San Francisco/Bay Area Early Jewish Pioneers
1840′s
Washington Bartlett: California’s Pioneer Jewish Governor
Henry A. Lyons: First Jew to Serve on the California Supreme Court
Joel Noah: Jewish 49er and Respected Masonic “Tiler”
Joshua Norton: Beloved Jewish Emperor of San Francisco
Louis Sloss: Grand Jewish 49er of San Francisco & Alaska
Israel Solomon: Early Synagogue Leader of San Francisco
Abraham Watters: Pioneer Synagogue Founder of San Francisco
1850′s
Emanuel Berg: Maker of a Historical Mistake
Simon Blum: Pioneer Master Merchant of Martinez, California
Joseph Brandenstein: Pioneer Philanthropist of San Francisco
Aaron Cahn: Pioneer Jewish Merchandiser and Philanthropist of San Francisco and the Northwest
Harriet Ashim Choynski: Early Jewish Pioneer Educator of San Francisco
Isidor Choynski: Foremost Jewish Journalist of San Francisco
Lazerus Dinkelspiel: Pioneer Merchant and Philanthropist of San Francisco
Rabbi Julius Eckman: Rabbi and Jewish Newspaper Publisher
Morris Greenberg: Brass Foundry Owner
August Helbing: Jewish Pioneer Founder of the Eureka Benevolent Society of San Francisco
Martin Heller: Dry Goods Wholesaler & Longest Synagogue President
Solomon Heydenfeldt: Jewish Justice of California Supreme Court
Adolphus Hollub: Early Jewish Pioneer Merchant & Mason
Benjamin Hyam: Lawyer and Master Mason
Harry Isaacs: Pioneer Jewish Freighter & Saloon Keeper in Early of San Francisco
Philo Jacoby: Newspaper Publisher and World Champion Sharpshooter
Henry J. Labatt: Lawyer and Statesman
Daniel Levy: Jewish French Intellectual and Educator
Samuel Wolf Levy: Insurance, Retailer, and Philanthropist
Henry Lyons: Justice of the California Supreme Court
Hannah Marks Solomons: Pioneer Jewish Woman
Sigmund Steinhart: Food Broker & Philanthropist
John & Adelaide Steinman: Hotel Owners
David Stern: Partner in Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss: Founder of Levi Strauss and Co.
Adolph Sutro: Engineer, Entrepreneur and Mayor
David N. Walter: Early Pioneer Jewish Home Furnishing Merchant of San Francisco
Simon Wolf: Pioneer Master Merchant of Contra Costa County
Isaac Wormser: Capitalist and Philanthropist
1860′s
Abraham Anspacher: Grain Merchant and Philanthropist
Julius Baum: Leading Jewish Pioneer Businessman of San Francisco
Samuel Bloom: Early Jewish Pioneer and Quality Tanner of San Francisco
Joseph Rodrigues Brandon: Pioneer Lawyer and Activist of San Francisco
Rabbi Elkin Cohn: Accomplished Early San Francisco Rabbi
Amelia Dannenberg: Clothing Manufacturer
Mendel Esberg: Pioneer Jewish Cigar Merchant and Manufacturer of San Francisco
Benedict Feigenbaum: Early Pioneer Merchant of Northern California and San Francisco
Elizabeth Fleishman-Aschheim: Heroic Radiologist
Lewis Gerstle: Jewish Pioneer of the Alaska Commercial Company and San Francisco Benefactor
Emanuel Lewis Goldstein: Jewish Pioneer Wholesale Grocer of San Francisco
Jacob Greenbaum: Clothing Manufacturer, Importer and Philanthropist
Henry Greenberg: Jewish Pioneer Manufacturer, Banker, Real Estate Broker & Benefactor
The Gumps: From Picture Frames to San Francisco’s Most Exclusive Store
Joseph Haber: Pioneer Jewish Jeweler of San Francisco
Abraham Elias Hecht: Jewish Pioneer Partner of Buckingham & Hecht Shoe Co. of San Francisco
Isaac Hecht: Jewish Pioneer Partner of Buckingham & Hecht Shoe Co. of San Francisco
Marcus Hecht: Shoe Manufacturer and Retailer
Julius Jacobs: Pioneer Merchant, Insurance Salesman, and Assistant United States Treasurer
Simon Koshland: Pioneer Jewish Wool Merchant of San Francisco
The Liebes Family: Fur Importer and Manufacturer
The Roos Family: Pioneer Merchants of San Francisco & Virginia City
Lippman Sachs: Dry Goods and Clothing Wholesaler
Dr. Max Sichel: First Known Dentist in California
Isaac Stone: Early Dairyman of San Francisco
Oscar Weil: Jewish Music Teacher, Composer, and Critic of San Francisco
Cantor Alexander Weisler of Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco
1870′s
Charles Louis Ackerman: Successful Jewish Pioneer Barrister of San Francisco
David Belasco: America’s Gold Rush-Bred Impresario
Simon Greenwald: Early Jewish Pioneer & Founder of the Alaska Commercial Co.
Moses Gunst: United Cigar Stores
Samuel Hart: Jewish Pioneer Businessman of San Francisco and the Gold Country
Herman Heyneman: Pioneer Jewish Tobacco Merchant of San Francisco
Gabriel M. Kutz: Pioneer Jewish Manufacturer of Shoes in San Francisco
Samuel Lachman & Sons: Leading Jewish Winemaker/Merchants of the American West
David Livingston: Dry Goods Merchant of San Francisco & San Bernardino
Rabbi Aron Messing: Too Orthodox for Congregation Sherith Israel
Daniel & Jonas Meyer: Pioneer Jewish Bankers of San Francisco
Julius Platshek: Jewish Pioneer Real Estate and Wool & Hide Merchandiser
Emanuel Raas: Jewish Pioneer Wool Merchant and Philanthropist
Toby Rosenthal: Jewish Artist of Early San Francisco
Henry Sinsheimer: Early Jewish Pioneer Merchant of San Luis Obispo, while Living in San Francisco
Rabbi Henry Vidaver: Orator and Patriot
Cantor Max Wolff of Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco, 1874 – 1884
1880′s & 1890’s
Dr. Albert Abrams: Contoversial Doctor of San Francisco
Simon Bachman: Pioneer Jewish Purveyor of Cigars & Tobacco in San Francisco
Joseph Bartlett Choynski: Foremost Jewish Boxer of San Francisco
Isaac F. Bloch: Pioneer Jewish Merchant and Quality Leather Manufacturer of San Francisco
Jennie Rosenthal Ehrman: Pianist, Teacher, & Music Critic of San Francisco
Abraham Haas: Food Wholesaler and Industrialist, Part #2
Isaias W. Hellman: California’s Eminent Banker, Part #2
Sir Henry Heyman: Knighted Jewish Violinist of San Francisco
Samuel & Albert S. Lavenson: Two Generations of Jewish Pioneer Merchandisers
Solomon Levinson: Jewish Boxing Glove Manufacturer of San Francisco
The Levy Brothers: Pioneer Chiropodists/Podiatrists of San Francisco & Aurora
Phillip N. Lilienthal: Jewish Pioneer Banker and Philanthropist
Adolph Mack: Jewish Pioneer of the San Joaquin Valley & San Francisco, California
Isaac & Mary Ann Cohen Magnin: Early Jewish Pioneer Fashion Leaders
Joseph Naphtaly: Pioneer Jewish San Francisco Lawyer and Public Servant of California
Jacob H. Rosewald: Jewish Conductor and Music Teacher of San Francisco
Julie Eichberg Rosewald: “Cantor Soprano” of Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco, 1884 – 1893
Adolph A. Son and the Spitz Brothers: Pioneer Jewish Tobacco Merchants
Cantor Edward Stark: Esteemed Cantor of Congregation Emanu-El, San Francisco
Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger: Outstanding Rabbi of San Francisco
Anthony Zellerbach: Jewish Paper King of the American Wild West
Early 20th Century
Flora Jacobi Arnstein: Educator, Poet, and Musician of San Francisco
Gustave Albert Lansburgh: Architect of Movie Theaters, Synagogues and Other Buildings