Research Catalog

Title

The first Jews in North America : the extraordinary story of the Hart family, 1760-1860 / Denis Vaugeois ; translated by Käthe Roth.

Author

Vaugeois, Denis

Publication

Montreal : Baraka Books, c2012.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

Roth, Käthe

Description

xviii, 347 p. : ill., facsims., maps, ports.; 22 cm.

Summary

Chronicles the life of the Hart family--a Jewish family who settled in predominantly Catholic Trois-Rivières, Quebec, in 1761.

Uniform Title

Premiers Juifs d'Amérique, 1760-1860. English

Alternative Title

Premiers Juifs d'Amérique, 1760-1860.

Subject

• Hart family
• Jews > Québec (Province) > History
• Québec (Province) > Genealogy

Genre/Form

• Genealogy
• History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. [321]-325) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Jewish Archives in a Catholic Seminary 4 -- The Ultimate Conservation: Microfilm 6 -- The Merits of Father Tessier 9 -- The Jewish Identity 11 -- An Archival Treasure Trove 13 -- Father Tessier under the Influence of Valdombre 15 -- Raymond Douville's "Historical Account" 18 -- A Spark 20 -- My Interest in the Hart Collection, then in Jewish History in General 22 -- Chapter 1 The Arrival of Aaron Hart: A Dynast Is Born 27 -- Jeffery Amherst, Commander in Chief 28 -- Aaron Hart: The First Jew in Canada? 31 -- Aaron Hart in the Wake of Amherst 32 -- Levy Andrew Levy, partner of William Trent 38 -- Jewish Merchants Following the Troops 41 -- Aaron's Choice 44 -- Chapter 2 "The Little Jew of Trois-Rivieres": Secrets to Success 47 -- Aaron Hart's Arrival in Trois-Rivières 48 -- Paper Money 51 -- The Fur Trade 58 -- First and Last Real-estate Acquisitions 60 -- More Paper Money: This Time From the American Congress 63 -- One Person's Misfortune... 65 -- Chapter 3 The Hart Clan: Introductions 71 -- The Promised Land 73 -- The First Generation 75 -- The Absence of Registers 77 -- The Second Generation: Born in Quebec 78 -- Moses Tries His Luck in Nicolet, and then in William Henry (Sorel) 81 -- Ezekiel, the Second Son 85 -- Ben and Alex 90 -- Chapter 4 Aaron Hart's Estate 97 -- The Property Inventory 101 -- Disputes and Agreements 107 -- The Four Brothers 111 -- The Remainder of the Estate 113 -- Chapter 5 Ezekiel Hart, House of Assembly Member from Trois-Rivieres 119 -- Ezekiel Hart, the First Jewish Elected Representative 119 -- The First Attempt in 1804 120 -- The Next Attempt in 1807 124 -- Legend versus Fact 127 -- On How to Take an Oath 128 -- Whatever it Takes to Protect a Fragile Majority 130 -- The Expulsion of Ezekiel Hart 131 -- The "Scholarly" Discourse of Pierre Bédard 133 -- The Reply 134 -- Ezekiel Hart: Expelled Again 135 -- Climate of Crisis with Threat of War 137 -- Chapter 6 Jews Win a Victory Thanks to the Patriotes: The Laws of 1831-32 141 -- David Rome Points the Way 144 -- Creation of the Shearith Israel Congregation in 1768 146 -- Benjamin Hart's Crusade Leads to the 1831 Statute 148 -- Equal Rights and Privileges for Jews under the 1832 Statute 154 -- Louis-Joseph Papineau Supports Samuel Bécancour Hart 155 -- Father and Son 157 -- Chapter 7 Moses Hart: Morality and Religion 165 -- A First Marriage Fails 165 -- Affairs and Affairs 167 -- Casting His Seed to the Wind 171 -- Furthermore... 172 -- Attacks against the Catholic Church 174 -- The Ten Commandments According to Moses Hart 174 -- The Jews Accused of Christ's Murder 175 -- Various Drafts and Research Notes 176 -- A New Religion: A Master Stroke or a Waste of Time? 177 -- Chapter 8 Moses Hart in Business 185 -- Shipping 185 -- Brewing Beer 189 -- Banking, The Hart's Bank 193 -- Chapter 9 Moses Hart: Reformist or Agitator? 199 -- Hooked on the Justice System 199 -- A False Lead... Leads to a Brothel 200 -- Levitt Pilloried 203 -- Moses Hart: A Reformer Inhabited by the Demon of Politics 205 -- A Bellicose Nephew... At the Right School 210 -- Beginning and End of a Dynasty 213 -- Moses Hart's Estate 213 -- Chapter 10 The Pleasure of an Inquiry: An Open Church 221 -- Quebec: A Land of Turbulence and Accommodation 222 -- An Invaluable Holograph Will 226 -- The Influence of Mary McCarthy, Widow of Peter Brown 227 -- Summary of a Tumultuous Life: A Last Will 230 -- A Mysterious Death Announcement 232 -- A Church Basement Filled with Cadavers 234 -- Mary McCarthy's Death Notice is Clear 235 -- Looking for an Explanation 236 -- Acquisition of the Land on which the Cathedral Was Built 238 -- Did the Final Word Belong to Those Conquered in 1760? 239 -- Chapter 11 The Evanescence of a Great Family and a Founding Community: Sephardim vs. Ashkenazim 243 -- Discomfort in Trois-Rivières 244 -- Benjamin Takes On a New Cause 246 -- Hart, Valentine, and Hays Plan The New Synagogue 249 -- The Acquisition of Land 253 -- A Subscription Campaign 253 -- New Jewish Immigrants 256 -- A Schism on the Horizon 259 -- Going Broke 265.

ISBN

• 9781926824093
• 1926824091

OCLC

• 757591437
• SCSB-12476919

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library