Benjamin Dores Lazarus

Benjamin Dores Lazarus was the fifteenth of seventeen children bornto Richa Benjamin and Marks Lazarus of South Carolina. Born inCharleston, Benjamin counted among his older siblings Emmaand Joshua. His middle name testified tothe Sephardic heritage he bore from his mother’s side—aas itcondensed the Spanish “De Torres.”

Benjamin was raised in a large and happy Charleston family. By thetime of his birth in 1800, his three oldest sisters were in theirteens and likely doted on this baby brother. His father, amiddleclass shopkeeper, had served during the Revolutionary War inLushington’s Militia Company, sometimes called the Jews’ Companyfor the prevalence of Jewish men within its ranks.

In 1840, at age forty, Benjamin married his niece, CorneliaCohen, the daughter of his eldest sister Leahand the wealthy Polish-born peddler-turned-planter MordecaiCohen. Benjamin and Cornelia had five sons and a daughter(named Cornelia after her mother), whom they raised in Charleston.

Benjamin Dores Lazarus

c. 1840