USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 112
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lle saved his money, and about 1907 was able to finance a ranching proposition for himself. Ile leased the Santa Fe dairy on the Pismo road, bought twenty-five cows and made money during the ten years that he car- ried on the dairy there, selling milk to the retail trade in San Luis Obispo and buikling up a paying business. His present ranch is on the Edna road, where he has five hundred acres, leased from John Carroll, and milks forty cows and farms part of the land to beans and barley.
He became a citizen of the United States in 1889. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Catholic Church. He married Aralia Donetti, a native of Switzerland, and they have two sons, Silvia and Louis, who are operating in partnership in the dairy business, leasing land for that pur- pose, and meeting with success. Mr. Stornetta is a self-made man and commands the respect of his associates, both in business and socially.
LAURICE FILIPPONI .- \ native son of San Luis Obispo County, whose father was a pioneer of 1869, Laurice Filipponi was born in Morro, March 3, 1889, a son of Dennis Filipponi, of canton Ticino, Switzerland, who came to America in 1869, with California as his objective point. Dennis Filipponi worked on a dairy in Marin county until 1873, when he settled in San Luis Obispo County. Ile located on his ranch in 1889, carried on a suc- cessful dairy business for many years, and is now living retired from active Work and in the enjoyment of his competency. He is a Mason, an active Republican in politics, and for many years was a member of the Republican County Central Committee.
Laurice Filipponi was educated in the public schools of this county and reared on his father's farm, and early learned the details of successful
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farming. He farmed the home ranch on shares for a time, and in 1913 pur- chased all the live stock and farming implements from his father and leased the home place for five years. Now he is busily engaged in dairying, having one hundred head of cows of the Durham and Holstein breeds. Ile has one hundred eighty-five acres in beans and barley, while the balance of the nine hundred sixty-three acres of the ranch is given over to grazing.
Mr. Filipponi has met with exceptional success in his undertaking, and is making a name for himself in the county where he has lived all his life. HIe is the only son in a family of nine children, and has enjoyed every advan- tage to gain a thorough knowledge of the various branches of agriculture. By all who know him a bright future is predicted as his lot, for he is a pro- gressive and worthy citizen.
He was married September 17. 1913, to Miss Lillie Bassi, a native of San Luis Obispo county, who was born near Morro, and is a daughter of A. Bassi of Cambria.
BERNARDO A. MASTAGNI .- One of the enterprising and well known ranchers of the vicinity of Paso Robles is Bernardo A. Mastagni, who was born near Bressia, in the province of Lombardi, Italy, August 25. 1871. Ilis father was Santa Mastagni, a well-to-do farmer and stockraiser of his native country, who also gave considerable time and attention to raising grapes, olives and other fruits, as well as to the culture of the silkworm. For spinning the cocoons into thread, he built a factory on his farm. His wife was Eliza Catherina Zuckelli. They both passed away in their native province.
The fifth of seven children in the family, Bernardo Mastagni was reared on the home place and there attended the local schools. When he was seven- teen, he decided to try his luck in a new country, where there would be better opportunities for advancement than he could find at home; and the spring of 1889 saw him in California. Ile found work in Santa Barbara county for a time, and then came to San Luis Obispo County and worked on a dairy ranch. This employment gave him some idea of the ways of ranch ing and stockraising in this country, and he began on his own account ; and ever since he has been successfully engaged in raising stock and doing a general farming.
He was united in marriage with Miss Attilia Bassi, in Paso Robles, on August 2, 1896. She was born in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland, ; daughter of Don Caesar and Candida (Padewani) Bassi. Her father was a teacher until his death, and her mother now resides in San Luis Obispo County. Mrs. Mastagni came to San Simeon, California, in October, 1893. and here in this county her eight children have been born In polities Mr. Mastagni indorses the principles of the Republican party.
CHARLES RONCONI, JR .- A young man who, by his own energy and business ability, has risen to a prominent place and is highly esteemel as the efficient chief of the Paso Robles Fire Department, is Charles Rone ani, Ir . who was appointed in January, 1917, having worked his way through every position in the department to his present responsible place. He is Intensely interested in the growth of Paso Robles, having lived here since he was a lad of twelve years, in 1895, when he left his native country of Italy He was born January 17, 1882, in Sastagodano, Genoa, Italy, into the family of Carl and Francisca (Aciclade) Ronconi, natives of that country where the father was a farmer.
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The elder Ronconi came to the United States in 1889 and worked at gardening in San Juan and in Soquel, Santa Cruz county ; and in 1891 he moved to San Luis Obispo County and worked two years in San Luis Obispo. He next went to the Ascencion ranch near Templeton and worked until 1895. when he had saved enough to buy some land of his own ; and in 1896 he bought his present place in Paso Robles and moved onto it. He began improving it and raising vegetables, shipping to adjoining towns, and from the start met with success. Into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ronconi, Sr., nine chil- dren have been born.
Charles Ronconi, Jr., was the fourth child in his father's family and was reared in Italy until 1895, attending the public school there. After coming to this country, he continued his studies in the schools of Paso Robles. When nineteen, he started out on a vegetable wagon and has continued since to build up a large trade throughout Paso Robles, where he is well known for his honesty and for the good quality of the garden produce he grows on his well- cultivated land.
On their tract of land they have installed a fine pumping plant with a capacity of four hundred fifty gallons per minute, and can irrigate their entire thirty acres. They have also drilled and developed a flowing well, and have a reservoir with a capacity of fifty thousand gallons. They supply the stores with green vegetables and run a team to Templeton, as well as in Paso Robles.
Charles Ronconi, Jr., was married in San Miguel to Miss Margaret O'Kane, a native of Ireland, and they have one child, Mary. With his wife, who is a very energetic business woman, he is proprietor of the Star Rooming House on Park street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. In 1903 he joined the volunteer fire department in Paso Robles and has been a mem- ber ever since. He was foreman of Hose Cart No. 2, and later first assistant chief engineer of the department. In January, 1917, he was elected chief of the department, a position he now holds. He is a Republican and a very public-spirited man, and is well liked and highly esteemed by all with whom he is acquainted.
CHARLES OLGIATI .- The owner and proprietor of one of the modern butcher shops in San Luis Obispo, and a stanch supporter and advocate of all progressive movements for the upbuilding of the county, Charles Olgiati has won for himself a name and place in the business world by his own efforts. He was born in Milan, Italy, October 28, 1869, and was there edu- cated in the public schools. At an early age he learned the trade of butcher, after which he traveled and worked in various parts of Italy and Switzerland. acquiring new ideas that made him more proficient in his calling ; and for a time he conducted a shop of his own at Pimonte, Italy.
In 1900 he arrived in America and found employment at his trade in the Ilotel Criterion at Forty-first street and Broadway, New York. Later he went to Chicago and was engaged as sausage-maker with Armour & Co. ; and for a short time, also, he was employed by the Underwood Packing Co. He had heard of the opportunities offered young men in California, and in 1903 turned his steps towards the Coast country. The first six months were passed in Martinez, Contra Costa county. Desiring to investigate various localities preparatory to embarking in business for himself, he went to Keswick, Shasta county, and worked in the slaughter-house of the Mountain
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Copper Co. ; and the following year, 1904, he came to San Luis Obispo County and for two years was employed by C. T. Greenfield in the of Pacific Market.
Having spent several profitable years in this state, he took a vacation and journeyed to his old home in Milan, where he remained six months. Then he returned to San Luis Obispo and formed a partnership with C. H. Hansen : and for eight years they ran the Fulton Market on Chorro street. The part- nership was then dissolved and, in 1914, Mr. Olgiati opened his present mod- ern establishment on Monterey street, fitting it up with all modern con- veniences and new fixtures, until now he has the best-equipped shop in the county, and has built up an extensive trade in both city and environs.
Besides this store he owns two hundred fifty acres of land and a slaughter- house on Los Osos road, where he keeps and fattens from one hundred fifty to two hundred head of cattle, and from six hundred to 1,000 hogs. He also has a fine cold-storage plant, where his meat is kept in excellent condition ; and in 1916 alone, more than 10,000 head of live stock were sold by him through his wholesale and retail trade. He has a secret feed that he gives his stock, which are all stall-fed, and uses about seventy carloads of feed annually.
Mr. Olgiati has kept abreast of the times; and when devices have been introduced for more sanitary methods of handling meat or stock, he has installed them in his own departments of business. He employs seven men and two automobiles, and has prospered financially.
In 1906, Mr. Olgiati became a citizen of the United States. Some years ago he was united in marriage with Clara Wisberg, who was born, one of triplets, in San Luis Obispo County. Mr. and Mrs. Olgiati have two children, Frank J. and John L., to brighten their comfortable home, which they own and occupy at 497 Islay street, where they are surrounded by the comforts made possible by his business success.
JOHN MARZORINI .- Perhaps there is no more prominent citizen in this section of San Luis Obispo County or one more successful than the res ident owner of the Paso Robles Cheese Factory, John Marzorini, who was born in the town of Locarno, canton Ticino, Switzerland, on October 1. 1873, a son of Matio and Theresa (Mocettini) Marzorini, both living in the land of their birth at the ages of seventy nine and seventy -seven years, re- spectively, content to remain on their dairy farm and enjoy the evening of life. They had six children, four of whom are in California; and of these John is the third in the order of birth.
Brought up on the dairy farm in Switzerland and sent to the public schools until he was sixteen, John Marzorini then came to the United States and California, settling in Soledad, Monterey county, where he went to work on a ranch for twenty-five dollars a month, and continued at duit one place for seven years with but one week's vacation. On March 17. 1898, he started for the Klondike, and at Chilcot Pass fortunately w is just one mile behind the great snow-slide, and set helped to dig out those who had been caught in the disaster. He also helped build boats at Lake Ini derman and arrived at Dawson on June 19, 1898, where he located three claims, which later proved to be worthless. He was offered fifteen thousand dollars for one of them before he had prospected it, but refused the offer
After a year spent in mining, for which he w is paid one dollar per hour. he continued two more years at eighty cents per hour. In January of the
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winter of 1902, while he was making a trip from Dominion Creek to Daw- son on foot, a distance of sixty miles, he nearly froze to death before he reached a certain roadhouse ; and had it been one mile further on, he would have perished. He was taken in and was under the care of a doctor, who lanced his fingers ; and by careful attention, his arms were saved from ampu- tation, which was at first thought necessary to save his life. Being in the very best of health and physical condition, Mr. Marzorini recovered and was back at work in two months at his job of miner. In September, 1902, having been in the Klondike four years and some months, he started on the homeward journey and arrived in Monterey county. Before resuming work, however, he decided that he would go back to his home land and visit his parents: and once in Switzerland again, he remained fourteen months before returning to California.
While in Locarno he was married, in 1903, to Miss Juditha Marzorini, a native of that city ; and the following year, 1904, they came to the United States and to California, the scene of Mr. Marzorini's first experiences in this country. Here he worked for seven months in a dairy, and then went to another and worked three years at Soledad. These years had enabled him to save money and to start for himself ; and he now engaged in dairying with one hundred twenty cows and manufactured cheese. He was successful, clearing eight thousand dollars in three years. With this money, he came to San Luis Obispo County, November 17, 1909, bought a tract of eleven hundred acres in partnership with M. C. Clark of Soledad, and began rais- ing grain and hay and dairying.
The land had to be leveled and checked, buildings put up, wells sunk and pumping plant installed, all of which has been done by the enterprising owner. Now he has one hundred forty acres in alfalfa, seven wells with pumping plant installed with a lift of seventeen feet, and all run by electric power with a capacity of 1800 gallons a minute. The farm plant includes a modern dairy house of concrete, cow barns to hold sixty head of cows, sheds, horse-barns and the residence and bunkhouses for the men, all elec- tric lighted. He milks about one hundred head of cows, mostly Frisian- Holsteins, and some of them full-blooded registered stock, and he has three registered bulls at the head of his herd. Besides his dairy stock, he also has about one hundred fifty stock cattle and thirty head of horses. Great care has been taken from the sanitary standpoint, and in his cheese factory he puts out from eight to ten cheeses per day averaging twenty-two pounds. which are shipped to San Francisco.
Mr. and Mrs. Marzorini are the parents of four children-Clara, Roy, Americo, Annie, all born and reared in California. Mr. Marzorini is a Re- publican and a member of the Foresters. He is an active, energetic, live business man, successful through his own efforts, hospitable and intelligent, and takes a live interest in all pertaining to the upbuilding of the county, and particularly in dairy and stock interests, which are of such vital im- portance to the state's prosperity.
JAMES POLETTI .- For men of education the state of California has always held great opportunities, as has been demonstrated in the life of James Poletti. He was born in Pallagneta, canton Ticino, Switzerland, June 22, 1868, a son of Giuseppe and Maria (Bettini) Poletti, both natives of that place. The father was a man of refinement and education, and taught school
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in his native country for more than fifty years. He was the oldest teacher in point of service in his section of the country. Ile came to California in 1891. and spent the better part of that year in San Luis Obispo County, but he returned to his home and resumed his duties as a teacher.
James Poletti was educated in the public schools of his native canton and went to high school five years, and then, to fit himself for teaching, took a two years' course in a normal school. Ile taught in the schools of his locality for three years, and in 1891 came to California with his wife and mother, a brother and two sisters. Mr. Poletti located in San Luis Obispo County. The first three years here, he worked for wages on the dairy ranch of Mr. Beebee in Los Osos valley, and then moved to Cambria and spent two years as a wage-earner.
With experience gained and money saved, he embarked in the dairy business for himself with a partner, leasing four hundred acres in Green valley. His next move was to Chorro, where he leased two ranches aggre gating four hundred acres, and there he followed dairying for six years. meeting with much success. In 1910 he moved to his present place of four hundred acres, near the tank farm, which he leases, and now he is milking fifty cows and raising beans.
Mr. Poletti was married in his home town on February 9, 1891. to Miss Annie A. Porta, a native of canton Ticino, who was born October 3. 1869. They have four children : Achille, Mrs. Corina M. Stornetta, Mrs. Frminia G. Christensen, and Olimpia. Mr. Poletti is a public-spirited citizen and gives his support to all enterprises that will advance the interest of the county and promote the welfare of its citizens. Ile has a host of friends who admire him for his manliness and integrity.
ALEX BIASOTTI .= \ native of the town of Rio, Genoa, Italy, born October 27, 1866, Alex Biasotti is the son of Dominico and Angela Maria (Ferari) Biasotti, farming folks in Rio, Italy. The mother died when Alex was a lad of four years, and the father passed away in 1893. Of their thir teen children, four of whom are living, Alex was the only one to come to America. Ile was brought up on the farm in Italy, and educated in the public schools ; and having read of the opportunities in California for young men who were willing to work, he determined to try his fortune on the Pacific coast.
On June 15, 1886, he arrived in Santa Cruz, and went to work the next day as a vegetable gardener, continuing there for eighteen months, then he came to San Luis Obispo and, with three partners, leased the Estrada gar- dens, two miles north of town, and ran vegetable gardens there for five years. He then came to the Ascencion ranch, at Atascadero, and leased and operated it for three years.
In 1896 he came to Paso Robles, bought five acres of land, and engaged in raising vegetables, running a vegetable wagon. Since then he has bought adjoining property and now owns thirty acres of the bottom Land, all devoted to gardens and alfalfa. There is a flowing artesian well that supplies an abundance of water for irrigation, and Mr. Biasotti constructed a reservoir for storing the water. The alfalfa is cut five times a year and vegetables of fine quality are raised on the place, which are retailed in Paso Robles.
Mr. Biasotti was united in marriage in San luis Obispo, in May, 1894. with Amelia Defilippi, who was born in Buenos Ayres, South America, the
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daughter of John B. and Catherine Bertoni Defilippi, both natives of Italy, who were engaged in business in Buenos Ayres for seventeen years, after which they returned to Italy, where the mother died and the father is still living. Mrs. Biasotti came to California in 1893, and they are the parents of thirteen children, nine of whom are living: Alex, Guadalupe ( Mrs. Minini, of Paso Robles). Mary, David, Palmyra, Jennie, John, Benjamin, and Virginia- all under the parental roof except Mrs. Minini. Mr. Biasotti is an indus- trious, ambitious citizen, and his industry and ambition have been rewarded.
JOHN S. GULARTE .- A successful dairyman and a self-made man, John S. Gularte started in as a poor young man, and by hard work and personal application to his affairs he has gradually risen to a place of importance in the county of his adoption. He was born in the Azores islands in 1862, educated in the public schools of his native country, and at the age of nineteen, in 1881, came to the United States and worked for wages, as a farm hand, near New Bedford, Mass.
In 1884, Mr. Gularte came to California and continued as a farm laborer on ranches in the vicinity of Cayucos and San Luis Obispo, and by saving his money he was soon enabled to embark in farming for himself. He worked eighteen hundred acres on shares, and managed a large dairy of one hundred fifty cows. Meeting with success in this venture, he next ran a dairy at Chorro for one year, and still later made his home in Morro for a like period.
In 1905 he settled in Arroyo Grande and carried on his operations from town. He now lives in the Tar Springs district, leases one thousand acres of the Steele ranch and three thousand acres of the Biddle ranch, and has a dairy of one hundred cows, and engages in the cattle business with good results. Part of the leased land Mr. Gularte sub-leases to tenants, who farm on shares; and he finds this a very profitable way to carry on large tracts of land.
In Madera county, on February 25, 1895, Mr. Gularte was united in marriage with Isabel R. Alves, also a native of the Azores, and they have four children-Mary, Nora, Violet and Manuel. Mr. Gularte is a member of the I. D. E. S. and the U. P. E. C. lodges, and takes an active part in their workings. He is a self-made man, and one who holds the respect of his neigh- bors and friends.
GEROME ROTTA .- A handy and wide-awake young foreigner who is meeting with success, partly because of his studious observation of Ameri- can methods coupled with his application of a valuable knowledge brought from the Old World, is Gerome Rotta, who was born at Godo, Bellanzona, canton Ticino, Switzerland, on November 16, 1885, the eldest of three chil- dren of Giacamo and Adelaida Rotta. His parents were also natives of Ticino, where the father has been and is still engaged in dairying and farm- ing, the mother being deceased. Gerome received a good education at the public schools, and assisted his father on the farm until 1905, when he emigrated to San Francisco, and soon found employment in a dairy at Vallejo.
lle then worked for a year in another dairy in Marin county, after which he joined his brother, Clemente, at Saint Helena, Napa county, where to- gether they conducted the French Bakery. After three years they sold out. and Gerome bought his present place of a hundred twenty acres nine miles wuthwest of Paso Robles, where he was soon farming and raising stock.
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When he took hold of the land it was covered with brush and trees, but by the hardest kind of labor he has brought forty-five acres under cultivation, and from the fruits of this little farm he derives a profitable income which is supplemented through teaming and hauling.
In the city of Napa on August 9, 1909, young Mr. Rotta was married to Miss Anitta Carminetti, who was born at Godo, came to California in 1907. and is the daughter of Serephino and Ursula Pissinti. Her father was a business man in Godo and died in 1915. The mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Rotta are the parents of four children-James, Severino, Adelaida and Marie-who will some day doubtless inherit, through their parents' industry and ability, a nice little homestead.
MANUEL TRIGUEIRO .- The obliging and efficient postmaster at San Miguel is a native of California, born in Jolon, Monterey county, October 17. 1879. His father, Frank J. Trigueiro, was born in the Azores. He was a sailor for many years and came around the Horn to San Francisco, from which city he went to the redwoods in Sonoma county, where he worked until he began farming in the Jolon country. Here he took up a homestead of one hundred sixty acres, improved it and farmed successfully until, being driven off because it was on one of the grants, he lost all his improvements and labor. He then rented and farmed, and in 1884 came to this county and home- steaded one hundred sixty acres in Sec. 19, Twp. 25, range 10 east, twelve miles northeast of San Miguel, where he made improvements and bought adjoining land, and now has a large ranch and is farming and raising stock. He married Miss Mary Bidel, born in Mexico, who has had twelve children. Nine of their offspring are now living and Manuel is the second born.
Manuel Trigueiro was thus raised in San Luis Obispo County and went to school at Bee Rock, living and working at home until 1904, when he entered the service of the sugar factory at Betteravia. While there, how- ever, he met with an accident that crippled him, his foot being caught in an elevator. After his recovery, he took a correspondence course in the Serin- ton school and, finishing in 1906, opened a confectionery store and ice cream parlor, and also had the telephone exchange. These he continued until 1914. when, on March 29, he received the appointment of postmaster at San Miguel. taking the office after selling his store on April 11. The office work has grown since his incumbency, and now there are three star routes from the San Miguel office. He is a supporter of Democratic principles and a public- spirited citizen of San Miguel.
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