Early Arizona Jews Elected to Leadership Offices
Values Codes I – L – E
Statewide Offices
In 1873, the Arizona territorial legislature elected Tucson banker Lionel Jacobs (a member of the legislature) to serve as State Treasurer.
In 1886, Arizona voters elected Tucson financier Charles Strauss (1840-1892) as State Superintendent of Education.
In 1898 the Arizona territorial senate elected businessman Morris Goldwater (a member of the legislature) as Senate president.
Territorial Legislators
William Zeckendorf (1842-1906), Tucson, 1874.
Sol Barth (1842-1928), St. Johns, 1880, 1896.
Selim Franklin, Tucson, 1885.
Leon Jacobs (1886-1982), Phoenix, 1911.
County Board Presidents
In 1871, Lionel Jacobs was elected president of the Pima County Board.
In 1885, newspaper/cigar dealer Jacob Mansfeld (1832-94), after serving on the Tucson city council and Pima County Board, was elected county board president.
In 1887, the Cochise County Board chose David Cohn, a board member, to be board president.
Mayors
Morris Goldwater won 20 mayoral terms in Prescott between 1893 and 1927.
Morris Goldwater, Prescott mayor
Philip Drachman was twice elected mayor pro tempore in Tucson, 1874-75.
Michael Goldwater won two mayoral terms in Prescott, 1879 and 1882.
Abe Frank (1836-1903) served one term in Ehrenberg, 1882.
Charles Strauss (1840-1892) was elected in Tucson, 1883.
Charles Strauss, Tucson mayor
Emil Ganz (1838-1922) won three times in Phoenix, 1885, 1886, 1899.
Emil Ganz, Phoenix mayor
Leonard Meyer (1851-95) served one term in Phoenix, 1888-89.
Abe Frank won two terms in Yuma, 1891-92.
Abraham Emanuel won three in Tombstone, 1896-1900.
Abraham Emanuel, Tombstone mayor
Moses Newman (1859-1931) won one in Bisbee, 1911.
Emil Marks (1860-1945 ) served one term in Bisbee, 1890’s.
City/County Officers
Henry Levin (1869-1927), Tucson Assessor, 1892-93, and Pima County Assessor, 1893-1895.
City Council Members
Alexander Levin (1834-91), Tucson, 1879-85.
Julius Goldbaum (1861-1927), Tucson, 1890-91.
Charles Goldman (1845-1923), Phoenix, 1891-92.
Source
- Mark Rutzik, Breaking New Ground: The Untold Story of Early America’s Jewish Electoral Pioneers – 1788 to 1920, 2025.
Mark Rutzick is the curator of this Jewish Officeholders exhibit.
