Siskiyou
County
Biographies
FELICE
GROPPI
A native son of Italy who has attained a due measure of
success since coming to this country – a success which has been gained only
through his persistent industry and good management – is Felice Groppi, who is
engaged in business in Weed, Siskiyou county. He was born in Italy on the 9th of
November, 1895, and is a son of Alfonso and Palmira Groppi, who still live in
Italy, where the father is engaged in farming.
Mr. Groppi was reared at home until seventeen years of age, attending
the schools of his home neighborhood, and then, in 1913, came to the United
States. For several years he worked at
various places, including steel mills at Pueblo, Colorado, and coal mines in
New Mexico, after which he came to Weed, California, where he has since
lived. Here he drove a beer wagon in
pre-Volstead days, following that occupation until the United States entered
the European war, when he enlisted in the One hundred and Sixtieth Regiment
United States Infantry. He was in
training at Camp Kearney, at San Diego, California, and subsequently was sent
overseas, where he saw thirteen months of active service. He was in the thick of the fighting and was
gassed, as a result of which he was in various hospitals abroad. During his fighting experiences he was with
the One Hundred and Third Regiment of Infantry, attached to the Twenty-sixth
Division. As soon as able to leave the
hospital, he was granted a furlough and went to Italy to see his people. He returned to the United States in 1919 and
was honorably discharged from the service, after which he came back to Weed and
is now the owner of a well equipped soft drink parlor, in the management of
which he has showed excellent business judgment, graining a large patronage and
now having one of the leading places of the kind in this locality.
On July 14, 1923, Mr. Groppi was united in marriage to
Miss Rosie Mazzoleni, who was born in Italy and came
to the United States in 1910. Her father
came to this country in 1908 and entered the employ of the McCloud Lumber
Company, at McCloud, California. He is
now retired and lives in Weed. Mr. and
Mrs. Groppi are the parents of two children, Virginio
and Robert, sons, both at home. Mr.
Groppi takes a keen interest in public matters, but maintains an independent
attitude in party affairs. He belongs to
Weed Post, No. 71, A. L., and the Loyal Order of Moose at Weed, the Ancient
United Order of Druids at Mount Shasta, and was one of the founders and is
president of the Sons of Italy at Weed.
Mr. Groppi is also the organizer and manager of the Weed Lions, a
baseball team composed of Italian-Americans, all of whom are also members of
the Sons of Italy. This team was
organized in 1927, since which time he has been manager and director. His team won twelve games out of eighteen,
making a very good showing. He is also
serving as deputy registration clerk of Siskiyou county. Mr. Groppi recently returned from a visit to
his parents in Italy, taking with him his wife and two children, and they had a
very enjoyable trip. Mr. Groppi is known
to everyone in Weed and, because of his kindly manner, his industrious habits
and his sterling honesty, is highly regarded by all.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J. W. Major, History of
Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 2 Pages 382-385. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Siskiyou County Biographies