At the age of 22 he left for South Australia on the ship Brightman, arriving in Adelaide in December 1840.

By 1880 they had diversified into such disparate goods as patent medicines, perfumes and flavourings, American waggons, brooms, "kerosine", "gasoline" and cabinet organs.

Tenants included Conigrave & Collison, agents and patent attorneys, and the S.A. Chamber of Manufactures.

Santo was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly in 1860 for the City of Adelaide district, 1862 and 1865 for East Adelaide then in 1868 for Barossa and was appointed Commissioner of Public works on a number of occasions for various periods, first in the Waterhouse cabinet, then with Henry Ayers to 1868.

He had residences "Clapham Park" in Mitcham[6] and "Fernleigh House" on West Terrace, Adelaide, where he died.