Geography: Keokuk

Handwritten minutes book of the B'nai Israel Congregation, Keokuk, Iowa, covering the period 1885-1906. The 206-page ledger includes a 1902 copy of the 1855 deed for the congregation's cemetery on the last page (#384). This book represents the earliest surviving communal records of the Keokuk Jewish community. The book also contains approximately 25 additional documents, including letters related to congregation affairs and bill heads. Keokuk, Iowa, had one of the largest Jewish communities in the Midwest during the 1880s. B'nai Israel Congregation was the first permanent Jewish house of worship in Iowa, founded in 1855, with a permanent synagogue built at 8th and Blondeau streets in 1877.

A business letter written by the Spiesberger Brothers, located at 406 Main Street, Keokuk, Iowa, on August 19, 1889. The letter's recipient and contents are unknown, though the subject may relate to their clothing business. The letter mentions Meyer Spiesberger's role as president of Keokuk's first building for a synagogue.

This collection comprises ten items: nine letters and one billhead, pertaining to the B'nai Israel Congregation and various businesses in Keokuk, Iowa, dating from 1900 to 1908. The materials include correspondence regarding congregational affairs, as well as business documents such as a bill from the Keokuk Gas and Light company and receipts. The items were found within a handwritten minute book from the B'nai Israel Congregation spanning 1885-1906, suggesting their relation to the broader history of the Keokuk Jewish community. The physical location of these items is varied, and some items are referenced by multiple IDs within the collection.

Advertising envelope from R. Vogel & Bro. wholesale clothing store in Keokuk, Iowa, addressed to B.M. Jacobs in Tucson, Arizona Territory. The envelope features an advertisement for the business located at 66 Main Street, Keokuk, Iowa. The date is estimated to be circa the 1870s, a period when Keokuk had a significant Jewish population.

A one-page letter written in broken English from Jacob May(s) to Isaac Leeser on April 11, 1864, in Keokuk, Iowa. The letter discusses a prayer book order and mentions a congregational meeting. Some Hebrew is included. The name of the congregation is partially illegible.