Merced-Sonoma-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Giovannoni, Peter J. 1864 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com February 5, 2006, 11:53 pm Author: John Outcalt (1925) PETER J. GIOVANNONI The success achieved by Peter J. Giovannoni shows what a man can accomplish by honorable industry and close application on the West Side of Merced County, a portion of the county which he, more than any other person, has helped to upbuild and bring to the front, and where he is an honored pioneer. He is called the "Father of the Dairy Industry" in this part of the State, has led a very useful and active life, and has reached an enviable position of affluence which gives him a place among the really successful men in the San Joaquin Valley. Peter J. Giovannoni was born at Logo Magior in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on December 17, 1864, a son of Giacomo and Madeline (Nicora) Giovannoni, well-to-do farmer-folk, who were respectively of German-Swiss and Italian-Swiss extraction. They specialized in horticulture and viticulture, as well as dairy farming. Peter J. received, in the public schools of his native land, a very fair education, which was supplemented by a practical knowledge of the industries pursued by his father. He early learned budding and grafting, and still has in his possession the first set of tools used in his horticultural work at school, as a boy in Switzerland. Being filled with an ambition to better his condition in the New World, he bade good-bye to home, father and mother, and sailed from the port of Havre, France, landed at New York City on July 5, 1883, and thence proceeded by rail to the place of his destination, Petaluma, Sonoma County, Cal., where he arrived on July 18. He worked out for three years, during two of which he was employed as butter-maker. In 1886 he went to Santa Clara County and entered the employ of Michael Callahan, pioneer, and took charge of Mr. Callahan's Evergreen Dairy, near San Jose. About that time C. C. Crow and his father, the late Bradford J. Crow, pioneers and extensive land owners at Crow's Landing, wished to get into the dairy business, and through the favorable recommendations of Michael Callahan, the subject to this sketch and his brother Henry were employed by the Crows to come to Stanislaus County and build up a dairy on the Crow ranch. Dairying as a commercial venture was then unknown to this portion of the San Joaquin Valley and presented many perplexing problems, one of which arose from the fact that the native cows were not used to being milked without their calves at the opposite side from the human milker, that being the method followed by those early pioneers in procuring the milk needed for home consumption. With them, to milk a cow without her calf also sucking at the same time was as much of an innovation as to milk her on Sunday. Everything in the milk-products line was crude, both as to methods of production and as to marketing. Butter was sold in Modesto and Merced for eleven cents per pound, in rolls wrapped in white cloth. Soon another of our subject's brothers, Tranquil, joined Peter J. and Henry, and they all entered into a partnership under the name of Giovannoni and Crow, in 1890, and the dairy business was rapidly expanded and was made to yield a paying return. The Oristemba Cheese Factory was established on the Crow ranch in 1890, with only a few cows. Three dairy barns were built, and the business grew so fast that by 1893 they had a total of 312 cows. Peter J. Giovannoni had learned the art of making American cheese at Gilroy in 1889; and the Oristemba brand of American cheese, being of excellent quality, soon won popular favor, and the company was reaping a rich harvest. In 1892 the Giovannoni Brothers came over to the Cottonwood district in Merced County and bought 160 acres, upon which they established a dairy of their own. Peter J. still owns and lives upon eighty acres of this place. Their success was not without its serious drawbacks, however. A fire destroyed the dairy barn and hay on the Cottonwood ranch on July 13, 1894, and on the 23rd of the same month an even more disastrous conflagration swept away the three dairy barns, with 600 tons of hay, at Crow's Landing. Undaunted by these heavy losses, they set about and rebuilt with a stronger determination than ever to make a success of their venture. They built a stone house creamery and new barns in the center of their quarter section on the Cottonwood ranch, and installed the first cream separating machine ever brought into Stanislaus or Merced County. This building was built from chalk-stone, and was later used as a cheese factory; and although not now in actual use, it is still standing in a fair state of preservation, and represents an interesting incident in the progress of the dairy industry in Merced County. Other unavoidable heavy losses were sustained by these pioneer promoters in the early days of the cheese industry on the West Side. Owing to the cows' eating certain poison grasses, two carloads of cheese had to be destroyed, incurring a very heavy financial loss. But on the whole their enterprise succeeded to such a degree that it attracted general attention. The Crows were in the habit of having their books inspected by accountants each year, and for that purpose employed the firm of Lathrop and Stuhr, realtors at Newman. The books as kept by Peter J. Giovannoni were found to be correct, and the profits exceeded their most sanguine expectations. It opened their eyes to the possibilities of the dairy industry, gave them a talking point, and led them to become ardent boosters for the West Side. An incident showing Mr. Giovannoni's thoroughness is the fact that in 1891, realizing the necessity of a better knowledge of business methods, he took a course in an Oakland business college and acquired a practical knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping as well as up-to-date usages in business. It should be mentioned in this connection that J. N. Stuhr is still living, and the subdivision of the Sturgeon ranch of 1880 acres in the Cottonwood district, with its seventeen prosperous dairy farms, is the result of his keen and ready insight. This successful venture was the means of the building and operation of the New Era Creamery. On May 18, 1899, a meeting was called in Plato Hall at Modesto to canvass the situation with a view to building a creamery in that city. Among those present were Judge O. W. Minor, O. McHenry, A. L. Cressey, Frank Cressey, Theo. Turner and other prominent men. Mr. Giovannoni was sent for, and he put forth such a clear and understandable argument that the resolution was adopted and Modesto got her first creamery. Mr. Giovannoni has had absolute faith in this section of California from the very start, and has proved his faith by investing in property and buildings. In 1904 he built a cottage in Newman and invested in various other building sites. In 1910-1911 he erected the two-story brick Giovannoni store and office building adjoining the Bank of Newman building. In 1914 he built the fireproof steel and concrete garage building, 70 by 150 feet, which is the Newman home of the Dodge motor car; and in 1922 he built the postoffice block, installing fixtures which alone cost $6,000, and making it a credit to that city. He has always evinced an active interest in the general progress of his community, especially as pertaining to irrigation. Realizing that an abundance of water for irrigation purposes means everything to the West Side, he has for years stood as the uncompromising champion for an enlarged district with ditches and laterals so constructed as to bring the cost of water within the reach of every farmer and business man. He has taken a broad and generous view, insisting on a square deal for everybody. He will be long remembered for the courageous stand he took, and the clear and forceful arguments he put forth, at a meeting at Newman on December 10, 1910, which was attended by 400 persons from Stanislaus, Merced and Fresno Counties, wherein he showed very clearly what a correct rate should be and how a large acreage in the outlying district could be brought under irrigation. He won the day. As a result the San Joaquin Water Storage District has recently been established at a cost of $33,000,000, bringing in to the project 8400 acres in the Santa Nella, 5300 acres in the Quinto, and the Outside Extension section, 14,300 acres, and 415,300 acres additional, making a consolidated district with water-rates for all time to come established at figures that any good farmer or business man can well afford to pay. At Modesto, on June 14, 1893, Mr. Giovannoni was united in marriage with Miss Celestina Ghiorzo, born in San Francisco, a daughter of Vincent and Angelina (Simons) Ghiorzo, California pioneers, her father being of Genoese Italian, and her mother of French ancestry. While yet a little girl her parents moved to Modesto, where she was reared. Two boy babies were born to this union, both of whom passed on during their infancy. Mrs. Giovannoni is a most estimable lady. During all the hard years of struggle incident to pioneer life, she has been a most loyal helpmeet and has shared all joys and sorrows in common with her husband. A hard worker and a most excellent housekeeper, she presides most graciously over the Giovannoni household and dispenses a broad and liberal hospitality. Their ranch home, with its beautiful lawns and shrubbery, is a picture of beauty and contentment, one of the truly excellent homes of Merced County. Mr. and Mrs. Giovannoni are known to a large circle of friends and are justly popular and most highly respected. In 1906 they made an extended tour of Europe, visiting most of the noted cities and places of interest. They are both members of the Rebekah Lodge of Newman, while Mr. Giovannoni is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Modesto. 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 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/merced/bios/giovanno421bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 10.6 Kb