The Life and Legacy of Dr. Samuel Nunes - Paperback

by Richard M. Eunice (Author)

"The Life and Legacy of Dr. Samuel Nunes" by Richard M. Eunice, is a historical biography that tells the story of one of the most influential figures in early American Jewish history.

The narrative follows the life of Dr. Samuel Nunes (born Diogo Nunes Ribeiro) across three major phases of his life:

In early 18th-century Portugal, Nunes was a highly successful physician who served the Portuguese court. However, he was a "crypto-Jew"-a descendant of Jews forced to convert to Catholicism who secretly maintained his ancestral faith. The book details his arrest by the Inquisition in 1703, his imprisonment and torture, and the years he spent under constant surveillance after his release.

A central highlight of the book is the dramatic "final masquerade" Nunes orchestrated in 1726. To escape the Inquisition's reach, he hosted a grand dinner party for Lisbon's elite. While his guests were entertained, he and his family slipped away to a British brigantine waiting in the Tagus River, eventually reaching safety in London where they could openly practice Judaism.

In 1733, Nunes and his family were part of the first group of Jewish settlers to arrive in the new colony of Georgia. They arrived in Savannah during a severe medical crisis that was decimating the settlement. Despite initial legal opposition to Jewish residents, Nunes's skills as a physician were so vital in saving the colony that General James Oglethorpe granted the group land and permanent residency.

The book concludes by examining the long-term impact of the Nunes family. It traces the lineage of his descendants through major events like the American Revolution and explores the survival of the congregation he helped found, Mickve Israel in Savannah.

Ultimately, the work is a tribute to the "Nunes Spirit"-the intersection of scientific intellect, religious conviction, and the resilience required to find a home in a new world.