Barnard Gratz

When about seventeen years of age he emigrated to the United States, arriving in Philadelphia in 1754. For a time he was engaged in the counting-house of David Franks, but subsequently he entered into partnership with his brother Michael, trading with the Indians and supplying the government with Indian goods. On Oct. 11, 1763, he became a naturalized British subject. He was one of the merchants who signed the Non-Importation Resolutions adopted Oct. 25, 1765. After the outbreak of the Revolutionary war he took the oath of allegiance to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Nov. 6, 1777). Gratz was also one of the signers of a petition presented to the government in 1783 for the abolition of an objectionable oath of office. About the time of the outbreak of the American Revolution he was appointed parnas of an unorganized congregation of Philadelphia Jews, which was ultimately known as the Congregation Mickveh Israel, on whose board of trustees he later served.