San
Joaquin County
Biographies
CAESAR GAIA
A very interesting man of affairs,
who owes his development and success largely to his own, self-made efforts, is
Caesar Gaia, a member of the well-known grocery firm of Gaia & Delucchi, of Stockton.
He was born on a farm near Torino, Italy, on August 16, 1892, the son of
a vineyardist; and he worked in the vineyards of his district and on the home
farm until he was seventeen years of age, and then he set out alone for
California, following his brother, Frank Gaia, who had come to California some
time previously, and who passed away in 1914.
Caesar Gaia found his first
employment on the Miller & Lux ranch at Gilroy, where he remained nine
months, and after a short stay in Oakland and San Francisco, he arrived at
Stockton on May 1, 1914. Here he formed
a partnership with Ferdinand S. Del Monte, and for some thirty months conducted
the Campa Restaurant.
He then formed a partnership with Louis Delucchi
and bought the Ravioli Factory of E. Fontana at 320 East Market Street, and
founded the firm of Gaia & Delucchi, which has so
grown and prospered that it is now one of the leading grocery establishments in
Stockton. As their business expanded,
they took over the next store and added a full line of staple groceries and
imported goods. They also made ravioli
on a large scale, and they manufactured the famous Italian salami, and met with
such encouragement that they now wholesale these two products. When they started, they employed two
assistants; now they keep twelve persons busy.
They also maintain two delivery trucks, and they ship ravioli, Italian
salami and other specialties to Lodi, Modesto and the mountain towns. Mr. Gaia, with his family, made a trip to
Italy in the spring of 1922, remaining away on this visit to the scenes of his
childhood some nine months.
Mr. Gaia was married to Miss Rose
Marengo in 1915, the gifted lady being a daughter of Peter L. Marengo, a
prominent capitalist of Stockton; and they have one son, Caesar, Jr. Mr. Gaia is a charter member of the Stockton
Italian Club, and a member of the Eagles, the Red Men and the Druids.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1219. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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