San Francisco County
Biographies
VINCENT RAVENNA
VINCENT RAVENNA, one of San Francisco’s
enterprising business men, was born in Italy,
August 11, 1841. He came to California when a boy,
and received his education mostly in the public schools of San
José. The firm of Ravenna, Chirardelli
& Company started the Pacific Consolidated Paste Company in 1868, in a
small way on the corner of Pacific and Battery
streets. They started the second business of the kind in the city, and,
the parties who started the first having sold out,
theirs is now the oldest house in San Francisco. After
two years, the firm moved to the present locality, Nos. 421 and 423
Battery street, where
their business has so increased that they now run five presses and employ
fifteen skilled workmen. Their goods are second to none in the market, and
they not only manufacture large quantities of macaroni and vermicelli, but all
goods in that line. They sell at wholesale, and manufacture for their own
trade only, and their goods are shipped to all points west of the Rocky mountains, to the islands of the sea, Central America and Mexico. Their
expenses and the facilities for manufacturing are such that they produce goods
of superior excellence, and at prices which have resulted in bringing them a
large business, and their goods and methods of business have become widely and
favorably known.
Mr.
Ravenna has invested in city and county property, has built a fine residence on
Vallejo street,
and has forty acres of land in the Santa Clara valley,
which he has planted to fruit and wine grapes, and his claret finds a ready
sale in San Francisco. He is a
member of all the Italian benevolent societies, has been President and is now
Vice-President and Chairman of the Italian Cemetery Committee. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity, and has thrice been Master of his lodge, No.
219 Speranga Italiana, and
is also a member of the K. of P., and of the Northwestern Aid Society
of Chicago. Mr. Ravenna is independent in politics, and is one of San
Francisco’s highly and reliable business men.
Transcribed 6-5-06
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages
415-416, Lewis Publishing
Co, 1892.
©
2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library