The daughter of Jochebed Levy and Moses Seixas, Rachel Hannah Seixaswould remain in Newport, Rhose Island, where her father was a leadingJewish figure, until her 1797 marriage to NaphtaliPhillips.

Moses Seixas had been a founder of the Newport Bank of RhodeIsland, and served as cashier there until his death. He is bestremembered for having addressed the welcome letter on behalf of theJewish community during Washington’s visit to Newport in 1790.“Permit the children of the stock of Abraham,” wrote Seixas,

to approach you with the most cordial affection and esteem for yourperson and merits — and to join with our fellow citizens inwelcoming you to Newport… Deprived as we heretofore have been ofthe invaluable rights of free Citizens, we now with a deep sense ofgratitude to the Almighty disposer of all events behold a Government,erected by the Majesty of the People — a Government, which tobigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance — butgenerously affording to all Liberty of conscience, and immunities ofCitizenship: deeming every one, of whatever Nation, tongue, orlanguage equal parts of the great governmental Machine.

Washington’sresponse, the famed Letter to the Jews of Newport, wasaddressed to Seixas. The president of the new republic wrote:

The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaudthemselves for giving to Mankind examples of an enlarged and liberalpolicy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty ofconscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more thattoleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one classof people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent naturalrights. For happily the Government of the United States, which givesto bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires onlythat they who live under its protection, should demean themselves asgood citizens…May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, whodwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of theother Inhabitants; while every one shall sit under his own vine andfig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.

Afterher marriage to Phillips, the couple moved first to his hometown ofPhiladelphia and then to New York where he ran a newspaper. They hadeleven children together. In 1822 she passed away and Phillipsremarried her cousin, Esther B. Seixas.