Cresson, Warder. The Key of David… Also, Reasons for Becoming a Jew; With a Revision of the Late Lawsuit for Lunacy on That Account.

Born into an old Quaker family, Warder Cresson (1798-1860) a resident of Philadelphia, had been associated with Rabbi Isaac Leeser for several years, Cresson sought to visit the Holy Land and in1844 he received an honorary appointment as American Consul at Jerusalem. Soon after he abandoned his responsibilities and his family to seek spiritual truth in Judaism. When Cresson returned to Philadelphia to settle his affairs, his wife commenced insanity proceedings against him. Cresson published the present collected writings following his appeal to the Philadelphia Court, whose final decision indeed declared him to be quite sane. Thereafter, Cresson returned to Eretz Israel as "Michael Boaz Israel" (see p. 342), was formerly converted by a Beth Din, remarried and lived the rest of his life in Jerusalem following the life-style of a Sephardic Jew. See EJ, Vol. V, cols.1087-88.