Myer Samuel Isaacs (May 8, 1841 – May 24, 1904) was a Jewish-American lawyer and judge from New York.
Life
Isaacs was born on May 8, 1841, in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, the son of Rev.
Samuel Myer Isaacs
Samuel Myer Isaacs (January 4, 1804 - May 19, 1878) was a Dutch-born American educator, philanthropist and rabbi. He was the second Jewish spiritual leader in the United States to teach in English instead of Hebrew or German.
Early life and educ ...
and Jane Symmonds. His paternal grandfather was born in
Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Leeuwarden (; fy, Ljouwert, longname=yes /; Town Frisian: ''Liwwadden''; Leeuwarder dialect: ''Leewarden'') is a city and municipality in Friesland, Netherlands, with a population of 123,107 (2019). It is the provincial capital and seat of the ...
and his mother was of English extract. His brother was Rabbi Abram S. Isaacs.
Isaacs attended Forests' Collegiate School. In 1856, he entered
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
, where he was awarded all prizes in freshman and sophomore year. He graduated from there in 1859. He then went to
New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. Established in 1835, it is the oldest law school in New York City and the oldest surviving law school in New ...
, graduating from there in 1862. He was admitted to the bar on his twenty-first birthday and began practicing law. His specialty was real estate law, wills, and trusts. He initially clerked in the office of John H. and Samuel Riker prior to his admittance to the bar. In 1866, he became associated with his friend Adolph L. Sanger. In 1870, his brother joined the firm, and the three continued working together until Sanger's death in 1894. In 1896, two of Isaac's sons joined the firm, M. S. and I. S. Isaacs. He continued working for the firm until his death. From 1887 to 1897, he was a lecturer on real estate law for New York University School of Law. He was on the Special Committee of Counsel for the Lawyers' Title Insurance Company since its inception in 1887.
In 1880, Governor
Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo Barton Cornell (January 22, 1832 – October 15, 1904) was a New York (state), New York politician and businessman who was the List of Governors of New York, 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.
Early years
Cornell was born i ...
appointed Isaacs Justice of the Marine Court of New York to fill a vacancy. He was the
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
candidate for that office for the ensuring term, as well as for the Superior Court in 1891 and the New York Supreme Court in 1895, losing all three elections. He was a member of the Committee on Reform Legislation for New York in 1884 as well as a member of a Republican Club committee that proposed amendments to the
New York State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of New York establishes the structure of the government of the State of New York, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of New York. Like most state constitutions in the United States, New York's constituti ...
in 1894. As a member of the Outdoor Recreation League, he helped established Seward Park in the
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets.
Traditionally an im ...
and the Roof-Playground of the Hebrew Institute. He was active in the movement to improve dwellings for the poor. He helped organize the
Citizens Union
Citizens Union is a New York City-based good government group founded in 1897 to combat the influences of the Tammany Hall political machine. J. Pierpont Morgan, Benjamin Altman, Elihu Root, and Carl Schurz numbered among its 165 founders. In 198 ...
in 1897. He was a director and vice-president of the Real Estate Exchange from 1886 to 1890. He was also president of the Woodbine Land Improvement Company from 1898 to 1900, and was elected a trustee of Columbia Bank in 1888 and the American Savings Bank in 1890.
Isaacs helped edit his father's paper ''
The Jewish Messenger
''The American Hebrew'' was a weekly Jewish magazine published in New York City.
History
It began publication on November 21, 1879, in New York City. It was founded by Frederick de Sola Mendes and its publisher was Philip Cowen. The weekly's p ...
'' when it was founded in 1857, when he was only sixteen. He remained active with the paper until he retired from active control in 1872, although he continued to be a contributor for the paper. He was a founder of the
Board of Delegates of American Israelites
The Board of Delegates of American Israelites was the first Jewish civil and political rights organization in the United States, modeled after the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The organization was established in 1859 with headquarters in New ...
in 1859, serving as its secretary until 1876 and then as its president until 1885. In 1865, he became one of the founders of the Hebrew Free School Association, serving as its president from 1881 to 1892. In 1873, he helped organize the
United Hebrew Charities
The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (the Jewish Board) is one of the United States' largest nonprofit mental health and social service agencies, and New York State's largest social services nonprofit.
Its services are non-secta ...
. In 1881, he was elected to the Central Committee of the
Alliance Israélite Universelle
The Alliance Israélite Universelle (AIU; he, כל ישראל חברים; ) is a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 with the purpose of safeguarding human rights for Jews around the world. It promotes the ideals of Jew ...
. He took a leading part in organizing a hospital for chronic sufferers, which became the Montefiore Home, as well as
Hebrew Technical Institute
Hebrew Technical Institute was a vocational high school in New York City. The school was founded on January 7, 1884Educational Alliance
Educational Alliance is a leading social institution that has been serving communities in New York City’s Lower Manhattan since 1889. It provides multi-generational programs and services in education, health and wellness, arts and culture, and c ...
.
Isaacs was a member of the
New York City Bar Association
The New York City Bar Association (City Bar), founded in 1870, is a voluntary association of lawyers and law students. Since 1896, the organization, formally known as the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, has been headquartered in a ...
since 1872, the
New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of New York. The mission of the association is to cultivate the science of jurisprudence; promote reform in the law; facilitate the administration of justice ...
since 1883, and the
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...
City Club of New York
The City Club of New York is a New York City–based independent, not-for-profit organization.
In 1950, ''The New York Times'' called the City Club of New York "a social club with a civic purpose" In 1869, he married Maria Solomon. Their children Julien Myer, Lewis Montefiore, Stanley Myer, Minnie Hart, Alice Maria, and Estelle Miriam. Lewis was a lawyer and musician, and Stanley was a lawyer and city official who served as Borough President of Manhattan.
Isaacs died from heart disease in Cafe Savarin in the Equitable Building on May 24, 1904.
Center for Jewish History
The Center for Jewish History is a partnership of five Jewish history, scholarship, and art organizations in New York City: American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute New York, Yeshiva University Museum, ...