I was born in the year 1819, in Micklosh, a city pleasantly situated on the river Waag, in the kingdom of Hungary. My parents were both natives of Hungary, and very strict adherents to that form of belief peculiar to the Jewish religion. My grandfather on my father's side was a Rabbi of the Synagogue in Miskolz, a city in the southern part of Hungary. My grandfather on my mother's side was the sexton of a Jewish synagogue all his lifetime. I was the eldest of thirteen children with whom my father was blessed, only four of whom survive at the present day. My father was an only son ; but for some cause he left his father's house when very young, and removed to Italy, the land of bright skies and balmy breezes. There he remained until he grew to man's estate ; but although he enjoyed considerable prosperity in his business, he felt that it was not good for man to be alone. None of the fair daughters of Italy seem to have suited his fancy, for he returned to his native land and settled in St. Micklosh, where he shortly after married my good mother, who was at that time the handsomest maiden in the Jewish congregation. Here he resumed his business, subject to the usual vicissitudes of fortune, during a long lifetime. He never was rich, but always honest, and scrupulously exact in the discharge of his religious duties. He died triumphant in his faith, at the ripe age of seventy-one years. Peace to his ashes!

According to a tradition handed down by our forefathers, our family is descended from the tribe of Benjamin. But this can never be proved. No Jew now living in the world is able to say to which of the twelve tribes he belongs. The greater number of them have not even a traditionary knowledge of their tribeship. Even the Levites, who retained this knowledge for the longest period, cannot at the present day be relied on ; and no doubt many lay claim to be descended from that tribe without the slightest foundation for such claim. This power to prove their connection with the various tribes was destroyed when Herod the Great burned all the manuscripts containing the genealogies. His object in doing so was to prevent any one from proving, as they could have done, that he was a usurper of authority to which he had no rightful claim.

When quite an infant I was said to be such a pretty child that people came from far and near to see me. It is very hard for me to believe this now, if I am to rely on the testimony of the looking-glass ! All children are said to be beautiful ; and many people act upon the principle that the easiest way to gain the favour of the mother is to flatter the baby, and perhaps I got more than my share. When but three years old I was taken to school by a Gentile servant, whose duty it was to carry me on her shoulders there and back. In subsequent times I have often thought, how strange that a Gentile should be the first to bring me to a place of instruction ! There I commenced to learn the Hebrew alphabet, which is invariably the first lesson which a Hebrew child receives on entering school….

The Autobiography of The Rev. Charles Freshman - Late Rabbi of the Jewish Synagogue at Quebec, And Graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary at Prague; at Present German Wesleyan Minister at Preston