Haym Solomon (Salomon) was born in Poland about 1740. At the
beginning of America’s Revolution, Mr. Solomon was operating a
financial brokerage in New York City. He immediately sided with
the Sons of Liberty, and in 1776, was arrested by the British as
a spy, and was required to serve them as a German interpreter
for Hessian soldiers. However, at the same time he was helping
prisoners of the British to escape and encouraging German
soldiers to desert. When this was discovered in 1778, the
British sentenced him to death. He was able to escape to
Philadelphia, which was controlled by the American rebels, and
there he resumed his brokerage enterprises. Solomon was an
influential member of the Mikveh Israel congregation, founded in
1740, in Philadelphia and he was a leader in the fight to
overturn restrictive Pennsylvania laws barring non-Christians
from holding public office. He married Rachel Franks in 1777,
and they had four children together. Haym Solomon performed
patriotic service to his adopted land in bot