A History of the Pretto Family

Contents

Introduction  

• Table 1 (chronology)  

Origins (800-1640s CE)

• Iberian Origins of Pretto/Negro/Preto/Prieto

• Historical Synopsis on the Expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula

• Earliest Traces of Pretto

• David de Pretto

• The Trial of Diogo Henriques

• José Ramos Pretto  (Prime Minister of Portugal)

Holland (1640s-1787)

• Amsterdam Marriage Records

• Amsterdam Burial Records

The West Indies (1700-c.1888)

• The Jews of Curacao

• The Jews of St. Eustatius

• David Pretto Henriquez (b.c.1750-1836)

• A short History of the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas Danish West Indies

• The Last Will and Testament of David and Rebecca Pretto Henriquez

• Moses Pretto Henriquez (1799-1854)

• Daniel Pretto Henriquez (1805-1872)

• Abraham E. Pretto Henriquez (1830-1877)

• Dispute over inheritance 

United States (1850-1870)

• Jacob Pretto (1800-?)

• David Pretto (1827-?)

• Table 2. Civil War Confederate Service Record for David and Manoel Pretto

• Abraham Pretto (1811-?)

Panama (1888-1954)

• Letters of Deborah Pretto de Silvera and Rachel Amelia Maduro (1893)

• David Pretto (1867-1906)

• Olindo Daniel Pretto (1894-1986)

• Ernesto A. Pretto, Sr. (1924-)

United States (1954-Present)

Summary

Introduction

Pretto is a surname which is consistent with Preto, Prieto, Negro, or Negrao. Preto and Negro mean 'black, dark or swarthy' in both Portuguese and Spanish. Prieto is a word of similar meaning belonging to a family with origins in the mountains of Santander, Spain. In Italian, 'Pretto' or schietto means pure, genuine, true, real, sheer, downright, thorough (Dizionario Il Ragazzini, 3a Edizione, Zanichelli). 

Today, there are Pretto in almost every continent, with heavy concentrations in Europe (Italy, France, Switzerland, and Germany), Central (Panama) and South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Peru), the Caribbean (Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Curacao, and Haiti), North America (United States and Canada), and Australia. The Prettos belong to practically every race and religion. And some Prettos who are now Christian may have had Sephardic Jewish ancestry. Therefore, this is the history of a family with ancient roots in Israel and modern roots in Europe and America. It is nice to think of it as one global family with a common trunk that branched out in different directions over the centuries. See Table 1 for a chronology of the family history.

TABLE 1. Abbreviated history of Pretto

Origins (800-1640s CE)

Surnames have only been in use since the early middle ages. Where did the Pretto surname originate?  Based on demographic and historical evidence there are two main possibilities --  the Iberian Peninsula or Italy. There is no question that Pretto is more consistent with Italian grammar and spelling than Portuguese or Spanish; and this is supported by the fact that Pretto is a word found in the Italian lexicon. This idea is further strengthened by the presence of many Prettos in Italy, and their distant American relatives (http://www.pretto.com). Since it takes time to populate a geographic region, one way of assessing how ancient a people are to a particular country or geographic area is by observing the prevalence of a surname relative to others. Based on these assumptions Pretto may very well have originated in Italy.

However, given the evidence I will present here it is necessary to consider the possibility that this family may have originated in the Iberian Peninsula. Whether Pretto of Spain and Portugal or Pretto of Italy have a common ancestor is unknown at this time. Nevertheless, the idea of the Iberian origin of Pretto is based, not only on demographic and historical information, but also on the basis of religious, genealogical, and linguistic evidence. Based on this theoretical construct Pretto originated in the Iberian Peninsula and is linked with Preto and Prieto. 

The historical account of the Iberian origins of Negro/Pretto/Preto

"R. Gedalia Ben R. Joseph Jachia, author of the Shasheleth Haq-Qabalah starts the genealogical history of his family in Portugal with a Dom Jachia Ben Jaisch (b.1090 AD), treasurer and favourite of the king of that country (probably not king, but Count Henry of Burgundy, father of King Alfonso I). This Dom Jachia most probably held the quite unique office of Rabbi Mor (Chief Rabbi)..."

"Grandsons of this Don Jachia Ben Jaisch are Dom Joseph and Dom Jachia. The first named founded a synagogue at Lisbon and is registered as the father of Dom Salomon, who, it is recorded by Christian as well as Jewish authors, had commanded in the year 1190, under King Sancho I, over the cavalry..."

"The sons and grandsons of Don Jachia Ben Jaisch were, like their progenitor, royal treasurers, court physicians, astrologers, and royal favourites in Castile and in Portugal. They were also in authority  over the Jews under the title already mentioned. One of them was Dom David Negro..."

"His name Negro is derived, according to the author of the Shasheleth, from dos Negros, one of the three seignories which were given to his progenitor by the King of Portugal."   

Furthermore, in the Allgemeine Encyclopedia an entry reads, "It is interesting to note that a noble family named Negro bearing the same arms as Preto is mentioned in the Portuguese Nobiliarchias, in an article by Antonio de Villas Boas y Sampayo, p. 307."

-Isaac DaCosta, Noble Families Among the Sephardic Jews

The names Jaisch, Jachia, and Ibn Yahya refer to the same individual belonging to the Ibn Yahya family who became David Negro or David Preto. As the story goes, in 1497 when Joseph Ben David (1425-1498) learned of the intention of the King of Portugal to enforce Baptism on the Jews, he fled with his sons to Italy (see Ibn Yahya, Encyclopedia Judaica. Volume 8, p. 1210). His son, Gedaliah Ben Joseph Jachia (1515-1587) historiographer and talmudist who was born in Imola, Italy wrote the above mentioned historical work the 'Shasheleth Ha-Qabbalah'. In this book, mainly about Jewish Mysticism, he traces his own family's genealogy in Portugal to c.800 CE. It is also interesting to note that he claimed descent from the Biblical King David of the ancient Hebrew tribe of Judah. It is clear that other individuals of this same family remained in the Iberian peninsula since individuals named Negro and Preto are mentioned in Portuguese and Spanish, as well as Italian archives.

Based on the history of the Ibn Yahya family described above, it appears that the descendants of  Joseph Jachia Ibn Yahya in Spain, Portugal and Italy adopted the Negro and Preto surnames, for a variety of reasons. Is there any evidence for this? As mentioned above, there is definite presence of the Negro surname in Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Likewise there was marked prevalence of the Preto and Pretto surname among conversos (Jews who accepted Christianity), many of whom became victims of the Inquisition in Portugal and Brazil, less so elsewhere. Pretto may have been an earlier version of the same surname. According to a well known source on Sephardic surnames (http://www.sephardim.com) Pretto, Preto, and Prieto have Jewish origins. On this basis we have a convincing argument to state that the three surnames have a common Jewish ancestry and belong to the Ibn Yahya family.

Historical Synopsis of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula

Given the Jewish and Iberian origins of the Pretto family it is only fitting to begin this story with a synopsis of the history of the Jews of the Iberian Peninsula.

Jewish settlement in the Iberian peninsula dates to well before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, the start of the Diaspora. The Jews flourished under the Moors during their occupation of large regions of the Iberian Peninsula from 700-1492. Official Jewish presence in Spain continued uninterrupted until their expulsion in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, and in Portugal until 1497. Many chose conversion over exile, and many were forcibly Baptized. These were called conversos or marranos.

In the spring of 1492, shortly after the Moors were driven out of Granada, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain expelled all the Jews from their lands and thus, by a stroke of the pen, put an end to the largest and most distinguished Jewish settlement in Europe. The expulsion of this intelligent, cultured, and industrious class was prompted only in part by the greed of the king and the intensified nationalism of the people who had just brought the crusade against the Muslim Moors to a glorious close. The real motive was the religious zeal of the Church, the Queen, and the masses. The official reason given for driving out the Jews was that they encouraged the Marranos to persist in their Jewishness and thus would not allow them to become good Christians.

The following account gives a detailed and accurate picture of the expulsion and its immediate consequences for Spanish Jewry. It was written in Hebrew by an Italian Jew in April or May, 1495.

And in the year 5252 [1492], in the days of King Ferdinand, the Lord visited the remnant of his people a second time [the first Spanish visitation was in 1391], and exiled them. After the King had captured the city of Granada from the Moors, and it had surrendered to him on the 7th [2d] of January of the year just mentioned, he ordered the expulsion of all the Jews in all parts of his kingdom-in the kingdoms of Castile, Catalonia, Aragon, Galicia, Majorca, Minorca, the Basque provinces, the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, and the kingdom of Valencia. Even before that the Queen had expelled them from the kingdom of Andalusia [1483]

The King gave them three months' time in which to leave. It was announced in public in every city on the first of May, which happened to be the 19th day of the Omer, and the term ended on the day before the 9th of Ab. [The forty-nine days between the second of Passover and Shavuot are called Omer days. The actual decree of expulsion was signed March 31 and announced the first of May, the 19th day of the Omer. The Jews were to leave during in May, June, and July and be out of the country by August I, the 8th of Ab.]

About their number there is no agreement, but, the most generally accepted estimate is 50,000 families, or, as others say, 53,000- [This would be about 250,000 persons. Other estimates run from 100,000 to 800,000.] They had houses, fields, vineyards, and cattle, and most of them were artisans. At that time there existed many [Talmudic] academies in Spain, and at the head of the greatest of them were Rabbi Isaac Aboab in Guadalajara [probably the greatest Spanish rabbi of his day], Rabbi Isaac Veçudó in Leon, and Rabbi Jacob Habib in Salamanca [later author of a famous collection of the non-legal parts of the Talmud, the En Yaakov]. In the last named city there was a great expert in mathematics, and whenever there was any doubt on mathematical questions in the Christian academy of that city they referred them to him. His name was Abraham Zacuto. [This famous astronomer encouraged the expedition of Vasco da Gama.] . . .

In the course of the three months' respite granted them they endeavored to effect an arrangement permitting them to stay on in the country, and they felt confident of success. Their representatives were the rabbi, Don Abraham Senior, the leader of the Spanish congregations, who was attended by a retinue on thirty mules, and Rabbi Meïr Melamed, who was secretary to the King, and Don Isaac Abravanel [1437-1508], who had fled to Castile from the King of Portugal, and then occupied an equally prominent position at the Spanish royal court. He, too, was later expelled, went to Naples, and was highly esteemed by the King of Naples. The aforementioned great rabbi, Rabbi Isaac of Leon, used to call this Don Abraham Senior: "Soné Or" ["Hater of Light," a Hebrew pun on Senior], because he was a heretic, and the end proved that he was right, as he was converted to Christianity at the age of eighty, he and all his family, and Rabbi Meïr Melamed with him . [Senior and his son-in-law, Meïr, were converted June 15, 1492; Ferdinand and Isabella were among the sponsors.] Don Abraham had arranged the nuptials between the King and the Queen. The Queen was the heiress to the throne, and the King one of the Spanish nobility. On account of this, Don Abraham was appointed leader of the Jews, but not with their consent.

The agreement permitting them to remain in the country on the payment of a large sum of money was almost completed when it was frustrated by the interference of a prior who was called the Prior of Santa Cruz. [Legend relates that Torquemada, Prior of the convent of Santa Cruz, thundered, with crucifix aloft, to the King and Queen: "Judas Iscariot sold his master for thirty pieces of silver. Your Highness would sell him anew for thirty thousand. Here he is, take him, and barter him away."] Then the Queen gave an answer to the representatives of the Jews, similar to the saying of King Solomon [Proverbs 2 1: 1]: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. God turneth it withersoever He will." She said furthermore: "Do you believe that this comes upon you from us? The Lord hath put this thing into the heart of the king." [Isabella says it is God's will that the Jews be expelled.]

Then they saw that there was evil determined against them by the King, and they gave up the hope of remaining. But the time had become short, and they had to hasten their exodus from Spain. They sold their houses, their landed estates, and their cattle for very small prices, to save themselves. The King did not allow them to carry silver and gold out of his country, so that they were compelled to exchange their silver and gold for merchandise of cloths and skins and other things- [Ever since 1480 Jews and Gentiles were forbidden to export precious metal, the source of a nation's wealth.]

One hundred and twenty thousand of them went to Portugal, according to a compact which a prominent man, Don Vidal bar Benveniste de la Cavalleria, had made with the King of Portugal, and they paid one ducat for every soul, and the fourth part of all the merchandise they had carried thither; and he allowed them to stay in his country six months. This King acted much worse toward them than the King of Spain, and after the six months had elapsed he made slaves of all those that remained in his country, and banished seven hundred children to a remote island to settle it, and all of them died. Some say that there were double as many. Upon them the Scriptural word was fulfilled [Deuteronomy 28:32]: "Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, etc" [all Spanish Jews, who were still in Portugal in 1493, were enslaved by King John (1481-1495). The children were sent to the isle of St. Thomas, off the coast of Africa.] He also ordered the congregation of Lisbon, his capital, not to raise their voice in their prayers, that the Lord might not hear their complaining about the violence that was done unto them.

Many of the exiled Spaniards went to Mohammedan countries, to Fez, Tlemçen, and the Berber provinces, under the King of Tunis. [These North African lands are across the Mediterranean from Spain.] On account of their large numbers the Moors did not allow them into their cities, and many of them died in the fields from hunger, thirst, and lack of everything. The lions and bears, which are numerous in this country, killed some of them while they lay starving outside of the cities. A Jew in the kingdom of Tlemçen, named Abraham, the viceroy who ruled the kingdom, made part of them come to this kingdom, and he spent a large amount of money to help them. The Jews of Northern Africa were very charitable toward them. A part of those who went to Northern Africa, as they found no rest and no place that would receive them, returned to Spain, and became converts, and through them the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled [Lamentations 1:13]: "He hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back." For, originally, they had all fled for the sake of the unity of God; only a very few had become converts throughout all the boundaries of Spain; they did not spare their fortunes; yea, parents escaped without having regard to their children.

When the edict of expulsion became known in the other countries, vessels came from Genoa to the Spanish harbors to carry away the Jews. The crews of these vessels, too, acted maliciously and meanly toward the Jews, robbed them, and delivered some of them to the famous pirate of that time who was called the Corsair of Genoa. To those who escaped and arrived at Genoa the people of the city showed themselves merciless, and oppressed and robbed them, and the cruelty of their wicked hearts went so far that they took the infants from the mothers' breasts.

Many ships with Jews, especially from Sicily, went to the city of Naples on the coast. The King of this country was friendly to the Jews, received them all, and was merciful towards them, and he helped them with money. The Jews that were at Naples supplied them with food as much as they could, and sent around to the other parts of Italy to collect money to sustain them. The Marranos in this city lent them money on pledges without interest; even the Dominican Brotherhood acted mercifully toward them. [The Dominican monks were normally bitterly opposed to Jews.] On account of their very large number, all this was not enough. Some of them died by famine, others sold their children to Christians to sustain their life. Finally, a plague broke out among them, spread to Naples, and very many of them died, so that the living wearied of burying the dead.

Part of the exiled Spaniards went over sea to Turkey. Some of them were thrown into the sea and drowned, but those who arrived, there the King of Turkey received kindly, as they were artisans. He lent them money and settled many of them on an island, and gave them fields and estates. [The Turks needed smiths and makers of munitions for the war against Christian Europe.]

A few of the exiles were dispersed in the countries of Italy, in the city of Ferrara, in the [papal] countries of Romagna, the March, and Patrimonium, and in Rome. . . .

He who said unto His world, Enough, may He also say Enough unto our sufferings, and may He look down upon our impotence. May He turn again, and have compassion upon us, and hasten our salvation. Thus may it be Thy will!

{This text is part of the Internet Jewish History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and World history}.

Earliest Traces of Pretto

The earliest official document I have found on Pretto is a marriage record dated 1641 in the archives of the Jewish community of Amsterdam of a man named Isaac Pretto who was born in the year 1611 in Porto, Portugal. This person later moved to Amsterdam where he married Ribca Escapa, a Jewish French woman whose family was from Bordeaux, France.

David de Pretto

A man identified as a 'Portuguese Jew' named Pretto is mentioned in the book Dutch Jewish History: Proceedings of the Fourth Symposium on the History of the Jews of the Netherlands; 7-10 December-- Tel Aviv --Jerusalem, 1986, page 29. In this book it states about this Pretto and the Ashkenazi community of Amsterdam, the following:

" In 1639, however, the Ashkenazi community became independent from the juridical point of view, and in 1642 they rented a large building belonging to a Portuguese Jew named David de Pretto for the purpose of establishing a Synagogue." 

These two documents confirm the Portuguese and Jewish origins of the Pretto surname. The only doubt about origins of Pretto in Portugal is that the spelling of the name is not consistent with Portuguese or Spanish.  Therefore, another possibility for the appearance of Pretto in Portugal could be that the family emigrated from elsewhere (i.e. Italy). There are problems with this latter thesis: 1) to my knowledge, the Prettos of Italy have no record of Jewish ancestry and; 2) I do not have any evidence to show that any of my ancestors originated in Italy and later moved to Portugal at the beginning of the 17th Century or earlier. This possibility awaits further evidence. More likely is the reverse, Portuguese Prettos emigrating to Italy. Notwithstanding these possibilities, it is their religion that sets this particular Pretto family apart from all the others.

Is there more evidence to link Pretto with Portugal? In addition to the historical reasons already mentioned (eg. Isaac Pretto of Porto) there is the book, The Spanish Inquisition by Cecil Roth. In this book there is reference to a Melchior Dias Pretto who presided over the inquisitorial trial of Diogo Henriques, which was held on the 19th day of December, 1646, in Lisbon. In this historical account by Cecil Roth, this Melchior or Belchior Dias Pretto, (the first name in the original publication appears in both these forms), is an inquisitor Priest -- a high official of the Catholic Church. However, as you will see below the Pretto family from whom I am directly descended practiced Judaism, not Catholicism. How can this be? This can be explained in one of two ways. Either there were two Pretto families in Portugal at this time, one Catholic the other Jewish, or, more plausibly, there was only one family, but they were conversos. To dismiss questions of loyalty to the Catholic faith and allay suspicions it was not uncommon for conversos to enter the priesthood. In fact, many so-called priests were burned at the stake for heresy. In Amsterdam the Pretto family reverted to Judaism and, ironically, merged with the Henriquez family to become the Pretto-Henriquez family. For illustrative purposes, I have reproduced here a portion of the proceedings of the Inquisitorial trial of Diogo Henriques, as follows: 

The Trial of Diogo Henriques  

A document further illustrating the Iberian origins of Pretto:

From Roth, Cecil. The Spanish Inquisition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1964.

The best manner of obtaining an idea of the Inquisition Process is to read the full record of some specific trial. Of these, a few of special interest have been printed, and one or two even translated into English. They are not available however to the ordinary reader. For that reason, the following excerpts of a case of 1646-8 before the Lisbon Trial are published here. . . . The passages quoted sum up in a so-called "voluntary" confession the information elicited by various means during the long examination which had preceded, and illustrate in a remarkable fashion the Inquisition’s deadly but petty curiosity.. . . . It will be noticed that for illustrative purposes the Portuguese Inquisition, with its virtually complete records, is in many respects more convenient than that of Spain in its stricter sense. . . .

GENEALOGY AND SENTENCE

Names other persons and declares his genealogy

On the 19^th of December, 1646, in Lisbon, in the first Audience Hall of the Offices of the Holy Inquisition, his Worship Inquisitor Melchior Dias Pretto, holding the morning Audience, summoned to appear before him Diogo Henriques, with whom this Process deals, he having asked for an audience, who, being present, said that he had asked for an audience, in order to name other persons with whom he remembers he had communication, when in error. And that he might in all things speak the truth, and preserve secrecy, he was told to take oath on the Holy Gospels on which he placed his hand, and having taken oath accordingly under seal thereof: He said that . . . he became acquainted in Pernambuco with Manoel Nunes, does not know his native city, but who lived for some time in Madrid, and deponent has heard that he fled from thence to France fearing the justice of the Holy Office . . . and confessant saw him attending the Synagogues and publicly professing belief in the Law of Moses, as he did also when his profession brought him to confessant’s house, and he was accustomed to seeing him in the synagogue where they assembled, and on various occasions they declared to one another their belief in the aforesaid Law . . . .

Further declares that at the same time he was acquainted with Abraham Israel, whose name as a Catholic he does not know . . . and confessant has heard the said Abraham Israel say that he left this kingdom [Portugal] and went to Holland, for fear of the justice of the Holy Office;. . . the said Abraham Israel publicly professed his belief in the Law of Moses, and attended the synagogue in confessant’s company in the manner customary to Jews. . . .

Further says that at the same time he was acquainted in Pernambuco with David Zuzarte; . . . and he also publicly professed the Law of Moses, continuing in the belief and observances thereof, attending the synagogues in company with confessant. . . .

Asked his name, age, race, native town and place of residence: Says, he is named Diogo Henriques, is of the race of New Christians, native of Medina de Rio Secco in Castile; is twenty-six years of age or thereabouts; that his father was named Pedro Henriques, and his mother Anna Vas; he does not know, and does not remember having been told, the names of his paternal or maternal grandparents, nor where they were born; and that on his father’s side he had four uncles, though he has never heard any but Antonio Henriques spoken of, who, as deponent has already said, left this kingdom for Italy.

[More details of family history]                                                                                                                           

And that this deponent is unmarried, and, as he has said, he was baptized in the Church of Santa Maria Maior of Medina de Rio Secco, but he does not know by whom, nor who were his godparents, and that he is not confirmed. And that notwithstanding his being baptized, he did not at any time go to Church, as Catholic Christians do, nor perform any action or work as such, because from his earliest years he was instructed in the ceremonies and beliefs of the Law of Moses, having no knowledge whatever of the mysteries of our holy faith: and in this blindness he ever persisted, for the reason that he did not know the prayers of the church, nor was he at any time instructed therein, but on the contrary his said parents warned him that the Law of Moses forbade any knowledge of the Law of the Gospel. And he only knows how to read, write and count as much as is needed for his business and commerce. And that he has nothing further to say concerning the faith other than what he as already declared before this Tribunal, and does not know of any relation of his being brought before the Inquisition, or who was arrested or penanced by the Holy Inquisition.

Asked whether he, the prisoner, has understood the reason why he was summoned before the Inquisition and detained, says, that he was brought here as a Jew, and that he was detained because the fact of his having been baptized was known. He was informed that the Holy Office has sufficient reason to detain him, without which it is not customary to take proceedings against any person whatever; and that since God, Our Lord, through this detention has granted him understanding to bring him to repentance of them, which is necessary for the salvation of his soul, since the Law of Moses was ended by the promulgation of the Law of Grace, he is exhorted, therefore, after rendering thanks to that same Lord for so great a privilege, to persist most firmly in his resolution, being certain that only in the belief of our holy faith lies salvation, and that for his benefit it is necessary he should declare before this tribunal all that he further remembers concerning his faults or the questions which have been put to him; and in particular whether before or after following the Law of Moses, he had received instruction or had knowledge of the matters and mysteries of our holy Faith, as all the aforesaid is necessary for the better discharge of his conscience, and the dispatch of his cause: And as he said that he would render thanks to God our Lord for the favor granted him, and that he had never at any time received instruction in the mysteries of our holy Faith, in which he earnestly begged to be instructed, and that should be remember anything further touching his errors he would come to declare it before this tribunal, the session was read to him, the which having heard he declared it to be well and truthfully written, and singed with his Worship, whereupon he was formally admonished and sent to his cell.

Belchior Dias Pretto

Diogo Henriques

Written by Gaspar Clemente

Jose Ramos PRETTO

The Pretto name persists to this day in Portugal and its former colony Brazil. In the obituary pages of the New York Times for Saturday, January 4, 1949 an entry reads: 

Lisbon, Jan. 7 (UP) - José Ramos PRETTO, former Prime Minister of Portugal, died today.

Holland (1641-1787)

As mentioned above, to date, the oldest official record for Pretto is a Dutch marriage record dated 1641 from Holland. This certificate mentions an Isaac Pretto (b. 1611) of Porto, Portugal, who married Ribca Escapa (b.1614), of Bordeaux, France. The groom's witness was his own father Abraham Pretto. The Escapa family of the same era was from Bordeaux, France. The surname Escapa also appears in census records of 14th century Navarre, Spain, and is of Jewish origin. (see Pérez, Carrasco: La Población de Navarre en el Siglo XIV, Pamplona: University of Navarre, 1973; Seror, Simon, Les Noms des Juifs de France au Moyen Age, Paris: Editions du Centre national de la recherché scientifique, 1989). Sometime after 1641, the family is united with the Henriquez (s) family and their descendants adopt the two last names Pretto and Henriquez, to become Pretto Henriquez. Henriquez or Enriquez is a well known surname of noble origins in Castile. In fact, King Ferdinand, one of the Catholic monarchs, had Henriquez ancestry in his lineage. The Henriquez family had been present in Amsterdam since before 1589 as evidenced by the birth record of a Philip Henriquez (b. 1589 d. 1656), in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Marriage Records

In total, there are 14 male and 10 female marriages of Pretto recorded in the Dutch archives of Amsterdam, spanning the period 1688 to 1838. The first is of a Jacob of Abraham Pretto Henriquez with Ester of David Milano on 8/16/1688 (1 Elul 5448-Jewish calendar). The second is of a Moses of Benjamin Pretto Henriquez with Ester of David Oliveros on 4/3/1688 (14 Nissan 5448). A later Dutch marriage record is of a David Pretto (b. 1705 in Curacao) son of Jacob Pretto who was married in 1728 to Ester Israel. Also, there is another David, shown as father of Lea Pretto (b.1719) who married Aron De Sola (b.1707) in 1737.  The witness to this marriage was another Abraham Pretto, father of the groom. The place of birth of Aron De Sola is Porto Portugal, and of the bride Bordeaux, France. The last marriage record for Amsterdam is of an Abraham of Moses Pretto Henriquez with Sara of Imanuel Mutsemaker on 12/26/1813 (3 Tebet 5574). Among the female marriages appear: Judith of Isaac Pretto Henriquez with Abraham of Jacob de Salazar on 11/6/1709 (3 Quisle 5470). The last of the female marriages is of a Ribca of Abraham Pretto Henriquez with Abraham of David Ferro on 9/12/1838. Also, a Samuel of Abraham Pretto Henriquez married Ribca of Samuel Henriquez Coelho on 11/17/1775. 

Presence of my direct line of Pretto Henriquez in Amsterdam came to a halt in 1787, when my gggg-grandfather David de Moseh Pretto Henriques left for Curacao, Dutch West Indies. Prior to this, a cousin of his, David de Isaac Pretto Henriques had left Amsterdam for St. Eustatius-Statia, Dutch West Indies in 1772.  This information can be found in a document entitled, 'List of Portuguese Sephardim who were paid to leave Amsterdam 1757-1813', compiled by Vibeke Sealtiel Olsenn. Those who agreed to leave Amsterdam were granted by the Jewish community an amount in Dutch Guilders against the promise to leave Amsterdam and not to return for 20 years. These departures were prompted by difficult economic times in Amsterdam in the late 18th century. Other Pretto Henriquez(s) family members who left Amsterdam during this time were: Sabetay Pretto Henriques, left for Surinam in 1765, Moseh de Isaac Pretto Henriques who left for Surinam in 1777, and Jacob de Isaac Pretto Henriques, who also left for Surinam in 1769. The latter three most likely were brothers. 

Amsterdam Burial Records

The following constitute Dutch burial records for the Pretto Henriquez family. These are for the period 1750-1826, after which there are no additional records available for Pretto. It is interesting to note that the records are in Spanish and Portuguese, and include the Jewish and the Gregorian calendar dates:

Abraham Pretto Henriques -- Na Car: 99 Sep: 32/em 14 Iyar 5510 -20 Mayo 1750

Criatura de Is: Pretto Henriques-- 17 Mayo 1752

Una Criatura de Is: Pretto Henriquez -- 7 Noviembre 1756

Ester Pretto de Meza -- 1757- 2 Nervan

Morito de Is: Pretto Henriquez -- 1763

Criatura de Isaac Pretto Henriquez -- 17 Agosto 1764

Rachel Pretto Henriquez -- 13 Julio 1764

Criatura de Isac Pretto Henriquez -- 22 Julio 1764

Filho de Isac Pretto Henriquez -- 28 Agosto 1764

Isac Pretto Henriquez -- 6 Adar -- 27 Febreiro 1765

Abraham Pretto Henriquez -- 16 Settembre 1771

Ester Pretto Henriquez Senior Coronel -- Vda de Abraham Pretto Henriquez -- 12 Novembre 1772

Mos: de Abraham Pretto Henriquez -- 7 Novembre 1776

Jeudit Vda. de Moseh Pretto Henriquez -- 16 Janeiro 1777

Rachel Pretto Henriquez Bassan -- 27 Septiembre 1778

Rachel de Sem: Pretto Henriquez -- 2 Abril 1779

Samuel de Abraham Pretto Henriquez -- 24 Diciembre 1779

Ester Pretto Henriquez -- 31 Diciembre 1780

Una Criatura de Abraham de Mos. Pretto Henriquez -- 6 Nissan/6 Abril 1780

Vendi de Isac Pretto Henriquez -- 1784

Abraham de Mos. Pretto Henriquez -- 17 October 1826

Chaim Pretto Henriquez -- 16 March 1822

The West Indies (1700-c.1888)

The date of the first Pretto settlement in the West Indies is not exactly known, but most probably it occurred prior to 1705. This is based on a Dutch marriage record of a David Pretto who was born in Curacao in 1705.

The Jews of Curacao

Evidence for Jewish presence in Curacao can be found in the book, Sephardim: The Spirit which has Withstood the Times, by Piet Huisman, (published by Huisman Editions, 1989, Amsterdam), an excerpt from this book describes the Jews of Curacao:

"In 1654, when the Sephardi were expelled from Brazil many returned to Holland, but some went to the Guyanas (Surinam), Barbados (which was the main center before the rise of Curacao), Martinique, Jamaica, and New Amsterdam (later New York). In the Latin American colonies, that stood under the domination of Spain, Portugal and France, the Jews faced the continuous threat of persecution. It was also during the 1650s, that Amsterdam Sephardi Jews established a colony on Curacao which was shortly to become the most important of all the Jewish communities in the New World... By 1702, the Dutch Sephardi community numbered around 600 and accounted for 34.5% of the wealth on the Island. Most of these Jews were agents, factors and brokers.

The Jews of St. Eustatius

About St. Eustatius, Huisman writes:

" In 1772, there were four Jewish families (21 persons) living here. The total population amounted to 1,204 persons (including the slaves). In 1730, the Jewish congregation in Amsterdam asked for equal rights for the Jews living on St. Eustatius. In 1768, the majority if the Jews came from Amsterdam. Among them we find Joseph d'Ishac Mequita de Lima, Joseph Bacra, Pretto Henriques, and Samuel d'Ishac Mendes Balboa....On November 16th, 1776 the commander of the Island fired a salute from the Dutch fort of 'Oranje', in honor of the flag of the rebellious English colonies from North America. The North Americans considered this as a recognition of their Independence. It was the first time that this was done by a foreign power. The Island was also occupied by the British Admiral Rodney. G.B., who robbed the Jews and took all their possessions. He then exiled them to various other Caribbean islands."

A excellent account of the first recognition of the sovereignty of the United States by the Dutch on the Island of St. Eustatius can found in the book, The First Salute, by Barbara Tuchman.

David Pretto Henriquez (b. c. 1750-1836)

The vast majority of the Jews who were ransacked by Admiral Rodney on the Island of St. Eustatius ended up on the Island of St. Thomas, Danish West Indies. On St. Thomas the patriarch of the Pretto Henriquez family was a David de Moseh Pretto Henriquez who married Rebecca Pereira. As mentioned above he had moved to Curacao from Amsterdam in 1787, and to St. Thomas at an unspecified time. Less likely is that this David was David Pretto (son of Jacob) who was born on Curacao in 1705, or David de Isaac who emigrated to St. Eustatius from Amsterdam in 1772 (see above Huisman). In reality, there is no hard evidence on which of the Pretto cousins, David de Isaac, David de Jacob or David de Moseh was the one who ultimately moved to St. Thomas. However, evidence favoring David de Moseh is the fact that Jewish families named their first born son after the paternal grandfather, second born son after the maternal grandfather, and so on. 

The first born son of David Pretto Henriquez and Rebecca Pereira on St. Thomas was Moses Pretto (b. 1799 d. 1854). The second born was Jacob (b. 1800 d.?), the third was Sarah (b. 1802 d. 1892 or 1802?), fourth was Samuel (b. 1804 d.1850), fifth was Daniel (b. 1806 d.1872), Daniel became a prominent Physician, more about him later. The sixth child was Sarah Abigail (b. 1808 d.?), seventh was Rachel (b. 1810 d.?), eighth was Abraham (b. 1811 d. ?), who moved to New York in 1867, more about him later. The ninth child was Isaac (b. 1813 d. ?), tenth was Joseph (b. 1814 d. ?), eleventh was Judith (b. 1816 d. ?), and twelfth was Esther (b. 1817 d. ?).

The move to St. Thomas was the beginning of what was to become a very prominent West Indian family, which flourished and remained active on St. Thomas for about 100 years. However, in the 1860s-1880s due to a decline in shipping commerce and the dual devastation of a severe hurricane and earthquake, both of which struck St. Thomas in 1867, most of the Jewish merchants on St. Thomas left to various other locations, including to Panama (c.1888). 

David Pretto Henriquez and his sons were Freemasons and active members of the Jewish Congregation of St. Thomas. David occupied the position of treasurer of the St. Thomas Synagogue B'racha V'Shalom (Blessing and Peace), second oldest in the New World. He is mentioned as such in the book: Biography of Camille Pisarro by Kathleen Adler (Chapter 1 -- Early Life and Education 1830-1855). It so happens that Camille Pisarro, the famous painter and father of the impressionist movement in France was born on St. Thomas. A few of Pisarro's early paintings were of landscapes on the Island. Before Camille was born his father Gabriel Frederic became involved with his uncle's widow, who was seven years older. This liaison was forbidden by Jewish law (Leviticus 18:14. "Thou shall not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach his wife: she is thine aunt"). The matter was brought before the Jewish council to be settled in 1826. In her book, Adler states:

The regulations concerning the marriage were confusing, and the officers of the congregation, President Sarguy, Vice-President Wolff, and Treasurer Pretto felt that they needed the guidance of other authorities. They wrote to the Rabbi of Copenhagen for his opinion before they would consent to sanction the marriage.

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE HEBREW CONGREGATION OF ST. THOMAS

This congregation has produced a pamphlet summarizing its history. I have reproduced a brief portion of this historical synthesis, as follows:

"Jewish growth came to St. Thomas after 1781 when the Dutch West Indian island of St. Eustatius was destroyed by Admiral Rodney of the British Navy....St. Eustatius' merchants supplied the young American colonies with much needed military supplies... In 1796 the Jews of St. Thomas founded this congregation and called it "Blessing and Peace" (B'racha v'Shalom). Only 9 Jewish families belonged to the congregation in 1801. However, in 1803 it increased to 22, with arrivals from England, France, St. Eustatius and Curacao... The Congregation continued to grow and in 1823 the building was dismantled and a larger one erected and renamed "Blessing and Peace and Loving Deeds" (B'racha v'Shalom u'gemiluthasadim), the Hebrew name it carries today."

David Pretto was a successful businessman, philanthropist, humanitarian, and distinguished member of his congregation. During his lifetime he amassed a significant fortune as we shall see later when we discuss David and Rebecca's inheritance, and the dispute among the heirs which resulted. In 1813 David purchased a warehouse and wharf complex in a prime location in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, which still stands today-- but has been converted to other commercial use. In it he established his business, David Pretto&Sons. Those sons were Moses and Jacob. They were dry goods merchants and freight forwarders. They handled merchandise and freight shipped from Europe heading towards the United States and, English, Spanish, French, Danish, and Dutch West Indian colonies and the Spanish Main, as well as cargo headed in the opposite direction. In Geraldo Guirty's book, Vignettes 'Bout Amalia' he mentions a title to the property of the Apollo Theater going to David Pretto in 1830 (personal communication, Mr. Dante Beretta). 

Last Will and Testament of David and Rebecca Pretto Henriquez (1836)

David's last will and testament which was originally written in English reads:

In the Name of God, Amen!

We the undersigned David Pretto Henriquez and Rebecca Pretto Henriquez, by virtue of the annexed Facultas Testandi granted us, on the 29th October 1824 by His most Gracious Majesty Frederick VI do jointly make, ordain & Constitute the present to be our Last Will & Testament; revoking & annulling all previous other Testaments made by us.

Article 1st     We do give & Bequeath to the Danish Lutheran Church of this Island the sum of Twelve pieces of Eight and four Bits, & to the Br S & GH (initials of the B'racha v'Shalom u'GemilutHasadim) the sum of One Hundred & Twelve pieces of Eight to be paid at the Death of either of us.

2nd    The survivor, if it should be David Pretto Henriquez shall remain, the only possessor & sole Executor of the whole of our succession, he acting as Dealings Master, Dealing Commissioner, Incassator, ? Master, Administrator & Guardian of our Beloved children.

3rd    If the survivor should be Rebecca Pretto Henriquez (born Pereira) she shall remain, administratrix, of all that may belong to the succession, she shall also be Executrix and act in every capacity specified in the above article No. 2 - and to assist her in the performance of the said, we do nominate and appoint our Sons Moses Pretto, Jacob Pretto & Daniel Pretto, who shall as our Executors, conjointly and separately act together with the Executrix, and that said Executrix shall also have the power of appointing one or more persons of her choice to adjust and advise her in the administration of our said succession and act in like manner as those already nominated.

4th   Should the surviving Testatrix remarry then the succession shall be divided into two parts; the one shall belong to her and the other to be equally divided among the children without distinction of male or female.

5th    In addition to the above article should the Testatrix not marry again no division is to take place but until the youngest of our children shall have attained the age of twenty five years.

6th    In case our only remaining Daughter be married she shall receive at the celebration of her nuptials the sum of ten thousand dollars in ready money which shall be considered as part of her paternal share; at same time those already married who have received each the above mentioned sum, is also to be considered as an advance made them of their paternal share.

7th    Should any of our children after the demise of the Testator prove to be indebted by books or any other kind of document to our Estate, it shall be considered as an advance to their paternal share.

8th    We direct after the death of the testator & during the lifetime of his sister Miss Abigail Pretto Henriquez residing in the city of Amsterdam in Holland that the sum of one thousand Guilders Dutch currency shall be annually remitted in a way the most convenient and expedient.

9th     Should I the  Testator first depart this life, it is our will that the landed property situated in Dronningens Quarter, till Dronningens Gade Ltr A&B No 24, and the whole of the buildings now thereon, or that may hereafter be built on the same, shall under no pretext whatever be sold or mortgaged in anyway in case only the division should take place or as mentioned in article 4. (this division did take place-eap).

10th   Immediately after the demise of the  Testator the co-partnership now existing in this Island under the firm of David Pretto& Sons, whereof the Testator is interested for one half, my sons Mr. Moses Pretto, for one fourth, & Jacob Pretto for one fourth shall cease and be liquidated in the course of one year from the date of the demise of the Testator; and that such liquidation shall be conducted by the Testatrix and the other surviving partners; will understand that the said concern shall be wound up & closed without the interference of anybody whatsoever, but, should unfortunately any misunderstanding arise between the parties, in that case any difficulty which may exist shall be referred to the arbitrators, whose decision shall in every respect be perfectly binding without any further appeal so as in every respect to avoid any lawsuit.

11th    Our son Samuel Pretto, having been declared a minor, and placed under the authority of a guardian, he will remain the same without any alteration; but in case of a division of the whole of the succession should take place, his share will be placed in the hands of a guardian who will be appointed to act in his behalf, & said guardian shall provide for him, in the following manner Namely by placing out at interest the sum which may fall to his share.

    We the Testator & Testatrix approve of the contents of this Our last will and Testament, that we have dictated and signed this in presence of witnesses who have also signed with us -- St. Thomas 11th May 1836

Witnesses:

Signed:                                                                                                            Signed: 

C. Lopez Dubec                                                                                              D. P.Hz              

D. M. Monsanto                                                                                              R. Pretto      

In the year 1836 on this 11th day of May at half past 10 O'clock in the forenoon, I the undersigned U. Nicolai Fugl, Judge Advocate and Deputy Notary Public Royal for this Island of St. Thomas in America, repaired by request to the dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. Pretto Henriquez of this Island; accompanied by Mssrs. C. Lopez Dubec and D. M. Monsanto, as witnesses, where the said David Pretto Henriquez, who I found sick and in bed, but in full use of his mental faculties, and the said Rebecca Pretto Henriquez his wife, being sound of mind and body, appeared personally before me and witnesses, and declared that they have thought proper to annul their former last will and testament, and have therefore, caused the present will and testament to be drawn out, whereupon the Document transcribed on the preceding three pages, was handed to me and loudly read by me unto the said David Pretto Henriquez and his wife Rebecca Pretto Henriquez in presence of the above mentioned witnesses - And Testator and Testatrix did thereupon ratify and confirm the same, declaring it to contain their Last Will and Testament, only and alone with exception of the eleventh article, which they declared to annul and adding it as a Codicil, that their son Samuel Pretto shall not any longer remain under guardianship, nor be considered as a minor, but hereafter have the direction of his own affairs.

In testimony whereof Testator and Testatrix put their hands thereunto, the former signing with his ordinary mark D. P. Hz, and the latter, as above, R. Pretto.

                St Thomas datum ect siejera

Actum presentibus Testibus.        Quod attester

Witnessed:                                                                                                                                               Signed:     

Signed:                                                                      Official Seal                                                   N. Fugl  Notary Publ. Const.

D.M. Monsanto 

C. Lopez Dubec

Moses Pretto Henriquez (1799-1854)

I do not have much information on Moses except that after his father's death he established his own firm on St. Thomas as freight forwarder. The firm was named Moses Pretto & Co. He had his own stamp:

Caption: (Above) From Barranquilla, Colombia 8 June 1851 to New York City. Evidently carried privately to St. Thomas and the forwarder, Pretto & Co. (cachet) may have collected for this leg. They then placed the letter in the British Post Office where a pre-payment of 2/ (Double ring crowned circle "PAID AT ST. THOMAS") was required to Havana. From there it was put unpaid on a U.S. steamship to New York where it was assessed 20 cents due for a double rate weight.

Moses became president of the Jewish congregation on St. Thomas, which means he must have been well regarded by that community, as fellow congregant and benefactor. He was widowed and died in 1855 on St. Thomas. On his headstone it is written:

In memory of 

Moses Pretto Hz

who departed this life on the 25th September 1854

in the 57th year of his age

His conduct in life was that of an upright man

and his loss is deplored by all those who appreciated

his qualities  

Daniel Pretto Henriquez, MD  (1805-1872)

There is much more information on Dr. Daniel Pretto Henriquez than perhaps any other Pretto on St. Thomas. He studied medicine at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and he is listed in the Scandinavian Biographical Archive as a Surgeon. In the Christiansted Museum on St. Thomas there is a mural about Daniel Pretto, it reads:

"In 1838, the first Apothecary was founded on St. Thomas after Dr. Daniel Pretto had traveled to Denmark to petition for the right to sell medicine on a monopoly basis. Until that time doctors in the Danish West Indies were permitted to compound their own prescriptions and sell medicine. By Danish Law, an apothecary was obliged to employ a certified Danish Chemist. The first on St. Thomas was Mr. A. H. Riise, who later became proprietor of the store. The business flourished and eventually involved the manufacture of Bay Rum and Guava Rum. The present Apothecary Hall on Main Street is the site of the original Apothecary, and the Bay Rum business was located across the Street. "

As his father and uncle before him, Daniel was a Freemason. He belonged to the St. Thomas Harmonic lodge 356 E, which was founded October 19, 1818 and approved by the United Grand Lodge of England.. A history of this lodge can be found at http://www.harmoniclodge.com.  In his capacity as Mason, Daniel rose through the ranks to become one of its greatest Masters, beginning in 1837-1838 and 1844-1859, and then again 1860-1862, at which time he was succeeded by his son-in-law and nephew, A.E.Pretto. In fact, Daniel was the longest serving Master in the history of Harmonic lodge. He was exalted in the 'Albion Chapter No. 236' in Barbados and had 'past through the chairs'. At the time of his death he was the only First Principal on the Island. In addition to Daniel and A.E. Pretto, Jacob Pretto also served as Master of the same lodge. Daniel Pretto was also active in his congregation where he served in various capacities including Warden. An interesting anecdote about Daniel Pretto and his work with  the Hebrew Sunday school on St. Thomas is recorded in 'The Occident and American Jewish Advocate', a periodical of which he was an early subscriber. When his mother Rebecca Pereira of David Pretto Henriquez died he became the executor of his parents estate. Apparently, this led to some disagreement among the family members, as we shall see later.

A. E. Pretto (1828-1877)

My gg-grandfather Abraham E. Pretto is described as being a merchant on the Island of St. Thomas. His father Jacob moved to New Orleans, Louisiana sometime in the late 1840s, together with  his older brother David. In the 1860 census of St. Thomas, he is listed as owning an estate called 'Perseverance' which still stands today, albeit in ruins. He is also described as a clerk and ritual butcher. He married his first cousin, Rachel Pretto Henriquez who was the daughter of Dr. Daniel Pretto. Their children included: first born Jacob 1855, Rachel 1857, Deborah (Silvera) October 5, 1858, Daniel 1862, Sarah Mathilde 1863-1863 (died as infant), David, my great grandfather (b. February 3, 1867), Yillah 1869, twins Ernest and Charles (b. 1871 died 1871-1872 respectively), and Rebecca Eugenie 1876. As far as I know, A. E. Pretto spent his entire life on St. Thomas. He was a Freemason and Master of Harmonic Lodge, and a ritual butcher for the Jewish Congregation of St. Thomas. An entry on his death record states he died of Erysipelas, which is a bacterial infection caused by the Streptoccoccus bacterium, at the age of 49. The entry on his head stone at the Savan Area Cemetery in  Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, reads:

In memory of

Abraham E. Pretto

departed this life

15th October 1877

aged 49 years

Yea, in God hope in silence

my soul; for from him is 

my expectation.

Even to be regretted by his 

widow and children

Dispute over the Inheritance of the Estate of David and Rebecca Pretto Henriquez

It is an understatement to state that the commercial firm of David Pretto&Sons flourished in their business dealings on St. Thomas. Upon David's death in May 1836 his wife Rebecca became the sole proprietor and executor of all holdings in the family's possession, which included landed properties, a sea lot, and stock in the United States (Pennsylvania), not to mention large cash holdings. Subsequently, when Rebecca Pretto nee Pereira died in 1858 the role of executor of the estate was given over to her son Dr. Daniel Pretto, and a business associate Mr. M.B. Simmonds. However, a dispute arose among the heirs when Daniel for undisclosed reasons delayed for over 10 years the complete liquidation of said estate to be distributed among the heirs. Perhaps the best summary of the dispute in question can be found in the letters written by Daniel's brother Mr. Isaac Pretto, who personally petitioned the Governor of the Island on behalf of 4 of 6 of the heirs. The first of these two letters is reproduced, as follows:

St. Thomas. 2 November 1868 

Your Excellency

I must apologize for the liberty which I now take in calling your attention to the unfortunate, and difficult position in which the Estate of my deceased mother has been brought by the repeated acts of improvidence and imprudence of one of the executors in charge of the same. --It is now nearly eleven years since she died, and strange to say her Estate has not advanced a single step towards its closure. I and other heirs have frequently urged in various ways for a close (always in a friendly spirit) but all our efforts have been attended with no success. In 1859 the property on Sea Lot was advertised for sale, and one or two auctions were held, at the last of which thirty five thousand five hundred dollars was bid and refused. - In that year business was very prosperous and our little Island flourishing, and besides there was no war in the United States, and the stocks we there held were worth considerably over par. Had the Estate been then liquidated which was quite feasible, the value of the property and stock would have produced nearly one half more than the present moment. The Estate was quite free, and could have been closed, but some malevolent purpose was at work and the happy opportunity was lost.

Since then misfortunes have overtaken us, the hurricane and earthquake have nearly ruined our property, and the stocks in the United States are worth nearly 50% less than in 1859. --Another sale was called on the 28th July last, and to the utter astonishment of the whole community $30,000 were bid in the face of required repairs for at least $12,000 thus placing the purchase sum at $42,000 being $6000 more than the amount offered 1859 in the full side of prosperity. Strange and incredible to say, this sale was again refused and affairs allowed to fall into the old --- once more. I am a poor infirm man and scarcely able to stand on my legs from an unfortunate affliction of the spinal marrow, but still have felt as indignant at this cruel injustice that I have left my home and comforts and hastened here to endeavor to see myself, and my coheirs righted and an early end put to these iniquitous proceedings. -- Since my arrival fifteen days ago, I have used every conciliatory measure feasible towards my brother the Doctor and his Co-executor Mr. M.B. Simmonds.-- From the last named I have received every encouragement and willingness to meet my views and that of my coheirs, and to go at once into an entire liquidation of the whole Estate. But I am sorry to say that I am not equally fortunate with my brother who seems determined to have no joint action with his Co-executor and to oppose every measure lending to a final issue.- Even the state of my health, which has become unfavorable since my arrival exercises no influence on him, although he admits that it would be well for me to  return to Europe as soon as possible. -- Since my arrival I have diligently sought the opinion of the best informed merchants, and they all seem to dread that owing to the revolution in Spain, we are likely to have very indifferent months of business during this and the next, and it is to be gleaned on that account that no delay should be suffered in the closing of the Estate and that the earlier the day for the sale is decided the better it will be for all parties. 

Under these circumstances I implore your Excellency to interfere with your Authority, and so to place matters, that immediate action may be taken and justice to all interested. I must remark to you, that we are six heirs, four of whom have joined to demand what I have stated above; the two opposing parties are Dr. Pretto and his son-in-law A. E. Pretto, as representatives of his deceased father Jacob Pretto and strange to say Dr. Pretto is a debtor and not a creditor to the Estate, and the heirs of Jacob Pretto have to receive a mere trifle out of the whole assets. I humbly call your attention to this my petition and for all details in corroboration of what I state I refer you to Mr. Simmonds who will give any information required.

Awaiting your favorable answer I remain,

Your Excellency's

Most Obedient Servant

Is Pretto

Fr. His Excellency

Governor L. Rothe Kz, &C &C &C

The second letter comes several months later and has a more urgent tone. It was written when Isaac was on board a ship headed for Paris.

On board the 'Atrato'

January 18, 1869

May it please your Excellency.

The state of my health has become such that I have been obliged to return to Europe without having accomplished the object of my voyage and I really find it difficult to account for the extraordinary delay in the Liquidation of my deceased Mother's Estate. Revise for one moment the history of this unfortunate Estate and everyone must agree with me that it is unaccountable.

My poor Mother died in January 1858 leaving an estate without a single liability and consisting of landed property and stocks of the first States in the Union, namely Pennsylvania. In the same year one of the lots and the furniture were sold, the first purchased by the Executor, Dr. D. Pretto for below its cost or value, but then, no objections were raised and the auction price was approved of by the said Executor. In 1859, the Sea Lot was offered for sale at auction and a bid of $38,000.- say, Thirty Eight Thousand Dollars was made, but which price the Executor thought proper to refuse as below its value. The Estate thus remained in abeyance until the Executor Doctor Pretto was accused of mal-administration. A session was then held and the Executor was obliged to cook up an account for a large deficit. The Government thought it then proper to appoint two other parties, Colonel A. Wolff and Mr. M.B. Simmonds to act as Co-Executors; the former declined to act, but the latter accepted and became Incassator to the Estate. For no accountable reason the Estate remained unliquidated until the unfortunate War broke out in America in 1861 and which caused us at one time a loss of more than 150% in the American Stock. At last came the lamentable Hurricane and Earthquake of 1867 which caused a damage to the Sea Lot of upwards of Twelve Thousand Dollars. At the demand of the majority of the heirs, another auction was called last year, but trammeled by the Dealing-Master and Doctor Pretto with such absurd conditions that he, Dr. Pretto refused an offer of Thirty Thousand Dollars, a price more than adequate to its value in its present State of ruin.

Annoyed at these unjust proceedings and despairing of ever obtaining a final liquidation, I resolved, cripple as I was, to make a voyage to St. Thomas and endeavour personally to obtain justice. On my arrival, authorized by Four Heirs out of Six and supported by the Incassator M.B. Simmonds I made  a formal demand to the President, who after some delay, called a Session of the Heirs and Executors. Here again, a majority of Four Heirs and the Incassator demanded an immediate Liquidation of the Estate and a Sale by Auction of the Lot. The report of this meeting was sent by the Dealing Master to the President on the 12th of last November and was retained in his possession until the 12th of December -- without any action being taken by him, when it was forwarded to your Excellency. Another month elapsed without any advice being given to us of any determination, although I have twice addressed your Excellency informing you of the urgency of a speedy answer. In despair and fearing for my health, I am now returning to Europe, provided with duplicates and all necessary documents, in order to make a Memorial through the Danish Minister in Paris to the High Court of Copenhagen, or if must be to His Majesty the King, in order to obtain, what in any other Country would be deemed common justice. That an Executor to a Will, can thus retain possession of the property entrusted to his care, to the injury of the Heirs, will appear to every one a crying injustice and that it should be so difficult to obtain any redress in a Constitutional Country, still more extraordinary.

With Best Respects, I have the honor to remain,

Your Excellency's Most Humble Servant,

Is. Pretto 

To His Excellency Governor Birch St. Croix

Finally, the property was liquidated on 21 May 1869 and the six heirs to include: Daniel Pretto, MD; Mrs. Sarah Pardo alias Pretto de Pardo; Mrs. Rachel A. Naar; Jacob Pretto's heirs represented by Mr. A.E. Pretto; Isaac Pretto, and; Mr. Abraham Pretto, all received a final distribution of same in the amount of $54,672.00. In total, the amount inherited by the six heirs included the following: Cash $95, 481.74; Bonds, $62,337.18; and Real Estate, $35,901.25, for a total of over $200,000, which was by all accounts, a large sum of money in those days. Shortly after this Dr. Daniel Pretto died (1872), Sarah Pretto de Pardo also died in 1892, as above Isaac Pretto returned to Paris, there is no date of his death. Mr. Abraham Pretto moved to New York in 1867. I have no information about Ms. Rachel A. Naar, and I have covered A.E. Pretto above. 

CONTENTS 

United States (1850-1870)

Jacob Pretto (1800-?)

Interestingly, the Prettos were among the first Jewish immigrants to the United States. My ggg-grandfather Jacob Pretto, second born son of David Pretto Henriquez of St. Thomas, was the first Pretto to immigrate to the USA, probably initially  to Pennsylvania then later to New Orleans, Louisiana, sometime between 1844 and 1850. This can be confirmed by the fact that in 1844 Jacob Pretto is still listed as one of the officers of the St. Thomas synagogue. Also, his last year of service as Master at Harmonic Lodge was in 1844. Furthermore, the US census of 1850 lists a Jacob Pretto household. It consisted of a Jacob Pretto age 48, a Clerk, born in the West Indies, his wife Rebecca Dubec age 39, another Rebecca, age 19 also born in the West Indies (probably a daughter), and Jacob and Rebecca's son Benjamin age 2. Benjamin is listed as having been born in Pennsylvania.  Another person in this household is a maid servant Ellen Naten from Ireland, all residents of Orleans Parish, State of Louisiana. I know this Jacob Pretto is son of David Pretto Henriquez of St. Thomas because his age corresponds exactly with the birth record for Jacob Pretto (b. 30 December 1800 on St. Thomas, Danish West Indies). Furthermore, there is no record of his death in St. Thomas. Since he was represented by others at the settlement of the family's estate in 1869 (and referred to as deceased by Isaac Pretto) and since he does not appear in census records for 1860, it is probable that he died sometime between 1850-1868. 

United States (1850-1870)

Jacob Pretto (1800-?)

Interestingly, the Prettos were among the first Jewish immigrants to the United States. My ggg-grandfather Jacob Pretto, second born son of David Pretto Henriquez of St. Thomas, was the first Pretto to immigrate to the USA, probably initially  to Pennsylvania then later to New Orleans, Louisiana, sometime between 1844 and 1850. This can be confirmed by the fact that in 1844 Jacob Pretto is still listed as one of the officers of the St. Thomas synagogue. Also, his last year of service as Master at Harmonic Lodge was in 1844. Furthermore, the US census of 1850 lists a Jacob Pretto household. It consisted of a Jacob Pretto age 48, a Clerk, born in the West Indies, his wife Rebecca Dubec age 39, another Rebecca, age 19 also born in the West Indies (probably a daughter), and Jacob and Rebecca's son Benjamin age 2. Benjamin is listed as having been born in Pennsylvania.  Another person in this household is a maid servant Ellen Naten from Ireland, all residents of Orleans Parish, State of Louisiana. I know this Jacob Pretto is son of David Pretto Henriquez of St. Thomas because his age corresponds exactly with the birth record for Jacob Pretto (b. 30 December 1800 on St. Thomas, Danish West Indies). Furthermore, there is no record of his death in St. Thomas. Since he was represented by others at the settlement of the family's estate in 1869 (and referred to as deceased by Isaac Pretto) and since he does not appear in census records for 1860, it is probable that he died sometime between 1850-1868. 

David Pretto, Son of Jacob (b. 1827 d. ?)

In the US census of 1860 there is record of a David Pretto household, consisting of David age 32, born in the West Indies, a dry goods dealer, his wife Rachael age 30, a 'domestic' ( whose name I cannot make out on the census record) age 16 who was born in Ireland, and an estate valued at $5,000.00. Based on my records, this David was son of Jacob Pretto, and brother of my gg-grandfather Abraham Elias Pretto Henriquez (A.E. Pretto). This David son of Jacob, whose birth date according to St. Thomas records was 3 Tebet 5587 or 1827, married Rachel Neeter in 1847. Therefore the census data corresponds well for the age at which he was listed in 1860 in Orleans Parish Louisiana, his wife' name, and is proof positive that this is the same individual who was born on St. Thomas. Since A. E. Pretto, David's brother, married his first cousin Rachel Pretto Henriquez who was the daughter of Dr. Daniel Pretto I am descended from the original patriarch David Pretto Henriquez through two of his sons, Jacob and Daniel.  

David Pretto, son of Jacob, like his brother Abraham Elias in St. Thomas was a dry goods dealer in New Orleans. It is very probable that one brother stayed behind in St. Thomas in order to establish a trading network between St. Thomas and New Orleans. This was common practice among Sephardic Jewish merchants of the time. In 1862 and according to official Civil War records (Table 2) David together with an unidentified relative, a Manoel Pretto served in the Confederate Army (Louisiana Militia) during the American Civil War. I have confirmation of this fact from two reliable sources. First, David and Manoel are both listed in, The Roster of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865, Volume XII  Edited by Janet B. Hewitt, (Broad foot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1996). Manoel Pretto is listed several times because he served in multiple units: the Missouri Light Artillery (Capt. Barret's Co.), the Louisiana Militia (Capt. LeGardeur's Co.), and with the 18th Louisiana Infantry. David Pretto is listed as belonging to the LA. Mil. Conf. Guards Regt. (Louisiana Militia Confederate Guards) Co. B, as a Sgt. The second source is Andrew B. Booth, Records of Louisiana Confederate Soldiers. Both David and Manoel are listed in  this publication. In the latter reference it reads for Manoel: 

Pretto M. Private, Capt. LeGardeur Jr.'s Co. (Orleans Grd. Battery LA. Lt. artillery En. March 7, 1862 New Orleans LA. Roll July and Aug. 1863, present. Transferred from Barrett's Battery Rolls July 1864 to Dec 1864, Present Roll of Prisoners of War, Paroled Greensboro, NC. April 26, 1865.

TABLE 2. Civil War Confederate Service for David and Manoel Pretto

Abraham Pretto, son of David Pretto Henriquez (b. 1811-?)

Another early immigrant to the United States was Abraham Pretto, eighth son of David Pretto Henriquez. Apparently, the reason for his departure from St. Thomas was for marriage. He is mentioned in Maxwell Stern's book First American Jews., under the Naar-D'Azevedo family tree. He was married in New York on Feb. 13, 1867 with Eleanor D'Azevedo, daughter of Abraham D'Azevedo (b. 1802 St. Thomas d. Elizabeth, New Jersey), and Rachel Pretto. Abraham and Eleanor's children were Rebecca and Clarence Pretto. 

Panamá (1888-1954)

Letters of Deborah Pretto de Silvera and Rachel Pretto de Maduro

On her death, Mrs. Sarah Pretto de Pardo left a Last Will and Testament which I have in my possession but will not reproduce here, except to state that she left an inheritance to two of her nieces Deborah Pretto, and Rachel Pretto. At the time, both Deborah and Rachel were in Panama, as evidenced by two  official documents which were submitted to the Danish Consul in Colon, Panama. The first document is written on 'Papel Sellado' (sealed or official paper) which incorporates the official seal of the Republic of Colombia and is dated 'Bienio de 1893 y 1894 --  Clase Segunda -- Vale Cincuenta Centavos'. This document reads as follows::

I the undersigned do hereby appoint and authorize Mr. David Cardoze Jr. of St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, to represent me in the matter of a legacy bequeathed me by my late Aunt Sarah Pretto de Pardo, and to receive for me and give receipt in my name and on my behalf, for whatever share of inheritance that may accrue to me from the Dealing of the said Sarah Pretto de Pardo.

Signed in presence of witnesses at Colon, Republic of Colombia this 3rd day of August 1893.

Signed:

Deborah Pretto

Witnesses to signature:

David de Castro, Jr.

Uriah G. De Leon

Royal Danish Consulate. I hereby certify that the foregoing signature of "Deborah Pretto", and the witnesses David de Castro Jr., and Uriah G. De Leon, are the true and lawful ones of the parties herein mentioned, and who are well known to me. In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature and seal of office, at Colon Republic of Colombia, this 3rday of August 1893.

Signed:

Joseph Fidanque, Consul 

The second document is almost identical and was created for the same purpose by Mrs. Rachel Amelia Maduro, as follows:

I the undersigned do hereby appoint and constitute Mr. Abram Sasso of St. Thomas, D.W.I. to represent me in the matter of a legacy bequeathed me by my Aunt and Godmother Sarah Pretto de Pardo, and to give receipt in my name and for me, for that share of inheritance accruing to me from the estate of my said Aunt and Godmother Sarah Pretto de Pardo, being fully satisfied with whatever my said representative Mr. Abram Sasso may do for me and on my behalf.

In good faith of which, I sign this in presence of subscribing witnesses in Panama, Republic of Colombia, this ninth day of November 1893.

Signed:

Rebecca Amelia Maduro

Testigo:

Juan Ant. Guizado

Testigo:

Felipe Osorio

I do hereby certify that the above signature of Rebecca Amelia Maduro is authentic.

Panama November 9th, 1893

Signed:

I.L. Maduro, Danish Consul

These interesting documents serve to establish the link between the Pretto families of St. Thomas and of Panama as one and the same. It also provides an approximate time for when the Prettos may have emigrated to Panama.

David Pretto (1867-1906)

Unfortunately, not enough is known about my great grandfather David. Based on St. Thomas birth records it is very likely that Deborah (b. 1858) and Rachel (b. 1857) mentioned above were David's older sisters, nieces and nephew respectively of Sarah Abigail Pretto de Pardo (b. 1808 St. Thomas d. 1892, St. Thomas). David, like all of his ancestors before him was of Spanish Jewish (Sephardic) origin, and a Danish citizen. However, it appears he was not active in the local Jewish congregation because there is no mention of Pretto among the annals of the Jewish community of Panama, until his burial. It is believed he came to Panama circa 1888 from St. Thomas and worked in the Shipping business in Colon, although this has not been confirmed. Apparently, he came to Panama accompanied by his two sisters, Deborah Pretto de Silvera and Rachel Amelia Maduro, as mentioned above. David married Olivia Seixas, but I have no marriage date or record. The Seixas family also came to Panama from St. Thomas (see Julius Margolinsky, St. Thomas Jewish Cemetery Records, 1917). 

Seixas was also among the first Jewish families to emigrate to the United States, as evidenced by the historical account about Moises Seixas, as follows:  

MOISÉS SEIXAS

This congratulatory address, written by Moises Seixas (1744-1809) was presented by the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, on behalf of the children of the stock of Abraham to President George Washington on August 17, 1790, on the occasion of his visit to the city. In his address, Seixas referred to past persecutions of the Jews and then lauded the new nation's commitment to religious liberty:

Deprived as we heretofore have been of the invaluable rights of free citizens, we now (with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty disposer of all events) behold a government erected by the Majesty of the People--a Government which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance, but generously affording to All liberty of conscience and immunities of Citizenship, deeming every one, of whatever Nation, tongue, or language, equal parts of the great governmental machine.

 In his reply, President Washington echoed Seixas' words: It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it was the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily, the government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its  protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support. 

These two letters were published in several newspapers that year and became the first presidential declaration of the free and equal status of Jews in

 America. Seixas's original formulation, "To bigotry . . . no sanction, to persecution no assistance, became--through

 its use by President Washington--a cherished expression of America's abiding commitment to safeguard the rights and freedoms o