Jacob Cohen was born on January 2, 1744 in Nördlingen, Bavaria, Germany. His parents were Joshua and Peslah Cohen. Jacob immigrated to the United States in 1773 and first settled in Lancaster, PA, where he engaged in trading with the Native Americans.
Cohen enlisted in the American Revolutionary War. In 1779, he fought under Captain Richard Lushington in a company that was known as the “Jew Company”, even though only a few of its members were Jewish.
After the war, Jacob lived in Richmond, Va. where he was in business with a friend from his military service, Isaiah Isaacs. Cohen and Isaacs were involved in various business ventures together, including a tavern inn that was known as “The Bird in the Hand.”
In 1782, Cohen traveled to Philadelphia on business. While there, he joined Congregation Mikveh Israel, met, and fell in love with the recently widowed Esther Mordecai. Jacob wished to marry Esther, but she was a convert and since Jacob was a “kohen”, a descendent of Aaron the priest, according to strict Jewish law he was not allowed to marry her. Strengthened from his experience fighting for independence in the Revolutionary War, Cohen decided to advocate for his right to marry Esther, even though his synagogue would not allow it. To this end, he engaged three prominent members of the local Jewish community, Haym Salomon, Mordecai Sheftall, and Israel Jacobs, to conduct and witness the marriage, which took place on August 28, 1782. Jacob became the step-father to Esther’s four sons – Jacob, Isaac, Joseph, and Mordecai.
After their wedding, Jacob and Esther returned to Richmond where Jacob was active in civic and Jewish life. He was on the city council, was a Freemason, served on the grand jury, and was one of the founders of Virginia’s first synagogue, Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome.
In 1804, Esther passed away. Soon after, Jacob returned to Philadelphia where he met and married Rachel Jacobs Polack on November 3, 1807. Rachel was the daughter of Israel Jacobs and Zipporah (Sipra) (Maria Caetano) Ribeiro Machado (Nuñez). Jacob once again became active in Jewish affairs, including serving as parnas (president) of Congregation Mikveh Israel.
In 1821, Jacob’s second wife, Rachel, passed away at the age of 67 in Philadelphia. He died on October 9, 1823 at the age of 79 and was buried in the Mikveh Israel Cemetery in Philadelphia.
