San
Joaquin County
Biographies
PAUL STURLA
As a successful orchardist Paul
Sturla has demonstrated the desirability and productiveness of the Lodi
district; from a small beginning he has become a prosperous and well-to-do
citizen. A native of Genoa, Italy, he
was born on May 18, 1846, and was only fourteen years of age when he landed in
New Orleans, where he had a brother, Joseph; but on landing found his brother
had just died. The following year he
came to California via Panama. He
followed various kinds of employment for awhile, then worked on the
construction of the Central Pacific until he was made section foreman at Oreana, Nevada, continuing there eleven months, then at Sunol for a year, when he was sent to Altamont, where he
remained eleven years. He then came to
Lodi and was section foreman for the same company for seven years. Meanwhile, he purchased a tract of land
containing twenty-two acres, in the southwest part of town, now in the city
limits, and engaged in farming, clearing the land and planting it to orchard
and vines. From time to time he
purchased more land until he now owns forty-eight acres set to all kinds of
fruits and thirty-five acres of Tokay and Zinfandel grapes. The fruit trees were all planted by Mr.
Sturla, besides there are many shade and ornamental trees; also a vegetable
garden and a few acres in alfalfa. He
sold three acres to the city of Lodi on which now stands the Needham school
building, a new and modern structure.
Mr. Sturla has recently cut off six blocks from his ranch and has
subdivided the Sturla school district extending from Lodi Street on the north
to Sturla Street on the south and from Quimby Street on the west to Church
Street on the east. Each block averages
twelve lots 50 x 140 feet. The lots are
sold with the understanding that a certain type of residence shall be built
thereon; there are now fourteen fine residences on the property.
The marriage of Mr. Sturla united
him with Miss Louisa Mandragola, a native of Genoa,
Italy, who came to California with her parents, John and Theresa Mandragola. Mr. and
Mrs. Sturla are the parents of five children:
Tillie is Mrs. L. Sanguinetti of Lodi and has two children, Melvin and
Alben; Mamie is the wife of Frank Smith of Lodi and they have one son, Gerald;
Fred is married and has one son, Alfred.
He is with the Buick automobile agency in Stockton. Joseph is married and has two daughters, La
Verle and Maxine; Eva resides at home with her parents. Mrs. Sturla has indeed been a helpmate to her
husband, assisting him capably in fulfilling his ambitions.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
1167. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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