Tikun Sophrim. Bereishith [Genesis]. Volume I only.

Born in Oberdorf, Bavaria in 1744, Jacob I. Cohen was the first of his family to immigrate to America in1773, breifly settling in Lancaster before moving to Charleston. He fought in the Revolutionary Army and lent money to James Madison. In 1782, he married Esther Mordechai, the convert and widow of Moses Mordechai. Their union was highly controversial; he being of Priestly decent and she being a convert. The members of the Mikveh israel congregation were warned against participating in the prohibited marriage. Although it is not known who performed the ceremony, the Kethubah (Marriage Contract), held in the collections of the JNUL, records three, insted of the usual two witnesses to the marriage; Israel Jacob, Mordechai Sheftall and Chaim Salomon. The additional witness may have been used due to the dubious legality of the union. See: E. Wolf and M. Whiteman, The history of the Jews of Philadelphia from Colonial Times to theAge of Jackson, (Philadelphia, 1957). He settled in Richmond soon after his marriage and was very active in local political and civic affairs. He served as a grand juryman, magistrate, city councilman and city recorder as well as a trustee and master of the Masonic lodge. He was a founder member of the Beth Shalome synagogue and it is possible that he authored the congratulatory letter send by that congregation to George Washinton upon becoming President. He was a merchant and a banker and was involved in land deals in the west. he had business involvment with Daniel Boon. He moved to Philadelphia in 1806 and served as President of the congregation there in 1810-11. He died in 1823 and provided for the emancipation of his slaves in his will. His library was been discribed by Wolf and Whiteman as; “one of the most important early libraries which…has survived.” See: E. Wolf and M. Whiteman, The history of the Jews of Philadelphia from Colonial Times to theAge of Jackson, (Philadelphia, 1957) p.305. The manuscript entires on the rear free endpaper records information about Cohen’s family.