Geography: Maryland

An envelope with advertising for Nitsch & Kuhn, located at 42 S. Eutaw Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The envelope dates from circa 1885 and features printed advertising. The envelope suggests commercial activity in Baltimore during that period.

An advertising envelope from the Levytype Co., designers and photo engravers, located at 96 W. 5th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. The envelope is dated November 23, 1884, and features a visually appealing design on the cover.

A letter written in 1860 from Jose Joaquin Perez to Joshua I. Cohen of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The letter mentions Perez's upcoming visit to William Hart of Quebec and contains references to Baltimore and the Jewish community.

Printed broadside letter to the creditors of the bankrupt Bank of Louisiana, dated May 28, 1870. The letter lists numerous creditors, many Jewish individuals and organizations, including the Shiff family, Hebrew Congregation Shangari, and the Israelites Charitable Association. The amounts owed vary, with the Shiff family's debt significantly larger than others.

Shipping record detailing the shipment of brandy to Samuel Etting in Baltimore, Maryland, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 15, 1883. The record notes Etting's connection to the War of 1812 and his presidency of Congregation Beth Israel in Baltimore.

Shipping manifest dated May 29, 1793, detailing the shipment of goods from Moses Myers in Norfolk, Virginia, to Thomas Robinson in Havre de Grace, Maryland. The manifest lists 23 enslaved people as cargo.

Broadside memorial submitted to the Maryland General Assembly in 1823, requesting the confirmation of legislation granting equal rights to Jews. The document, approximately 8" x 10", is undated but the context suggests it relates to the 1823-1824 legislative session concerning the 'Jew Bill'. The broadside lacks signatures, leaving the authorship uncertain. The text asks that the 'Jew Bill' be confirmed, referring to legislation aimed at removing religious restrictions for Jewish individuals holding political or civil office in Maryland.

A two-page letter written by Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to David Judah in Baltimore, Maryland on May 9, 1830. The letter discusses Leeser's dissatisfaction with his congregants in Philadelphia, his financial difficulties, and his relationship with Judah.

Printed broadside letter dated May 17, 1825, transmitting the Constitution of the Reformed Society of Israelites. The letter was sent from Jacob Cohen in Baltimore, Maryland to Charleston, South Carolina. It includes the printed signatures of Isaac Harby, D.M. Carvalho, Abraham Moise, E.P. Cohen, and Isaac N. Cardozo, as the Corresponding Committee. This is considered an important document in the early history of Reform Judaism in America.

A two-and-a-half-page letter written by Isaac Leeser to his uncle, Zalma Rehine, on January 5, 1836. From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Leeser vividly describes his duties as Hazan at Mikveh Israel. The letter was sent to Rehine in care of Judah Block in Baltimore, Maryland.

Three-page letter dated December 24, 1838, from Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to his uncle, Zalma Rehine in Baltimore, Maryland. Leeser details his contractual difficulties with his congregation, outlining his complaints and considering resignation. He expresses his distress and discusses the political dynamics within the congregation. The letter also reveals Leeser's personal struggles and his reliance on his uncle's judgment in deciding his future. A second item in this record is an 1886 advertisement for the American Cigar Company, Richmond, Virginia. The advertisement features a caricature and appears to be related to Philip Whitlock.

A letter written by Zalma Rehine in Baltimore, Maryland to his nephew Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 7, 1835. Rehine discusses family matters, including David's (possibly Judah's) rheumatic pain and his upcoming vacation with his wife at Berkeley Springs, near Warrenton, Virginia.

Two-page broadside documenting a petition supporting, and the subsequent legislative act for, the partial repeal of Maryland's Sunday Blue Laws in 1867. The petition, from unnamed citizens, expresses support for a January 1866 draft bill. The second page reproduces the motion passed by the Maryland General Assembly.

Printed broadside issued by a Baltimore Citizens' Committee, chaired by Mayor General Samuel Smith, on or about December 23, 1835. The broadside appeals for aid for New York City following the Great Fire of 1835, detailing the committee's efforts to offer relief and suggesting Congressional action to alleviate the economic consequences of the disaster. The document is accompanied by two manuscript letters (described below) addressed to U.S. Congressman Gideon Lee, providing firsthand accounts of the fire's devastation and suggesting federal intervention. The letters express the scale of the destruction, the financial ruin of insurance companies, and the need for national support.

A one-page letter written by José Silvestre Rebello in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Professor Joshua Cohen in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 12, 1838. Rebello requests that two barrels of sugar be given to a Mr. Nathan in Washington, D.C., for the benefit of Josephine Cohn (Cohen), an orphan under Nathan's wife's care. Rebello explains that he would send more but is financially constrained by the current government.

Billhead from Otto Sutro's music store in Baltimore, Maryland, dated August 2, 1875. The billhead features a vignette of a piano. Accompanying the billhead are a letter and an envelope.

A one-page business letter written by Samson Levy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Jonathan Meredith in Baltimore, Maryland on October 17, 1808. The letter is unstamped.

A one-page letter written by Jacob Green, Professor of Chemistry at Jefferson Medical College, to Dr. J.J. Cohen on April 4, 1837. From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Green discusses returning fossils to Cohen that were used in a paper presented at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia on January 24, 1837. He also mentions sending a copy of his speech later.

A one-page stampless letter dated December 11, 1838, from Dr. Jacob Green in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Dr. J. J. Cohen in Baltimore, Maryland. Green, Professor of Chemistry at Jefferson Medical College, thanks Cohen for sending fossils he examined.

This pamphlet is an 1894 reprint of an article from the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) detailing the family history of David Mendez Machado. Authored by N. Taylor Phillips, the pamphlet provides genealogical information and biographical details about Machado and his family, tracing their lineage and contributions to American Jewish life. The reprint was likely undertaken to disseminate this historical account to a wider audience.

Six-page manuscript outlining the case against Michael Myers for counterfeiting Bank of Hagerstown (Maryland) notes. The document, docketed "Guilty," is dated September 7, 1840, and the court was Adams County, Pennsylvania.

Handwritten letter dated April 23, 1886, from Dr. A. S. Bettelheim in San Francisco, California, to Solomon Preiss, Secretary of the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland. Bettelheim accepts the offered position of Rabbi, expressing a wish for a five-year contract. The letter reflects his anticipation of the future temple's construction and his dedication to the congregation's well-being.

A commercial letter dated October 9, 1845, from William Wilson & Sons in Baltimore, Maryland, to Hendricks & Bros. in New York, New York. The letter discusses a copper order. The letter is a stampless folded letter postmarked 10/9/1845 with a 5-cent rate from Baltimore, MD to New York, NY.

Stampless letter from Edward Johnson Etting in Philadelphia to Reuben B. Valentine in Baltimore, dated April 2, 1829. The letter discusses the iron market, specifically rod and bar iron prices, and the challenges of selling iron. It also includes personal and family greetings. The cover is postmarked "PHIL 2 APR" and addressed to "Mr. Reuben B. Valentine Now at Baltimore."