Calaveras
County
Biographies
GIROLAMO TISCORNIA
Leading business interests in
various parts of the United States are in the hands of progressive and
enterprising Italians, and this is no less true of California than of other
portions of our great and growing country.
One of the most prominent merchants of San Andreas, Calaveras County, is
the son of Italy whose name is mentioned above who has born September 12, 1844,
and has been a Californian since 1862.
In his native country his people were farmers. After gaining an education in Europe, he
borrowed money with which to come to America, and at the age of eighteen came
direct to Calaveras County, where one of his cousins had located some time
before. He began mining on Calaveras Creek,
and in six years paid off his indebtedness and had sufficient capital with
which to establish himself as a merchant at San Andreas. His good business methods and excellent
management of his affairs commended him to the public, and he has built up a
large trade and carries one of the largest stocks of general merchandise in the
town, and is reputed to be one of the wealthy men of Calaveras County. His stock of goods, valued at twenty-five
thousand dollars, is housed in a large double store and in three other
storehouses. He has never given up his
interest in mining and now owns valuable mining properties, besides two
thousand acres of ranch land and considerable city property in San Francisco.
Mr. Tiscornia
is a Republican, and while he is not an office seeker he is influential in the
council of his party. He is a member of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He
was married in 1880 to Miss Eugenia Raggio, a native of Calaveras County, and
they have five children: Chester J.,
born May 2, 1881; Frank Elmer, September 20, 1882; Adolphus A., July 21, 1884;
James W., November 16, 1885; and Waldo V., March 25, 1892. Two of his sons assist Mr. Tiscornia in his store and give promise of becoming
successful businessmen. The Tiscornia’s have an attractive home at San Andreas and
their standing in the community is very high.
Paulo Tiscornia,
the grandfather of our subject, was born in Italy about 1768, and died at the
advanced age of eight-five years. He
followed farming throughout his life and was a very good man. He had six children. Joseph Tiscornia,
the father of our subject, was born in Italy in May, 1808. He also was a farmer and a very good and
respected citizen. His good wife, whom
he married in 1837, and whose maiden name was Paula Daneri, was born in Italy
in 1817 and died August 7, 1890. Their
union was blessed with nine children, seven of whom are now living. The father died in 1891 in his eighty-third
year.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 535-536. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Calaveras County Biographies