Amador
County
Biographies
ENRICO GINOCCHIO
From the land which Mr. Ginocchio
claims as the place of his nativity came to discover of America, and since that
time many of the worthy sons of Italy have sought and obtained homes in the new
world. Prominent among the
representatives of the latter in northern California is he whose name
introduces this review, a well known member of the firm of Ginocchio Brothers,
merchants of Jackson, Amador County. He
was born in Italy, March 14, 1838, and is a representative of an old family of
that land of blue skies and brilliant sunsets.
His parents were Joseph and Rosalinda (Raggio) Ginocchio. His father was a manufacturer and one of the
honored citizens of the community in which he resided. He died in the eighty-fourth year of his age,
and his wife reached the age of ninety-seven years, retaining her mental and
physical faculties to the day of her death.
Both were devoted members of the Catholic Church, consistently adhering
to that faith in the conduct of their lives.
In their family were thirteen children, six of whom are still living.
Mr. Ginocchio, of this review,
obtained his education in the land of his nativity, and when sixteen years of
age the spirit of adventure prompted him to seek new scenes. He set sail for California and in January,
1853, arrived at Bear Valley, Mariposa County, where he obtained a placer claim
and took out considerable gold. Owing to
his youth, for he had just left college, he was allowed only a half claim by
the miners, but he continued his search for the precious metal at Coulterville,
Mariposa County, until 1857, when the Fraser River excitement drew him to that
locality. He lost all he had, however,
in that venture, and returning to California he resumed mining on Mugson Creek, where he found a very fine nugget.
He did not, however, meet with very
good success at that place in his mining ventures and accordingly turned his
attention to merchandising which he continued in Montezuma, Tuolumne, for two
years. He then sold out with the
intention of engaging in business in Copperopolis, but was persuaded by a
friend to come to Jackson, where his uncle, E. Bruno and C. Curotto were in
business together. Mr. Ginocchio
purchased an interest in their business and the firm carried on operations for
two years, when our subject purchased Mr. Curotto’s
interest, remaining in partnership with his uncle for some time. Subsequently he became the sole proprietor
and in 1866 he sent for his brother Alphonso to join him in the business. The partnership relations between them have
since been maintained, each owning an undivided half of the store, which under
their capable management had honorable dealings, has steadily grown until they
are at the head of the largest mercantile establishment in the County of
Amador. Their store and warehouse, which
is more than a block in depth, are stocked with goods from garret to cellar and
embrace every line of merchandise that is in demand in Amador County. In fact, their store would be a credit to a
much larger place than Jackson. Their
sales are very extensive, as they draw a large trade from the surrounding
country, their straightforward business methods commending them to the
confidence of all. The brothers also
have large and valuable mining interests and are connected with the new bank
operated under the name of the Mercantile Trust Company of San Francisco.
The Ginocchio Brothers enjoys a most
enviable reputation in trade circles throughout northern California. They are men of enterprise and marked
executive ability, and their keen discernment in business affairs has enabled
them to so conduct their affairs as to gain a handsome financial return; yet
they are widely known for their generosity and for their kindliness to their
customers in not pressing a claim when it would have to be met at great
inconvenience by the debtor. The younger
brother has never married, but Enrico Ginocchio was united in wedlock, in July,
1871, to Miss Julia Raggio, a native of Italy and a daughter of John Raggio, of
that country. Their union was blessed
with four daughters and a son, namely:
Joseph, a young man of excellent ability who died in 1899, at the age of
nineteen years; Rosa, the wife of Frank Padesta; Lena, the wife of Frank
Bergin; and Henrietta and Julia, who are students at college. The parents have a beautiful home, which Mr.
Ginocchio erected in 1891. They are
members of the Catholic Church and enjoy the high regard of a large number of
friends and acquaintances. Mr. Ginocchio
deserves great credit for his success in life, and it has been gained entirely
by his own well directed efforts and capable management. Adapting himself
readily to the manners and customs of the new world, he has overcome all
difficulties and obstacles in his path and today stands upon a plain of
affluence commanding the respect and admiration of his fellow men.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 96-98. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Amador County Biographies