For the festival of Hanukkah, Danna Kelley focuses on the memorable story of Uriah Phillips Levy and his connection to Monticello. She discusses his career in the United States Navy, where he became the first Jewish-American to rise to the rank of commodore as well as the anti-Semitism he faced throughout his time in military service. She also explores his decision to purchase Monticello from James Barclay and begin preservation efforts for the home, and how these efforts were connected to his admiration for Thomas Jefferson.
Kyle Chattleton: This is Mountaintop History, a podcast produced by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello.
Olivia Brown: Mountaintop History brings forward meaningful stories from this historic home and plantation — from the past and from the present.
Kyle Chattleton: My name is Kyle Chattleton.
Olivia Brown: And I'm Olivia Brown.
Kyle Chattleton: Thank you for joining us. We hope you'll learn something new.
After Thomas Jefferson's death, a Jewish American naval officer named Uriah Phillips Levy bought Monticello with the intention of preserving it as a monument to Jefferson. But while Levy admired Jefferson's life and accomplishments, Levy also had an incredible story.
Danna Kelley, an Associate Guide and Supervisor at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, explains.
Danna Kelley: Uriah Phillips Levy was a fifth generation American, a fierce patriot, a proud Jew, and a proud sailor. Born in Philadelphia in 1792, Levy was always drawn to the sea. And at age 10, he ran away to be a cabin boy on a trading ship, later working as a sailor on various schooners. At 20, he joined the Navy, where he served valiantly in the War of 1812.
That was the start of Uriah Levy's fifty year colorful, tumultuous, Navy career. Why tumultuous? Because Levy, intelligent, pugnacious, and determined, did not tolerate bigotry, and the Navy was rife with anti-Semitism. And when Levy found himself the butt of an ugly epithet, he retaliated.
For example, in 1816, he was challenged to a duel by Officer William Potter. Levy allowed Potter to fire his pistol at him five times before returning a shot, repeatedly trying to “satisfy honor” by firing into the air. But when Potter's final shot nicked Levy's ear, he lost patience, saying to Potter's friends, “Gentlemen, stop him or I must.” They didn't, so Levy fired one shot killing his fellow officer.
Uriah Levy was court-martialed six times during his career and kicked out of the Navy twice, and he always managed to get reinstated. One time he was court-martialed because he refused to have his crew members flogged as punishment. Today, Levy is credited with abolishing the cruel system of flogging in the U.S. Navy. He was supported in that campaign by no less than Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick.
So in spite of many setbacks, Levy steadily rose up the ranks and became the first Jewish Commodore in the U.S. Navy. When not aboard ship, Levy lived in New York City, where he'd made a fortune in real estate and was a generous philanthropist for Jewish causes.
And it was in 1834 that Uriah Levy bought the former home of Thomas Jefferson with the intent of preserving Monticello for the future, which he did.
Olivia Brown: This has been another episode of Mountaintop History, a collaboration podcast between WTJU and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.
Kyle Chattleton: This episode of Mountaintop History was made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Join us for new episodes every two weeks on Apple and Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and the Virginia Audio Collective.
Olivia Brown: To learn more about Monticello or to plan your next trip, visit us online at Monticello.org.
Sharing History: A Crusade for Monticello
On April 13, 1909, Maud Littleton fulfilled a life-long desire to visit Monticello. Shortly after, Littleton launched a years-long public campaign first to purchase and then to wrest Monticello from Jefferson Monroe Levy, whose family had owned and preserved the property for nearly 80 years.
