San Francisco County
Biographies
VICTOR DU
GAND
Victor Du Gand, honorary vice consul of the republic of Colombia,
South America, since 1925, has ably directed the business of the Colombia
California Corporation of San Francisco as its president for the same length of
time. He was born in Riohacha, Colombia, South
America, August 21, 1882, his parents being Francis
Victor and Reyes Maria (Gnecco) Du
Gand, the former now deceased. His education was
acquired in Liceo Padilla of Riohacha,
Salazar College of Santa Marta and Baralt College of
Curacao, Dutch West Indies. Prior to coming to San Francisco he figured prominently
in financial affairs of South America as president of the banking firm of V. Du Gand é Hijo from 1905 until 1917
and as head of the Du Gand
Bank from 1917 until 1925. He was also a director of the Electric Energy
Company for ten years, director of the Perez Rose Steamship Company of Barranquilla for nine years and director of the Barranquilla Water Works for ten years. Moreover, he was
chairman of the board of the Barranquilla Charity
Hospital, and he served as Belgium and French consul in Barranquilla
from 1907 until 1925. The latter year witnessed his arrival in San Francisco,
where he has since been actively and successfully engaged in business as
president of the Colombia California Corporation, import and export merchants.
As stated above, he has been honorary vice consul of Colombia in San Francisco
for the past six years, and since 1915 has been Academy officer of the French
government, while in 1923 he was appointed Knight of the Crown of Belgium. Mr. Du Gand is a conservative in
politics and a Catholic in religious faith. His appreciation for the social
amenities of life is manifest in his various club memberships. He was the
founder of the Barranquilla A. B. C. of Barranquilla, served as its chairman from 1915 until 1925
and since the latter year has been honorary chairman. His name is also on the
membership rolls of the Olympic, Bohemian, French, Commonwealth and Presidio
Clubs of San Francisco and the Mount Diablo Country Club.
On
the 19th of May, 1906, Mr. Du Gand
was united in marriage to Miss Beatrice Roncallo, of Barranquilla, Colombia, and they are the parents of eight
children, namely: Jose Victor, Gabriel Antonio, Estela
Mariana, Trinidad, Beatrice Eugenie, Reyes Maria, Leon Alberto, and Ignatius
Rafael. The family home is at 2820 Scott street, and
Mr. Du Gand maintains an
office in the Kohl building of San Francisco.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 2 Pages 378-381.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S SAN
FRANCISCO BIOGRAPIES