Jonas Phillips

Jonas Phillips (1736–1803), was the first of the Phillips family to settle in America. A founder of Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia, Phillips was the father of twenty-two children and the grandfather of Uriah Phillips Levy, the first Jewish Commodore in the United States Navy.

Childhood and emigration

Phillips was born in 1736 in Germany. The place of his birth has been given as either Busick or Frankfort-on-the-Main; he was the son of Aaron Phillips. He emigrated to America from London in November 1756, and at first resided in Charleston, S.C., where he was employed by Moses Lindo. He then moved to Albany, and then to New York, where he worked in the mercantile field.

By 1760, Phillips had joined a lodge of Freemasons in New York.

In 1762 he married Rebecca Mendez Machado (see Machado). In 1769 he became a freeman of New York.

The American Revolution

At the outbreak of the American Revolution Phillips favored the patriot cause; and he was an ardent supporter of the Non-Importation Agreement in 1770. In 1776 he used his influence in the New York congregation to close the doors of the synagogue and remove rather than continue under the British. The edifice was abandoned; and, with the majority of the congregation, Phillips removed to Philadelphia, where he continued in business until 1778. In that year he joined the Revolutionary army, serving in the Philadelphia Militia under Colonel Bradford.

Jewish activities

When Congregation Mikveh Israel was established in Philadelphia, Phillips was one of its active founders, and was its president at the consecration of its synagogue in 1782. After the Revolution he moved to New York, but soon returned to Philadelphia, where he continued to reside until his death.

Death and burial

Phillips died at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 29, 1803; his remains, however, were interred at New York in the cemetery, on New Bowery, of Congregation Shearith Israel. His widow survived until 1831.

References

*JewishEncyclopedia [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=273&letter=P&search=Rachel%20Phillips Jewish Encyclopedia article on the Phillips family]
* Leepson, Marc, Saving "Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House that Jeffeson Built", University of Virgnia Press, 2003. [http://www.marcleepson.com] ]

ee also

*Jonas Phillips Levy