Grave 81
     

Hetty Samuel

1809  – 1867

ללפה מבל כל ופיה שעמה דומה לכלורלה

פנ

 האשה בורה אלתר

 בר משה אשה דוד

 נפטרה כא אייר

ונקברה כנ בו

 שנה הרבו לפק

תנצבה


Sacred
TO THE MEMORY OF
HETTY, THE BELOVED WIFE OF
DAVID SAMUEL.
OF PHILADELPHIA, U.S. AMERICA
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
May 26TH 1867.
AGED 58.
YEAR 21ST 5627
"May her soul rest in Peace"


Hetty (Ester) Moss was born in Philadelphia USA around 1809. She was the daughter of John Moss, who was born in England and emigrated to Philadelphia were in 1797 he married Rebecca Lyons. Hetty  married David Samuel from London in Philadelphia in 1827. They had  two daughters and five sons the youngest of whom was J Bunford Samuel born in 1853. 

We know from J Bunford's letters that are preserved in the archives of the Board of Deputies of British Jews that 'My father and mother visited England for my mother's health. She died in Bath 26th May 1867. My father is buried here (Philadelphia). Two sisters of my father (David  Samuel) are buried also in Bath'. We know one of these is Matilda Samuel (grave 82). However, J Bunford was mistaken about the other sister , Caroline, who returned to London where she died in November 1867. 

J Bunford Samuel visited the Burial Ground in Combe Down in September 1908 when he was in England. He met Mr (Reuben) Somers (buried Bath 1842 in an unmarked grave) and was concerned that there were not enough funds for the repairs and upkeep of the Burial Ground.  

Throughout 1911 he wrote many letters in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Board of Deputies of British Jews to take responsibility for the cemetery. He offered to make yearly donations and to establish a fund with a donation of £100 (about £12,000 today). Perhaps because of concerns about the upkeep of the cemetery, J Bunford Samuel came to England in 1922 to exhume his mother's body and transport it and the tombstone to Philadelphia where she was reburied next to her husband David in Mount Sinai Cemetery. 

The image here is of the tombstone in Philadelphia.
The only detail we have of Hetty's life in Philadelphia is that she was an officer of the Females Hebrew Benevolent Society.

We don't know why Hetty's parents moved to Philadelphia or why David Samuel also emigrated there. Three of David's siblings  also emigrated to Phildelphia, Frederick, Albert and Eleanor. 
 
J Bunford Samuel married Ellen Phillips Samuel (1849 -1913). He wrote 'From Records of the Samuel Family' in 1913, which contains images for his father and mother, David and Hetty Samuel, and his grandparents Samuel and Brindella Samuel. We know from David's passport application that he was 5ft 7in, had a high forehand, hazel eyes, a prominent nose, a large mouth, full chin, black hair and a sallow complexion!

His wife, Ellen Phillips Samuels was a remarkable woman. She was a philanthropic supporter of many cultural activities in Philadelphia and when she died in 1913 left the bulk of her estate in trust to the Art Association. The Ellen Phillips memorial in Fairmount Park includes three terraces and seventeen sculptures.
Census records
  1850     South Ward   Philadelphia
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
Associated addresses
  1867-1867   21  Milsom Street   Bath
  Lodging House where Hetty Samuel died in 1867.