Rebecca Gratz (1781-1869) was aphilanthropist of Philadelphia, Pa. Her niece, whom she raised, was Miriam GratzMoses Cohen (Mrs. Solomon Cohen) of Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga. The collection includes letters of a close-knit Jewishfamily, including letters, 1837- 1862, from Rebecca Gratz to her niece Miriam GratzMoses Cohen concerning southern Jews, social and cultural events in Philadelphia andCharleston, and family members; letters, 1842- 1853, from Grace Aguilar (d. 1847),British Jewish author, discussing religious beliefs, literature, and personal news,and from her mother, Sarah Aguilar, after Grace's death; letters, 1860-1864, toMiriam from her son, Gratz, in Confederate army camps, at Georgia MilitaryInstitute, and at the University of Virginia about school activities, religion andphilosophy, Jewish-Gentile relations, the sadness of family separations caused bythe war, and other family- and war-related matters; and miscellaneous family papers.Volumes, 1824-1829 and undated, include Miriam's commonplace and poetrybooks.
