AJA . American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax): Minutes of temple board meetings, 1975-1982; news clipping concerning Sonora Jewish Cemetery. Modesto, CA. Nov. 12, 1968 Small Collections
- Hebrew Benevolent Society Cemetery: #01507 in Cemeteries of the US by Deborah M. Burek, ed. Gale Research Int., Detroit MI (1994) ISBN 0-8103-9245-3. Source: Al Rosenfield
- Jewish Cemetery: Near Yosemite National Park on Route 108. Nearest large city is Stockton, approx. 40 miles west on 108/120. Cemetery identified as on "Jewish Cemetery" on AAA map of Sonora. Entrance from Oak Street on Yaney Avenue, within walking distance of courthouse. Source: Judah Magnes Museum.
In American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488; phone (513) 221-1875 is "Report of interview with Adlai Goldschmidt, Felix S. Wahrhaftig and Julius Baer, by Dr. Norton B. Stern, Los Angeles, CA, Sacramento, CA, and Sonora, CA. July 11, 22, and 24, 1967. Box No. 2802". The first recorded death was Felix Edgar Dreyfous (born 1826 and died 27.10.1855) a "native of France, husband of Catharene (sic) Elizabeth Dreyfous." The last interment was Ruth Ferguson who died aged 65 on March 9, 1959. A copy of the complete index with birth dates some with countries of origin and biographical data is available for those interested. The headstones carry some intriguing messages such as "Louis Cohn, Comp C 11th. Infantry - Spanish American War" and George Morris "shot at Chinese Camp California" 9.11 1895 aged 23." "Mayer Baer born Stolhofen Germany 14.12.1821 died 19.5.1907" His son Julius cared for the cemetery for forty years until at the age of 92 when he turned it over to the Commission for Preservation of Pioneer Jewish Cemeteries and Landmarks. Julius Baer's daughter still lives in Sonora and has much data on the Baer family history. Michael Geldwasser was a fruit dealer in the town and is the grandfather of Senator Barry Goldwater. No less than nine people named Ferguson were buried in Sonora. Rather than the story that Ferguson is an 'anglicised ' version of the Yiddish 'fargesn' - forgotten, the truth is more logical and surely more touching. John Ferguson converted to Judaism on his marriage to Rosalie Mock (daughter of Abraham and Rebecca Mock, natives of France), born April 7, 1851. John Ferguson was the manager of the Columbia Water Company. His wife and their children are all buried in the Hebrew Cemetery at Sonora California. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - See Judah Magnes Museum
- A preliminary report on pioneer Jewish cemeteries and communities of the California Mother Lode, by R. E. Levinson. Oakland, CA, 1964. 7, XXVI pages, maps. S86B2873. Notes: about 100 persons/inscriptions (some family graves), 1853-1935, including birth date and place. Source: Tagger, Mathilde. Printed Books on Jewish cemeteries in the Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem: an annotated bibliography . Jerusalem: The Israel Genealogical Society, 1997.