VIRGINIA.

In Virginia, Hezekiah Levy is the earliest Jewish name appearing in a list of Masons in that State. He was a member of Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, of which George Washington was a member. The lodge was organized in 1752 and became dormant in 1771. Levy's name appears in a list of about 250 members between those dates. The time of his admission is not given. [194]

Joseph Myers, or Joseph M. Myers, noted herein under Maryland, shortly afterwards removed to Richmond, where he settled in business. He there conferred the degrees of the Scottish Rite upon Masons whom he deemed worthy. [195]

Abraham Forst, already referred to under Pennsylvania, and to be referred to under South Carolina, was Deputy Inspector General of Masonry for Virginia, but the records do not disclose what he did in that State with reference to the Scottish Rite, the introduction of which he was to further.

The printed Virginia records here are fuller as to the Jewish members in the early Masonic lodges than those of other States, though further information could no doubt be obtained in Richmond.

Nearly all of those who we know were members of the Beth Shalome Congregation of Richmond in 1791 were Masons, as will be seen on comparison with the list below. [196]

The following is a list arranged in alphabetical order of Jewish Masons who are known to have been members of Virginia lodges between 1785 and 1810, with the names of the lodges to which they belonged, and dates between which they are noted in the printed proceedings as members. [197]

• Charles Z. Abrahams, Jerusalem Chapter, No. 54, Richmond, in 1810, Past Master, at Grand Lodge meeting in 1819, and was Grand Master of the 3d Veil of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in 1820, according to Dove's Text Book for 1853.
• Lewis Barnett, Winchester Hiram Lodge, No. 21, Winchester, in 1808.
• Simon Z. Block, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, from 1805 to 1808.
• William Block, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1804 to 1805.
• Isaac Burres, Marshall Lodge, No. 39, Lynchburg, 1800; Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1802 and 1803.
• Abraham N. Cardozo, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1797 to 1800; Manchester Lodge, No. 14, Manchester, Chesterfield Co., 1800 to 1805.
• Israel I. Cohen, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1793 to 1800; St. John's Lodge, No. 30, Richmond, 1800.
• Jacob I. Cohen, at Grand Lodge in 1792; Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, in 1795; Georgetown Lodge, No. 46, in 1798; Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1798 to 1805.
• Myer M. Cohen, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1794 to 1799. Master, October 1795 to June 1796. At Grand Lodge meetings. Death reported in 1799.
• Joseph Darmstadt, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1787 to 1810. Grand Treasurer of Grand Lodge, 1794 to 1807. In 1792 and 1793 Deputy Grand Master pro tern,.
• Isaac Delion, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1800 to 1805.
• Lyon Elcan, noted as withdrawn from Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, in 1797.
• Marcus Elcan [Elkan or Elkin], Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1787 to 1797, when he withdrew; was at Grand Lodge meeting in 1785.
• Gersham Galutha, Petersburg Lodge, No. 15, Petersburg, 1803.
• Michael Garber, Sen. (?), Staunton Lodge, No. 13, Staunton, 1800 to 1805.
• Michael Garber, Jun. (?), Staunton Lodge, No. 13, Staunton, 1800 to 1805.
• David Greiner (?), Staunton Lodge, No. 13, Staunton, 1802.
• Isaac Hays, Staunton Lodge, No. 13, Staunton, 1803. Death reported in 1805.
• Joseph Hays, Abingdon Lodge, No. 48, Abingdon, 1800.
• Isaac Henry, Naphtali Lodge, No. 56, Norfolk, 1800 to 1802; Salem Lodge, No. 81, Salem, Fauquier Co., 1807.
• David Isaacs, Door to Virtue Lodge, No. 44, Charlottesville, 1794 to 1806.
• Joseph Israel, Naphtali Lodge, No. 56, Norfolk, 1800 to 1802.
• Benjamin Jacobs, Norfolk Lodge, No. 1, Norfolk, 1802.
• Solomon Jacobs, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1798 to 1827. Master, 1804 to 1807. Grand Master of Grand Lodge, 1810 to 1813.
• Lazarus Joseph, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1805.
• Isaac H. Judah, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1794 to 1805.
• Marcus Levi, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1810.
• A. S. Levy, visitor at Grand Lodge, from Stanvasdegoed Lodge, Surinam, 1810.
• Jacob Lyon, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1808 to 1809.
• Hyman Marks, at Grand Lodge as visitor from Lodge No. 19, of Pennsylvania, Dec. 11, 1804.
• Mordecai Marks, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1809 to 1810.
• Solomon Marks, Jr., Naphtali Lodge, No. 56, Norfolk, 1804. Solomon Marx, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1795.
• Isaac Miller, Door to Virtue Lodge, No. 44, Charlottesville, 1799 to 1800.
• Isaac Mordecai, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1792 to 1799; Scottsville Lodge, No. 20, 1799.
• Mordecai M. Mordecai, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1792 to 1797; Frederick Argyle Lodge, No. 10, 1797. Grand Treasurer, pro tern., 1792.
• Joseph A. Myers, Richmond Lodge, No. 10r Richmond, 1787 to 1799; Jerusalem Lodge, No. 54, Richmond, 1800 to 1805; Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1802 to 1827. Master of Lodge No. 19, in 1819.
• Michael Myers, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1802 to 1805.
• Philip Myers, Fredericksburg American Lodge, Fredericksburg, 1805.
• Samuel Myers, Honorary Member of Charleston, S. C., Lodge of Perfection, in 1802; Jerusalem Lodge, No. 54, Richmond, 1805. Death reported in 1805.
• Joseph Ober, Norfolk Lodge, No. 1, Norfolk, 1802.
• Solomon Raphael, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, Richmond, 1800 to 1810. Frequent attendant at Grand Lodge meetings.
• David Rattsay, Manchester Lodge, No. 14, Manchester, Chesterfield Co., 1810.
• Zalma Rehine, Richmond Lodge, No. 10, 1798 to 1799; reported as having removed from that lodge in 1799, and in 1806 as present at Grand Lodge meeting as representative of that lodge.
• Isaac Salle, Manchester Lodge, No. 14, Manchester, Chesterfield Co., 1800 to 1803.
• Joseph Samuel, Norfolk Lodge, No. 1, Norfolk, 1800 to 1802.
• Benjamin Seixas, Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, 1805 to
• Isaac B. Seixas and Isaac V. Seixas, visitors at Grand Lodge, from New York, 1809 and 1810.
• Benjamin Wolfe, St. John's Lodge, No. 30, Richmond, 1792; Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, 1795; reported removed from Lodge No. 19, in 1799; Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Richmond, 1800; suspension from Grand Lodge of Maryland notified to Grand Lodge of Virginia, 1800; Naphtali Lodge, No. 56, Norfolk, 1800; Jerusalem Lodge, No. 54, Richmond, 1802.
• Jacob Wolfe, Lodge No. 37, 1808.
• Lewis Wolfe, Lodge No. 21, 1808.

Of Richmond Lodge, No. 10, Edmund Randolph, Governor of Virginia, and also John Marshall, who later was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, were members. Each was a Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia.

Alexander Yuille was a member of Richmond Lodge, No. 10, in 1789, and was Grand Deacon in 1792. His name is suggested as possibly Jewish. He appears as one of the members of the Amicable Society of Richmond in 1789, the name being then spelled Youille. [198]

William Urie appears as Grand Tiler in 1788. [199]

David May, in 1788, was authorized to constitute Washington Lodge, No. 26, to continue for one year. James Barnet was to be one of its members. [200]

Zachariah Vowles (?) was at a Grand Lodge meeting in 1798. [201]

Myer Pollax had his application for membership rejected in 1807. [201a] He may be identical with Myer Pollack, of Newport, mentioned by Mr. Kohler [202] and by George A. Kohut. [203]

Isaac Henry, mentioned as of Naphtali Lodge, of Norfolk, 1800 to 1802, is named in a list of addressees of letters remaining unclaimed at the Washington post-office on July 1, 1804, the letter for him being addressed in care of Isaac Polock. [204]

Marcus Elcan, whose name in the proceedings is also spelled Elkan and Elkin, appears as the earliest member in the above list of Virginia Masons, being noted as attending a Grand Lodge meeting in 1785. He was an active attendant at many of the meetings. He was a member of the Philadelphia Congregation in 1782. [205] He was dead in 1816, in which year it was said of him that he had been for many years President of the Richmond Congregation Beth Shalome. [206] Whether he was President in 1790 when Washington was addressed by the various Jewish congregations does not appear, but as he ceased being noted as present at lodge meetings after 1797 we may, in the absence of the congregation's records, infer that he was President in 1790.

Joseph Darmstadt is next in order of early Jewish Masons in Virginia. His name is first mentioned in 1786. Its spelling in the records varies at different meetings, appearing as Darmsdat, Darmsdadt, Darmsdaat, Darmsdatt, Darmstat, Darmstatt, Darmstaat, Darmstadt, and Darmstaadt. It is signed at two meetings in 1792, as Deputy Grand Master pro tem., Darmsdaat and Darmstaadt, and in 1795, as Chairman of a committee, Darmsdatt. Before 1795 he filled temporarily in the Grand Lodge the offices of Grand Sword Bearer, Junior Grand Deacon, Senior Grand Warden, and Deputy Grand Master. From 1794 to 1807 he was Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge. In 1804 he was the subject of a reprimand by the Grand Lodge for aspersing the character of some of the members of Richmond Lodge, No. 10, who had a controversy with him regarding the amount claimed by him from that lodge, the lodge being at the same time ordered to pay him a balance found to be due to him according to the report of a committee of investigation. He continued to hold the office of Grand Treasurer for three years longer, retiring at his own request in December, 1807. [207]

He is noted as one of the visiting brethren at the organization of Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, in December, 1787, and as having advanced that lodge and Richmond Lodge, No. 10, in 1788, the sum of £247 to prevent a sale of the lodge building on a claim for the balance due for its construction. That building, erected in 1785, is still in existence, and is claimed to be the oldest Masonic edifice in America. A question of title to the property arose in 1792, and in a suit in chancery a decree was entered requiring the execution of a deed to trustees for both lodges, and among those named as such trustees were Joseph "Darmsdat" and Jacob L. Cohen. The Jacob L. Cohen there mentioned may be the Jacob I. Cohen herein noted as a prominent Mason connected with Richmond Lodge, No. 10. [208]

Darmstadt was a member of the Beth Shalome Congregation of Richmond in 1791. [209]

He is noted [210] as a member of the Amicable Society of Richmond in 1789. Its object was to relieve strangers and wayfarers in distress for whom the law made no provision. His name also appears, printed as J. Darmsdale, [211] among the signers of a petition to the president and directors of the Bank of the United States for the establishment of a branch bank in Richmond.

Israel J. Cohen was another signer of this petition. His name also appears as one of the subscribers for the shares of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of the United States of America, established at Richmond in 1786. [212] The firm of Cohen & Isaacs also appears as subscribers, as also Benjamin Lewis and Barnet Price. Cohen is said to have come to Richmond after the Revolution, and to have died in 1803. [213]

Jacob I. Cohen, an elder brother, who appears to have been an active attendant at lodge meetings, was first at Lancaster, Pa., and Charleston, S. C, before coming to Richmond. He took part in the Revolution, serving under Moultrie and Lincoln. After being honorably discharged he settled at Richmond, where he became a successful merchant and afterwards a banker, rendering important services to the young Republic. Frequent references to him are to be found in the Madison papers. He was a magistrate and member of the City Council of Richmond, [214] and was also Recorder of that city. [214a]

Myer M. Cohen has been mentioned under Pennsylvania as an active member of the Sublime Lodge of Perfection, and as a member of the Philadelphia Congregation Mikve Israel in 1782. He was a Senior Warden of Richmond Randolph Lodge in 1795, and on the death of the Master succeeded him. He held the office of Master from October 6, 1795, to June 26, 1796. He died in 1799. [215] He is mentioned by Rev. George A. Kohut in connection with a Prayer Book presented by him to Isaac H. Judah, at Richmond, in September, 1797. [216]

Isaac H. Judah was a frequent attendant at Grand Lodge meetings. He was Reader in the Beth Shalome Congregation. [217]

Isaac B. Seixas was Reader in the same congregation, after Judah's death. [217a] He appears to have been still in Richmond when Isaac Leeser arrived there in 1824. [218]

Zalma Rehine was Grand Master pro tem, of the 4th Veil of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Virginia in 1808. [219] He was a storekeeper and the uncle of Isaac Leeser. [220] He was still a resident of Richmond in 1824, [221] and apparently as late as 1829. [222] Rehine was later a resident of Baltimore.

Mordecai M. Mordecai is mentioned by Morais [223] as a Minister, and also by Dr. S. Morais [224] as a member of the Philadelphia Congregation Mikve Israel in 1782, and as writing a letter of appeal to the Jews of Surinam for funds to aid in building the synagogue. In 1792 he is noted at Grand Lodge meetings as Junior Grand Deacon pro tern, and Grand Treasurer pro tem.

Solomon Jacobs was a very active member of the Grand Lodge and held various offices in it. In 1810 he was elected Grand Master, and was again elected in 1811 and 1812, serving until 1813. A fine steel engraving of him as Grand Master in 1813 appears in the printed Grand Lodge proceedings. [225]

He was Master of Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, from 1804 to 1807, and was one of the members attending at the reception to Lafayette at Richmond on his visit to that city on October 30,1824. Lafayette was then made honorary member of the lodge. [226]

Jacobs was President of the Beth Shalome Congregation of Richmond. [227]

Solomon Raphael, Mordecai Marks, and Joseph A. Myers were active members and frequent attendants at Grand Lodge meetings. Their names occur in connection with the great fire in Richmond in 1811. Joseph A. Myers was one of a committee appointed to ascertain the names of the dead and missing, and among those reported by that committee were Solomon Raphael's wife Charlotte and Mordecai Marks' wife Cyprian, and also Joseph Jacobs and Barach Judah's child. [228]

Mordecai Marks was probably the "Marks, Recorder of Virginia," mentioned in the English publication already referred to. [229]

Joseph A. Myers also was an active member of Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19. His name is noted in 1787 as one from whom a petition was received by that lodge shortly after its organization. Presumably he was then a member of Richmond Lodge, No. 10, which he is noted as representing at Grand Lodge meetings. He was Master of Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, from June to September, 1819. With Solomon Jacobs and others he was one of the attendants at the reception to Lafayette in 1824. He died September 29, 1827. His son, Joseph Albert Myers, was Master of the Lodge from 1830 to 1832, and died in 1834. [230] Joseph A. Myers is mentioned as a member of the Philadelphia Congregation Mikve Israel in 1782, [231] though his name does not appear in the list of members of the Richmond Congregation in 1791. He was probably related to the Joseph M. Myers noted as a member of the Sublime Lodge of Perfection of Philadelphia in 1781.

David Isaacs, of Door to Virtue Lodge, No. 44, Charlottesville, was the son of Isaiah Isaacs who died in Charlottesville in 1806, leaving six children, Francis, Isaiah, Henrietta, David, Martha, and Hays. They, for the most part, removed to Richmond. David remained in Charlottesville, and was one of its merchants in the decade of 1820 and died in 1837. [232]

Isaiah Isaacs has just been mentioned twice, once as father and once as brother of David. The father was probably the member of the Beth Shalome Congregation of Richmond who in 1791 sold part of his land in that city to the congregation for cemetery purposes. [233] He is probably identical with the Isaiah Isaacs mentioned as among those who fought in the Revolution. [234]

David Isaacs is also mentioned as a member of the Richmond Congregation Beth Shalome in 1791. [235]

Joseph Israel, of Naphtali Lodge, No. 56, Norfolk, may have been a descendant of Michael Israel who patented 80 acres of land in North Garden, near Stockton's Thoroughfare, Albemarle County, in 1757, and who bought, in 1772, 300 acres in Medium's River, in the same section, which he sold in 1779. [236] The name of the pass known as Stockton's Thoroughfare was changed to Israel's Gap. Michael Israel belonged to the Albemarle Company of Militia in actual service for the protection of the frontier against the Indians in 1758. [237]

Benjamin Wolfe was an active member of the Order. The first record of him is in 1792. [238] The Grand Lodge then, on Wolfe's appeal, sustained the Master of Richmond Lodge, No. 10, in revoking a dispensation to initiate Wolfe after his rejection by the votes of two brethren who were alleged to have acted from private pique, it having been represented to the Master that Wolfe was an exceptionable character and would be obnoxious to his fellow members. Wolfe, however, seems after this to have been a member of Richmond Lodge, No. 10, being noted as a visitor from it to the Grand Lodge in 1795, and as a member of it in 1800. He also appears to have been a member of other lodges in 1802 and 1803. He was a member of the Common Council of Richmond in 1816. [239] Wolfe has been mentioned as a member of a Baltimore lodge in 1787.

Hyman Isaac Long is mentioned in the Grand Lodge proceedings for 1795 in connection with a petition stating his deplorable condition. An appropriation of sixty dollars was made for him. He has been mentioned as having presented a similar petition to the New York Grand Lodge. He was one of the Deputy Inspectors General for Jamaica, and had been appointed by Moses Cohen, who had been appointed by B. M. Spitzer. He will be referred to again under South Carolina.

Benjamin Seixas, noted as of Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, was a son of Moses Seixas, of Newport, [240] and not the Benjamin Seixas mentioned as Treasurer in 1782 of the Philadelphia Congregation Mikve Israel, [241] and already noted under Pennsylvania. [242]

Samuel Myers has been referred to in treating of Pennsylvania as present at a meeting of the Sublime Lodge of Perfection in Philadelphia in 1781, as Deputy Inspector of Masonry for the Leeward Islands, and as of the Philadelphia congregation in 1782. In 1802 he is described as a native of New York, but a merchant of Virginia. [243] He married Judith Hays, a daughter of Moses M. Hays, of Boston, on September 27, 1796, being at that time of Petersburg, Va. [244]

Samuel Myers is probably the one mentioned in a facsimile reprint of the first New York City Directory, for 1786, published by David Franks, in which, specially prepared for the reprint, are compiled from the newspapers of the day, " Annals of City for 1786." Under date of January 7, the following reference to him occurs:

"The partnership of Isaac Moses, Samuel Myers, and Moses Myers under the firm name of Isaac Moses & Co., late of Phil, and now of New York is dissolved. Likewise the co-partnership of Samuel Myers, Moses Myers, and Isaac Myers under the firm name of Samuel & Moses Myers, formerly of St. Eustatia and late of Amsterdam."

This indicates why Samuel Myers, in 1781, appears as Deputy Inspector of Masonry for the Leeward Islands. [245]

David Kattsay, mentioned as of Manchester Lodge, may have been related to Ratse Seixas, who was a member of the Beth Elohim Congregation of Charleston, S. C, in 1803. [246]

Hyman Marks must have been a well-known resident of Richmond, as he is mentioned as such in a petition, not dated, of Israelites to the Common Council of that city. [247] An engraving of Marks is in the possession of the American Jewish Historical Society. [248] He is there spoken of as a merchant of Richmond, and as having afterwards moved to Philadelphia. He died in Philadelphia November 6, 1825. [248a] He has been mentioned as a visitor at the Grand Lodge from [Montgomery] Lodge No. 19 of Philadelphia.

Comparing the names of the Masons of Virginia herein given with the names of the Israelites mentioned in the undated petition to the Common Council just referred to, it will be seen that the date of the petition was probably between 1830 and 1835, as those mentioned therein are stated to have been then already dead. Solomon Jacobs, one of those named, died in 1827, and Zalma Rehine, another of those named, was alive in Richmond as late as 1830. The Rev. Mr. Cohen, also named in that petition, was Abraham H. Cohen referred to as Grand Scribe of the Grand Royal Holy Arch of Pennsylvania. He had been a Reader in the Philadelphia Congregation Mikve Israel, and is spoken of by Isaac Leeser as late Reader of the Richmond congregation in 1829. [249]