Isaiah Isaacs

Isaiah Isaacs was a U.S. merchant, communal leader, and public official. He was born in Germany, and went to Richmond, Virginia, by 1769, and was Richmond’s first permanent Jewish resident. Isaacs was a silversmith by trade, but he entered into a prosperous partnership with Jacob I. Cohen, as merchants and owners of land, houses, and slaves.

Issacs was a founder of Beth Shalome Congregation and gave part of his land to the congregation for cemetery purposes in 1791. Isaacs served as clerk of the market, a tax assessor, and was a member of the original Common Council of Richmond.