El
Dorado County
Biographies
JOHN A. RAFFETTO
John
A. Raffetto, who retired after thirty-five years of active service as a hotel
proprietor in Placerville, still retains his interest in both the Ivy House and
the Raffles Hotel but leaves the duties of management to his sons. He was born on a farm in El Dorado County,
California, March 1, 1864, his parents being the late Dominico and Anna
Raffetto. The father came to California
by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1859, and the mother joined him later. After mining for a time, Dominico Raffetto
purchased land and began raising vegetables, also continuing mining to some
extent. He remained on his farm until
the later years of his life and spent his last days in the home of his son, John
A., passing away at the advanced age of eighty-eight. His wife died when eighty-six years of
age. They were among the most
substantial of the early California pioneers, and were the parents of ten
children.
John
A. Raffetto attended the rural schools of El Dorado County, and at the same
time helped at home and worked at odd jobs.
After attaining the age of twenty years he spent two summers in the hay
fields of Nevada and then for three years followed mining, working for
wages. On February 4, 1895, he bought
the Ivy House at Placerville, which he conducted with notable success until his
retirement, for he spared neither trouble nor expense in meeting the wishes and
promoting the comfort of his guests. The
Ivy House, which contains fifty guest rooms and a capacious dining hall, was
formerly Conklin Academy, one of the first boarding schools in the state. In 1908 Mr. Raffetto purchased the old Cary
House at Placerville, demolished the structure in 1915 and erected on its site
what is now known as the Raffles Hotel, which was opened for business in March,
1916, and has become the leading hostelry of El Dorado County. It is most modern in every respect, is a
three-story structure containing fifty-four rooms, including fifteen with bath,
and offers its patrons the service of an excellent coffee shop and fine dining
room. L. A. Raffetto, son of John A.
Raffetto, is lessee-operator of the Raffles Hotel, which caters to both the
commercial and tourist trade. He and his
brothers have relieved their father of the responsibilities of active
management of both the Ivy House and the Raffles Hotel and have already become
widely known as popular and successful hotel proprietors. John A. Raffetto is a director of the First
National Bank of Placerville and ranks among the prominent, representative and
respected citizens of the community.
In
early manhood Mr. Raffetto was united in marriage to Miss Adela I. Creighton,
also a native of California, and they became the parents of four children, as
follows: Lloyd A., Elwyn C., John A.,
Jr., and Isadeen I. There are now two
grandchildren. Mrs. Adela Raffetto
passed away February 9, 1927, her loss bringing a sense of deep bereavement to
her many friends as well as to the members of her immediate family.
In
his political views Mr. Raffetto is a Democrat, while fraternally he is
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He also has membership with the Native Sons
of the Golden West, for he was born in the Golden State. His labors have been rewarded with a measure
of prosperity that now enables him to spend the evening of life in honorable
retirement.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 419-420. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's El Dorado County Biographies