Statewide County CA Archives Biographies.....Levinsky, Arthur L. July 9, 1856 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com April 2, 2006, 11:47 pm Author: The Lewis Publishing Company California and Californians, Pages 31-32 ARTHUR L. LEVINSKY is the dean of the Stockton bar. He has been one of its most prominent members for forty-five years, and his reputation in San Joaquin County both as a lawyer and public-spirited citizen has permeated in large measure throughout the State of California. Mr. Levinsky is a native son of California, and was born at Jackson, Amador County, July 9, 1856. His father, John Levinsky, was a prominent figure in the early days of the state. A native of Prussia, he came to this country in 1848 and was soon attracted to the golden opportunities of the Pacific Coast. He came west in 1851, locating at Jackson, and was one of the pioneer merchants in that region. He participated in the rush to the new Fraser River gold district. After returning he joined his two brothers in founding the firm of Levinsky Brothers, who operated stores at Jackson and Woodbridge. Levinsky Brothers, general merchants, had a fame and reputation by no means confined to the immediate locality of their stores. They were good business men, the souls of honor and integrity, and all who had dealing with them testified to their honesty. In 1869 the firm was dissolved and after that John Levinsky operated stores at Woodbridge and Lockeford, later moved to Merced and then to Lodi. Both he and his wife spent their last years in Stockton. John Levinsky married, in 1855, Mathilde Lewig, a native of Hamburg, Germany. Arthur L. Levinsky attended the public schools at Woodbridge and Jackson, and later graduated from the Lincoln Grammar School of San Francisco. After leaving school he went on the road as a salesman for a glove manufacturing house and later for a wholesale boot and shoe firm. Mr. Levinsky is credited with having been one of the first twenty-five traveling salesmen, or as they were known in those days, “drummers,” in the State of California. In 1881 he established a general merchandise store at Lodi, but sold out in 1882, and on the twelfth of December of that year came to Stockton. At Stockton he was employed as a clerk in the law office of Louttit & Lindley, and utilized his opportunities and leisure to study law, bending his efforts to such good results that on August 3, 1885, he was admitted to the California bar. When the old firm dissolved partnership he was admitted to membership in the firm of Louttit, Woods & Levinsky. This firm was succeeded in December, 1894, by that of Woods & Levinsky. After 1901 Mr. Levinsky practiced alone until 1924, when he took in as a partner Gilbert L. Jones, and they are still together, under the firm name of Levinsky & Jones. During the forty-five years Mr. Levinsky has practiced at Stockton he has probably been retained as an attorney on one side or the other of nearly every important case tried in the courts of San Joaquin County. No man stands higher as an attorney or as a citizen, and his generosity, his charitable disposition and his unfailing courtesy have thoroughly justified his popularity. Since 1895 he has acted as claims attorney for the Stockton Electric Railway Company, and for the past fifteen years has been attorney for the Stockton Division of the Southern Pacific Company, his jurisdiction extending over the counties of Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Madera. He is also attorney for the Central California Traction Company. His best work has been done as a practicing lawyer and as a private citizen. He has had no ambition for public office, but at one time was quite active in politics. In 1893 he was appointed city attorney of Stockton, but resigned after one term. It would have been easily within his reach had he desired election to the bench. During the World war he was a member of the executive committee of the council of defense and sought in every way to promote the success of the various Government drives at that time. He casts his vote as a Republican, is a member of the San Joaquin County, California State and American Bar Associations, and was one of the members of the American Bar Association who went to Europe in 1925. Mr. Levinsky is associated with San Joaquin Lodge No. 19, A.F. and A.M., Stockton Lodge of Perfection No. 12, and Albert Pike Chapter, Knights of the Rose Croix, W. Frank Pierce Council No. 19, Knights of Kadosh, Stockton Consistory No. 11, M.R.S., Homo Chapter of the Eastern Star and Ben Ali Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Sacramento. He is a member of Stockton Pyramid No. 5, Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots, Stockton Parlor No. 7, Native Sons of the Golden West, and a charter member of the Yosemite Club of Stockton. Mr. Levinsky was one of the founders of the Lincoln Grammar School Association of San Francisco, and for several years past has been, and now is, an honorary life director thereof. Additional Comments: California and Californians, Volume IV, Edited by Rockwell D. Hunt, A.M., Ph.D., Assisted By An Advisory Board, The Spanish Period, By Nellie Van de Grift Sanchez, The American Period, By Rockwell D. Hunt, California Biography, By a Special Staff of Writers, Issued in Four Volumes, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, 1932. 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