Jacob Seasongood
Bornc. 1812[1]
Burgkunstadt, Bavaria
DiedFebruary 5, 1884
NationalityAmerican
SpouseLena Keiffer/Kiefer
Children5
Family Murray Seasongood (great-nephew)

Jacob Seasongood (born c. 1812 – February 5, 1884) was an American businessman who co-founded dry goods merchants Heidelbach, Seasongood & Co. and J. & L. Seasongood & Co.; and banking firms Seasongood, Netter, & Co and Seasongood Sons & Co. in Cincinnati.

Biography

Seasongood was born to a Jewish family in Burgkunstadt, Bavaria[2] where he studied to be a weaver's apprentice.[3] In 1837, he immigrated to the United States arriving in New York City with a sum of $75.[2] He used his money to peddle goods and after two months, moved to Cincinnati.[2] While en route in Chillicothe, Ohio,[1] he met Philip Heidelbach, a fellow Jew from Bavaria with a similar immigrant story.[2] In 1837, they partnered and pooled their resources and in 1840, founded a dry goods store, Heidelbach, Seasongood & Co.[2][4][5] In 1850, his nephew, Lewis Seasongood, joined the firm; and in 1860, his nephew, Alfred Seasongood (father of Murray Seasongood), joined the firm.[2] By 1860, they had a large clothing factory[3] which prospered making clothing and blankets for the Union Army with $1.2 million in sales by 1864[6] becoming the largest clothing manufacturer in the Mississippi Valley.[7] In the 1860s, the partnership was dissolved; and in 1865, Heidelbach moved to New York City. In 1969, Jacob and his nephews Lewis and Alfred partnered with Elias Moch to form the dry goods retailer J. & L. Seasongood & Co.[8] In 1870, Jacob and Lewis partnered with Jacob Netter and formed a bank, Seasongood, Netter, & Co.; the firm was dissolved in 1875 after the death of Netter and Jacob formed a new bank, Seasongood Sons & Co. with his son, Adolph J. Seasongood; his nephews, Lewis Seasongood and Alfred Seasongood; and another investor, Charles Mayer.[8] In 1877, Jacob Seasongood retired and J. & L. Seasongood & Co. was dissolved.[8]

Personal life

Seasongood served as an officer of B'nai Israel, as a director of the Jewish Hospital, and as director of the Hebrew Benevolent Association.[5] He died on February 5, 1884.[9] He had five children: Emma Seasongood (married to his nephew Lewis Seasongood); Jennie Seasongood Bohm (married to Joseph Bohm); Julia Seasongood Reis (married to Julius Reis); Adolph J. Seasongood; and Charles Seasongood.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Sarna, Jonathan. "Jews on the Prairie and the American West". myjewishlearning.com. Heidelbach met [Jacob] Seasongood and the two men, each 25 years old...
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Noneman, Christy M. (May 1998). "Jewish Race and German Soul": A Re-Evaluation of Ethnic Identity Among Cincinnati's German Jewish Immigrants, 1830-1880 (PDF). Ball State University.
  3. 1 2 Marcus, Jacob Rader (2018). United States Jewry, 1776-1985, Volume 3, The Germanic Period, Part 2. Wayne State University Press.
  4. ↑ "Banking and Financial Items". The Bankers Magazine, Volume 41. January 1877. pp. 480 and 547.
  5. 1 2 The Origins of the Jewish Community of Cincinnati, 1817-1860 (PDF). Cincinnati Museum.
  6. ↑ Mendelsohn, Adam. "Beyond the Battlefield: Reevaluating the Legacy of the Civil War for American Jews" (PDF). American Jewish Archives Journal. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2021.
  7. ↑ Markens, Issac. The Hebrews in America (PDF). Library of Congress. p. 143.
  8. 1 2 3 The Biographical Cyclopædia and Portrait Gallery with an Historical Sketch entry on Lewis Seasongood. Western Biographical Publishing Co. Vol. 2. 1884. p. 560.
  9. ↑ "Seasongood, Jacob (Death, 1884-02-05)". University of Cincinnati Libraries Digital Resource Commons.
  10. ↑ Reports of the United States Board of Tax Appeals, Volume 14. United States Government Printing Office. 1930. p. 446.
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