USA > South Carolina > Charleston County > Charleston > The Jews of South Carolina; a survey of the records at present existing in Charleston > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02317 2874
JEWS 0
IN
SOUTH CAROLINA
By
Barnett Abraham Elzas
FOUR VOLUME: IN ONE
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/jewsofsouthcarol00elza 0
JOSEPH SALVADOR
Jewish merchant prince who came to South Carolina
by Barnett Abraham Elzas
Charleston, South Carolina The Daggett Printing Co. 1903
1695594
JOSEPH SALVADOR.
JEWISH MERCHANT PRICE WHO CANIE TO SOUTH CAROLINA,
de Raised a Million Poundy for the British Government at Two Hours Notice and was Held in High Et teem in England-English Histo- Tiana Know Nothing or Jin Later Career, which is Fully Revealed In the Recorde Were-He Came to this Siate. "there he Omund Acres of Land, and After a Basi- Died IN
of the Patriot Francis Salvador.
(B) Dr Barnett A. Elzas, Rabo! of N. 3. Beth Klonimo.
Before proceeduz with my rarmathe I would again like to explain ro my readers that I and at the present time merely printing a portion of my notes. These notes rutadry as ther do tuto thousands of dong pages, had become so unway by reason of their bulk, that I thought it well to put at least a part of them into shape, so that I could handle them to bet- ter advantage in future. My correspond .. ence, too, in many quarters, has been quite extensive. but much information that I expect to obtain is not yet in my possession. Till now I have deait almost. exclusivaly with the records existing m Ecuth Carolina. There is not mueb ma- terial outside of this State but i hope toat Cadore writing my story in detall I stati hasa tad access to several recordis ht family Bibles, which are of historical mu- serest nnl which are in the possession of people who no longer live here. These records will help to fill in the datalls of family history when be special interest. Though that absence will not be of any
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fore when the sufferings of poor humanity were to be relieved. He was president of the Congregation, and one of the most efficient members of the original Commit- tee of Portuguese Deputies. Notwith- standing the extensive financial and mer- cantile transactions in which he was en- gaged, he devoted a portion of his time to the improvement of the condition of the needy. He not only gave largely to all existing institutions, but was ever seek- ing new plans for conquering the hydra- headed evil of pauperism. Now he would help to establish a new society like that intended to assist Jewith young men in earning their Hrelihood hy hard work. and which. unfortunately, was unsuccess- ful. At another time he would be found asking permission of the Wardens to en- ter into a speculation on behalf of some Reserving families in humble circum- stances. He was always a liberal doroi to the necessitous. Joseph Jessurun Rod- tigues was a partner in the well-known house of Francis and Joseph Salvador which, after the death of Sampson Gideon, repeatedly negotiated loans for the British Government. We cannot tell at precisely What period the name of Salvador was Erst adopted, but certainly it must be in . e early part of the last century, though it does not occur in the Synagogue regis- ters until about 1760.
"Personally, Joseph Salvador, to style him by the most familiar designation, was popular, and enjoyed considerable repute aumsong Jew and Gentile; albeit, when he appeared in a theatre on one occasion after the passing of the Naturalization Bill in 1753. he and his party were booted, and were constrained to withdraw, to the' utter disgrace of the civilized and Chris- tian audience. The principal part of his career was accompanied by unbounded prosperity. He had vastly increased the
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wealth he had inherited, and he was the Orst Jew who had been appointed Direc- tor of the East India Company. He con- structed a handsome house in White Hart Court, Bishopgate street, which bore until recent times, if it does not still bear, his name, and in the N. E. corner of one of the cellars may yet be seen the founda- tion-stone, with an inscription laid upon it by his daughter, Judith Salvador, He also was the owner of a country residence, with an extensive park, at Tooting.
"Joseph Salvador was less fortunate in his latter days. Misfortunes began to be- fall him. He lost heavily in consequence of the earthquake at Lisbon, he holding much property in various shapes in that city, though this did not appear to affect him much. It was the failure of the Dutch East India Company that brought ruin on him, and that proved almost a calamity to many of the rich Portuguese Jews of England and of Holland. This disaster was a great blow to those com- munities, from which they found it diffi- cult to recover. As for Joseph Salvador, he never raised his head again. All his available property in Europe little by lit- tle disappeared; and his last days were spent in obscurity. The family were still possessed of some tracts of land in Amer- ica, which were in charge of a steward. A nephew of Joseph Salvador, Francis, de- termined to undertake a voyage to the new continent. It is said that Mrs Joshua Mendes Da Costa, a daughter of Joseph Salvador, gave up a part of her marriage settlement to furnish funds for the ex- pedition. Francis started to retrieve the family fortunes. In due course letters came advising bis safe arrival to the new continent, and announcing bis intention of seeking his property. He never wrote again. A long silence ensued. and then it was reported that the unhappy Salvador
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had been murdered and scalped by In- dians!
"It is related that in 182 an American arrived in Amsterdam and waited upon Birs Texeira de Mottos, Salvador's eldest daughter, and offered her $10,000 to sign a deed giving up all claim on the American property. The lady declined the transac- tion. In 1812 the stranger once more re- turned and repeated his offer. He al- leged that he was the grandson of Salva- dor's former steward; that the land in Mr Salvador's time had been a tract of bar- ren forests and utterly valuless; that now it was covered with villages and towns and that he himself had a good holding title thereto. Finally he added that, dur- ing the War of Independence, British sub- jects had forfeited all their rights to prop- erty in the United States, and that she could advance no claim whatever to the land. Under these circumstances Mrs Texeira De Mattos, who was 80 years of age at that time, and who had not the slightest idea as to the State or part of the Union in which the demesne was sit- uated, accepted the sum rendered and signed the required assignment, which thus conferred a valid selling title on the descendant of the steward. The last male representative of the family of Salvador or Jessurun Rodrigues was a member of Lloyd's, and is believed to have died about 1830. In this manner terminated that an- tient and honorable lineage." ("Sketches of Anglo-Jewish History," pp 101-1.)
Let us now look at our Charleston .rec- ords and see what they have to tell us. They will enable us to separate the facts from traditions which, while containing an element of truth, are largely erroneous.
First &s to the date at which the name of Salvador was first adopted. The Charleston College is the fortunate pos- sessor of a most interesting document, the
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original "grant of arms" from the Herald's College, London, to Francis Sa !- vador, the grandfather of the Revolution. ary patriot. This document has been copied by Mr A. S. Sailey, Jr. and was printed in the South Carolina Historica: Magazine for January, 100%. In his applica- tion for this grant of arms in 1714 Francis Salvador states that he is a son of Joseph Salvador, late of Amsterdam, and that he was made a citizen of England, (as Fran- cis Salvador,; in 1719. It is worthy of note. however, that in the records of the old Bevis Marks Synagogue, London, which have been printed in the "Memorial Vol- ume written to celebrate the 20th anni- versary of the inauguration of the An- tient Synagogue of the Spanish and Por- tuguese Jews" ("not published-for pre- sentation only.") and a copy of which was generously presented to me by the Haham and the Mahamad of that Congregation. the names of Jessurun Rodrigues, Jacob Jessurun Rodrigues and Joseph Jessurun Rodrigues occur in the lists of members between 1760 and 1704. It would thus seem that the name of Salvador had already been adopted by the family in Amster- dam-possibly even in Portugal in their commercial transactions, while they still retained the original name of Rodrigues or Jessurun Rodrigues in the Synagogue. It is not unreasonable to surmise that Sal- vador was the Marrano name of the fam- ily. And now for the records.
We have seen that when misfortune overtook Joseph Salvador he was still possessed of land in South Carolina, in- deed, he was a very extensive land-owner, for he owned no less than 100,000 acres. The history of this land is very interest- ing.
In the Mesne Conveyance Records, Vol F 3. p 123, we have the deed of Joseph Sal- vador's purchase of this land recorded. Ic
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is dated November 21, 1755. John Hamil- ton, lare of the Parish of St George, Han- over Square, in the County of Middlesex, but now of Charles Town, in the Province of South Carolina, in consideration of €2,000 sterling, money of Great Britain. sells to Joseph Salvador, of Lime street, merchant, 100.000 acres of land situated at Ninety Six, in the Province of South Car- dlina. We hear nothing further of this land till 1769, when, as we have seen, Jo- seph Salvador gives Richard Andrews Rapley, then on his departure into for- eign parts, his power of attorney to look after his interests in South Carolina and to sell some 45,000 acres. (F 1, p 240.) The records show that Rapley succeeded in disporing of a good portion of this land.
The first transaction on record occurs after the arrival of Francis Salvador in South Carolina. In Vol O #, p 12, we have a mortgage recorded (1 erroneously re- ferred to this as a simple conveyance in my last article) from Joseph Salvador per Rapley to Francis Salvador, of 5,150 acres of land at Ninety Six. It is dated May 31, 1774, though the transaction was concluded before Francis Salvador left England, in October, 1773. On October 29, 1773, Joseph Salvador per Rapley sells to Abraham Prado, Francis Salvador's step-father, 1,062 acres for a consideration of £2,124, lawful currency of South Carolina. (F 4. 191.) On the same date he sells to Abra- ham Prado, 1,638 acres more. (F 4, 200.) On May 16, 1774. he sells to Francis Sal- vador 921 acres. (M 4, 286,) On May 24, 1774, he sells. 1,480 acres to Mathew Ed- wards. 101 4, 208.) On June 20, 1774, he sells to Andrew Williamson 1,795 acres. (M 4, 362.) On February 23. 175, we have seen that Joseph Salvador conveys to Rebecca Mendes Da Costa 20,000 acres of land, to satisty a judgment which she had obtained against him. (T 4, 1.) On March
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31, 1775, he sells to John Lesley 450 acres. (Z 4, 286.) On December 8, 1mm, he sells to Nicholas Eveleigh 3,022 acres. (Y 4, 236.) On April 13, 1178, he sells to Benjamin Mitchell 300 acres. (Z 4, 252.) On April 29, 1778, he sells 1,480 acres to Nicholas Eve- leigh. (Y 4, 28.) Also another tract of 0,900 acres, (Y 4, 241,) and a third tract of 1,048 acres. (Y 4, 243.) On October 6, 1779, he sells to John McCord 500 acres. (K 5, 57.) On November 3, 1779, he sells 1,013 acres to Thomas Sanders. (N 5, 201.) The last recorded deed is dated April 21, 1782, when Joseph Salvador. "having occasion for the sum of 21,000, mortgages his plan- tation, "Cornacre," of 5,10) acres, to Wii- liam Stephens, of Lime street, London, Packer." (N 5, SI. )
In 1783 Joseph Salvador was still in Lon- don. All his transactions till now have been made per Richard Andrews Rapley, his attorney. He had been living on the money he obtained from the sale of his lands in South Carolina-comparatively little in truth-but it is pleasant to know that he must have had enough to live on comfortably. As we have seen he had till now disposed of about half of his prop- erty. He was still possessed of some 50,0) acres of land.
In 1784, when Joseph Salvador was St years of age, he came to South Carolina. On April 3, 1754, there is a deed recorded in Charleston of Joseph Salvador, "now of Ninety Six District," revoking his former letters of attorney to Richard Andrews Rapley. (KX 5, 135.) It is surely pathetic to think of a man at his time of life com- ing to a new world to seek the wreckage of his former fortune. He did not remain long, however, at Ninety Six, for on Au- gust 9, 1785, we find & power of astorney recorded from Willlam Stephens co Joseph Salvador. "now of Charles Town." (S 5, 143.>
Of his life and doings in Charleston we know nothing, for the records are silent. We should Indeed like to have known something of how he spent the last months of his life. Let us hope that he spent them happily. He did not live long after his arrival here. Ju the Charleston Morning Post and Daily Advertiser of Saturday, December 30, 1756, there is the following notice of his death:
' Yesterday died, JOSEPH SALVA- DORE, Esq; aged 96 years. He was form- erly a most eminent merchant in England. being one of those who furnished that Government with a million of money in two hours' notice, during the rebellion in the year 1743; and likewise was one of the greatest landholders in this country.' '
Joseph Salvador is buried in the old Da Costa burial ground at Hanover street. He rests next to his friend, Isaac Da Cos- ta. Here is all that is left of the inscrip- tion on his tombstone, the dashes showing where the edges of the slab are broken: -cred to the memory o- Isurune Rodrigues other- -oseph Salvadore of Coron- Fort 96 in the Province of Carolina and late of Tooting in the Kingdom of Grate B- he was one of the Elders- of the Portugeuse Jewish- He likewise was F. R. S .- Governer of several Hos- He was a respectable- bearing misfortunes with -- & resignation to the will of- Almighty God trusting in h -- Departed this transitory lif -- Eve of Sabath S of-
5547 which answers-
of December 1786- May his soul enj-
Thus died this "representative of gen- erosity, kindliness and courtliness," az Pic-
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ciotto calls him. His will made on Octo- ber 7, 1782, whilst he is still in London, is recorded here in the Probate Court ( Wills 1756-1793.) He bequeathes all his real es- tate in Great Britain or elsewhere, to- gether with his plantations, etc, in South Carolina, to his daughters, Abigail Salva- dor, Elisebah Salvador, Sosannah, other- wise Susannah Salvador and William Stephens, of London, packer. In addition he gives £1,000) to each of the above named daughters. He leaves #160 in trust to Wii- liam Stephens to be paid to such person or persons as his daughter, Judith Mendes Da Costa Salvador, wife of Mr Joshua Mendes Da Costa, shall appoint by note or writing. or in default of such direction, to herself for her own and separate use. He also leaves to her an annuity of do a year. He leaves to Sarah Salvador, widow of Francis Salvador, Esq. £10 and £100 to William Stephens. To his grandson, Ja- cob Salvador. he leaves £100, when he be- comes 1. and to his granddaughters, who may be living at the time of his decease, £200. He leaves £100 to the Portuguese Jews' Synagogue of the city of London. The residuary estate is to go to hiz daughters ..
In a codicil made at Charleston on No- vember 11, 1786, he adds "his worthy friend Joseph Da Costa" to the list of his execu- tors." He leaves to him in trust $100 ster- ling "to pay the same to the Portuguese Congregation in the City of Charleston. known by the name of Beth Elohim Un- veh Shallom, or the House of the Lord and Mansion of Peace," and to Mr Ger- shon Cohen 220 sterling for the German Jewish Congregation in the City of Charleston, known by the name of Beth Elohim, or House of the Lord, I believe that there is a mistake here and I shall refer to it again in my next article. To
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his clerk, Michael Hart, he leaves £100 sterling.
There is another codici! added on De- cember 27, 1786. Joseph Salvador is on his death bed, He cannot sign his name any more, but makes his mark. It reads as follows: "Fifty pounds more to Mr Michael Hart, my clerk; twenty-five pounds to Mrs Jane Davis; twenty pounds to Mr Charles Brown and a hundred pound to Mrs Sary Da Costa, widow."
The subsequent history of the Salvador estate, is somewhat uncertain. Picciotto's story of the American's visit to . Mrs Texeira De Matros is probably apocryphal. It is strange that Joseph Salvador does not mention her in his will. The story is highly improbable for reasons that are self-evident. We know, however, that there was considerable litigation in after years about those lands, which have al- wayy been known as "the Jews' lands." It is impossible to ascertain the details to- day. for the records of Abbeville County, in which Ninety Sixty was formerly sit- uated, were burnt many years ago. The late Judge McGowan had a good deal to say on the subject in an article which, I believe, he printed in The News and Cou- rier, but I have not the reference at hand.
Thus ends the singular story of the chequered career of a noble philanthropist. We are proud to perpetuate his memory and proud to think that his ashes now mingle with those of our own beloved dead.
[Reprinted from The News and Courier.]
THE DAGGETT PAT3 CO CHASN. S. C.
THE JEWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA
RECORD OF FIRST NATURALIZA- TION IN THE PROVINCE.
De Elzas Makes Some Interesting Discoveries in the State House in Columbia-The Text of the Art of 1097 wier the Making Mieux Free *** and for Granting Liberty of Conscience to all Protestants."
[Rapmioted from the News and Courier.]
At the request of The News and Courier to take a trip to Commuta and have a look." I pais a dying trip to the State Capital this week in search of more rec- crds of the past.
Early on Monday morning I wended my way to the Secretary of State's office, where the treasures are to be found in richest profusion. I found my friend, Gantt. at his post and he at once placed himself at iny disposal. It was but a few minutes before i felt that I ogned the
Stare House. As my time was Limited I soon had all hands at work.
An ordinary official would have put me down as a very exacting visitor. Not so the genial Gantt. however, who is him- self quite an enthusiast on historical mat- ters. He knows exactly what he has and where to find it, and his amiable assist- ance to me luring my short stay will be ever remembered.
I must out my story short this time, but will say that I did not find what I was looking for -- and I now understand why- but I found something else of the utmost value in determining a number of hither- to doubtful points with reference to the early story of the Jews of South Onfelina. I shall next week publish these documents in fuli.
I found numerous small items of inter- est. Two land grants to Moses Lindo, e. g., of which there are no records in Charles- ton. I found mention of a Jewish phy- sinian in Charleston in 1772, and various miscellaneous matters that I have added to my note book.
There was one document that I was very pleased to discover, particularly be- cause one would least expect to find it where it is. It occurs in the volume: "Grants, Sales etc," D. 1703-1709. It is the first record of the naturalization of a Jew in South Carolina and is dated 1697. It is made out In the name of Simon Fal- entine. We have met this Simon Valen- tine before. My readers will remember him as one of the Jews whom we found in Charleston prior to 1700. He was a merchant, evidently of means, and figures in numerous transactions in the records. We found him several times as surety on administration bonds. The document is exceedingly interesting and I copy it in
CAROLINA
The Rt Honble Joseph Blake Esqr, one of the true and absolute Lds, and Pro- prietors of the Province of Carolina, Com- mandr in Chief vice Admiral and Gover- nor of South Carolina:
To all Judges Justices Magistrates ministors and officers Ecclesiastical and Civil and to all psons whatsoever to whome this shall come to be seen, heard, read or known
GREETEING
KNOW Yee that . Simon Valentine Mercht; an allen of ye Jewish Nation borne out of the Crown of England hath taken his oath of Allegiance to our Sov- ereigne Lord William ye Third over Eng- land Scotland France and Ireland King &c Defender of ye faith and hath done every other thing wch by an act of as-
sembly made at: Charles Town in ve ninth Yeare of ye Reigne of our Sovereign Lord King Willm, &c, Anno Dom: One Thousd Six hundred ninety Six and Seven enti- tled an Act to make alien free of this pte of the Province and for granting Liberty of Conscience to all Protestants as one is requirei to do And is fully and effectu- ally to all Intents Constructions and Purposes Quatined and Capacitated to have use and Enjoy all the rights Privi- leges Powers and Immunities Given or Intended to bee given to any Alien then Inhabitant of South Carolina by the aforest Act to Certifie wch I have here- unto Sett my hand and Caused the Pub- lick Seale to be affixed at Charles Town the Twenty Sixth day of May Anno Dom. one Thousd six hundred ninety and seaven JOSEPH BLAKE.
There is a very interesting thing to be noticed in connection with the Act under which Simon Valentine is naturalized. The original Act is not now in existence, but a copy of it is to be found in Trott's "Laws of Carolina," p. 61. I copy the parts of interest to our inquiry.
An Act for the Making Aliens Free of this Part of this Province, and for Granting Liberty of Conscience to all Protes- tants.
WHEREAS Prosecution for Religion hath forced some Aliens, and trade and the fertility of this Colony has encouraged others to resort to this Colony, all which have given good testimony of their hum- ble duty and loyalty to his Majesty and the Crown of England, and of their fideli- ty to the true and absolute Lords and Proprietors of this Province, and of their obedience to their Laws, and their good affections to the inhabitants thereof, and by their industry, diligence and trade have very much enriched and advanced this Colony and Settlement thereor.
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BE IT ENACTED * * * That all Aliens, male and female, of what nation soever, which now are inhabitants of South Carolina, their wives and children, shall have, use and enjor all the rights, privileges, powers and immunities what- soever, which any person may, can. might, could, or of right ought to have, use and enjoy; and they shall be from henceforth adjudged. reputed and taken to be in every condition, respect and de- gree, as free to all intents, purposes and constructions, as if they had been and were born of English parents within this Province.
VI. AND WHEREAS several the present inhabitants of this country, did transport themselves into this Province, in hopes of enjoying the liberty of their consciences according to their own per- swasion, which the Royal King Charles the Second, of blessed memory, in his gracious charter was pleased to impower the Lords Proprietors of this Province to . grant to the inhabitants of this Province for to encourage the settlement of the same, BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the authority aforesaid, That all Chris- tians which now are, or hereafter may be in this Province (Papists only excepted) shall enjoy the full, free and undisturbed liberty of their consciences, so as to be in the exercise of their worship according to the professed rules of their religion, without any lett, molestation or hindrance by any power either ecclesiastical or civil whatsoever. ALWAYS PROVIDED, That they do not disturb the publick peace oi this Province, nor disturb any other in the time of their worship.
Read three times and ratified in open Assembly, March 10, 1696-7.
The interesting fact in connection with this Act is, that 63 names are mentioned therein and amongst them are 3 Jews: Simon Vallentine, merchant; Jacob Men- dis, merchant. and Avila, merchant. An- other name -- , marchant, is obliterated in the original.
(See also Statutes of South Carolina, Vol I, pp. 131-133.)
South Carolina may well be proud of this record of her early tolerance. It is unique in the history of the British Colo- nies. Barnett A. Elzas.
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OLD JEWISH CEMETERIES.
WHERE THE EARLY SETTLERS IN- TERRED THEIR DEAD.
Dr Barneit A. Elzas Investigates a Traditional Jewish Burial Ground on Archdale Street, nat Finds More Hibernians than Hebrews - The Story of a Long-Forgotten Come- tery on Hanover Street.
One of the most notable traits in the character of the Jew, is his almost sub- ifme devotion to his dead. This tender feeling for mus departed loved ones has al- ways existed and the Jerv is significantly taught in his sacred writings that the highest form of "loving-kindness" -- the ideal, indeed. of loving-kindness, is that shown to the dead; for, as the rabbis well point out, it is a manifestation of unselfish love, inasmuch as it can seek no return. No matter where the Jew is scattered and dispersed, his first care is to acquire & burying place for his dead. Hence it is that we often find a Jewish cemetery be- fore an organized synagogue or congrega- tion exists. As a general rule. wherever a handful of Jews are found there will also be found a synagogue for worship, a school for the education of the young, and a burial-ground for the lead.
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