The Jews and Masonry in the United States Before 1810

The Jewish role in the formation and leadership of Scottish Rite Masonry
-- by: Samuel Oppenheim, 1910-02, source: American Jewish Historical Quarterly, Vol 19
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10.  Conclusion

A consideration of what has been said herein shows the probability of Jews having been the first to introduce Masonry into the Colonies, and that the period of their greatest activity as Masons in the early history of the Republic was between 1780 and 1810. The Jews described in this paper were men of parts and character, and distinguished in the early American annals of their people. Their connection with the Order was no doubt of benefit to their co-religionists, as it was to themselves, and brought them into relations with many not of their race, prominent in the official and civil life of the country, who were also members of the fraternity. Nearly all were members of the Hebrew congregations in the cities where they resided.

Though it is not maintained that because they were Masons they arranged during 1790 for the addresses of their various congregations to Washington, yet the facts presented herein may very well be considered in support of a theory that their connection with the Order made them feel doubly desirous to join in the welcome to the head of the nation, who like themselves was a Mason. The singular fact stands out that in Newport the Jewish Master of the Masonic Lodge delivered, on behalf of his lodge, the first Masonic address to Washington as President, at the same time that he delivered his address on behalf of his congregation, and that many members of the Hebrew congregations in New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Charleston, and Savannah which likewise addressed Washington were also Masons. Many of the Jewish Masons of whom an account has been given were also soldiers in the Revolution and probably met Washington and exchanged Masonic greetings with him. Some of them, as shown, were aides-de-camp on his staff. Many of them held public office.

The number of Jews here in our early history was comparatively small. Aside from the reference to them in Rhode Island in the seventeenth century, we saw in the foregoing pages, taken from printed accounts which other sources will undoubtedly amplify, that they were already connected with the Order soon after its revival here about 1727, and before the Revolution. Among these, we found the well-known names of Daniel and Moses Nunes in 1733-1734, and David Nunes and Abraham Sarzedas in 1757, in Georgia; Isaac Da Costa in 1753, in South Carolina; Jonas Phillips and Aaron Hart in 1760, Moses M. Hays in 1768, and Myer Myers and Isaac Moses in 1769, in New York; Moses Isaacs and Isaac Isaacs in 1760, David Lopez in 1762, Jacob Isaacs and Moses Lopez in 1763, and Isaac Elizer in 1765, in Rhode Island; Solomon Pinto and Ralph Isaacs in 1762, and Benjamin Isaacs in 1765, in Connecticut; Isaac Solomon in 1762 and Abraham Franks in 1772, in Pennsylvania; Daniel Barnett in 1765 and Jacob Hart in 1773, in Maryland; and Hezekiah Levy, before 1771, in Virginia.

After the Revolution we saw the names become more numerous. A few of the prominent among these, in addition to all those still to be mentioned, were Solomon Etting, Isaac Franks, Michael Gratz, Jacob Henry, Benjamin Nones, the Sheftalls, Haym Salomon, Joseph Darmstadt, Marcus Elcan, Hyman Marks, Jacob Mordecai, Joshua Moses, John Moss, Levy Nathan and Benjamin Wolfe. Among Grand Masters we found Moses M. Hays, in Massachusetts, 1788-1792; Moses Seixas, in Rhode Island, 1802-1809; and Solomon Jacobs, in Virginia, 1810-1813. A number were Grand Treasurers and held other prominent positions in the Grand Lodge. Many were Masters or held some office in the lodge.

In the early history of the Scottish Rite branch of the Order in Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia we saw them as the leading and apparently controlling figures, among these being Moses M. Hays, Moses Seixas, Isaac Da Costa, Solomon Bush, Abraham Forst, Samuel Myers, Joseph M. Myers, Barnard M. Spitzer, Simon Nathan, Benjamin Seixas, Hyman Isaac Long, Abraham Jacobs, Emanuel DeLaMotta, Israel Delieben, Jacob de Leon, Moses C. Levy, Sampson Simson, Joel Hart, Mordecai Myers, and Moses Levi Maduro Peixotto.