Tuolumne
County
Biographies
JOHN ROCCA
Among the residents of Tuolumne
County, California, of Italian birth, none occupies a higher place in public
esteem than the well known citizen of Jamestown whose name is above and who has
lived in California since 1859, when he was about fourteen years old.
John Rocca was born of Italian
parents, both of whom were of old Italian ancestry,
June 27, 1845. His father was Lazaro Rocca, an Italian by
birth, breeding and education, who came to America in 1860 and settled at
Jamestown, Tuolumne County, where he remained until 1874, when he returned to
Italy, where he died at the age of eighty-two years, and where his wife
survived him, having at this time (1900) attained to the same advanced
age. John Rocca, who is now the only
member of his family in California, was educated in Italy so far as was
possible and left home while yet a mere lad, going to South America, whence he
came to New York, where he labored under the disadvantage of not knowing the
English language. He managed to support
himself by peddling, however, and in 1859 came to California by way of the
Isthmus of Panama, arriving at San Francisco, August 27. From San Francisco he came to Jamestown,
where he was employed four years as a clerk in the general store of his uncle,
J. Lartora.
After that he was employed at good wages as a miner and later worked a
claim of his own with satisfactory success.
When he had acquired some capital he bought a forty-acre farm a mile north
of Jamestown and engaged in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. He prospered and added to his landed
possessions until he owned one hundred and ten acres, which he sold in 1866,
for a good price, in order to buy land Algansin, four
miles from Jamestown, where he prospered so well that he now owns one thousand
acres, including a fine vineyard, and raises grain and stock. He is the owner also of seven business
buildings on Main Street, Jamestown, in the business center of the town, and of
the Base-of-the-Slope mine, a profitable property three miles from Jamestown
and of important interests in other mines in the Mather lode, and is regarded
as one of the wealthy men of Tuolumne County.
He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen who has used his
influence freely for the advancement of the best interests of the county and
its people. Politically he is a Democrat
and he has filled the offices of county supervisor and collector of licenses
and has been road overseer.
Mr. Rocco was married in 1864 to
Miss Anna Stulla, who bore him six children and died
in 1871. Two of his children by that
marriage are dead also. In 1874 he
married Miss Margaret Gianilli, who has borne him
thirteen children, three of whom are dead.
Mary, his eldest daughter married Lewis Guadolfo. Theresa is the wife of William Whippy. John J. is married and lives at Stent. Anna married George Gianilli. Rosa is Mrs. E. J. Knowlin. Lottie, Millie, Kate, Laura, Madalane, Maggie, Lodge, Joseph and Angeline are members of
their father’s household.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 375-376. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.