Jonas Phillips

Jonas Phillips

Jonas Phillips (1736–1803), was the first of the Phillips family to settle in America. A founder of Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia, Phillips was the father of twenty-two children and the grandfather of Uriah Phillips Levy, the first Jewish Commodore in the United States Navy.

Childhood and emigration

Phillips was born in 1736 in Germany. The place of his birth has been given as either Busick or Frankfort-on-the-Main; he was the son of Aaron Phillips. He emigrated to America from London in November 1756, and at first resided in Charleston, S.C., where he was employed by Moses Lindo. He then moved to Albany, and then to New York, where he worked in the mercantile field.

By 1760, Phillips had joined a lodge of Freemasons in New York.

In 1762 he married Rebecca Mendez Machado (see Machado). In 1769 he became a freeman of New York.

The American Revolution

At the outbreak of the American Revolution Phillips favored the patriot cause; and he was an ardent supporter of the Non-Importation Agreement in 1770. In 1776 he used his influence in the New York congregation to close the doors of the synagogue and remove rather than continue under the British. The edifice was abandoned; and, with the majority of the congregation, Phillips removed to Philadelphia, where he continued in business until 1778. In that year he joined the Revolutionary army, serving in the Philadelphia Militia under Colonel Bradford.

Jewish activities

When Congregation Mikveh Israel was established in Philadelphia, Phillips was one of its active founders, and was its president at the consecration of its synagogue in 1782. After the Revolution he moved to New York, but soon returned to Philadelphia, where he continued to reside until his death.

Death and burial

Phillips died at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 29, 1803; his remains, however, were interred at New York in the cemetery, on New Bowery, of Congregation Shearith Israel. His widow survived until 1831.

References

*JewishEncyclopedia [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=273&letter=P&search=Rachel%20Phillips Jewish Encyclopedia article on the Phillips family]
* Leepson, Marc, Saving "Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House that Jeffeson Built", University of Virgnia Press, 2003. [http://www.marcleepson.com] ]

ee also

*Jonas Phillips Levy


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jonas Phillips Levy — (1807 ndash;1883) was the younger brother of Uriah Phillips Levy, the first Jewish commodore in the United States Navy. He was the son of Michael Levy and Rachel Phillips; he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died in New York. Jonas, a… …   Wikipedia

  • LEVY, JONAS PHILLIPS — (1807–1883), U.S. naval officer and communal leader. Levy, the brother of uriah phillips levy and the father of jefferson monroe levy , was born in Philadelphia. He took up a career in the U.S. Navy, reaching the rank of commander. Unlike his… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • PHILLIPS — (originally Pheibush), early American family. The Phillips family was founded in America by JONAS PHILLIPS (1736–1803), born in Buseck in the Rhineland, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1756 as an indentured servant of Moses lindo ,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • PHILLIPS, REBECCA MACHADO — (1746–1831), pioneering American communal leader. Phillips was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, the eldest of two daughters of María Caetena (Zipporah), and Rev. David Mendes Machado, refugees of the Portuguese Inquisition who had returned to open… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Jonas P. Phoenix — Jonas Phillips Phoenix (January 14, 1788 May 4, 1859) was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Morristown, New Jersey, Phoenix received a limited schooling.He became a merchant in New York City. Alderman of the first ward in 1840, 1842,… …   Wikipedia

  • Jonas Zdanys — is a bilingual poet, the leading translator of modern Lithuanian fiction and poetry into the English language. [ www.efn.org/ valdas/zdanys.html ] [www.rasytojai.lt/writers.en.php?sritis=rasytojai id=463 jaunieji=0 ] [www.llvs.lt/?members=99 lang …   Wikipedia

  • Jonas Brothers — This article is about the band. For the band s self titled album, see Jonas Brothers (album). Jonas Brothers …   Wikipedia

  • Jonas Brothers — Un wikipedista está trabajando actualmente en este artículo o sección. Es posible que a causa de ello haya lagunas de contenido o deficiencias de formato. Si quieres, puedes ayudar y editar, pero por favor: antes de realizar correcciones mayores… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Uriah Phillips Levy — (22 avril 1792–26 mars 1862) est le premier américain d origine juive à être nommé commodore de l United States Navy. Vétéran de la guerre anglo américaine de 1812 il est aussi connu pour sa p …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nick Jonas — in February 2009 Back …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”