Sierra
County
Biographies
ANTONE LAVEZZOLA
The distinction of being the largest
taxpayer in Downieville belongs to Antone Lavezzola, the owner of the St.
Charles Hotel and Annex, a house which, under his judicious management, has
become extremely popular with the traveling public. Mr. Lavezzola was born on his father’s farm,
about six miles northeast of Downieville, on the 25th of November,
1881, and is a son of Mitchell and Maria (Blisselove) Lavezzola, both of whom
were born, reared and married in Genoa, Italy.
In 1859 the parents immigrated to the United States and came direct to
Downieville, where the father started farming.
He soon afterward bought from a Mr. Wilson a squatter’s right to one
hundred and sixty acres of land, about fifty acres which were cultivable, and
when the homestead law went into effect he took it up and proved on it. To him and his wife were born six children,
namely: John, who is Antone’s assistant
in the management of the St. Charles Hotel; Peter and Daniel, who are farming
the old home place; Mary, who has been an invalid for the past twenty-two
years; Antone, of this review; and another son who is a carpenter in
Downieville. The father died October 24,
1896, at the age of sixty-five years, and the mother lived to the age of
eighty-two years.
Antone Lavezzola had no opportunity
to go to school until he was seventeen years old, and then he attended only
five and a half terms. He is
self-taught, having always been a studious reader, and his experiences have
been educational, so that he is a very well informed man. He remained on his father’s farm until 1904,
when, in partnership with Joseph Lavezzola (no relation), he bought the St.
Charles Hotel and St. Charles Annex from John Costa. Two years later his partner died, whereupon
Mr. Lavezzola took over the entire management of the property, of which he is
now the sole owner, having paid Joseph Lavezzola’s widow in full more than nine
years ago. Mr. Lavezzola gives his close
and careful attention to every detail of the hotel management and has been very
successful. There are forty-five guest
rooms in the hotel and annex, all of which are comfortable and well furnished,
the heating and sanitary arrangements being all that could be desired. The dining-room is attractive, the cuisine is
satisfying, and the guests of the hotel are made to feel at home. Besides the hotel Mr. Lavezzola is a
one-third owner of the Monte Carlo Mining Company, a gravel hydraulic mine, and
is the owner of the Shamrock group of gold quartz mines at Sierra City. He is the owner of one hundred and sixty
acres of timber-land, two miles east of Downieville, from which he and his
brother John personally cut all the wood for fuel necessary to run the St.
Charles Hotel, amounting to about seven hundred dollars worth annually.
One June 14, 1922, in Downieville,
Mr. Lavezzola was united in marriage to Miss Theresa Tomola, and they are the
parents of two children, Bettie Lou, seven years of age, and Peter Anthony,
aged six years. Mrs. Lavezzola is a
native of Italy, and is a very popular member of the social circles in which
she moves. Mr. Lavezzola is a Republican
in his political views and is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden
West. He and his wife were reared in the
faith of the Roman Catholic Church, to the teachings of which they have
remained true. Mr. Lavezzola is greatly
interested in good roads and other progressive measures which affect the
general welfare. He is generous to a
fault, contributing to every worthy cause presented to him. He was the chief financial guarantor of the
recent “Forty-niner” celebration, held in Downieville on August 30 and 31 and
September 1, which was a distinctive success and brought large crowds of people
to Downieville. His success has been well
earned, through his persistent industry and his business ability, and he
commands the highest regard in his community.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3 Pages 344-345. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Sierra County
Biographies