the Seven Buildings" in that
block.
EorIy FomiIies
AS tost the early coming to the
District Of Columbia of the Jews,
Mr.. Justice Hagner, in the Ebbing-
haus-Killian case, decided, in 1881,
that, from the proof submitted, it
is not likely that there could have
been more than half a dozen jew
ish persons in the District in 1882.
But, according to the writer's
researches and deduction, he
would place the date of the ap-
pearance Of the first Jewish fam
lilies here as far back as September
10. 1795, when Morris and Nichol-
son conveyed, December %, 1795,
to Isaac Pollock for $4,000 all
their property in the square and
he, Pollock, should complete the
"Six Buildings" comprising 2107
to 2117 Pennsylvania avenue.
According to William w. Birth,
who wrote on the subject for The
Star, in 1901, regarding the "Six
Buildings" he said:
These large, three-story and
deep cellar dwellings were erected
about 1900, and have had many
noted occupants. While lived
opposite, between the years 1903
and 1922, Richard Rush was ten
ant in the westernmost one Of the
row. He was then a member of
the Presidents cabinet. Preceding
Mr.. Ruth. Mr.. Pollock, a wealthy
Jew, occupied this house.
HE died there and was buried
in Reservation 4, Observatory
Hill. Some years ago an article
appeared in The Evening Star in
which allusion was made to this
old burial ground, and it was
said that there were no memorials
there. This was an error, there
was a large headstone to Mr..
Polock's grave, and several smaller
ones erected over other persons
inferred there. I have a perfect
ly clear recollection of this.
"The location of this ground
was very near the northeast cor
ner Of the reservation, Twenty
third and E streets.
LincoIn's Coochmon
There was another place Of
sepulchure in the vicinity north
east Of the intersection of E and
Twenty-third streets. It was used
exclusively for colored persons
and was called the "Cedars," be-
cause quite a number of speci-
mems Of that tree grew on the
place, and they were of consider
able size. I am enabled to re-
call this place because there was
buried there a coachman of Lin
coins, who was the son of Col.
Tobias Lear, Gen. Washington S
private secretary. Arthur, the
coachman, had hanging up in the
stable a large lions skin, tanned
in Algiers, with the skin of the
head and the teeth preserved.
This, to the youngsters of the
neighborhood, was a thing of great
attraction and. together with the
coachman's many miraculous
stories, drew the boys to the stable
frequently. and made of Arthur a
sort of hero.
In connection with Mr.. Pollock,
I recall his priest, who was the