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Simeon Magruder Levy (January 1774 – March 1807), also known as Simon Levy, was an officer in the United States Army. He was the second overall graduate and first Jewish graduate of the United States Military Academy (West Point).
Levy entered West Point on March 2, 1801, accepted due to merit and skill in mathematics, and graduated second in a class of two cadets on October 12, 1802. His classmate was Joseph Gardner Swift. Levy may have first served as an instructor at West Point, then served as an engineer at Fort James Jackson and Fort Wilkinson Fort Wilkinson, Georgia.
He became ill and resigned his commission on September 30, 1805. He died in March 1807 in Georgia. His place of burial is uncertain.In regard to the place of his burial as Levy was of the Jewish religion the only Jewish place of worship in 1807 in the state of Georgia was located in Chatham County at Savannah-Congregation Mickve Israel (founded 1735 as Kahal Kadosh Mickva Israel (the Holy Congregation, the Hope of Israel). The Congregations’ burial ground was the Mordecai Sheftall Cemetery founded on August 2, 1773 located end of Coyle Street and used until approximately 1881. Although not proven this may have been his burial place.
He was the second individual and the first Jew to graduate from West Point. The West Point Jewish Chapel was built at the academy beginning in 1982; it opened on November 13, 1984. As of 2009, over 900 Jews have graduated from the USMA.
Early life
Levy was born in January 1774 in Pennsylvania. His parents were Levy Andrew Levy, afur trader
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
and land speculator, and his wife Susanna imon The boy's birth date is not documented, but his '' bris'' (ritual circumcision), which is usually done on the eighth day, was performed on January 25, 1774 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population amon ...
. In the 1790 US Census Andrew Levy was a resident of Washington County Maryland The Levy family moved to Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
circa 1799.
Levy joined the United States Army as a sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
in 1793, and distinguished himself at the Battle of Maumee Rapids (also known as the Battle of Fallen Timbers) on August 20, 1794 as an Orderly sergeant. His commanding officer, Captain Benjamin Lockwood, recommended Levy as a cadet for the newly founded United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York.
Later life
Levy entered West Point on March 2, 1801, accepted due to merit and skill in mathematics, and graduated second in a class of two cadets on October 12, 1802. His classmate was Joseph Gardner Swift. Levy may have first served as an instructor at West Point, then served as an engineer at Fort James Jackson and Fort Wilkinson Fort Wilkinson, Georgia.
He became ill and resigned his commission on September 30, 1805. He died in March 1807 in Georgia. His place of burial is uncertain.In regard to the place of his burial as Levy was of the Jewish religion the only Jewish place of worship in 1807 in the state of Georgia was located in Chatham County at Savannah-Congregation Mickve Israel (founded 1735 as Kahal Kadosh Mickva Israel (the Holy Congregation, the Hope of Israel). The Congregations’ burial ground was the Mordecai Sheftall Cemetery founded on August 2, 1773 located end of Coyle Street and used until approximately 1881. Although not proven this may have been his burial place.
He was the second individual and the first Jew to graduate from West Point. The West Point Jewish Chapel was built at the academy beginning in 1982; it opened on November 13, 1984. As of 2009, over 900 Jews have graduated from the USMA.
See also
* Adolph Marix, first Jewish graduate of the United States Naval Academy, class of 1868Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levy, Simeon Magruder 1774 births 1807 deaths United States Army officers United States Military Academy alumni Jewish American military personnel