Butte County
Biographies
VICTOR BACCALA
VICTOR BACCALA—A resident of California since August 10, 1868, Victor Baccala is a native of Switzerland, born in Intragna, Canton Ticino, February 25, 1850. He is the son of Bartholomew and Marie (Brunoni) Baccala, farmers and stock-raisers in Ticino until their death. Four children of this union reached maturity: Baptiste, who was an early settler of California and who died in Plumas County; Marie, who died at the old home; Giuseppi, who resides in Greenville, Cal., and Victor, of this review.
Victor Baccala was educated in the public schools of his native land and from a lad learned to farm and take care of stock, under his father. An older brother, Baptiste, had come to California in 1857, so from boyhood Victor had heard wonderful tales of the opportunities in the land of the Golden West, and an ardent desire to see the country culminated in his making the journey, via Panama, in 1868, landing from a steamer in San Francisco. He came on to Plumas County, where he engaged in mining with his brother, the two brothers becoming owners of the Dutch Hill Mine, and operating it as a placer and drift mine, with reasonable success, for ten years.
The brothers then became interested in cattle-raising, and bought land in Plumas County, also locating preemption and timber claims. Their herds grew and they gave up mining, to give all their attention to farming and stock-raising. Some years later they were joined by their brother, Giuseppi, and they continued together as Baccala Brothers until 1896, when they divided the lands and stock. After the division, Victor and Giuseppi continued the business together, and were very successful in their undertakings. In 1912 Victor Baccala bought out his brother’s interest and continued the stock business alone, making his headquarters at the Pine Creek Ranch, where he owns nine hundred sixty acres of land, the place they started on, in 1873. He also owns a mountain ranch of nine hundred sixty acres, in Plumas County, at Soldier Meadow, near Big Meadows, and leases land adjoining from the lumber company, where he ranges his cattle. He uses their original brand, the J B, and on his range runs about three hundred head of cattle of the Shorthorn-Durham strain.
Mr. Baccala was married, in Marysville, Cal., to Miss Elizabeth D. Cory, born in Dayton, Butte County, the daughter of William T. Cory, a pioneer farmer of Butte County, and a granddaughter of Dr. Cory, a pioneer physician of the Valley. Mr. Baccala was bereaved of his beloved wife, April 18, 1917, her demise being caused by her contracting the measles, which developed into pneumonia. Of this marriage were born eight children, as follows: Caloni, who is assisting his father in the stock business; Beatrice and Mary who are attending the Chico high school; Victor; Josephine; Leland, who died the same day and of the same disease as his mother; Elizabeth, and Clinton.
In 1907, Mr. Baccala purchased his present ranch of two hundred forty acres, in Township Twenty-three, twelve miles north of Chico, where he now makes his residence. He is a member of the board of trustees of Antelope School District, and is interested in having the best public schools for his district and surrounding country. Politically, he has always been a Republican.
Transcribed
by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1125-1126, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sharon
Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies