The Orthodox Jew Who Was Instrumental in Lincoln’s Candidacy for President
America’s 16th president is well-known for his involvement in ending the enslavement of millions of Black Americans, but historians have written little about his friendships with and respect for Jewish people. President Lincoln appointed Rabbi Jacob Frankel as the first Jewish military chaplain during the American Civil War. In 1862, he appointed Cherie M. Levy, the son-in-law of prominent New York Rabbi Dr. Morris J. Raphall, as an Assistant Quartermaster in the Northern Army—historians say the appointment was overtly political, intended to deal with perceived antisemitism within the Union forces. On January 4, 1863, Lincoln countermanded an order from General Ulysses S. Grant, which had expelled anyone of Jewish ethnicity from certain parts of the Mississippi Valley.
Lincoln and Abraham Jonas—Friends and Compatriots
Though little mention appears in most history books, historians have documented Abraham Lincoln’s longstanding friendship with Abraham Jonas, an Orthodox Jew and a member of both the Illinois and Kentucky legislatures. Born in 1801 in England, Jonas came to the United States at the age of 18, initially settling in Cincinnati. He is believed to be the first Jewish person to settle west of the Allegheny Mountains. Abraham and his brother, Edward, established the first synagogue in Cincinnati (Congregation B’nai Israel), and Abraham married the rabbi’s daughter, Lucy Seixas.
When Lucy died unexpectedly in 1825, Abraham left Cincinnati for Kentucky, where he remarried and opened a general store and successfully ran for office in the state legislature. In 1836, he moved again, to Quincy, Illinois, where he began to study and read for the law. In 1842, he ran and was elected to the Illinois state legislature as a member of the Whig party. It’s believed that his initial acquaintance with future president Abraham Lincoln was made during his term in the legislature (although Lincoln was no longer in the Illinois General Assembly).
Lincoln and Jonas were, however, both members of the Whig Party at the time. Jonas lost a re-election bid in 1844, though, and Lincoln was defeated in an 1843 bid for the U.S. Congress. Because of Jonas’s strong commitment and loyalty to the Whig platform, Lincoln used his influence to have Jonas appointed in 1849 as postmaster of Quincy.
The End of the Whig Party and the Birth of the Republican Party
Lincoln and Jonas remained close friends and staunch supporters of the Whig party until its demise in 1854, when Northern and Southern Whigs split on the slavery issue. Though there were allegations in the press that Lincoln had attended a meeting of the “Know-Nothing” party and endorsed its platform, Jonas refuted the charges, testifying that Lincoln was with him at the time and date of the meeting. The two men then joined the fledgling Republican Party.
The Influence of Jonas on the 1860 Election
By 1858, Jonas was practicing law full-time in Illinois. At the time, Lincoln was running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Stephen Douglas. Jonas helped organize the historic debates between Lincoln and Douglas, which brought Lincoln national recognition. Though Lincoln lost his bid for the Senate, he successfully established a nationwide presence.
Jonas’s law partner, Henry Asbury, is believed to be the first person to suggest within the Republican Party that Lincoln run for President. According to reports, most Republicans were lackluster about Lincoln as a potential candidate until Jonas joined the conversation. When Jonas said that he would support a Lincoln candidacy, the local Republican Party came on board.
Historical evidence indicates that Jonas worked feverishly behind the scenes to advance Lincoln’s candidacy, traveling to New York, home of the nation’s largest Jewish population, to garner support. There’s also evidence that, shortly after Lincoln won the nomination of the Republican Party, but before the election took place, Jonas got wind of an assassination plot and warned Lincoln.
Gutterman’s and Gutterman Warheit—Funeral and Burial Services for More than 130 Years
At Gutterman’s and Gutterman Warheit, with funeral chapels in New York and Florida, we bring more than five generations of experience and compassion to individuals and families in the Jewish faith. We have a thorough understanding of the different customs within each Jewish tradition and can offer assistance and guidance on any issue, whether it’s the order of service at the memorial, the selection of a casket or monument, the details of sitting Shiva or the preparation of a Yahrzeit calendar. We will also work directly with the Chevra Kadisha to ensure that the body has been properly prepared according to Jewish law prior to interment.
To learn how we can help, send us an email or call us at one of the numbers listed below.
Gutterman’s & Gutterman Warheit — Where Relationships Matter
Family Owned and Operated Since 1892
Rockville Centre: (516)764-9400 | Woodbury: (516)921-5757 | Brooklyn: (718)284-1500
Boca Raton, FL: (561)997-9900 | (800)992-9262