Skip to content

Subject: Jewish Americans -- 19th century

No additional authority information available for Jewish Americans -- 19th century.


Cabinet Photograph of David Levy YuleeCabinet Photograph of David Levy Yulee

Cabinet photograph of David Levy Yulee, an American politician from Florida and the first Jewish member of the United States Senate. The photograph is undated, but likely dates from circa 1860 based on his appearance and life events. The photograph is part of the Ms. Coll. 1410 collection.

Letter from L. M. Ritterband to Isaac Leeser, December 13, 1857Letter from L. M. Ritterband to Isaac Leeser, December 13, 1857

A four-page letter from Mrs. L. M. Ritterband of New York City to Isaac Leeser, dated December 13, 1857. Ritterband discusses her son, a skilled stone carver, who faces discrimination due to his Jewish faith, and appeals to Leeser to highlight her son's plight in his editorial work for the *Occident*. The letter also addresses themes of Jewish identity and the importance of trades for Jewish youth.

Letter from S. Redelsheimer to L. Mayer Requesting Credit for Cousin, December 20, 1849Letter from S. Redelsheimer to L. Mayer Requesting Credit for Cousin, December 20, 1849

A one-page letter dated December 20, 1849, from S. (Sigmund) Redelsheimer of Fort Wayne, Indiana, to L. Mayer, a Jewish wholesaler at 215 1/2 Market Street, Philadelphia. Redelsheimer requests Mayer to extend credit of up to $100 (equivalent to $3,528.52 in 2021) to his cousin, L. Redelsheimer, for merchandise. He assures Mayer that he will be responsible for the debt. If Mayer lacks the necessary goods, Redelsheimer asks him to guide his cousin to a suitable supplier. The letter highlights the close business relationships within the Jewish community in early America and suggests that L. Redelsheimer likely operated a small peddling business. Biographical information on Sigmund Redelsheimer, a prominent figure in the Fort Wayne Jewish community, is included in the archival description.