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'''David Etienne de Lara''' was present at the meeting that led to the [[Founding of the Theosophical Society|founding]] of the [[Theosophical Society]] on [[September 8]], 1875.  
'''David Etienne de Lara''' was present at the meeting that led to the [[Founding of the Theosophical Society|founding]] of the [[Theosophical Society]] on [[September 8]], 1875.  
Many thanks to Joma Sipe for his excellent research related to David E. de Lara, and also to John Patrick Deveney and Boaz Huss. Locating biographical details about this family is complicated by the existence of other David de Laras married to other wives named Sarah in both England and the United States.


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==


David Etienne de Lara was born in 1796 in the Netherland to a Jewish family of Portuguese descent. His family were probably among of the Sephardic Jews in the Netherlands who referred to themselves as “Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation,” distinguishing their community from the Ashkenazi Jews of eastern Europe.<ref>See Miriam Bodian, Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation: Conversos and Community in Early Modern Amsterdam (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997), as mentioned in the Wikipedia article [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardic_Jews_in_the_Netherlands Sephardic Jews in the Netherlands].</ref> During the 1820s he seems to have traveled between the Netherlands and London, working as a language teacher.<ref>David Etienne de Lara in England, Alien Arrivals, 1810-1811, 1826-1869. Arrival in London from Rotterdam on November 9, 1926.</ref> On December 8, 1828, he married Sarah Crawcour(1799-1872) in a Church of England ceremony.<ref>David deLara in London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938. From church register for Saint James, Paddington.</ref> They had two sons, Etienne and Isaac, and three daughters, Flora, Emma, and Victoria.<ref>1841 England Census.</ref><ref>1855 New York, U.S., State Census.</ref> In addition his scholarly work, he worked as an accountant and a successful merchant.<ref>1841 England Census.</ref><ref>1870 United States Federal Census.</ref>
David Etienne de Lara was born in 1796 in the Netherlands to a Jewish family of Portuguese descent. His family were probably among of the Sephardic Jews in the Netherlands who referred to themselves as “Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation,” distinguishing their community from the Ashkenazi Jews of eastern Europe.<ref>See Miriam Bodian, Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation: Conversos and Community in Early Modern Amsterdam (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997), as mentioned in the Wikipedia article [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephardic_Jews_in_the_Netherlands Sephardic Jews in the Netherlands].</ref> During the 1820s he seems to have traveled between the Netherlands and London, working as a language teacher.<ref>David Etienne de Lara in England, Alien Arrivals, 1810-1811, 1826-1869. Arrival in London from Rotterdam on November 9, 1926.</ref> On December 8, 1828, he married Sarah Crawcour (1799-1872) in a Church of England ceremony.<ref>David deLara in London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938. From church register for Saint James, Paddington.</ref> They had two sons, Etienne and Isaac, and three daughters, Flora, Emma, and Victoria.<ref>1841 England Census.</ref><ref>1855 New York, U.S., State Census.</ref> in 1929, he published  a booklet called ''A Key to the Portuguese Language'' with vocabulary, expressions, and grammar.<ref>Advertisement in ''The Times'' (London). February 4, 1829.</ref> In addition his scholarly work, he worked as an accountant and a successful merchant.<ref>1841 England Census.</ref><ref>1870 United States Federal Census.</ref>
 
Sometime in the 1840s, the family emigrated from London to New York City. There are few mentions of de Lara in newspapers of the time, although he was name in a legal notice in 1857.<ref>"To Whom It May Concern" ''New York Daily Tribune'' vol.17 (July 15, 1857): 2.</ref>


A modern historian, Boaz Huss, described de Lara as "an Anglo-Jewish scholar and Freemason," but no specific evidence of the masonic connection can be cited at this time.<ref>Boaz Huss, "In Search of the Jewish Theosophists" ''The Newsletter of the Friends of the Theosophical Archives'' FOTA no. 6, Spring-Summer 2016. The issue, including the printed version of the article (with pictures), can be downloaded [http://hypatia.gr/fota/images/newsletter/Fota_Newsletter06.pdf here].</ref>
A modern historian, Boaz Huss, described de Lara as "an Anglo-Jewish scholar and Freemason," but no specific evidence of the masonic connection can be cited at this time.<ref>Boaz Huss, "In Search of the Jewish Theosophists" ''The Newsletter of the Friends of the Theosophical Archives'' FOTA no. 6, Spring-Summer 2016. The issue, including the printed version of the article (with pictures), can be downloaded [http://hypatia.gr/fota/images/newsletter/Fota_Newsletter06.pdf here].</ref>


As of 1870, Mr. de Lara was living in Manhattan with his daughter Victoria and her family, and had a personal wealth of $50,000.<ref>1870 United States Federal Census.</ref> He died on [[June 26]], 1879 in New York City of "senectus" (old age).  
As of 1870, Mr. de Lara was living in Manhattan with his daughter Victoria and her family, and had a personal wealth of $50,000.<ref>1870 United States Federal Census.</ref> He died on [[June 26]], 1879 in Manhattan of "senectus" (old age).<ref>1880 New York, U.S., U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880.</ref><ref>"Died" ''New York Herald'' no. 15651 (June 29, 1879(: 11.</ref><ref>David Etienne De Lara in U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current.</ref>
 
Many thanks to Joma Sipe for his excellent research related to David E. de Lara. Thanks also to John Patrick Deveney and Boaz Huss.


== Lectures and articles ==
== Lectures and articles ==

Revision as of 22:51, 5 February 2024

David Etienne de Lara was present at the meeting that led to the founding of the Theosophical Society on September 8, 1875.

Many thanks to Joma Sipe for his excellent research related to David E. de Lara, and also to John Patrick Deveney and Boaz Huss. Locating biographical details about this family is complicated by the existence of other David de Laras married to other wives named Sarah in both England and the United States.

Personal life

David Etienne de Lara was born in 1796 in the Netherlands to a Jewish family of Portuguese descent. His family were probably among of the Sephardic Jews in the Netherlands who referred to themselves as “Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation,” distinguishing their community from the Ashkenazi Jews of eastern Europe.[1] During the 1820s he seems to have traveled between the Netherlands and London, working as a language teacher.[2] On December 8, 1828, he married Sarah Crawcour (1799-1872) in a Church of England ceremony.[3] They had two sons, Etienne and Isaac, and three daughters, Flora, Emma, and Victoria.[4][5] in 1929, he published a booklet called A Key to the Portuguese Language with vocabulary, expressions, and grammar.[6] In addition his scholarly work, he worked as an accountant and a successful merchant.[7][8]

Sometime in the 1840s, the family emigrated from London to New York City. There are few mentions of de Lara in newspapers of the time, although he was name in a legal notice in 1857.[9]

A modern historian, Boaz Huss, described de Lara as "an Anglo-Jewish scholar and Freemason," but no specific evidence of the masonic connection can be cited at this time.[10]

As of 1870, Mr. de Lara was living in Manhattan with his daughter Victoria and her family, and had a personal wealth of $50,000.[11] He died on June 26, 1879 in Manhattan of "senectus" (old age).[12][13][14]

Lectures and articles

De Lara was associated with John Storer Cobb, another TS founder and editor of the journal New Era.

In June 1873 appeared the first part of a fifteen-part series by “Lara” on “Defence of our National System of Education against the Attacks of the Catholic Press” — a vigorous attack on admitting religion, especially Catholicism, into the public schools, with learned historical digressions on the evil consequences of Catholic political thought. At the conclusion of this diatribe, “Lara,” who now appears by his full name of D.E. de Lara, took up the cudgels again in an eight-part series, beginning in the issue for September 1874, on “Freemasonry, Judaism, and Christianity.” From this and his other contributions we can glean a bit more about the mysterious man whose name appears among those attending the formative meeting of the T.S. on September 8, 1875, and who read a paper before the group on the 18th. David de Lara was first of all quite old, since he mentions a book he had seen in Spain in 1820 or 1821, and he was a Portuguese Jew, a Sephardi.[15]

In a review of a lecture given by de Lara on Pope Sixtus V before the Liberal Club in July 1875, the editor says of him:

Mr. de Lara, who is well-known, at any rate, to the readers of the New Era, through his writings upon the school question and other subjects, is a gentleman who has for a period of nearly half a century been engaged with his pen in enriching English literature, though chiefly under a nom de plume, in consequence of a too great modesty, which, being a part of his nature, cannot be eradicated. The history of European nations he has made a special study, and is eminently qualified to speak to us upon any question relating to the social or political condition of those countries.[16]

Later that year:

In October 1875, the New Era, probably with Cobb at its helm, took up Theosophy and its personae in a big way. It gave a long review of Olcott’s People from the Other World, recommending it as “well written” and filled with “a desire to arrive at the truth, at whatever cost.”[17][18]

Theosophical Society involvement

On September 8, 1875, he was present at the meeting when Col. Henry S. Olcott proposed formation of a society "for the study and elucidation of Occultism, the Cabbala, etc." and Mr. de Lara handed in his name to the newly-appointed secretary, William Quan Judge, to be one of the founding members. He may not have been present at all the subsequent meetings. Historian Josephine Ransom described him as:

A learned old gentleman of Portuguese-Hebrew extraction. H. P. B. and H. S. O. had great affection for him. He seems to have remained a member till he died.[19]

Additional resources

  • Deveney, John Patrick, "D.E. de Lara, John Storer Cobb, and The New Era" Theosophical History 15 no.4 (October, 2011): 27-33. The Theosophical History website is here.
  • Huss, Boaz, "In Search of the Jewish Theosophists" The Newsletter of the Friends of the Theosophical Archives FOTA no. 6, Spring-Summer 2016. The issue, including the printed version of the article (with pictures), can be downloaded here.

Notes

  1. See Miriam Bodian, Hebrews of the Portuguese Nation: Conversos and Community in Early Modern Amsterdam (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1997), as mentioned in the Wikipedia article Sephardic Jews in the Netherlands.
  2. David Etienne de Lara in England, Alien Arrivals, 1810-1811, 1826-1869. Arrival in London from Rotterdam on November 9, 1926.
  3. David deLara in London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938. From church register for Saint James, Paddington.
  4. 1841 England Census.
  5. 1855 New York, U.S., State Census.
  6. Advertisement in The Times (London). February 4, 1829.
  7. 1841 England Census.
  8. 1870 United States Federal Census.
  9. "To Whom It May Concern" New York Daily Tribune vol.17 (July 15, 1857): 2.
  10. Boaz Huss, "In Search of the Jewish Theosophists" The Newsletter of the Friends of the Theosophical Archives FOTA no. 6, Spring-Summer 2016. The issue, including the printed version of the article (with pictures), can be downloaded here.
  11. 1870 United States Federal Census.
  12. 1880 New York, U.S., U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880.
  13. "Died" New York Herald no. 15651 (June 29, 1879(: 11.
  14. David Etienne De Lara in U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current.
  15. John Patrick Deveney, "D.E. de Lara, John Storer Cobb, and The New Era" Theosophical History 15 no.4 (October, 2011): 29.
  16. Editor, New Era 5 no. 9 (September 1875): 597.
  17. “Literary Notices,” New Era 5 no.10 (October 1875): 658-69.
  18. John Patrick Deveney, "D.E. de Lara, John Storer Cobb, and The New Era" Theosophical History 15 no.4 (October, 2011): 29.
  19. Josephine Ransom, A Short History of The Theosophical Society (Adyar, Madras, India: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1938), 112.