686 



OBITUARIES, AMERICAN. 



career in 1841, delivering his first sermon in his 

 native town. He began his literary career 

 while yet a student, contributing articles in 

 the interest of science and progress to the 

 leading German periodicals and newspapers, 

 particularly the " Orient," the " Breslauer 

 Beobachter," and the "Figaro.'" The war- 

 like feeling of 1842 evoked from him a patri- 

 otic poem, "The War-Song of the Germans," 

 which he dedicated to the Prince of Prussia, 

 now the venerable Emperor of Germany, re- 

 ceiving an autographic letter of thanks in re- 

 turn, besides the gratification of having the 

 words set to music by Director Mueller, of 

 Breslau. His articles published in the Ger- 

 man papers in 1848 drew upon him the enmi- 

 ty of the Government, which led him to seek 

 in America the liberty he had unavailingly 

 preached at home. He received a call to 

 officiate as rabbi at Cleveland, Ohio, where he 

 remained several years, and during this period 

 he organized the first conference of rabbis in 

 America, for the purpose of establishing a 

 uniform ritual and prayer-book in the various 

 synagogues throughout the country. This 

 was held in 1855, and was the inception of 

 Reformed Judaism, which he denominated "a 

 Judaism founded on the Bible, with science, 

 reason, and philosophy as monitors and 

 guides." A ritual and common prayer-book, 

 called "Minhag America," largely the work 

 of Dr. Kalisch, was agreed upon, and is now 

 in general use. In the same year he de- 

 ciphered a Pho3nician inscription found near 

 Sidon, which the Syro-Egyptian Society in 

 London had sent to Prof. Gibbs, of Yale Col- 

 lege, to have translated. In 1856 he went to 

 Cincinnati, Ohio, where he officiated until the 

 following year, when he removed to Mil- 

 waukee, Wis., going thence to Indianapolis, 

 Ind. ; Detroit, Mich.; Leaven worth, Kan.; New- 

 ark, N. J. ; Nashville, Tenn., and returned to 

 Newark in 1875. From 1853 till 1878 he per- 

 formed an immense amount of literary labor, 

 besides being in charge of some Hebrew con- 

 gregation continuously from 1850 till 1861. 

 Among his later works were an English trans- 

 lation of " Sepher Yezirah, a Book on Creation, 

 or the Jewish Metaphysics of Remote An- 

 tiquity " (1877); a translation of the Hebrew 

 autobiography of Rabbi Jom Tow (1878); a 

 translation of Prof. Menck's " History of the 

 Philosophy and Philosophical Authors of the 

 Jews" (1881); and one of "Ha Tapuach " 

 (the apple), a treatise on the immortality of 

 the soul, ascribed to Aristotle the Stagyrite 

 (1885). After his death, among his manu- 

 scripts was found a considerable collection of 

 original Hebrew poems, tales, fables, and trans- 

 lations from German and English poets into 

 Hebrew, which have not yet been printed. 



Kelly, John, an American politician, born in 

 New York city, April 21, 1821 ; died there, 

 June 1, 1886. He received a limited public- 

 school education, was apprenticed to the ma- 

 son's trade when twelve years old, and engaged 



in business for himself when twenty-four. 

 He had become quite successful, when, in 1854, 

 he was elected an alderman. From this time 

 until his death he was one of the most noted 

 Democratic politicians in the city. In 1855 

 and 1857 he was elected a member of Con- 

 gress, and during his last term was elected 

 Sheriff of the County of New York, and in 

 1876 he succeeded Andrew H. Green, by ap- 

 pointment, as Controller. His memorable 

 antagonism to William M. Tweed and his fol- 

 lowers took shape when he was nominated for 

 Mayor of the city by the Democratic Union 

 against A. Oakey Hall ; but, in the midst of 

 a canvass that opened with unequaled bitter- 

 ness, Mr. Kelly broke down physically and 

 was compelled to go abroad. After an absence 

 of three years he returned in the autumn of 

 1871, was urged by the best men in the party 

 to undertake the reform of Tammany Hall, 

 and became a vigorous ally of Charles O'Conor, 

 Samuel J. Tilden, and their associates, in the 

 successful struggle against the Tweed Ring. 

 In 1874 he supported Mr. Tilden as candidate 

 for Governor; in 1876 he vainly opposed his 

 nomination by the St. Louis Convention for 

 the presidency. In 1879 he had a quarrel 

 with Gov. Robinson concerning his candidacy 

 for Governor and County Clerk Gumbleton, 

 which resulted in the election of Mr. Cornell 

 as Governor; and in 1883 he attempted to 

 prevent the nomination of Gov. Cleveland as 

 presidential candidate. His last appearance in 

 Tammany Hall was in December, 1884, but 

 the General Committees of 1885 and 1886 re- 

 elected him chairman, although they were 

 aware that his feeble health would necessari- 

 ly preclude his serving. 



Reunion, John Wilberforce, an American evan- 

 gelist, born in England in 1831 ; died in 

 Brooklyn, N. Y., Aug. 16, 1886. He studied 

 medicine, received his diploma in his native 

 country, and was for several years attached to 

 the British army as physician and surgeon. 

 On settling in New York city he became a 

 journalist, and followed this calling with va- 

 rying success until 1875, when, after attend- 

 ing several of Moody and Sankey's revival 

 meetings, he entered upon evangelical mission- 

 ary work in the lower part of the city, preach- 

 ing in the streets, and seeking for auditors 

 the poorest and most wretched classes. He 

 organized the Christ Cleft Mission at the foot 

 of Roosevelt Street, and on every Thanksgiving- 

 day distributed turkeys to the poor at various 

 points on the East river. 



Kidder, Henry P., an American banker, born 

 in Boston, Mass., Jan. 18, 1823 ; died in New 

 York city, Jan. 28, 1886. He received his 

 education in the Boston Latin School, and at 

 the age of fifteen began his business career in 

 a dry-goods store in that city, where he re- 

 mained seven years. In 1847 he took his 

 first lesson in banking in the office of John E. 

 Fair & Brother, and after a service of eleven 

 years he became a partner in the firm. In 



