Pinto-Levy family papers, 1856-1878

Adolph Pinto was born in Prussia in 1817 and immigrated to California in 1852, during the Gold Rush. Adolph set up business as a tailor in Sonora, Tuolumne County, California and made a home there with his wife, Fanny, and their children. In 1858, Emanuel Pinto was born to Adolph and Fanny. In 1874, the Pinto family left Sonora and moved to San Francisco, where they joined Congregation Sherith Israel. Emanuel married Sarah Cohen, who was born in New York in 1862 to Abraham and Caroline Cohen. The Cohens moved to San Francisco sometime in the 1860s or 1870s. Julian Pinto (1889-1965), son of Emanuel and Sarah Pinto, married Pearle Levy (1903-1993). Pearle’s parents were Samuel D. Levy (b. 1860 in New York) and Rosa Levy (b. 1870 in New York) and her paternal grandfather was Henry Levy of New York.

A citizenship document (1856) of Abraham Cohen, the maternal grandfather of Julian Pinto; a citizenship certificate (1867) of Henry Levy, grandfather of Pearle Levy Pinto; and a Master Mason (i.e. Freemason) certificate (1878) for Henry Levi [sic] from National Lodge, No. 209, New York (City).