RECORDS OF THE MYERS, HAYS, AND MORDECAI FAMILIES FROM 1707 TO 1913
No Place [Washington D.C]: Published for the Family [Press of Byron S. Adams], 1913? Item #43514
No Date (1913?). Original Tooled Green Cloth with Gilt, 8vo, 57 pages 24 cm.
Records of these intermarried early Colonial American Jewish Families and their lives in Richmond, Boston, Newport, Wilmington NC, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Petersburg VA, & Washington DC.
One especially prominent member was Moses Michael Hays, “the most prominent 18th-century Jewish citizen in Boston, MA. He was born in New York City in 1739 to Dutch immigrants Judah Hays and Rebecca Michaels. Moses Michael worked for his father in his shipping and retail business. When Judah died in 1764, Moses Michael inherited the largest share of his father’s assets including his business. Hays continued a legacy of commitment to Congregation Shearith Israel in New York, serving as second parnas [vice-president] in 1766 and parnas in 1767.
Hays married Rachel Myers in 1766, younger sister of famed New York silversmith Myer Myers” (Touro Synagogue Foundation)
From the Foreword:
"Until the tracing of Ancestors came into fashion, with the Societies of Colonial Dames, and Daughters of the American Revolution, very scant attention was paid to the subject in this country. Some family letters, a few documents, and my own recollections of talks with the older members of the family, have furnished the data for the following pages.
The letters of my Mother, Mrs. Eliza Kennon Myers, née Mordecai, are especially admirable, and selections from them may be appended to this volume, as well as some from other members of the family, that will contribute a more vital interest to the narrative.
At this date there remain of the families of Myers, Hays, and Mordecai, including the writer, only five persons professing the Jewish faith; and as within a few years these five will have passed away, and with them, all understanding of the family conditions in the four preceding generations, it is well that this chronicle should be preserved."
OCLC Locates an “Internet resource” as OCLC: 4285712, though some copies appear to be hard copies. Of these hard copies, however, New York Public Library notes that their copy is “Typewritten….Copied from printed copy now in library of American Jewish Historical Society."
We noted that this is also the case with the HUC Copy, (“Reproduction: Print reproduction”) as well as with the Brandeis copy, the digital copy most readily available. For whatever reason, the actual original printed first edition, printed for the family by the Adams Press in Washington and present here, appears to be relatively scarce.
Bit of corner and edgewear, slight lean, mild toning as expected. About Very Good- Condition.
An attractive copy of this scarce early American Jewish family history. (AMR-59-3-EB-’d).
Price: $1,300.00