He helped to organize the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Illinois in 1840. Within two years he moved to Quincy, Illinois opening a carriage business and studying law in Orville Browning's office. In 1836 he moved to Columbus in Adams County, Illinois, to operate a general store. During that time he and Louisa had five children. In August 1833, he was elected to serve as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Kentucky for the typical one-year term. While in Kentucky, Abraham helped to organize Grant Lodge, U.D., for which he served as its charter Master in 1826. He was elected to the state legislature for four years. There he married Louisa Block from a pioneering Jewish American family and operated a general store. Lucy suddenly died in 1825, and Abraham moved to Williamstown, Kentucky. He and Joseph married Lucy and Rachel Seixas daughters of the first Rabbi born in America – Gershom Mendes Seixas. Abraham also joined the Freemasons in Cincinnati. Abraham and his two brothers were original members of Congregation B'nai Israel (Sons of Israel), the first Jewish congregation west of the Allegheny Mountains. Abraham and his brother Edward joined Joseph in Cincinnati in 1819. Abraham's brother, Joseph Jonas, moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, becoming the first Jew to settle west of the Allegheny Mountains. Jonas was born in Exeter, England to Annie Ezekiel and Benjamin Jonas. He was a member of the Illinois and Kentucky state legislatures, a leading lawyer, Freemason, and a valued friend of Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Jonas (born September 12, 1801, in Exeter, England died June 8, 1864) was the first permanent Jewish resident in Quincy, Illinois.
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