Edward Philip “E.P.” Nathan
Birth: March 14, 1857 in Liverpool, England
Death: April 23, 1930 in Victoria, B.C.
PLot: Row D – Plot 5
Inscription:
In
Loving Memory of
Edward P. Nathan
Born Liverpool, Eng
March 14 1957
Died Victoria April 23 1930
Biography:
Edward arrived in New York City on November 1, 1875. By 1880 he was living in Sacramento, California. Edward settled in San Francisco and became an accountant in his cousin’s glove manufacturing business. There he met and married Lewis Lewis’ daughter Rosina Lewis on May 13, 1885.
Persuaded to move to Victoria by his father-in-law, Lewis Lewis, the couple relocated. At that time, Lewis and his son Aaron were running the stove and tinware business; Lewis Lewis & Co. By 1893, Edward had joined them. When Lewis retired in 1900, Nathan began a ten year position as a bookkeeper for the pawnbroker Andrew Alfred (A.A.) Aaronson.
After A.A. death in 1912, Edward went into partnership with Samuel Levy. They operated the Victoria Loans Office and sold second-hand goods located on Government Street. By 1927, at the age of 70, Nathan had set up his own jewellery business on lower Johnson Street.
Edward was a member of a number of fraternal organizations: Woodmen of the World (WOW), International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), Independent Order of Foresters, and the Knights of Pythias.
In 1903, he was elected to the Board of Managers of Victoria Camp No. 52 of the Woodmen of the World. He remained active in that insurance organization until his death.
He was heavily involved the Knights of Pythias; whose name came from the legend of Damon and Pythias, and symbolized the ideals of honour, loyalty, and friendship. Membership only required a belief in an unspecified Supreme Being. Before WW1, Nathan served as Chancellor the top official for one of the local branches.
Edward’s funeral was attended by members of the WOW*, IOOF and Knights of Pythias. The family requested that the graveside rites be conducted by the Knights of Pythias.
*The Woodmen of the World (WOW). Started in the 1880’s, WOW was a fraternal organization which provided life and burial insurance for it’s members. Until the 1920’s members qualified for the monument program which entitled the widow of a WOW member to receive $100.00 to help defray the cost of gravestones. Including the WOW logo on the gravestone was required. The tree stump, symbolizes that the the life of the breadwinner of the family was cut short. The olive branches represents harmony and neighbourly cooperation. These letters “C” and “O” stand for Canadian Order. The Latin phrase, Dum tacet clamat translates as “Though silent, he speaks”; meaning that the person buried there lead a worthy life.
Based on information provided by Diana Pedersen.
Parents:
Louisa Abraham 1815-1896
Mosely Nathan 1812-1889
Siblings:
Jane Nathan (1846–1875)
George Aronson Nathan (1851–1859)
Moritz S. Nathan born in 1857
Louis Henry Nathan born in 1859
Miriam Betsy Nathan (1860–1944)
Theresa Nathan (1861–1920)
Isabella Nathan (1866–1941)
Spouse:
Rosina Lewis Nathan (1856–1931)
Children:
Rachael Nathan (1886-1963)
married (1914), then divorced, Samuel Flash.
Rachael had 2 children (Evelyn and Philip)
Louisa Florence Nathan (1891-1982) married (1913) Louis Joseph Levy.
Additional Images:
The Jewish Cemetery of Victoria, British Columbia 