Both Phineas and Annie were Jewish and had been born in Lithuania. Phineas had emigrated to Philadelphia in the United States in 1881 and there he had worked very hard, having jobs such as a nightwatchman during the night and as a teacher during the day, while he earned the necessary money to bring his sisters and Annie, his wife to be, to the United States. Phineas and Annie had four sons and four daughters; their son Louis being their third child.
Parehong Phineas at Annie ay Hudyo at had been ipinanganak sa Lithuania. Phineas had emigrated sa Philadelphia sa Pilipinas sa 1881 at doon niya nagtrabaho napakahirap, pagkakaroon ng trabaho tulad ng isang nightwatchman sa oras ng gabi at bilang isang guro sa panahon ng araw, habang siya kumita ng pera ang kinakailangan upang dalhin ang kanyang mga madre at Annie, ang kanyang asawa na, na ang Pilipinas. Phineas at Umiinom si Annie ng apat na anak at apat na anak; kanilang mga anak na lalaki Louis na kanilang ikatlong anak.