Abigail Franks | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Abigail Franks, c. 1735 | |
| Born | Bilhah Abigail Levy c. 1696 |
| Died | 1756 (aged 59–60) |
| Known for | Letters describing political, social, and religious life in colonial New York |
| Spouse | Jacob Franks |
| Children | 9 |
| Parents |
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Bilhah Abigail Levy Franks (c. 1696–1756)[1][2] was an English–born Ashkenazi Jewish woman who lived most of her life in the Province of New York, British America. Born in London and raised in New York City, she married a London-born merchant and reared a family of nine children. While committed to Jewish observance, she and her family also socialized freely in the wider Christian society. Theirs was considered one of the prominent families of colonial New York.
She is known for the letters she wrote to her eldest son, Naphtali, after he moved to England. Spanning the years 1733 to 1748, these letters describe the political and social milieu of 18th-century New York, together with the assimilation and interfaith marriage that affected Jewish families. Two of Abigail's children married outside of the religion and all of her grandchildren assimilated. By the end of the 18th century, she had no Jewish descendants.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
aidwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Gelles, Edith B. (2008). "Bilhah Abigail Levy Franks (1696?–1756)". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 1 May 2017.