Jacob Josephson (1773–1845)
Jacob Josephson, who had converted from Judaism to Christianity and was a teacher of Christianity to Hebrews for the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, was sentenced to 14 years transportation for stealing the communion plate from a church. He arrived in Sydney in 1818 aboard the Neptune. He was described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall, with a dark ruddy complexion, black hair and dark eyes.
Josephson received a conditional pardon on 30 June 1820 and opened a jewellery and silver shop in the city. In 1827 he was imprisoned for bankruptcy. By 1828 he had become an innkeeper. He became a prominent member of the Methodist Church.
*information from John S. Levi, These Are the Names: Jewish Lives in Australia 1788-1850 (2013), pp 405-07
Additional Resources and Scholarship
- death notice, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 December 1845, p 2
- funeral notice, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 December 1845, p 1
Related Entries in NCB Sites
- Josephson, Emma Leah (wife)
- Josephson, Joshua Frey (son)
- Josephson, Emanuel Francis (son)
- Josephson, Isaac John (son)
- Levey, Sara Emma (stepdaughter)
- Wilson, Charles Abraham (stepson)
- Josephson, Juliet Mary (daughter-in-law)
- Josephson, Frederica May (daughter-in-law)
- Stokes, Clara Maude (granddaughter)
- Polack, Abraham Solomon (assigned convict)
- Levy, Isaac (educational sponsor)
Citation details
'Josephson, Jacob (1773–1845)', People Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://peopleaustralia.anu.edu.au/biography/josephson-jacob-29413/text36416, accessed 9 November 2024.
Life Summary [details]
Birth
21 April,
1773
Breslau,
Poland
Death
6 December,
1845
(aged 72)
Newtown, Sydney,
New South Wales,
Australia
Cultural Heritage
Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.
Religious Influence
Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.