Seixas family

The papers constitute a history of some of the descendants of Isaac Mendes and Rachel Levy Seixas, Portuguese Jews who immigrated to America circa 1734 . Several offspring of Isaac and Rachel Seixas held important roles in early synagogues and colonial Jewish affairs in New York ; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; Newport, Rhode Island ; and Richmond, Virginia . Many were active in the establishment of civic economic institutions, such as the Bank of Rhode Island and the New York Stock Exchange and in philanthropic organizations, such as the Deaf and Dumb Institute in Philadelphia . Some were members of the military during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Moses Mendes Seixas and Gershom Mendes Seixas were involved in events welcoming George Washington as the nation's first President.

The following lists significant members of the Seixas family that appear in these papers. A biography of Abraham I. Abrahams also follows.

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