Merced-Tuolumne County CA Archives Biographies.....Canevaro, John L. 1862 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com February 5, 2006, 11:45 pm

Author: John Outcalt (1925)

JOHN L. CANEVARO

   One of the most substantial families of Merced County is ably represented by
John L. Canevaro, manager of the Canevaro Estate at Snelling. This property
embraces 219 acres on the Merced River and is devoted to stock-raising, being
jointly owned by John and Govanni Canevaro and their sister, Miss Tasia
Canevaro, all of whom reside at Snelling, where the home has been for over fifty
years. At Moccasin Creek, Tuolumne County, on October 5, 1862, John L. Canevaro
was born to Antone and Angelina (Calori) Canevaro, and is the eldest of eight
children, six of whom survive the parents, who were born in Genoa, Italy.

   Antone Canevaro left Italy to escape military service and arrived in
California in 1855, where he joined his father, Lorenzo Canevaro, who, after
spending nearly twelve years in mining in the vicinity of Hetch Hetchy, returned
to Italy, where he passed away. Angelina Calori came via Panama in 1856 to San
Francisco, where she was married to Antone Canevaro, and went to Moccasin Creek
as a bride. Mr. Canevaro mined for some years, but eventually engaged in the
growing of fruits and vegetables, which supplied the camps at the Aurora Mine,
in Esmeralda County, Nev., using burros for packing and Indians for guides. He
also shipped his products by pack animal into the Walker River country, and it
was necessary to use an Indian guide at first, until the trial was blazed across
the mountains. In 1862 flood waters ruined his personal property, thus
necessitating the reestablishment of his fortunes, so in 1869 the family moved
to Snelling, then a thriving town. He opened a general store with a partner, A.
Durio, who later sold out to Mr. Canevaro and moved to Tulare, where he died.
This business prospered for years, but Mr. Canevaro finally turned the
establishment over to his sons, who disposed of it in 1895. He became an
American citizen at Sonora in 1858, and subsequently allied himself with the
Democratic party. He was a man of integrity and his death on November 12, 1894,
at Snelling, was a loss to both family and community. His good wife passed away
at San Francisco, December 27, 1895.

   Six children survive the esteemed pioneer parents: John L., Govanni, Tasia,
Mrs. Rose Pierce, all of Snelling; Mrs. Nina Ringhouse, of Merced; and Mrs.
Julia Anderson, of Santa Clara. The sons sold out the mercantile business in
1895, and thenceforth have devoted their energies to farming, and have operated
successfully. A fire in 1910 destroyed the store buildings at Snelling, and at
present John L. Canevaro owns the site.

   Starting with the growing of grain and corn, John Canevaro and his brother
Govanni have gradually branched out in other lines of agricultural development.
For the past three years they have been setting out and developing a tract of
ten acres each year to vineyard and orchard. They also had success in raising
livestock, principally hogs. On their ranch, which was formerly a portion of the
Montgomery grant, is a grave, said to contain the remains of the first white man
hanged in Merced County. A large oak tree stood nearby for many years, but has
fallen. This spot is about one mile southwest of Snelling. To show that many
varieties of trees do well in this favored section Mr. Canevaro set out an olive
tree in 1903 at their home, and it has produced heavily for ten seasons, being a
superior tasting olive, when cured green. Govanni Canevaro has a patent process
for curing the olives and the fruit thus prepared easily wins the favor of a
most exacting epicurean.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
WITH A
Biographical Review
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been
Identified with Its Growth and Development
from the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
JOHN OUTCALT

ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925


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