Mendes I. Cohen correspondence
Abstract
The Mendes I. Cohen correspondence consists primarily of correspondence and journals dated from 1829 to 1835. The materials highlight Cohen's travels through Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Dates
- 1829-1835
Creator
- Cohen, Mendes I. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open to the public without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
The reproduction of materials in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine and satisfy copyright clearances or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information visit the MCHC’s Rights and Permissions page.
Biographical / Historical
Mendes I. Cohen was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1796 to Israel I. Cohen and Judith Solomon Cohen. Five years after the death of his father in 1803, Mendes, his mother and six other siblings moved to Baltimore. At the age of eighteen he served at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. After the war he entered the banking business with his brothers and conducted business at the New York Branch of J.I. Cohen, Jr. and Brothers.
He retired from business in 1829 and made an extensive foreign tour through Europe, Asia, and Africa. While in Egypt, Cohen travlled on the Nile River and was the first American to bear the American flag up the Nile after the ratification of the Treaty with Turkey.
Mendes was a member of the Maryland Historical Society, Vice-President of the Hebrew Benevolent Society, Director of the Fireman's Insurance Company, and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. He also served in the Maryland Legislature from 1847 through 1848. He died in 1879.
Extent
1.668 Linear Feet (4 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Scope and Contents
This collection consists mainly of correspondence written by Mendes I. Cohen while on his travels to Europe, Asia and Africa. The letters dating from October 1829 through August 1835 are directed to family members, mainly his mother Judith Solomon Cohen and his brothers David, Jacob and Benjamin. The letters present an in-depth account of the countries and cities visited by Mendes.
The collection also includes journals kept by Mendes dating from 1829 through 1833. Some of them contain lists of arrival and departure dates and places visited. Others are language journals listing important words and phrases in English with their foreign counterparts. The 1832 journal is an account of Mendes's trip up the Nile River and his journey to Cairo.
Creator
- Cohen, Mendes I. (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Mendes I. Cohen correspondence
- Status
- Under Revision
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Revision Statements
- 2019-8-1: Manually entered into ArchivesSpace by Micah Connor.
Repository Details
Part of the H. Furlong Baldwin Library Repository
H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Center for History and Culture
610 Park Avenue
Baltimore MD 21201 United States
4106853750
specialcollections@mdhistory.org