Sierra
County
Biographies
ISAAC MARTINETTI
Isaac Martinetti, whose splendidly
improved dairy farm lies at the head of the beautiful Sierra Valley, is a true
type of those energetic and sturdy natives of Switzerland who have helped make
the Sierra Valley one of the most noted dairy and stock raising sections of
eastern California. He was born in
Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on the 27th of December, 1874, and lived
at home until sixteen years of age, when he immigrated to the United States, where
so many of his countrymen had achieved success.
At that time his mother was deceased and his father passed away about a
year later.
Of their four sons and two
daughters, Isaac is the fourth in order of birth. A sister, Mrs. Elmira Peterson, resides in
Solano County, this state, and an older brother, Herman, died in Solano County,
California. After arriving in this
locality, Isaac Martinetti went to work for his brother Herman, with whom he
remained two years, after which he was employed at such work as he could find
to do, including logging and mining. In
1916 his bought his present ranch, comprising five hundred and ninety-seven
acres, and during the subsequent years he has made many permanent improvements
on the property, including one of the finest country residences in this section
of the state, barns, garage and other farm buildings, and bought a complete
line of equipment. This is the old Grau Rice ranch and a never failing stream of pure mountain
water flows through the property. It is
one of the oldest settled places in the valley and is famed for its natural
beauty. Mr. Martinetti has a modern
dairy, keeping forty-five milch cows, and also has about one hundred and
forty-five head of stock and beef cattle.
A few years ago a disastrous forest fire destroyed nine of his
buildings, leaving only the residence and a nearby building, but he at once
went resolutely to work and now has a splendid set of buildings, making it one
of the most attractive farm properties in the valley.
On October 15, 1913, at Reno,
Nevada, Mr. Martinetti was united in marriage to Miss Delia Guidici, who was
born and reared in the Sierra Valley and is a daughter of the late Alexander
Guidici. Mr. and Mrs. Martinetti are the
parents of four children, Rita, Elwina, Dorothy and
Elmer. Mr. Martinetti was made an
American citizen in Solano County, California.
He votes in the Sattley precinct and is non-partisan, giving his support
to the men whom he believes to be best qualified for the offices they seek,
regardless of party lines. He is a
steady and reliable citizen, commanding the respect of those who know him, and
has many warm friends throughout the community in which he lives.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3 Pages 350-353. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Sierra County Biographies