[Isaac Moses & Sons]

[SIGNED PROMISSORY NOTE TO ISAAC MOSES & SONS. NEW YORK 1795]

New York, 1795. Item #42478

Single leaf, 4x7 inches. Printed on one side with blanks filled in in manuscript and signature (obscured by cancellation tear-off); “Isaac Moses & Sons” penned on blank side in period hand. Early American Jewish merchants Isaac Moses & Sons operated on Greenwich Street.Isaac Moses (1742-1818) was born in Giessen, Germany but moved to New York in 1764 and in 1766 he became a “freeman” of New York City. He became a prominent businessman and American patriot. He worked in his uncle's (Hayman Levy's) mercantile firm until he established Isaac Moses & Company with two new business partners in 1775. This firm supported the revolutionary army by accepting $20,000 in Continental paper dollars in exchange for $20,000 in hard currency, thereby financing the war effort. The firm also traded for military supplies internationally and sold guns and ammunition to the army. When the British occupied New York, Isaac Moses left for Philadelphia and ran the firm from there. In 1783 he returned to New York City and continued his commercial enterprises. He was generally financially successful, establishing Isaac Moses & Sons, an international trading company. He was also a founder and major stockholder in the Bank of New York,  a Mason in New York City's Union Lodge, and an important member of the New York City Chamber of Commerce. Isaac Moses was also president of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York, the oldest Synagogue in American and the only Jewish congregation in New York City until 1820. He was also one of the principle organizers of the Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia. His descendants were prominent Jewish businessmen in New York who traveled internationally, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War (AJHS & Wikipedia). For more on Isaac Moses, see the JTA’s report on the donation of his portrait by John Wesley Jarvis to the Museum of the City of New York in 1934 (https://www.jta.org/archive/painting-of-isaac-moses-patriot-of-revolution- given-to-museum). Portraits of Moses can be viewed online at https://loebjewishportraits.com/portrait/isaac-moses/ and https://loebjewishportraits.com/portrait/isaac-moses-2/. An indenture signed by his heirs after his death in 1818 sold for $3500 (plus commissions) at auction in 2019 (https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2019/fine-manuscripts-prin ted-americana-n10002/lot.2180.html). Promiser’s signature torn of as cancellation (as often found), otherwise Very Good Condition (AMR-67-39).

Price: $625.00