Collection of Sheftall family papers
Item
Country
US
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
501 Whitaker Street, Savannah, GA 31401 (Research Center)
Contact information: phone number
001 912 651 2128 (Research Center)
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
lgculler@georgiahistory.com (Georgia Historical Society Staff)
Reference number
GHS 1414
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state)
Collection of Sheftall family papers
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Georgia Historical Society
Date(s)
1733/1827
Language(s)
eng
Extent
2 microfilm reels
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This collection consists of two rolls of microfilmed documents pertaining to the Sheftall family. Documents on the microfilm include legal papers, personal letters, and account statements. The first roll includes items in the Keith Read collection at the University of Georgia. The second roll includes family papers from the private collection of Marion Abrahams Levy. The papers on this roll of microfilm are divided into four series. The first contains legal documents, letters and statements of accounts (1758-1794) of the Sheftall (Sheftall, Mordecai, Moses, Francis) family of Savannah, including letters from James Gunn and Abraham Baldwin. Most of the items relate to the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention periods. Item 6 describes the battle for Savannah in 1780. The second series contains letters, legal documents, petitions, and accounts (1733-1810) relating to the Sheftall family of Savannah. Several letters relate to the Continental prisoners of war held at Antigua Island and Charles Town (1799-1781). Several other letters relate to the actions of the U.S. Congress on the petition of Mordecai Sheftall for expenses incurred during the Revolution. Correspondents include Mordecai Sheftall, Sheftall Sheftall, Allen Campbell, and James Jackson. The third series contains a memorial of land, an extract of House of Assembly minutes, letters, a certificate of exchange of prisoners, a receipt, a lottery ticket, a Justice of the Inferior Court commission, and a Savannah Hospital and Poorhouse lottery ticket. The items in the third series are restricted from reproduction and publication. The fourth series contains correspondence, receipts, a bill of sale, the affidavit of David Rose, and a regimental order and certified copy of parole issued to Sheftall Sheftall.
Administrative / Biographical history
Mordecai Sheftall (1735-1797) was an energetic capitalist. Upon his father's death, Benjamin Sheftall, in 1765, Mordecai became the leader of the family and the Jewish community in Savannah, Georgia. During the Revolutionary War, Mordecai demonstrated his unflinching patriotism by suffering privation and financial loss for the American cause. He was instrumental in securing the charter for Congregation Mickve Israel in 1790. Mordecai's father, Benjamin Sheftall, was a Prussian Jew who arrived in Georgia soon after James Oglethorpe founded the town of Savannah. Benjamin and his first wife, Perla, reached Savannah on July 11, 1733.
Mordecai Sheftall was the first of his family to be granted land, acquiring fifty acres in December of 1756. His father and brother Levi She soon followed suit and began purchasing enormous amounts of real estate. By 1758, the family had a mercantile business, saw mill, ranch, and farmland. Mordecai and Levi Sheftall jointly operated the mercantile business, while Levi ran the tan yard and butcher business, and Mordecai ran the saw mill and ranch.
The Sheftall family gained, lost, and recovered financially when the Revolutionary War began. Mordecai, a political activist, put his efforts behind the American cause. Consequently, he and his family suffered financially when the British captured Savannah and Charleston in 1778. Mordecai and his son Sheftall ended up being imprisoned by the British. After their release, they moved to Philadelphia to wait out the war. Mordecai's wife, Frances Sheftall, and their four children fled to Charleston when Savannah fell to the British. Later, they joined Mordecai and Sheftall in Philadelphia.
Upon the end of the Revolutionary War, the Sheftall family returned to Savannah to resume their lives. Mordecai became Georgia's agent for purchasing clothing and helped to rebuild Congregation Mickve Israel.
Mordecai Sheftall was the first of his family to be granted land, acquiring fifty acres in December of 1756. His father and brother Levi She soon followed suit and began purchasing enormous amounts of real estate. By 1758, the family had a mercantile business, saw mill, ranch, and farmland. Mordecai and Levi Sheftall jointly operated the mercantile business, while Levi ran the tan yard and butcher business, and Mordecai ran the saw mill and ranch.
The Sheftall family gained, lost, and recovered financially when the Revolutionary War began. Mordecai, a political activist, put his efforts behind the American cause. Consequently, he and his family suffered financially when the British captured Savannah and Charleston in 1778. Mordecai and his son Sheftall ended up being imprisoned by the British. After their release, they moved to Philadelphia to wait out the war. Mordecai's wife, Frances Sheftall, and their four children fled to Charleston when Savannah fell to the British. Later, they joined Mordecai and Sheftall in Philadelphia.
Upon the end of the Revolutionary War, the Sheftall family returned to Savannah to resume their lives. Mordecai became Georgia's agent for purchasing clothing and helped to rebuild Congregation Mickve Israel.
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Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2023
Bibliography
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Historical Society | Collections (official language of the state) |
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Keith M. Read collection | Existence and location of copies |