Samuel Oppenheim Papers
Item
Country
US
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
Contact information: phone number
001 212 294 8301
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
RCMiller@cjh.org (archive and library services)
Inquiries@cjh.org (research inquiries)
Inquiries@cjh.org (research inquiries)
Reference number
P-255
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state)
Samuel Oppenheim Papers
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Samuel Oppenheim
Date(s)
1614/1938
Language(s)
eng
dut
fra
por
yid
Extent
31 boxes and 1 oversize folder
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
This collection documents the research undertaken by Samuel Oppenheim (1857-1928) on Jewish history in the Americas in the 17th–19th centuries, mainly focusing on those who lived in what would become the city of New York. The collection contains transcripts, photocopies, court records, correspondence, essays, and notebooks.
Records are organised into ten series according to types of documents, subjects and geographical areas. Each series contains relevant documentation for the history of the Sephardim in North America and the Caribbean.
Series I: Individuals: Comprises information about nearly 1,100 Jewish settlers in Dutch and English colonies in the New York area. It includes transcriptions of original documents from various collections, including newspaper accounts, court records, registries and ledgers. This series served as an index for Oppenheim’s research, as all known Jews on a particular document were given an individual folder. Most folders include notes on numerous cross-references to other folders with mentions of a particular individual.
Series II: Groups of Jews: this series includes the same type of records as series I, but it is organised by subjects, namely locations, document types, events, institutions, and various topics.
Series III: Congregation Shearith Israel (New York): It includes transcripts of the early records of the Congregation Shearith Israel (1654-1834), including documents related to the cemetery, expenditures, administration and governing, kashrut and ritual slaughter, the Sedaka fund and marriage records.
Series IV: Correspondence of Aaron Lopez (1731-1782): This series is composed of typewritten copies of the correspondence of Aaron Lopez from originals found at the Newport Historical Society.
Series V: Newspaper Advertisements: It includes typewritten copies of newspaper advertisements relating to the Jewish community between 1735 and 1799.
Series VI: Dutch West India Company: This series comprises photocopies, transcripts and translations of documents relating to the Jewish communities in Amsterdam and Dutch Caribbean colonies. This material was given to Samuel Oppenheim by the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam. The series is divided into four sub-series based on the geographical focus of the documents: 1) General; 2) Brazil, mainly containing records on the plight of Jews living in Dutch Brazil after the reconquest by the Portuguese; 3) New Netherlands and 4) Suriname.
Series VII: Early Court Records of New York City, 1653-1760: It comprises original documents from the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century of the New York City Mayor’s Court.
Series VIII: Writings, undated, 1905-1926 contains copies of Oppenheim’s writings and speeches. The titles of the folders are those of the articles and speeches they contain.
Series IX: Correspondence: Oppenheim’s research correspondence between 1905 and 1927.
Series X: Shorthand Notebooks: This series comprises notebooks written in Pitman shorthand (a system of shorthand for the English language developed by Isaac Pitman) by Oppenheim on material found elsewhere in the collection.
Records are organised into ten series according to types of documents, subjects and geographical areas. Each series contains relevant documentation for the history of the Sephardim in North America and the Caribbean.
Series I: Individuals: Comprises information about nearly 1,100 Jewish settlers in Dutch and English colonies in the New York area. It includes transcriptions of original documents from various collections, including newspaper accounts, court records, registries and ledgers. This series served as an index for Oppenheim’s research, as all known Jews on a particular document were given an individual folder. Most folders include notes on numerous cross-references to other folders with mentions of a particular individual.
Series II: Groups of Jews: this series includes the same type of records as series I, but it is organised by subjects, namely locations, document types, events, institutions, and various topics.
Series III: Congregation Shearith Israel (New York): It includes transcripts of the early records of the Congregation Shearith Israel (1654-1834), including documents related to the cemetery, expenditures, administration and governing, kashrut and ritual slaughter, the Sedaka fund and marriage records.
Series IV: Correspondence of Aaron Lopez (1731-1782): This series is composed of typewritten copies of the correspondence of Aaron Lopez from originals found at the Newport Historical Society.
Series V: Newspaper Advertisements: It includes typewritten copies of newspaper advertisements relating to the Jewish community between 1735 and 1799.
Series VI: Dutch West India Company: This series comprises photocopies, transcripts and translations of documents relating to the Jewish communities in Amsterdam and Dutch Caribbean colonies. This material was given to Samuel Oppenheim by the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam. The series is divided into four sub-series based on the geographical focus of the documents: 1) General; 2) Brazil, mainly containing records on the plight of Jews living in Dutch Brazil after the reconquest by the Portuguese; 3) New Netherlands and 4) Suriname.
Series VII: Early Court Records of New York City, 1653-1760: It comprises original documents from the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century of the New York City Mayor’s Court.
Series VIII: Writings, undated, 1905-1926 contains copies of Oppenheim’s writings and speeches. The titles of the folders are those of the articles and speeches they contain.
Series IX: Correspondence: Oppenheim’s research correspondence between 1905 and 1927.
Series X: Shorthand Notebooks: This series comprises notebooks written in Pitman shorthand (a system of shorthand for the English language developed by Isaac Pitman) by Oppenheim on material found elsewhere in the collection.
Archival history
This collection is composed of records donated to the American Jewish Historical Society by the family of Samuel Oppenheim.
Administrative / Biographical history
Samuel Oppenheim was an American lawyer and historian. He was born to Isaac and Melia Oppenheim in New York City on December 2, 1859. Educated at the College of the City of New York and Columbia Law School, he was admitted to the New York Bar in 1885. As a lawyer, he worked with noted attorneys Simon Sterne and Oscar S. Straus. Oppenheim served as secretary of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors from 1889-1891; and assistant general counsel from 1896-1901 for the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company. He also served as secretary of the Central Park Involvement Company from 1887-1901 and the recording secretary of the American Jewish Historical Society from 1914 to 1927. Other affiliations included the New York State Historical Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the London Shorthand Society, and the Judaeans, a Jewish community organisation in New York.
In addition to his legal work, he is perhaps best known for his efforts to understand better the history of Jews in the Americas, particularly those living in the colonial period. His research was not limited to those in the British colonies but also encompassed those living in the Dutch colonies in modern-day Brazil, New York, and Suriname. Much of Oppenheim's writings can be found in the Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society.
He passed away on August 11, 1928, being survived by his siblings and their children.
In addition to his legal work, he is perhaps best known for his efforts to understand better the history of Jews in the Americas, particularly those living in the colonial period. His research was not limited to those in the British colonies but also encompassed those living in the Dutch colonies in modern-day Brazil, New York, and Suriname. Much of Oppenheim's writings can be found in the Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society.
He passed away on August 11, 1928, being survived by his siblings and their children.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The collection is arranged into ten series. Most series have their records arranged alphabetically by individuals (I, IV and VI), subjects (II and III) or titles (VIII and X). Documents of series V and IX are ordered chronologically. Series VI is divided into four subseries, whose records are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Access, restrictions
The collection is open to all researchers except for items that may be restricted due to their fragility or privacy. A digital copy of box 12, folder 3 is available online:
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of originals
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2022
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| American Jewish Historical Society (Center for Jewish History) | Collections (official language of the state) |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Court of Probates Record of Wills and Probates | Existence and location of copies | |
| Special Collections | Existence and location of copies | |
| Mayor’s Court Records | Existence and location of copies |