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The Pinkus family
- Level
- Series
- ID
- Fonds 138; Series 4
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 138
- Series
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- philatelic record
- Date
- 1909-2013
- Physical Description
- 10 cm of textual records
- 12 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller
- other material
- Admin History/Bio
- David Pinkus’ father, Isadore (Israel) Pinkus (1887-1947), was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire. David’s mother, Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990), was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. David’s maternal grandfather, Eliezar Parelstein, was a manager of a royal estate, while his paternal grandfather was in the cattle business. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 16, 1910, and moved to Toronto in 1911. At that time, the Pinkus family lived with Moshe [Morris?] Brodsky in The Ward at 94 Edward Street between Bay and Yonge Street. In around 1914, the Pinkus family settled in Kensington and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. Isadore worked various jobs and finally became a fruit and vegetable wholesaler servicing merchants in Kensington Market. He and other fourteen merchants of Toronto established a joint stock company named “The Mutual Fruit and Produce Company Limited” in 1923. The Pinkus family lived at 83 Huron Street in the early 1920s and then moved to 34 Nassau Street in 1927. Isadore and Molly were co-founders of the Kiever Shul.
- Molly’s brother, Myer Leib Parelstein (1885-1972), was born on January 15, 1885, in Kamianets-Podilskyi of the Russian Empire. He came to Canada in 1906 and obtained Canadian citizenship in 1909. Myer worked as a pedlar.
- David had two siblings: Max Pinkus (1912-2013) and Goldie Pinkus (1915-1973). Max was born on July 6, 1912, at Grace Hospital (College Street and Huron Street). He attended Ryerson Public School, Ogden Public School, and Central Technical School. He served in military for a short period of time during the Second World War through an immediate call for military training; at that time, he was an employee at an insurance company named Murray and Company, a branch of the Prudential Assurance Company Limited of London, England. Max was an active member of the Kiever Synagogue. His involvement with the Kiever started in as early as 1927 when the building of the synagogue was built. He was also a toy collector. Max passed away on March 16, 2013, in his 101st year.
- Goldie was born on February 13, 1915, at the Toronto Western Hospital, and handicapped from poliomyelitis from age three. She attended Ogden Public School and Wellesley School. David had a cousin also named Goldie Pinkus, known as Goldie Pinkus Michael. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1911 to Sadie Pinkus and married Sam Michael of Revere, Massachusetts. Goldie Pinkus is not to be confused with Goldie Pinkus Michael.
- Ernie Pinkus and Melvin (last name not specified) are David’s cousins. Ernie attended William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, the University of Windsor, and the University of Waterloo. He worked at Audio Magic Inc. from 1981 to 1998 and has been serving as president of Satel Distribution since 1998.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of records documenting the Pinkus family members—Isadore Pinkus, Molly (Mollie) Pinkus, Max Pinkus, Goldie Pinkus, Ernie Pinkus, Myer Leib Parelstein, Eliezar Parelstein, and Melvin (last name not identified). Included are constitution handbooks, licenses and permits, receipts, funeral records, sympathy cards, certificates, legal documents, mortgage records, postcards, correspondence, notebooks, education records, identification documents, application forms, birthday greetings, business cards, financial documents, voters’ lists, and historic papers pertaining to 34 Nassau Street. Series also contains a small number of photographs featuring Max Pinkus, Melvin, and the Pinkus family house at 34 Nassau Street. Also present are a prepaid sales tax stamp of the State of Ohio as well as artifacts, including two brooches of Molly Pinkus’ funeral, two tax tokens of the State of Washington, and fifteen pedlar-on-foot registration badges of Toronto.
- Notes
- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 15 Toronto pedlar-on-foot registration badges, 2 funeral brooches, 2 tax tokens, and 1 sales tax stamp.
- HISTORY/BIO NOTE: The document indicating that Israel Pinkus was another name used by Isadore Pinkus was discovered on the Ancestry website and stored at S:\Collections\138-Pinkus
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions