Emma Mordecai (October 6, 1812 – April 8, 1906) was an American educator, a slave owner, an outspoken supporter of the Confederacy and the values of the Old South, and an active member of the Jewish community in 19th-century Richmond, Virginia. While some members of her family had converted to Christianity, amidst a climate of antisemitism in the Civil War-era South, Mordecai remained an observant Jew her entire life. She devoted most of her life to educational and religious causes, founding the Jewish Sunday school at Congregation Beth Shalome of Richmond.[1][2][3]
Emma Mordecai
Emma Mordecai, Richmond VA studio portrait (courtesy Mordecai House, Raleigh, NC). From General Negative Collection, State Archives of North Carolina.
Emma Mordecai was born in 1812, one of thirteen siblings of the Mordecai family. Her father was Jacob Mordecai and her paternal grandfather was Moses Mordecai. Her mother was Rebecca Myers Mordecai, the second wife of Jacob, and the younger sister of Jacob's deceased first wife Judith. Mordecai's grandfather, Moses, was an AshkenaziGerman Jew who married Esther (Elizabeth Hester Whitlock), an English-born convert to Judaism. Moses immigrated from Germany to London and later from London to Philadelphia.[1]
Mordecai spent her formative years, ages seven to nineteen, living at the Spring Farm slave plantation near Richmond, Virginia. At age nineteen, her father sold the slave plantation and the Mordecai family moved into Richmond. Her family owned eighteen enslaved African-Americans, some of whom were sold, some of whom were hired out as contract laborers, and some of whom remained with the family in Richmond.[1]
During the spring and summer of 1865, slaves owned by Mordecai living in Henrico County began to assert themselves after Richmond was captured by Union forces. Mordecai became increasingly frustrated by the unwillingness of her slaves to work or relocate, writing that "To have to submit to the Yankees is bad enough, but to submit to negro children is a little worse. They will, I hope, get ready to go soon." Several weeks later after she witnessed her slaves packing their bags she wrote again, "They will now begin to find out how easy their life as slaves has been, & to feel the slavery of their freedom."[4] Having believed that her slaves reciprocated the love she was sure she had bestowed upon them, Mordecai was distraught that they would want to leave. While staying with her sister-in-law Rose, she expressed exasperation in her diary that a slave named Mary "took out of her bed, and never came back."[5]
She never married. In her personal diary, she wrote prayers for the victory of the Confederacy and her own safety, documenting each day of her life.[1] Mordecai's journals between 1864 and 1865 are preserved as part of the Mordecai family papers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[6]
^Rubin, Anne Sarah (2009). A Shattered Nation: The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy, 1861-1868. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press. p. 233. ISBN9781442977778.
^Webb, Clive (2011). Fight Against Fear: Southern Jews and Black Civil Rights. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press. p. 12. ISBN9780820340098.
^"Mordecai family papers, 1649-1947 (bulk 1810-1850)". ArchiveGrid. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
External linksedit
Emma Mordecai at Find a Grave
December 20, 2023
emma, mordecai, october, 1812, april, 1906, american, educator, slave, owner, outspoken, supporter, confederacy, values, south, active, member, jewish, community, 19th, century, richmond, virginia, while, some, members, family, converted, christianity, amidst,. Emma Mordecai October 6 1812 April 8 1906 was an American educator a slave owner an outspoken supporter of the Confederacy and the values of the Old South and an active member of the Jewish community in 19th century Richmond Virginia While some members of her family had converted to Christianity amidst a climate of antisemitism in the Civil War era South Mordecai remained an observant Jew her entire life She devoted most of her life to educational and religious causes founding the Jewish Sunday school at Congregation Beth Shalome of Richmond 1 2 3 Emma MordecaiEmma Mordecai Richmond VA studio portrait courtesy Mordecai House Raleigh NC From General Negative Collection State Archives of North Carolina BornOctober 6 1812North CarolinaDiedApril 8 1906 1906 04 08 aged 93 Brevard Transylvania County North CarolinaOccupationeducatorRelativesJacob Mordecai father Moses Mordecai grandfather Contents 1 Life 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksLife editEmma Mordecai was born in 1812 one of thirteen siblings of the Mordecai family Her father was Jacob Mordecai and her paternal grandfather was Moses Mordecai Her mother was Rebecca Myers Mordecai the second wife of Jacob and the younger sister of Jacob s deceased first wife Judith Mordecai s grandfather Moses was an Ashkenazi German Jew who married Esther Elizabeth Hester Whitlock an English born convert to Judaism Moses immigrated from Germany to London and later from London to Philadelphia 1 Mordecai spent her formative years ages seven to nineteen living at the Spring Farm slave plantation near Richmond Virginia At age nineteen her father sold the slave plantation and the Mordecai family moved into Richmond Her family owned eighteen enslaved African Americans some of whom were sold some of whom were hired out as contract laborers and some of whom remained with the family in Richmond 1 During the spring and summer of 1865 slaves owned by Mordecai living in Henrico County began to assert themselves after Richmond was captured by Union forces Mordecai became increasingly frustrated by the unwillingness of her slaves to work or relocate writing that To have to submit to the Yankees is bad enough but to submit to negro children is a little worse They will I hope get ready to go soon Several weeks later after she witnessed her slaves packing their bags she wrote again They will now begin to find out how easy their life as slaves has been amp to feel the slavery of their freedom 4 Having believed that her slaves reciprocated the love she was sure she had bestowed upon them Mordecai was distraught that they would want to leave While staying with her sister in law Rose she expressed exasperation in her diary that a slave named Mary took out of her bed and never came back 5 She never married In her personal diary she wrote prayers for the victory of the Confederacy and her own safety documenting each day of her life 1 Mordecai s journals between 1864 and 1865 are preserved as part of the Mordecai family papers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 6 Mordecai died at age 93 in Brevard North Carolina on 8 April 1906 surrounded by family She is buried at the Cemetery for Hebrew Confederate Soldiers in Richmond 1 See also editHebrew Cemetery Richmond Virginia Kahal Kadosh Beth ShalomeReferences edit a b c d e Emma Mordecai Jewish Women s Archive Retrieved 2022 05 09 Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities Richmond Virginia Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life Retrieved 2022 05 09 Mordecai Jacob State Library of North Carolina Retrieved 2022 05 09 Rubin Anne Sarah 2009 A Shattered Nation The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy 1861 1868 North Carolina The University of North Carolina Press p 233 ISBN 9781442977778 Webb Clive 2011 Fight Against Fear Southern Jews and Black Civil Rights Athens Georgia University of Georgia Press p 12 ISBN 9780820340098 Mordecai family papers 1649 1947 bulk 1810 1850 ArchiveGrid Retrieved 2022 05 09 External links editEmma Mordecai at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emma Mordecai amp oldid 1188746533, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
