Yetta Kohn’s Legacy by Sharon Fried his is the story of Yetta were old enough to be her parents (one had their first two children, Howard and (Goldsmith) Kohn, a pio- of them old enough to be her grandpar- George. neering German-Jewish ent), no record of any of them has been T woman in New Mexico found since. She traveled to America Returning to Kansas for four or five years, who lived by the enduring via Le Havre, France, arriving in New Samuel went into the wool and hide busi- values of hard work and York aboard the William Tell. The next ness with a partner, Jacob Weil, while Yet- helping others. Yetta had an acute busi- official record of Yetta’s whereabouts is ta had three more children. Born about ness sense, placed as high an importance two years apart, on cultural pursuits as she did on having the first two chil- a good time, and, from all reports, was dren died within a an exceptional mother and community few months. The organizer. third, Belle, ar- rived in Decem- Notably, Yetta had no formal education ber 1868. Soon and no apparent parental nurturing or afterward, the direction after the age of ten, but she met family set out on every challenge with faith and determi- their next venture, nation. Yet words such as these do little traveling 800 to capture the soul of this remarkable miles by stage- woman. What made Yetta stand out is coach or oxcart that she did not let life’s challenges, which Yetta Kohn and her family in Denver, 1899. Standing, left to right: Howard, Belle, via the Santa Fe included tragedy, keep her from forging George; seated: Charles, Yetta, Stanley (Belle’s son), Albert Calisch (Belle’s husband). Trail to Las Vegas, ahead and paving a road that outlived her New Mexico. and made a lasting mark on the landscape the 1860 federal census, which shows of east-central New Mexico. her living in the Kennedy household in In Las Vegas, Yetta worked as a seamstress Leavenworth, Kansas. She was seventeen while Samuel ran another wool and hide Yetta Louise Goldsmith was born in years old and may have been caring for store on the plaza. Notably, Yetta was the Bavaria on March 9, 1843. She came the two Kennedy children. only wife or widow who had a vocation to America at the age of ten. While she other than homemaker on the 1870 fed- traveled with three family members who Yetta married Samuel Kohn in Leaven- eral census, and was one of just a handful worth in about 1860, probably after the who did on the 1880 federal census (as Legacy is the quarterly newsletter of the census enumeration in June, traveling reported by Henry Tobias in The History New Mexico Jewish Historical Society soon afterward with him to Cherry Creek of the Jews in New Mexico). In 1871, she 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE (Denver). They made the 600-mile trip (continued on p. 8) Albuquerque, NM 87109 in a covered wagon at the time of the Telephone: (505) 348-4471 Colorado gold rush. While we don’t Fax: (505) 821-3351 know how the young couple made their INSIDE THIS ISSUE website: www.nmjewishhistory.org living in Denver, family oral history has email: [email protected] it that after a few years, Samuel declared, Yetta Kohn’s Legacy................................1 “Cattle do not do well here; we’re going Administrator: Bobbi Jackson President’s Message..................................2 Office Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. back to Leavenworth.” It was probably Roundup..............................................2 Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday after a flood wiped out Cherry Creek in Parted Waters........................................3 May 1864 that Samuel made his deci- Genealogy Corner.................................5 Editor: Dorothy C. Amsden sion. While in Denver, Yetta and Samuel Memorial Garden.................................6 Contributing Editor: Naomi Sandweiss Layout: DT Publishing, Santa Fe Memorable Conference......................10 Printing: Minuteman Press, Albuquerque Have you renewed your Wolman Nostalgia Trip.......................11 Mailing: Adelante, Albuquerque membership for 2009? Upcoming Events...................................12 Legacy, Volume 22, Number 4, December 2008 Message from President Noel Pugach he New Mexico Jewish His- etery in Las Vegas last spring. The Labor Day If you have not already renewed your mem- torical Society just complet- Weekend book sale at Wild Oats in Santa Fe bership in the Society for 2009, please do ed a very good year. It was a was splendidly organized and run by Sheila so as soon as possible. Our work depends T year filled with productive Gershen and Shirley Jacobson. This annual on your support. We also want to hear from initiatives, successful activi- book sale is a very important fundraiser for you — your comments, ideas, and criti- ties, and exciting programs. I the Society, and this year proved cism. Please email them to credit the Society’s past presidents and board most successful. me at [email protected], members for putting our organization on a and I will consider them stable and firm foundation when I assumed We are extremely proud of carefully. the presidency in June. At the same time the past year’s four excellent there remain a few areas that we can improve issues of Legacy, thanks to our Consider asking your upon. hard-working editor Dorothy friends and family members Amsden. Legacy is a vital link to join the Society or give Major highlights of 2008 included the “Rock to our membership and general them a gift membership. I and Roll Nostalgia Trip,” a presentation by community that provides in- also invite you to work on legendary photographer Baron Wolman formation on Society activities our various committees. in Albuquerque on August 24. “Sephardic and future programs. It has also They range from program Voices” filled the Lensic Theater in Santa Fe become an important vehicle planning, films, and mem- on October 16 with crypto-Jewish songs, for reporting on the rich history NMJHS President Noel Pugach. bership to the newsletter poetry, and play readings. The next weekend of New Mexico Jewry. This year and public relations. We in El Paso, the Society held its first joint Legacy has published accounts of significant welcome your skills and talents. conference with the Texas Jewish Historical families written by their descendants as well Society October 24 - 26. as Helen Horwitz’s delightful reminiscences of The Jewish Federation of New Mexico will growing up Jewish in Albuquerque. hold its annual fundraising campaign in Last April, a capacity audience attended the January. I urge you to respond generously film showing and discussion of “The Jew and In this issue of Legacy, I would like to draw when you are contacted by a solicitor. Your the Lotus” at the Santa Fe Film Center. How- your attention to the lead story by Sharon financial support is essential to carry on the ever, our efforts to run a summer film series Fried about the prominent Kohn-Bidegain work of many worthy and vital community were less successful and we are evaluating the ranching family. Ms. Fried, a new contributor agencies, including our own New Mexico outcome. Your comments and observations to Legacy, reported on some of her findings Jewish Historical Society. will be valuable as we plan events for 2009. at the Joint Conference in El Paso. Another fascinating article is by playwright Robert Finally, I wish you a very healthy, happy, Another Society event that took place in Benjamin, a retired Los Alamos scientist, and rewarding New Year. With your par- November was a genealogy workshop in who discusses his new play “Parted Waters” ticipation, encouragement, and financial Santa Fe, organized by Dorothy Amsden. If about a present-day Hispanic family with support, we can look forward to another you missed that one, another is scheduled crypto-Jewish heritage. I am sure you will successful and productive year for the New in Taos next May. Other Society activities find much to garner your attention in all the Mexico Jewish Historical Society. A included the cleanup of the Montefiore Cem- articles in this issue. Roundup – Jewish Military Service by Naomi Sandweiss y grandfather, Ben Fein- as the Revolutionary War, Jews received Civil War Battle in the New Mexico Ter- stein, was one of thousands military honors and promotions. Salmon ritory. Jewish Corporals Jacob Levy and of Jewish soldiers to serve Bush (1753 - 1796), a Philadelphian, was Simon Rothschild died in the battle and are M in the U.S. military during wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, buried in Santa Fe’s National Cemetery. the First World War. As I captured by the British, and later returned read his letters home from the European to the Americans from whom he received According to some reports, about 5,000 front, I couldn’t help but wonder: What a commendation and promotion. Jewish American soldiers served with was it like to be a Jewish soldier in the Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in the American military? Here in New Mexico, Jewish resident Spanish-American War, including Jews Captain Louis Felsenthal (1832 - 1909) from the New Mexico Territory. These Of course, Jews served as military personnel organized a company of Union volunteers Jewish volunteers worshiped freely, and in all U.S. wars and conflicts. As far back to fight in the Battle of Valverde, the first (continued on p. 7) Page 2 New Mexico Jewish Historical Society The Making of Parted Waters – A new stage-play about crypto-Judaism in New Mexico by Robert F. Benjamin arted Waters, a contempo- I began to fashion the script into a play and misinterprets his father’s motivation rary drama commissioned that will have its world premiere in despite Reynaldo’s protest, an intense by the Arizona Jewish The- March, 2009 in Phoenix.