ALESSANDRO MARENGO

Sacramento County

Biographies

ALESSANDRO MARENGO

ALESSANDRO MARENGO.--An experienced, successful Italian-American who has “made good” with his 363 acres of choice ranch-land about three miles northeast of Galt, is Alessandro Marengo, who was born at Salterana, in the provide of Genoa, Italy, on June 7, 1866, the son of Augustino and Teresa (Marengo) Marengo. The father, a worthy farmer, the son of Peter and Mary Marengo, farmer folks, was born in 1828 and died in 1905.

Alessandro attended the common schools of Italy, and grew up to help at home, while his father crossed the ocean to America in 1869, came on to California, by way of Panama, stopped at San Francisco, then came to Stockton and soon after to Galt. In 1879, Mr. Marengo sent to Italy for his wife and four children, who journeyed from Havre, France, to the United States, and then across the continent from New York to California by means of the railroad, at length reaching Galt. About 1870, Mr. Marengo, with a partner, bought 160 acres of land east of Galt and in 1878 he purchased 624 acres of land three miles northeast of Galt, and the following year improved the ranch by building a house for a home, so that when the family arrived the devoted husband and father was ready to receive them. There were four children in the family. Judita is the widow of A. Lippi, of Galt, and had three girls and two boys. Her son, George, was killed in the World War in France, and Pio was killed in an automobile accident; her three girls are living. Her sister, Maria, married Antonio Bisagna, and died leaving eight children; Virginia became Mrs. Peter Denevi, and she also died, leaving three children; and Alessandro is the subject of this review.

Alessandro Marengo did not have the opportunity to learn the English language in school, for he wanted to go to work and felt that it would be too hard to learn, and so would require too much time; but he has acquired a good deal of practical education, and as a stanch Republican and a pious Roman Catholic is a good useful citizen. He is also a Knight of Columbus.

He married at Galt, on July 9, 1898, to Miss Matilde Denevi, a native of Cembrano, province of Genoa, Italy, and the daughter of Dominico and Maria (Solari) Denevi. Her parents died in Italy, highly esteemed by all who knew them; her father lived to be seventy-six years old, and her mother, who passed away in November, 1922, saw her seventy-ninth year. Mrs. Marengo came to California in January, 1898, traveling all alone. She was one of a family of seven children, the others being: Maria, who died at Reno, Nev.; Peter, who died in Stockton; Cesare, in Italy; Constantine; Judita (who is in Italy), all older; and Jennie, Mrs. G. Giambruno of Hayward, who is the youngest of the family group. Matilde Denevi attended the Italian schools and there received an excellent elementary training. She is now the mother of five children: Mary, Mrs. Antonio Dutra of Galt, who has one daughter, Elizabeth; Teresa, who became the wife of Raymond Biama; and Joseph, August and Antonio.

While Mr. Marengo was working with his father he bought 160 acres from him, paying for it by his work; then when the father died he inherited 160 acres from him, but had to pay his mother $900. He later bought 156 acres, the home ranch, from his mother, paying $4,000, which gave him 476 acres; but some of this he has since sold, leaving him 363 acres. He has been engaged in general farming and in the raising of stock.

Transcribed by Donna L. Becker.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 486-489. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.