Sacramento County
Biographies
JOHN ALEXANDER GUISTO
JOHN ALEXANDER GUISTO.--A native son proud of his association with the Golden State is John Alexander Guisto, born on Third Street near N in the city of Sacramento, September 20, 1862, a son of Frank and Maria (Raggo) Guisto, who were natives of Genoa, Italy. John Alexander is the eldest of their children and was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the Sutterville school district, at the same time assisting his father with the work at the farm. When the elder Guisto purchased twelve acres at Thirty-first and D Streets, John Alexander engaged with him in growing asparagus, being one of the first to grow asparagus in Sacramento. He continued in the business until he sold the land for subdivision to the Carmichael Company in 1913. Since then Mr. Guisto purchased seven acres at Thirty-sixth and D Streets, where he raised asparagus for some years until he planted it to a cherry and plum orchard.
In Sacramento occurred the marriage of Mr. Guisto with Miss Mary Ratto, a native of Eldorado County, born in Irishtown. She was a daughter of John B. Ratto, an early pioneer and miner in that county. He and his estimable wife, who was in maidenhood Virginia Gabonni, now live retired in San Francisco. Mrs. Guisto was the oldest of their five children, and is a well educated and refined woman who presides gracefully over her husband's home. Their union has been blessed with four children: Frank is traveling salesman for Ratto Bros., wholesale grain dealers, San Francisco; Virginia is a graduate of San Francisco high school and also of Hopkins Art Institute in that city, and is supervisor of drawing in San Francisco schools; Mary is a graduate of Sacramento high school and is the wife of P. B. Ready, of Sacramento; and the youngest, Evelyn, is also a graduate of Sacramento high school.
Mr. Guisto is very fond of nature and the great outdoors and enjoys hunting and fishing. He knows of the interesting places and at various seasons one finds him fishing in the rivers or mountain streams, duck hunting on the river and lagoons, or trailing the deer in the high Sierras. He was one of the organizers of the Monitor Gun Club, owners of 1,000 acres at Vernon, used for hunting purposes. They sold it when it was reclaimed for farming purposes. He is a splendid shot and has won many prizes in shooting contests. Mr. Guisto's entire life has been spent in Sacramento; he has seen it grow and develop, a matter in which he has also taken a part as well as pride.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G. Walter,
History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Page 794. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.