Born in Germany in 1847, Einstein came to America at age eighteen and entered the dry goods business in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1866 he moved to San Francisco, where he worked as a bookkeeper. Einstein later went to Portland, Oregon, before moving to the San Joaquin Valley in 1871. Together with Elias Jacob, he operated a general store in Visalia dealing in "grain, flour and provisions" under the name of Jacob and Einstein. The company had also established a branch store in Kingston, a hamlet on the King's River. Louis Einstein was in charge of this store until 1874. In that year Einstein and H. D. Silverman opened a store in Fresno under the name Silverman and Einstein Company. After Silverman's death in 1877, the name was changed to the Louis Einstein Company.

Einstein moved from storekeeping to banking when he founded the Bank of Central California in 1887. He served as president of the bank, which was capitalized at $300,000, until his death. He also served as president of the Einstein Investment Company and the First National Bank of Coalinga.

Active in nearly all the early economic developments of Fresno, Einstein supported the city's first irrigation, gas and street car ventures. He helped in organizing the free library movement and for several years served as a member of the Library Board. A patron of the liberal arts and music, Einstein was active in the formation of the Unitarian Church in Fresno.

Louis Einstein died in his home in 1914. His widow, Eda, and other family members continued to live in the house until her death. The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) bought the house for their activities building in 1950. It has been in continuous use by the YWCA since then.

http://historicfresno.org/nrhp/einstein.htm

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It was on March 5, 1917, that Mrs. Eda Einstein gave to the City of

Fresno deed to block 12 of La Sierra Tract, asking in the accompanying

letter its acceptance, for the children of Fresno, as a playground in memory of

Louis Einstein, whose wishes she and his children were carrying out in

this respect. The block is bounded by Park Boulevard, Roosevelt and Ferger

Street and the playground was tendered equipped with apparatus, specifying

that it should be designated the "Louis Einstein Memorial Playground."

-- "History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present," 1919

http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoffresnoc01vand/historyoffresnoc01vand_djvu.txt