History of Humboldt 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, Part 125

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > California > Humboldt County > History of Humboldt 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 > Part 125

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as well as furnaces to aid in preparing the lunches. The zoo is a most inter- esting feature, containing deer, elk, etc., the whole giving a most pleasing effect.

He was married, on Table Bluff, to Mary Griffin, who was born in Shasta county, and they have one child, Mary, Mrs. Murphy, of Eureka.

ZACHARIAS LEONARDI .- Among the men who have come to Hum- boldt county from Sunny Italy we find Zacharias Leonardi, who was born near Monte Crestese, near Domodosola, Province of Novara Piermotte, Italy, May 30, 1884. His father Angel Leonardi was quite an extensive farmer until his demise. After completing the public schools, he continued on the home farm at Monte Crestese helping his father until May, 1912, when he came to Humboldt county, California, being in the employ of his brother James Leonardi on Eel River Island until he determined to engage in dairying on his own account. In November, 1913, he leased the present place of 40 acres from L. Petersen which he devotes to a dairy of twenty-two cows. The place is bottom land, enabling him to raise ample feed for his herd. The marriage of Mr. Leonardi and Marie Daoro occurred in Ferndale, and to them have been born two children, Marie and Racpelc.

GERVAISO AND ANGELICA BIASCA .- The West Point dairy ranch is at present operated by Gervaiso and Angelica Biasca, brother and sister, and they are meeting with deserved success. They were born in Prosilo, near Lodrino, Canton Ticino, Switzerland. Their parents were Gervaiso and Man- sueta (Fogliani) Biasca, farmer folk on the Ticino river, who are still living on their farm near Prosilo. They were the parents of seven children as fol- lows: Theodora, died at thirty-six years; Louigina, the wife of Ferdinand Ambrosini, residing at Ferndale; Mansueta, Mrs. Charles Berti, of Cape- town; Angelica and Gervaiso, of this review; Mary and Louis, residing with their parents in Ticino. The children all received a good education in the local public schools. Angelica came to Humboldt county in 1909, remaining with her sister Mrs. Ambrosini until she engaged in business with her brother Gervaiso, who came to Humboldt county in 1912, and was employed on the Woodland Echo ranch for Ferdinand Ambrosini. In 1914 with his sister Angelica, he leased the West Point ranch, where they are meeting with deserved success in dairying, having a herd of sixty-five milch cows. By the aid of a gas engine, they separate the cream and make butter, which is made into cubes and squares and shipped to San Francisco. In addition to dairy- ing they also raise cattle and hogs. West Point is a large ranch located on the Pacific Ocean near Capetown. The Biascas are members of the Catholic church at Ferndale.

JOSEPH BONOMINI .- A man of much energy and perseverance is Joseph Bonomini, a dairyman on Mad river, across from Blue Lake. He was born at Livemmo, province of Brescia, Italy, June 22, 1879, being the third oldest of four children born to Giuseppe and Fiori (Ramboldini) Bonomini. His father was a farmer and dairyman and Joseph learned butter and cheese- making, meantime receiving a good education in the public schools of his old home. From reports received he was desirous of trying his fortunes in California, wages and opportunities being greater here than in his mother country, so in February, 1904, he came to California and very soon afterward located in Humboldt county. His funds were very much depleted and he

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immediately sought work, which he obtained on the Sweasey dairy, near Eureka. He was a steady, industrious young man and remained there for a period of five years. Next he worked one season for John Ballatti at Loleta, when he concluded to engage in dairying as an occupation. With that end in view he rented about three hundred ten acres of the Herrick place at Loleta, afterwards taking in his two brothers as partners, where they operated a dairy of from eighty-five to one hundred cows. While thus engaged, he with five other ranchers, bought the creamery in their locality. Mr. Bonomini was its secretary and afterward its president.

In 1913-14 the dyke broke and the flood came so quickly that it caught some of his dairy herd and he lost twenty-six cows. In 1914 he sold his lease and came to West End, in the vicinity of Blue Lake, and leased his present place, which he devotes to a dairy of thirty cows. This place is rich bottom land, where he has ample pasture and raises sufficient green feed for his herd.

Mr. Bonomini's first marriage occurred in Italy, he being there united with Angela Turrizanuni, who died in her native Italy, leaving one child, Angela Mary. He was married again, in Eureka, to Mary Pillottia, a native of Mura, Brescia, Italy, and they leave two children: Fiori and Joseph. Fraternally he is a member of Loleta Lodge No. 56, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and politically he is a Democrat.

PETER FASOLETTI .- Peter Fasoletti is a native of Bellenzona, Ticino, Switzerland, born in 1864. He was raised a farmer lad and received a good education in the local schools, after which he apprenticed and learned the machinist trade. He spent fifteen years as a machinist in the railroad shops at Bellenzona, after which he was employed at his trade in the railroad shops in Setti, France, afterwards returning to Switzerland. In 1912 he brought his family to Humboldt county. He was employed on a dairy in Elk River and afterwards at Loleta until November, 1914. He then started in dairying for himself, leasing the present place of 56 acres at Grizzly Bluffs, being rich bottom land, this producing ample feed for his dairy herd of twenty-four cows. Mr. Fasoletti was married in Bellenzona, being united with Miss Olympia Crivelli. also a native of Ticino and a sister of Charles J. and Secundo Crivelli, a dairyman in Humboldt county. To Mr. and Mrs. Fasoletti have been born two children, Leonardo and Americo.

SILVIO DOMENIGHINI .- The Alps region in Switzerland has sent many substantial settlers to California, who have won success in the various lines of business they have chosen. Among these we find Silvio Domenighini, who is engaged in dairying near Fortuna. He was born in Vogorno, Canton Ticino, September 26, 1877. His father Bartol owned a farm at Vogorno which he operated until his death. By his union with Severina Anselmi, who still resides on the old home place, he had seven children, as follows: Olivia, Mrs. Gambonini, and Angelina, Mrs. Cordo, reside in Ticino; Silvio, of whom we write; Salvatori, Charles and Bartol, reside in Coos county, Oregon, and William lives near Ferndale.

Silvio received a good education in the schools of his native place, after which he continued to assist his parents until the age of twenty, when he enlisted in the Swiss army, serving the required time, when he was honorably discharged, after which he concluded to come to California to better his con- dition, and in January, 1899, he arrived in San Francisco. The first seven

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months were spent in a dairy in Marin county, and in August of 1899 he came to Humboldt county. Ile was employed for eighteen months in the dairy of Joe Moranda at Loleta, after which he followed the same line of work in Salmon Creek and Ferndale, when he drifted into Coos county, Oregon, where he spent two years, after which he returned to Loleta and leased a dairy ranch of forty acres from Bartol Moranda, having a herd of twenty cows and con- tinuing there for a period of five years. In November, 1913, he leased the pres- ent place of forty-five acres, just south of Fortuna, devoted to dairying. This place is fertile bottom land on which he raises large crops of feed for his twenty-six milch cows and is making a decided success.

In Ferndale, September 23, 1911, occurred the marriage of Mr. Domen- ighini with Nancy Gamboni, also a native of Vogorno, and they have two children, Silvio Fred and Severina Emma. Politically he espouses the prin- civles of the Republican party.

CLAUS NISSEN RASMUSSEN .- The Elk River Creamery is in charge of a very energetic and capable young man, Claus N. Rasmussen, who is well versed and experienced in the minute details of the business. He was born near Tondern, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Sept. 5, 1888, the second oldest of a family of six children born to Rasmus and Martha (Christiansen) Ras- mussen. He received his education in the public schools of that vicinity. When fifteen he determined to come to Humboldt county, Cal., where he had an uncle Anton Rasmussen engaged in dairying. Arriving in 1903 he was in his uncle's employ for eighteen months and then worked for others in the same vicinity until 1909, when he entered the employ of the California Central Creameries, being for the first few months at the Crown Creamery, located on Eel River Island, and before the close of the year was placed in charge of the Elk River Creamery, a position he has held ever since, performing his duties satisfactorily to his employers as well as his patrons. This creamery is the receiving station for milk for Elk River and vicinity, the separated cream being sent to the main plant in Eureka. This plant also manufactures casein and full cream cheese, using about five thousand pounds of milk a day for making cheese.

Mr. Rasmussen was married in Ferndale, being united with Miss Annie Elliers, who was also a native of Tondern and they have one child, Edith. Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen were both reared in the Lutheran faith, and they still adhere to that religion.

RUDOLPH DENNIS AMBROSINI, a leading dairyman of Capetown, was born at Prosito near Lodrino, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, June 20, 1877. His father, Dennis Ambrosini, after spending many summers in Paris, France, working at his trade, settled on his farm on the Ticino river where he died in 1886. The mother was Celesta Biasca who still resides on the old home farm. Of their five children, four grew to maturity : Rudolph, of this review ; Max, who spent about twelve years in Humboldt county, but now resides in Ticino; Guttard is in the employ of our subject; James is a merchant in Ferndale.

Rudolph Ambrosini received a good education and from a lad learned dairying as it was done in the Alps region. Having heard good reports of wages and opportunities for young men in California, he concluded to try to better his condition and when seventeen left his home and kindred, arriving

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in Eureka, Humboldt county, Feb. 5, 1896. After working for a short time on a dairy on Cannibal Island, he worked for about six years on different ranches near Ferndale, when he became foreman on the Mayflower ranch, a position he held for two years. His ambition was to have a dairy of his own, and having saved some money, in 1903 he leased the Mountain View ranch of fourteen hundred acres and for eight years devoted his time to dairying, milk- ing an average of eighty-five cows. On the expiration of his lease he obtained a lease of the Frank Peters ranch at Capetown. This is one of the most val- uable dairy ranches on the coast, comprising four hundred fourteen acres on Bear river. He has a splendid dairy comprising Guernseys and Holsteins, sixty-five cows in all; he also raises cattle. With the aid of a steam engine, he runs his separator and manufactures butter which is put up in squares for family trade and sold in Ferndale and Eureka, while the surplus is shipped to San Francisco. The marriage of Mr. Ambrosini occurred in Ferndale where he was united with Carrie Mead, a native of Kansas. Her father, Alfred Mead moved from Kansas to Oregon, afterwards coming to Humboldt county, now residing in Bridgeville. To them have been born five children : Ernest, Dennis, Irene, Alma and Roland. For the past four years Mr. Am- brosini has been a member of the board of school trustees for Capetown dis- triet and is elerk of the board. Politically he believes the principles of the Republican party are for the best interests of the whole country.

ALBERT LUNDBERG .- The son of Judge F. A. Lundberg, a prominent attorney and judge in Stockholm, Sweden, Albert Lundberg, now a trusted employee of the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company of Falk, Cal., with which firm he has been connected for thirty years, was born in Westrejot- land, Sweden, on June 19, 1856, and grew up in the city of Stockholm, where he was educated in the public schools and academy. After the completion of his education, Mr. Lundberg started in the grocery business in that city, continuing in that line of business until the year 1884, at which time he sold his business, the next year coming to California, where he located at Eureka, in Humboldt county, with his wife and daughter, in which county he has made his home ever since. His first employment on coming to California was with the Janes Creek Mill, where he continued for a period of three years. Removing to Falk, in the same county, he was next in the employ of the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company, where he has since remained con- tinuously. This mill was built about the year 1886, and since 1888 Mr. Lund- berg has been employed there, beginning work as the operator of a planer, and two years later being made foreman of the yards, which position he has held ever since. For six years Mr. Lundberg held the office of trustee of the Jones Prairie school district, and throughout that time was also clerk of the school board, one of his greatest interests being the cause of education, as well as the advancement and upbuilding of the town and county where he has made his home. In his religious associations he is a Lutheran, while his polit- ical connections are with the Republican party.

Mr. Lundberg has been twice married, his first marriage having taken place in Stockholm, uniting him with Miss Selma Gathlin, a native of the same vicinity, who died in Falk, Cal., leaving one daughter, Mrs. Julia Swenson, a resident of Portland, Ore. The second marriage of Mr. Lundberg occurred in Eureka, the bride being Miss Louisa Knudsen, who was born in Bergen, Nor-

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way, and came to Oakland, where she became a graduate nurse, her brother, Captain L. J. Knudsen, having also made his home in California, where he is a prominent master mariner in San Francisco.

GEORGE F. MELLER .- A native son of Humboldt county, and one coming of a fine old family, is George F. Meller, who was born at Salmon Creek, April 30, 1872, the son of Henry S. Meller, born at Nazareth, Pa., who crossed the plains to California in an ox-team train in 1850. A butcher by trade, he established himself in that business in Sacramento, but was burned out in the great fire in that city. Ile was married in Sacramento to Margaret Jamison, a native of the state of Iowa, who had come across the plains with her parents in 1850, and is now living at Oakland, Cal., at the age of eighty- two years, her husband having died in 1889. After being burned out in Sac- ramento, Henry S. Meller and his family removed to southern Oregon, where he operated a saw mill and also engaged in other business until about the year 1868, when he came to Humboldt county and settled at Table Bluff, later locating on Salmon Creek, where he was engaged in farming, stock- raising and butchering, running a butcher wagon throughout that part of the county. Of his family of eight children, five were sons and three daughters. His son George F., was sixth in order of birth, and grew up on the farm at Sal- mon Creek, receiving his education in the local public schools, after which he was engaged in work upon the ranch until his father's death. He then entered the employ of the Milford Land and Lumber Company on Salmon Creek, where he remained for four years, then working for a year in the woods on the Freshwater. In 1895 he went to Usal, in Mendocino county, where he was in the employ of the Usal Lumber Company for two years, during this time learning the filing of saws. Next he went to Greenwood, where for a year he was filer in the mill of the L. E. White Lumber Company, returning thereafter to Humboldt county, where he took the position of head filer for the Pacific Lumber Company at Scotia, continuing there for a period of eight years. Thence he removed to Bayside, during the erecting of a mill there, remaining in that work for a period of three months, after which he spent four months as filer at Lamoine, Shasta county, holding a similar posi- tion at Metropolitan mill for six months. In February. 1907, he accepted his present position as head filer at the Falk Mill for the Elk River Mill and Lum- ber Company, where he is rendering active and efficient service.

The political interests of Mr. Meller are with the Republican party, while his fraternal connections are with the Eureka Lodge No. 652, B. P. O. E., his wife being a member and past president of the Ladies' Circle of the Grand Army of the Republic at Eureka. Mr. Meller was married at Rockport, Men- docino county, to Effie Albert, born in Yuba county, where she grew up and was educated, and they are the parents of one daughter, Margaret Meller, a pupil in the Eureka High School. Mrs. Meller's father, James W. Albert, served in the Civil war and followed mining in the Sierra region.

MARTIN F. MOZZINI .- The proprietor of the Excelsior Dairy in Humboldt county, Cal., is Martin F. Mozzini, a splendid young business man, who, from childhood, has been acquainted with ranching, dairying and the stock business, having assisted his mother, Mrs. Antoinetta Mozzini, in those lines at her Loleta ranch before engaging in business for himself.

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Born at Santa Cruz, Cal., January 10, 1892, Mr. Mozzini is a true native son of California, though of foreign ancestry, and his life thus far has been spent in ranching and dairying pursuits in this western state. At four years of age he removed with his mother to Humboldt county, where he has since resided, and here received his early education in the public schools of Loleta, completing this instruction with a course at the Eureka Business College, where he was graduated on. April 29, 1909. For a time he assisted in the management of his mother's business at Loleta, also being employed at the Buhne dairy, and after this practical experience he determined to go into business independently. Accordingly, in September, 1914, he bought out the Excelsior Dairy and leased his present ranch at Elk River Corners, which comprises one hundred thirty acres of bottom land, whercon he operates a large dairy, milking a herd of eighty cows. His dairy is sanitary and kept up in the best modern fashion, the cows being carefully fed and cared for, and on his fertile land he raises ample hay and green feed for his stock. The product of his dairy he sells at both wholesale and retail in the city of Eureka, a small auto truck being used for the delivery of the milk, which simplifies the busi- ness for himself and increases the convenience and promptness with which his patrons are served. Aside from his dairy, Mr. Mozzini is also engaged in stock-raising to a considerable extent. and has purchased stock in various portions of Humboldt county, where he is well and favorably known as an upright business man, successful in all his undertakings. In his political affil- iations, Mr. Mozzini is a believer in the principles of the Republican party, and, like many others of California's native sons, is an ardent protectionist. His fraternal connections are with the Fraternal Brotherhood and the Knights of Columbus of the city of Eureka, where he is also a member of the Eureka Parlor, Native Sons of the Golden West.

MRS. TERESA YERMINI .- An enterprising woman, of much energy and native ability, Mrs. Teresa Yermini of Eureka, Cal., has met with success in her business undertakings and is the proud mother of a family of talented children.

Born in Camorino, in Bellinzona, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, Mrs. Yer- mini was the daughter of Martin Mozzini, a native of that place and a promi- nent farmer and dairyman, his wife having been Martha Mozzini, both having died in their native country. Mrs. Yermini received a good education in the local public schools, and in the year 1886 came to California, her brother Stephen then residing at San Luis Obispo. this state, and at that place she was married, on November 17, 1887, to John Yermini, a native of the same place as herself, and the son of Casper Yermini, a well-to-do farmer and also for many years the mayor of Camorino. John Yermini had been educated in the public schools at his home, and in 1879 had come to California, locating in Humboldt county, where he followed dairying. After his marriage he brought his bride to Ferndale, where he operated a dairy of sixty-seven milch cows on a fine ranch. In the early days the milk was panned, the cream skimmed by hand, but later a separator was used, the churning done by horse power, and the butter shipped to Eureka and San Francisco markets. Mr Yermini was one of the original stockholders and builders of the old Eel River Creamery in the vicinity of Waddington, this being the second creamery built in Humboldt county. Afterwards he conducted a dairy of sixty cows at

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Fortuna for thirteen years. Making several trips back to his old home in Switzerland, Mr. Yermini, on the death of his father, fell heir to the old farm in Camorino and located on it, assuming the duties of his illustrious parent who was deceased. The wife and children of Mr. Yermini, however, preferred to remain in Humboldt county, this having been the birthplace of all the children, and accordingly they returned to California, where the edu- cation of the children was continued and the mother established herself suc- cessfully in business. In 1911, Mrs. Yermini leased her present place, the Zanone ranch on the Elk river, comprising seventy acres of rich bottom land which yields an abundance of crops of hay and green feed for the herd of thirty cows of the Jersey and Holstein breeds, Mrs. Yermini being also engaged in stock-raising here and making a specialty of growing potatoes for the local market. In her political preferences she is a stanch Republican, like many others from her native country who have settled in this state, being a strong protectionist. She holds an enviable position in the respect and admi- ration of all who know her, because of her many fine qualities, her integrity, and kind and generous impulses.

Mr. and Mrs. Yermini are the parents of six children, Teresa M., a grad- uate of the Eureka Business College : Marina Laura, a graduate of the Fortuna high school and the San Jose State Normal School, and now teaching in her home county ; Ida M., a graduate of the Nazareth Academy, and stenographer for the Eureka Merchants' Association ; Ernest P. and Milio B., both of whom assist their mother on the ranch ; and Cora Judith, who is attending the Eureka high school.

LOUIS B. MOSCHETTI .- Although born in Italy, where the rest of his family continue to make their home, Louis B. Moschetti has become a resident of the state of California, where he is making for himself a fine record in the dairy business near the city of Eureka, in Humboldt county, a section of the state which can boast of many active and efficient sons of Switzerland and Northern Italy who have come here to better their fortunes.

Born in Teglio, Sondrio, in Lombardia, Italy, August 3, 1891, the son of Bartol, a farmer and dairyman of that place who died on February 26, 1914, and Kathrina Betinelli, who still resides at the old home in Teglio, Louis B. Moschetti is the youngest of a family of seven children, and grew up as a farmer's boy in that part of Italy, receiving his education in the local public schools. Until sixteen years of age, he remained at home, helping his parents on the farm, but, concluding to try his fortunes and better his condition if possible in the new land of California, he came to the United States in 1907, where he secured employment on a farm in Yuba county, Cal., and later in the same line of work in Sutter county. In the year 1911 Mr. Moschetti re- moved to Humboldt county, securing employment on a dairy at Loleta. Three years later, in September, 1914, in partnership with M. F. Mozzini, he leased the Hinch place at Elk River Corners, but two months later the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Moschetti selling out his interest. He then leased the Jack Shanahan ranch, which consists of eighty-three acres located on Elk River, where he now operates a large dairy, comprising a herd of thirty cows, the ranch being well adapted to the purpose and enabling him to raise plenty of hay and green feed for his herd.

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The marriage of Mr. Moschetti took place in Eureka, on February 26, 1914, uniting him with Miss Martina Mozzini, who was born in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, the daughter of Antoinetta Mozzini, a prominent woman of Humboldt county where she is well known in the dairy business. Mrs. Moschetti grew up in Humboldt county, is a graduate of the Eureka Business College, and is in every way a capable helpmeet to her husband. They are the parents of one son, Eugene Louis. In his political views Mr. Moschetti is an upholder of the principles of the Republican party.

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History of Humboldt 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, Part 125

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Irvine, Leigh H. (Leigh Hadley), 1863-1942
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Los Angeles, Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1328