Jacob Franks

The son of a London broker, Jacob Franks came to New York to seek hisfortune in 1708 and never left it. Within two years, he was made afreeman of the city in August of 1710. A merchant involved in theimport/export trade, by 1712 Franks constituted the New York leg ofhis extended family’s transatlantic trade, becoming part of aBritish colonial mercantile network that would eventually stretchfrom the Caribbean to India.

An early measure of his success in commerce can be found in theDecember 1711 contract between Franks and a marriage broker to securefor Franks the hand of Bilhah Abigail Levy,the teenaged eldest daughter of wealthy New York merchant MosesRaphael Levy, in marriage. Evidently, Franks’ abilities asa merchant were in no doubt, as the broker had little troublepersuading the self-important Levy of the efficacy of the match.Abigail and Jacob Franks were married within the year.

Franks played an active role in New York’s nascent Jewishcommunity, particularly once the decision had been taken in November1728 to construct a synagogue. Franks was one of four men to serveon the committee to collect funds and oversee the construction. Hewas also a major contributor to the project, purchasing the right tolay one of the four cornerstones of the Mill Street structure forCongregation Shearith Israel in September 1729. He would serve asparnas of the congregation seven times between 1729 and 1764,the first time in 5490 (1729-1730).

Although a successful merchant by any standard, Franks was never ableto achieve the level of wealth that he and his wife believed heshould have attained from the strength of his efforts. His wifebelieved this was because his relatives in England, on whose behalfhe conducted much of his trade, consistently took advantage of him,regarding him as less than a partner in the family enterprise.Writing to their eldest son, Naphtali, who had gone to London to workunder the direction of his paternal uncle, Abigail complained, “Ithink your Fathers Treatment from you & your Uncle Especiallyfrom the Latter is more Like a Slave than Freeman.”

Despite these trials and tribulations, Franks and his family enjoyedan affluent lifestyle, owning properties in both the city and thecountry, and participating in a broad social milieu befitting theireconomic status among New York’s mercantile elite. Franks and hiswife had nine children, seven survivinginto adulthood, whom they educated to become genteel adults. Abigaildied in 1756, and Franks survived her by 13 years, cared for by theirunmarried daughter Richa. He died in January 1769 at age 83.

Jacob Franks

c. 1735