Sacramento County
Biographies
EMIL ALFRED MAESTRETTI
EMIL ALFRED MAESTRETTI.--A resident of
California since 1881, Emil Alfred Maestretti was born in Verscio, Canton
Ticino, Switzerland, January 14, 1863, a son of Peter and Angelena (Yanner)
Maestretti, who followed dairying and stock-raising on their farm in Ticino. In
pioneer gold days in California the father had made the voyage around Cape Horn
to California in 1852, and here followed mining for several years, returning to
Switzerland in 1860, where he married and settled down to farming, as stated,
and where he died at the age of seventy-three years. The mother survived him
until 1914, when she passed away at ninety years of age.
Emil
Alfred Maestretti, the youngest of their six children, was reared on the home
farm in the land of William Tell, receiving a good education
in the excellent schools of his locality. Having listened to and cherished the
stories his father told him of the wonderful country on the Pacific coast, he
determined to come hither. So we find him at the age of eighteen in Sacramento County, where two brothers, James
and Antone, had preceded him and were engaged in sheep-raising. From his
arrival in 1881 until 1886 he was employed by them; then he removed to San Francisco, where he was engaged in
business until 1893. When the hard times came on during President Cleveland’s administration, he lost out in his business, and then
returned to Sacramento County and went to work for his
brother James until 1898, when the latter sold out. Mr. Maestretti then leased
the present ranch of 160 acres from Thomas Steele and engaged in raising cattle
and turkeys; and later on he purchased the place, and here he has continued in
business ever since.
In San Francisco, on January 4, 1890, Mr.
Maestretti was married to Miss Meadie Orr, a native daughter born in San Francisco. Her father, Andrew Young
Orr, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland; while her mother, formerly Phoebe Westwood Dyson,
was born in Liverpool, England. Andrew Y. Orr came to California in the early days and
followed the sea. He served through the Civil War, and after the war went back
to England and again followed the sea; but he soon returned to
the land of the Stars and Stripes and located in California, residing here until he
passed away in 1914, at the age of seventy-six years, his wife having preceded
him in 1895. Meadie (Orr) Maestretti was the elder of their two children. She
is a well-educated, refined woman, and presides competently and gracefully over
her home. Mr. and Mrs. Maestretti are the parents of seven children. Walter,
Emma, and Andrew are engaged in ranching near Lockeford, Cal., George is employed in the
People’s Garage in Sacramento; Mrs. Josephine Aldrich
lives near Lockeford; Alfred and Wesley follow ranching and make their
headquarters with their parents. Walter entered the United States Army in the
World War, serving at Camp Lewis’ and George was also
enlisted just before the armistice. Mr. Maestretti is an Ancient Odd Fellow. In
national politics he aligns himself with the Republicans.
Transcribed by Vicky Walker,
8/2/07.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With
Biographical Sketches, Page 977.
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Vicky Walker.