San
Joaquin County
Biographies
LOUIS DE FERRARI
Among the progressive pioneer
merchants of Stockton is Louis De Ferrari, who was born near Genoa, Italy, on
August 18, 1848, and at the age of four years was brought to America by his
parents, who located in New York City.
There Louis attended school and learned the trade of shoemaker, which
occupied his time until August 20, 1868, when he arrived in San Francisco and
plied his trade there for the next five years.
During February, 1873, he removed to Stockton and opened a shop of his
own on Center Street; later he worked for John Feley
as shoemaker, then became interested in a restaurant
on Weber Avenue near El Dorado Street, these various occupations covering a
period of four years. In 1877 he became
the proprietor of the American Exchange Hotel on Center Street and in 1880
bought the southeast corner of Center and Lafayette streets and erected the
Garibaldi Hotel; with his wife he conducted this hotel until 1893, when he sold
the business, but retained the building.
For the next sixteen years he was engaged in various kinds of business,
in which he prospered. In 1909 a
partnership was formed with John Ghiglieri and
together they purchased the clothing store owned by Joe Capurro,
now called the Plaza Clothing Store, at the corner of Main and El Dorado streets. The business has steadily increased under
their management until it has reached a satisfactory and lucrative stage.
Mr. De Ferrari’s marriage united him
on January 29, 1871, in San Francisco to Miss Catherine Carsasa,
a native of Italy, and they became the parents of two daughters: Eda is the wife of John Ghiglieri
and they have two children, Louis and Elvina; Elvina De Ferrari, the other daughter, passed away at the
age of twenty-four years. The happy
couple celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on January 29, 1921,
surrounded by their family and friends.
In 1875 Mr. De Ferrari joined the old Volunteer Fire Department and was
for many years a member of the Eureka Engine Company; he is now a member of the
Exempt Firemen’s Association. Fraternally
he is a member of the Italian branch of the Foresters of America, Stockton
Lodge of Odd Fellows, and the Druids.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
1582-1583. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Genealogy
Databases