San
Joaquin County
Biographies
LOUIS BACIGALUPI
Stocktonian’s may well have
confidence in the local financial institutions when they are in such good hands
as those of Louis Bacigalupi, the popular assistant cashier of the Commercial
& Savings Bank of Stockton, a prominent and influential member of the
Italian Colony so appreciated here. He
was born at Cicagna, near Genoa, Italy, July 30, 1867
the son of Stephen Bacigalupi, who was one of the famous Argonauts of ’49,
coming via the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco. He followed mining for awhile and then,
during 1862-1863, he conducted a well-known coal and wood yard in San
Francisco. The next year, however, he
returned to Italy, and there he married Miss Maria Dondero who was also born
near Genoa. Stephen Bacigalupi engaged
in the clothing business in Cicagna and met with
well-deserved success, for he attended closely to his business until he
retired. He passed away in 1919 at the
age of eighty-three, his wife having preceded him many years, passing on when
only twenty-nine years of age, leaving a family of three children besides her
husband to mourn her loss, Louis being the eldest.
It so happened, therefore, that
Louis Bacigalupi completed his education in Italy, making a specialty of a
commercial course, and in 1889, doubtless on account of his father’s happy
experiences here, he crossed the seas to America, and pushing on west to the
Golden State, located at Stockton. He
clerked, first in the store of Joe Gianelli, and later became proprietor of the
Eagle Hotel, which he managed for ten years.
In 1910 he opened the Taft Clothing Store, on South Center Street, and
later he removed the same to its present location at 33 South Hunter Street and
even after entering upon his duties at the Commercial and Savings Bank he
continued to own the clothing business, which was managed by his son until it
was sold in July, 1922. On February 1,
1912 Mr. Bacigalupi entered the employ of the Commercial and Savings Bank as
teller, and he was soon advanced to assistant cashier and manager of the
foreign department, which position he now holds. He was made an American citizen in 1890,
receiving his papers immediately because he had no difficulty in establishing
that his father was a naturalized American citizen. Mr. Bacigalupi, being public-spirited with
plenty of loyalty to Stockton and San Joaquin County, and thoroughly
progressive in all his ideals and ways, has been able to render a real service,
first to his fellow-countrymen coming here, and secondly to American society,
of which he has become a part, and political circles, in which he is always
active.
In San Francisco in October, 1893
occurred the marriage of Mr. Bacigalupi, which united him with Miss Rose
Foppiano, a native of Amador, California, a woman of rare capability and
personal charm. Her parents, Joseph and
Elizabeth (Capalina) Foppiano,
were also pioneer settlers of California, coming to the state at the time of
the gold excitement, and following mining in Amador County, where Mr. Foppiano
passed away; his widow died in San Francisco.
The fortunate union of Mr. and Mrs. Bacigalupi has been blessed with the
birth of one son, Howard S., who married Miss Amelia Gneco,
and they have a little daughter, Liberty Rose.
Mr. Bacigalupi is prominent fraternally.
He was made a Mason in Delta Lodge, No. 471, F. & A. M., and is also
a member of Stockton Chapter No. 28, R. A. M., as well as Stockton Council No.
10, R. & S. M. He is a member of the
Stockton Commandery No. 8, K. T., and Ben Ali Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., in
Sacramento. He is also a member of
Stockton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E., and the Woodmen of the World, in all of
which he is a livewire, and in which he enjoys an enviable popularity.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1360-1363. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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