Abigail Franks

Abigail Franks
Portrait of Abigail Franks, c. 1735
Born	Bilhah Abigail Levy c. 1696 (1696) London, England
Died	1756 (aged 59–60) New York City, Province of New York, British America
Known for	Letters describing political, social, and religious life in colonial New York
Spouse(s)	Jacob Franks
Children	9
Parents	Moses Levy (father) Richea Asher (mother)

Bilhah Abigail Levy Franks (c. 1696–1756) was an English–born Jewish woman who lived most of her life in the Province of New York, British America. Born in London and raised in New York City, she married a London-born businessman and reared a family of nine children. While committed to Jewish observance, she and her family also socialized freely in the wider Christian society. Theirs was considered one of the prominent families of colonial New York.

She is known for the letters she wrote to her eldest son after he moved to England. Spanning the years 1733 to 1748, these letters describe the political and social milieu of 18th-century New York, together with the assimilation and interfaith marriage that affected Jewish families. Two of Abigail's children married outside of the religion and all of her grandchildren assimilated. By the end of the 18th century, she had no Jewish descendants.

Bilhah Abigail Levy was born in London to Moses (Raphael) Levy, a German–Jewish merchant, and his wife Richea (Rycha) Asher. She had four brothers. Her father relocated the family to New York City in the early 1700s and became a wealthy, respected merchant in international trade. Abigail received a "formal, classical education". Her mother died when she was 11 and her father remarried to Grace Mears, with whom he had eight more children.

In 1712 at the age of 16, Abigail married Jacob Franks (1688–1769), a London-born businessman. The couple had nine children between the years 1715 and 1742; two died in childhood. They were married for 44 years until Abigail's death.

The Jewish population of Colonial New York at that time was minuscule, comprising only about 50 families. Nevertheless, Abigail ran a traditional Jewish home, including strict Sabbath observance, Jewish holiday observance, and a kosher kitchen. All her children received "Hebrew instruction" and were familiar with the prayers. The family were members of Congregation Shearith Israel; Jacob served as president of the synagogue in 1730.