Sonoma County Biography
Peter Garzoli
All parts of the world have benefited in a more or less degree from the citizenship of sons of the republic of Switzerland, but it is doubtful if any locality has benefited thereby more than has California. Here they find a salubrious climate not unlike that with which they were familiar in their native land, but added to this they here find a breadth of opportunity out of all proportion to that offered by their native country. It is therefore easy to understand why so many of the natives of this little republic have made this their adopted home land, and their contentment with conditions and mutual co-operation and helpfulness have all contributed to the upbuilding of the localities in which they settled, both agriculturally and socially.
Peter Garzoli was born in the village of Maggia, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, August 8, 1846, and was therefore about sixteen years of age when he bade farewell to home and friends and went to Havre, France, there to embark on as vessel bound for America. The vessel cast anchor in the harbor of Quebec, Canada, and from there he went to New York City, re-embarking in the latter city for the Pacific coast by way of Panama, and landing in San Francisco June 29,m 1863. A couple of days later he arrived in Petaluma, and as indicative of his satisfaction with this locality as a home and as a place in which to make a satisfactory livelihood it may be said that he has made his home here ever since. He is the owner of five hundred and forty acres of good farming land, of which fifty acres are under cultivation, the remainder of which forms pasturage for sixty cows and young dairy stock, besides four horses and twelve head of hogs. In addition to his dairy and farming interests he also has a flourishing poultry yard, which at the present time contains one thousand chickens of the best breed.
As a life companion Mr. Garzoli chose Miss Celesta Quanchi, who was born in Canton Ticino, Switzerl;and, in 1862. Eleven children blessed their marriage, Jeremiah, Henry, Marino, Charles, Clelia, Belinda, Lena, Olympia, Clara, Louisa and Emma. Clelia is now Mrs. E. Genazzi. Belinda is Mrs. E. Mattei, of Two Rock. Clara is the wife of Americo Casarotti, a rancher in this vicinity. In his political preferences Mr. Garzoli is a Republican, and he and his wife and their children find religious consolation in the teachings of the Roman Catholic faith.
History of Sonoma County, California
History by Tom Gregory : Historic Record Company, 1891
Los Angeles, Ca. 1911
Transcribed by Roberta Hester Leatherwood
October 2009 Pages 1050-1051
Sonoma County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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