Breman Museum

the jewish genealogical society of georgia

february '06 newsletter

Volunteers needed for NYC Bride Index Database

Academic Institute for Jewish Genealogy Opens in Jerusalem

Press Release of a book by Gary Palgon!

Leidesdorf Book Series Chronicles Historical Contributions to Mankind

Family legacy includes creation of the State of California, world-class businesses, and philanthropic deeds crossing all boundaries of race and religion

Atlanta, GA, October 25, 2005 : Everyday people pass Leidesdorff Street in San Francisco and Leidesdorf Way in New York City not knowing that the people for whom the streets are named are part of a legacy of goodwill, which is prevalent throughout their family’s history. Since the 1600s, the Leidesdorf family has constantly exemplified traits of respect for freedom, risk-taking, entrepreneurship, and true care for the fellow man.

William Alexander Leidesdorff, born October 23rd, 1810, assisted in establishing the Bear Flag Republic, declaring California under American occupation. He was the Treasurer of San Francisco when he donated land to create the first public school in the State. Samuel David Leidesdorf, born in 1881, earned his success through his own accounting firm, S. D. Leidesdorf & Co., but was renowned for his ability to raise money for philanthropic causes including the United Negro College Fund, the Red Cross, the United Jewish Appeal, the Young Women’s Christian Association and the New York University Medical Center. These are two examples of Leidesdorf family members who made their contributions to society and left their legacies to the world.

In his new book, entitled “William Alexander Leidesdorff: First Black Millionaire, American Consul and California Pioneer,” author Gary Palgon recounts the many accomplishments of the little-known man who became the first Black millionaire when gold was found on his property just prior to his death in 1848. With flags at half-mast, his burial in the historic Mission Delores was a tribute to his efforts in settling the state, holding the office of Treasurer of San Francisco, launching the first steam-powered schooner on San Francisco Bay, and holding the first horse race in the state, among other firsts.

In Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 131, then-California Assemblyman Dave Cox referred to Leidesdorff as “a prominent civic leader and pioneer in the successful quest for California to become the 31 st state in the United States. He was elected Treasurer of the City of San Francisco, owned the largest home in the city, constructed the first City Hotel, built the first commercial shipping warehouse, and donated the land to build the first public school in California.”

"As the original source material in Gary Palgon's biography makes clear, many of William Leidesdorff's most notable accomplishments relate to his participation in the beginnings of business and commerce in California. The achievements of this African-American entrepreneur, diplomat and California pioneer are truly remarkable." commented Martin McGuinn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mellon Financial Corporation.

“William’s life was cut short in 1848 at the age of 38 years when he died of meningitis”, said Mr. Palgon, “and the sad part is that family, friends and the government spent the next fifty-plus years arguing over his estate, which was valued at more than one million dollars at the time.”

William Alexander Leidesdorff: First Black Millionaire, American Consul and California Pioneer is available at www.FamilyTreeExpert.com/Legacy. The author may be contacted at Expert@FamilyTreeExpert.com.

About the Author

Gary Palgon, the Family Tree Expert, was born in Miami, Florida , and has lived in Atlanta , Georgia since 1990 working in the computer industry. In 1981, he began researching his family’s history, tracing over 4,500 relatives back to the 1600s on six continents. His research has taken him throughout the United States , Eastern Europe and the Middle-East, visiting the towns where his ancestors lived. He has published four books about his family history as well as several others pertaining to genealogy.

William Alexander Leidesdorff: First Black Millionaire, American Consul and California Pioneer

By Gary Mitchell Palgon

ISBN: 1-4116-4625-8

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2005900955

Publication Date: October 2005

96 pages; 38 figures; index.

Summer’s Hot Ticket

The hottest ticket for an anticipated 2,000 researchers and experts will be New York City’s 26th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, August 13-18. It is hosted this year by the Jewish Genealogical Society of New York, the first such society founded in 1977.

Online user-friendly conference/hotel registration (Marriott Marquis) and continually updated information and NY 2006 discussion list signup are at www.jgsny2006.org.

• Programming, for beginners through advanced researchers, is in many Jewish genealogy categories. Some confirmed talks include landsmanshaftn societies, HIAS rescue records, Hungarian and Polish-themed programs, Romaniote Greek Jewry and Sephardic talks, the Jewish Catskills, and new resources.
• The keynote speaker is Dr. Allen Weinstein, Ninth Archivist of the United States.
• Speakers include Dr. Stephen Morse (also teaching in the computer lab), genetic DNA pioneer Bennett Greenspan of Family Tree DNA, Miriam Weiner, Stanley Diamond, Yale Reisner, Marian Smith and others including JewishGen staff.
• Panel discussions are set for Eastern/Central European cemetery restoration and Genealogy and Genetics, while a hands-on computer lab will offer computer basics, country specific courses among others.
• Events include SIG lunches and meetings
• A Russian track is expected to attract large numbers of Russian émigrés from Brooklyn and beyond
• Evening activities include a musical program with Zalman Mlotek, Folksbiene Yiddish Theater director and the Banquet on Thursday evening

In addition to the city’s vast array of archives and libraries (see website), area cemetery van service will be available, as will tours to places of Jewish immigrant experience. The website offers details and registration for SIG luncheons, the Gala Banquet, cemetery trips, tours, computer classes and more. Luncheons and banquet will be glatt kosher.

Volunteering at the event is a great way to meet colleagues from around the world. Help is needed in many areas, including registration, hospitality and resource rooms. For frequently updated information and to register on-line, go to www.jgsny2006.org.

Volunteers needed for NYC Bride Index Database

The holidays are over and we need your help.

We are currently working on Manhattan Bride Index, 1866 to 1937. We estimate there are over 2,000,000 records in the file that we received from the New York City Municipal Archives.

We now have over 300 volunteers working on this project but we need more if we are to get this completed in the near future. Some of the new
volunteers come from researchers who have been helped by the databases on the Italian Genealogical Group's website.

We would like to get this up on the Internet as soon as possible. Volunteers have helped us get over 8,000,000 records on the nternet, free for all genealogists to share.

We will mail you the material that has to be typed into an Excel file. We use Excel or Works, whichever spreadsheet program you have.

When you are finished you can e-mail me the completed file as an attachment.

You are to keep you file on your hard drive until you see the project completed and up on the Internet. That's just a precaution in case we lose any file before the project is completed. Just a little protection. The file won't take up much room on your computer.

You can get rid of the paperwork once I have acknowledged that I received you file and have given it a quick check. We do not proofread the work. We don't have enough volunteers for that. So, just do
your best.

Thanks for volunteering. We will mail you something real soon.

John Martino
JohnM16881@aol.com

Academic Institute for Jewish Genealogy Opens in Jerusalem

The International Institute for Jewish Genealogy and Paul Jacobi Center has opened in the Jewish National and University Library at Givat Ram, Jerusalem.

After riveting the attentions of thousands of Jews throughout the world over the past two decades, Jewish genealogy and family history has reached a level of maturity that makes it ripe to take its place in the academic world. To that end, the new Institute has two main aims – to engage in Jewish genealogical research and teaching at the university level and to make Jewish Genealogy a recognized academic discipline within the realm of Jewish Studies.

The Institute is the only one of its kind in the Jewish world. It plans to operate on an interdisciplinary basis and also in a collaborative way with organizations engaged in aspects of Jewish genealogy. It will put a premium on innovative programmes and projects of practical benefit to individual family historians.

Its establishment is the result of efforts over the last two years of an international Founding Committee, headed by Dr. Sallyann Sack, Ph.D., of Washington , DC .

Dr. Yosef Lamdan, Ph.D., has been appointed as Director of the Institute.

Its telephone numbers are +972-(0)2-658-6967 and +972-(0)526-622-624.

Its email address is info@IIJG.org and its home page is located at www.IIJG.org (under construction).