David Emanuel (Governor of Georgia)

David Emanuel became 24th Governor of Georgia on March 3, 1801 upon the resignation of James Jackson to become U.S. Senator from Georgia. Emanuel served until November 7, 1801, the remainder of Jacksons term, but did not seek reelection. Emanuel was a member of the Democratic Republican Party. Prior to serving as governor he was the President of the Georgia Senate.

Some historians believe Emanuel to be the first governor of Jewish heritage of any U.S. state, while others believe that he was Presbyterian. One early claim that he was Jewish seems to have been based mainly on hearsay in Savannah, Georgia, and a letter from a descendant of David Emanuels sister Ruth Emanuel Twiggs, Judge H.D.D. Twiggs of Savannah, who stated, I do not know where Governor David Emanuel came from, I only know that, beyond doubt, he was a Jew. Judge Twiggs was born some years after David Emanuel had died, and so would not have had first hand knowledge of his heritage.

Source: Wikipedia