Jewish Confederate Monument
at Hollywood Cemetery
Richmond, Virginia
The two granite stones comprising the Confederate Jewish Monument reference more notable historical people, diversified historical events and human emotion than any other monument. The monument is comprised of two "Richmond" granite blocks.
The vertical granite measures 42 by 42 by 11 inches.
The bronze plaque measures 24 by 24 inches.
This granite block is one of eight originally used as floor supports, evenly spaced, running from front to back in a line down the building's center, visible in the basement dressing rooms of the Marshall / Richmond Theatre, 7th and Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia.
The monument base was the rear loading dock threshold granite. It contains drilled holes used to fasten vertical door latching rods from 1818. The length has been slightly cut for cosmetic monument appeal.
The Richmond Theatre Fire
December 26, 1811
The title of the play was "The Father, or Family Feuds."
The after-piece, a pantomime was called "Raymond and Agness or the Bleeding Nun."
Seventy-two persons perished in fire, including the Governor of Virginia.
Elizabeth Poe, Edgar Allan Poe's mother, performed in The Richmond Theatre and died two weeks before the fire at 24 years old. She is sleeping at St. John's Church in Richmond.
The Honorable Justice John Marshall was appointed to locate a site for a new theatre. John Marshall presided at the Aaron Burr trial at the Virginia State Capitol building in 1804, and later became the second Chief Justice of the United States after John Jay. Justice Marshall is sleeping in Richmond.
The Marshall Theatre
In 1818, a new theatre was built on the southeast corner of 7th and Broad Street and named after Justice Marshall, The Marshall Theatre. Among investors in the venture were John Marshall and William Wirt. Attorney Wirt wrote Patrick Henry's speech, "Give me Liberty or Give me Death," as we know it today. On July 19, 1821, Junius Brutus Booth made his American debut on the Marshall stage playing "Richard III." John Wilkes Booth and Edwin Booth performed at the Marshall Theatre. P.T. Barnum personally inspected the granite floor supports in 1850 before the performance of the "Swedish Nightingale," Miss Jenny Lind. Edgar Allan Poe walked on that granite. The granite stone heard their voices.
The Richmond Theatre
In 1862, the Marshall Theatre was devastated by fire, and mostly destroyed except for the basement-area dressing rooms and the rear brick wall. The theatre was quickly rebuilt and renamed The Richmond Theatre. It was occasionally referred to as the New Richmond Theatre and the Richmond New Theatre. Other great stars--including Sarah Bernhardt, Edwin Booth, John Wilkes Booth, Mary, Kate, Jennie and Sallie Partington, Joseph Jefferson, Clara Kellog, Kate Claxton, Modjeska, Mary Anderson, E. A. Sothern, Richard Mansfield, the elder Salvini, William H. Crane, and hundreds more played at the Richmond. At one time, John Wilkes Booth was the stage manager.
Richmond Theatre
The Confederate Stage
There were but two cities in the entire confederacy where the stage flourished to any considerable extent during the four eventful years of the late unpleasantness. But Richmond was the real home of the Confederate stage. Most of the 18,000 soldiers sleeping at Hollywood Cemetery, including Lee's Army walked on that granite. The granite heard their shouts and applause. The little English actress, Sallie Partington, was their "sweetheart."
Among the salient features of Miss Partington's character, none was more predominant than her love for the Confederacy. In Richmond, her name was a toast; in the camp she was an idol. A notable hit was scored by her in this city while playing in "The Virginia Cavalier," a war piece written by Captain Alexander, at that time commander of Libby Prison.
Jefferson Davis, Varina, Margaret, Winnie and Jefferson Jr. walked on that granite. The entire Confederate cabinet walked on that granite and their voices were heard.
The granite stone supported and heard Mme. Sarah Bernhardt in performance at the Richmond Theatre.
"The world-renowned artiste will be at the new Richmond Theatre Monday and Tuesday, January 18th and 19th. She will play La Tosca and Fedora, supported by the identical company that she had in New York. Mme. Bernhardt and company travel in a special train consisting of five cars, and carry every stitch of scenery they use."
In 1888, the granite stones saw and heard the great tragedians, Edwin Booth and Andrew Barrett -
" They appeared last night in Othello at the Richmond Theatre before an immense audience."
From the beginning of our association with this project profound paranormal events have manifested and guided. The description and explanation of these events are difficult to creditably write or discuss. Two paranormal event words are deliberately incorporated on the bronze plaque.
Statistics
In 1818, the Marshall Theatre was built on the site.
In 1862, fire destroyed the original building.
The theatre was rebuilt and named Richmond Theatre.
In 1895, the site became the Globe Shoe and Clothing Co.
In 1912, Meyer Greentree Clothing Co.
In 1972, Cavalier Clothing Co.
From 1895, they were all Jewish businesses. It is noticeable the number of times the word "Cavalier" is encountered in theatre history to Cavalier Clothing Company in 2004. It cannot be coincidence, the many links over generations - generational ties to cutters of stone, sculptor, granite, monuments, theatre, military, Jewish Sir Moses Ezekiel, Edward Valentine, A.P. Grappone, all granite sculptors, all coming together in the Jewish Confederate Monument.
From an early Marshall Theatre time, the then Dean of American Theatre, Joseph Jefferson was not only an accomplished actor but also an artist. He was associated with Marshall and Richmond Theatre and a friend of English "Confederate" actress Sallie Partington. He was also a friend and associate of prominent Richmond sculptor in marble and granite Edward Virginius Valentine (1838-1930).
A.P. Grappone Company transported the granite stones from a storage site at Cold Harbor, Mechanicsville, Virginia, to their business workshop in Richmond. They cut, drilled, dowelled, cleaned and fastened the bronze plaque to the granite stone, then transported, assembled and placed the monument on the ground facing 2,000 sleeping Gettysburg Confederate soldiers in the shadow of the 90 foot Confederate pyramid. In spite of enormous time, effort and cost to them, they did not charge for their labor.
The company was founded in 1910 by Albert Peter Grappone. He was later joined by his four sons, Marion, Joseph, Anthony, and Albert James, and then three grandsons and one great-grandson. The company is currently operated by fourth generation. Generations ago, the Grappone family had association with sculptor Edward Virginius Valentine and probably knew actor and artist Joseph Jefferson who performed on that hallowed granite stone at the Marshall and Richmond Theatre.
Eternal gratitude
Not often does one meet an honorable man of great character. Such a man is Barry Bunch. Mr. Barry Bunch was project manager for S.B. Cox Demolition Co., the company responsible for tearing down the buildings at the theatre site in 2004. Barry directed his men to save and protect the historic granite blocks under hundreds of tons of rubble. Piece by piece, men on bulldozers and other machines picked and saved 25,000 pounds of granite blocks and historic theatre columns.
Barry operated the bulldozer and loaded the granite on flatbed trailers for transport to Grayson Jennings' property at Cold Harbor, Mechanicsville, Virginia. Reincarnated Confederate soldier Grayson Jennings transported, safeguarded and off-loaded 25,000 pounds of iron columns and granite blocks to his property.
Millie Millhiser Heltzer's great, great grandfather was Rev. M.J. Michelbacher, during the 1861-1865 war years he was Rabbi of Richmond's congregation "Beth Ahabah, The House of Love." Millie is also the great, great, niece of Sgt. Moses Ezekiel, Virginia Military Institute Cadet Corp., Battle of New Market, and has been the driving force behind the Jewish Confederate Monument. After considering all of his worldly accomplishments Sir Moses Ezekiel's most fervent desire was to be remembered as Sgt. Company "C," Battalion of Cadets, VMI, Battle of New Market.
Ezekiel traveled to Italy to study and work as an artist and became known worldwide. He was honored by King Emmanuel who knighted him and gave him the distinction of "Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel," a sculptor of marble and granite and a friend of composer Franz Listz.
Without dedication of Millie Heltzer, Barry Bunch, Grayson Jennings and A.P. Grappone Co. it would not have happened. Thank you all.
A.C. Griffith |
