Santa
Clara County
Biographies
ANTONIO
VATUONE
Among the men of enterprise, ability and thrift who have immigrated to this country poor in pocket and without friends, and who have acquired wealth, prosperity and influence, is Antonio Vatuone, one of San Jose’s most successful business representatives. The descendant of an old and well known Italian family, Antonio Vatuone was born, January 22, 1851, in Casarza, province of Genoa, Italy, a son of G. Vatuone. Born and reared in Genoa, Italy, G. Vatuone was there employed in agricultural pursuits during his early life. Immigrating to the United States in the spring of 1861, he spent a short time in New York City, and then came to California, being three months on the trip. Settling in San Francisco, he was for awhile engaged as a general merchant, but subsequently became a farmer and orchardist. He is now a resident of that city, his home being at No. 500 Francisco street. He married Mary Perri, a life-long resident of Genoa, Italy, and they became the parents of nine children, of whom five are living, two sons and three daughters, Antonio being the second child in order of birth.
Receiving his early education in the public schools of Casarza, Italy, Antonio began working as a farm laborer when but a boy, continuing thus employed until nineteen years of age. Starting for California in 1870, he crossed the ocean to New York City, and then proceeded by rail to San Francisco, where he lived for a year. The next year he was employed in lime burning at Santa Cruz, working for David Cowell, and the following four years worked in different places in California and Nevada. Returning to San Francisco in 1876, Mr. Vatuone first engaged in mercantile pursuits, and then embarked in the hotel business, but this latter venture was not a success, and he became deeply involved in debt. About this time he was persuaded to buy a lottery ticket, it being his first investment in prize-winning enterprises, and February 12, 1885, he drew the capital prize of $75,000 in the Louisiana State Lottery, at New Orleans, holding the full ticket, No. 28628, and at once received a draft for the full amount. Paying off his entire indebtedness, Mr. Vatuone made his brother Emanuel a present of $10,000 and he is now a successful merchant and a large property owner in San Francisco. Selling his hotel, Mr. Vatuone removed from San Francisco to San Jose, and making important investments in real estate has since taken an active part in the upbuilding (sic) of the city and county. He owns a good farm near here; has a valuable orchard on the Monterey road; and on the Willamette river, in Lane county, Ore., owns a ranch of three hundred and ten acres, which he rents. On this ranch is a valuable deposit of ochre, or metallic yellow paint, containing thirty per cent of iron peroxid, (sic) it being, according to the chemists who have examined it, one of the finest deposits of the kind in existence. This ochre bank he is preparing to develop in order to introduce the ochre to the paint world.
Mr. Vatuone has erected many dwelling houses in San Jose, and now owns four residences besides his own, which is located at No. 247 St. Augustine street. On North Market street, between Santa Clara avenue and St. Johns street, he erected the large brick building known as the Vatuone block, which is 68x137 feet, three stories in height, with a basement. In his office, at No. 238 West Santa Clara street, Mr. Vatuone is carrying on a substantial business as agent for various insurance and steamship companies.
In San Francisco, Mr. Vatuone married Miss Presioza Zolezi, who was born in Genoa, Italy, the daughter of P. Zolezi, who came with his family to this country and settled in San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Vatuone became the parents of six children, namely: Bartt (who died at the age of seventeen years), Maria, Antonia, Jennie, Louise and Fortunato. Politically Mr. Vatuone is a Democrat. Fraternally he belongs to the Foresters of America, in which he is serving his fifth term as chief ranger; to the French-Italian Lodge, I. O. O. F., of which he is past noble grand; and to the Druids.
Transcribed
By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California &
Biographical Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A.
M., Pages 686-689. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Cecelia M. Setty.