Biography of 	Graffagnino, Dominic   Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Angie Radosti-Orellana June 1998

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Dominic Graffagnino, one of the most substantial businessmen
and manufacturers of New Orleans, is president of the
Washington Ice Company and the Royal Products Company, the
latter a soft drink bottling concern, and both located at
Louisiana and Tchoupetoulas Street in one of the most
modern plants in the entire city.  Mr. Graffagnino also has
other extensive business interests in New Orleans and for
some time, owned and operated the International Liquor
Corporation.  He is also president of the Republic Ice
Company and for some time was connected with the Artic
Ice Company and the Dixie Ice Company.

Dominick Graffagnino was born in the province of Sicily,
Italy on the 13th of March 1870, a son of Peter Graffagnino,
a former well known New Orleans merchant, now deceased.  He
was educated in the schools of Italy and came to the United
States in 1890, joining his father in New Orleans who had
preceded other members of the family here.  Mr. Graffagnino
first worked on a sugar plantation near New Orleans, then
became a shoe maker and later opened his own shoe shop at
1201 Pleasant Street and was at this location for nine years.
While engaged in the shoe repair business Mr. Graffagnino
started a small ice, coal and wood establishment directly
across the street from his shoe repair shop and in 1908
organized the Washington Ice Company which moved to it's
present location in 1914.  Mr. Graffagnino bought out the
other interests in the company and became president of the
corporation.  In 1917 he enlarged the company to three times
it's former size and in 1934 added the bottling business,
specializing in "Wright" root beer and other soft drinks.

On the 10th of February, 1896, Mr. Graffagnino was married
in New Orleans to Miss Antonina Beninato, also a native of
Sicily, and they are the parents of five children; Angelina,
now Mrs. William Bennett, Luisa, Peter with the New Orleans
Ice Association, Josephine now Mrs. Miceli of Galveston, Texas
and Frances Graffagnino.

Mr. Graffagnino for many years has prominently identified with
various civic activities in New Orleans and was the organizer
of the St. Joseph Benefit Society of Tiro-al-Bersaglio, he is
a member of the New Orleans Association of Commerce and
Catholic Church and also is widely known in financial circles,
being a member of the board of directors of the National Bank
of Commerce.

Source:  The Historical Encyclopedia of Louisiana