Sonoma County Biography
Joseph Traversi
Born in Cevio, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, December 23, 1853, Joseph Traversi is a son of Charles and Mary (Cristofanini) Traversi, both natives of Ticino. The father, who followed contracting and building, died in 1859, when Joseph was ix years of age, and several years later the mother also died. The parental family included nine children, of whom three of the sons immigrated to Australia, three sons and two daughters came to America, and one son still resides in Switzerland.
The subject of this sketch was the second youngest of the family and was educated in the public schools near his home until twelve years of age when, on October 16, 1866, he started for California, coming by way of Liverpool to New York, thence by way of the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco. After landing December 14, 1866, he immediately made his way to Petaluma and thence to the ranch of Charles Martin, in Chelino valley. He had borrowed money to make the trip and was $110 in debt on his arrival. He worked for three years for Mr. Martin and during this time went to school off and on for about four months. He was very industrious and steady, applying himself so close that it was almost two years before he went any distance from the ranch and that was a trip to Petaluma to a Fourth of July celebration, the scenes and magnificent display of the Glorious Fourth making a lasting impression on him. In 1869 he was employed by Thomas Ragsdall on the ranch adjoining Martin’s for two years, then he and three other young men leased a ranch on Tomales Bay. To stock this they borrowed money at eighteen per cent interest and ran a dairy, continuing there until 1877, when they dissolved and Mr. Traversi located at Nicasio and leased a dairy of one thousand acres, where he milked an average of one hundred and twenty cows and whence he made a very remarkable success, remaining on the place for a period of twenty-eight years.
In 1904 Mr. Traversi sold his stock and located in Petaluma where he built a modern residence at No. 515 Walnut street, and where he resides with his family, putting in his time in looking after his varied interests. With Mr. Tomasini he owns six hundred and fifty acres near Nicasio, which they lease for a dairy, and with the Martins, Blooms and Respinis he owns a one-eighth interest in the Santa Ysabel rancho in San Diego county, a valuable tract of land of eighteen thousand acres. Individually he owns a ranch of one thousand and ten acres near Nicasio that is rented as a dairy and also a four hundred acre dairy ranch between Navato and Ignacio in Marin county. This demonstrates how successful he has been and his interests are not confined to land, but he was one of the organizers of the Swiss-American Bank in Petaluma of which he is a director, and is also a stockholder in the Swiss-American Bank (Banca Svizzera Americana) of Locarno near his old home in Ticino. In Petaluma, Cal., occurred his marriage with Miss Benie Bloom, who was born in Olema, Marin county, the daughter of Joseph Bloom, an early pioneer and large farm of that county. Of this union two children were born, Josephine and Charles J.
Mr. Traversi has never sought political preferment, but is a straight out-and-out Republican. He is a man who had to begin at the bottom of the ladder, having no resources but youth, health and a determination to succeed in spite of difficulties and is now able to live retired in the enjoyment of the luxury that wealth and independence bring. He is much appreciated by his business associates and friends for his integrity and worth and there are many who admire him for his many acts of kindness and charity to those who have been less fortunate than he, and those that are deserving are never turned away empty-handed when they appeal to him for aid. The prosperity of the county would be assured were there more men and women of the same breadth of mind as Mr. and Mrs. Traversi.
History
of Sonoma County, California
History by Tom Gregory : Historic Record Company, 1891
Los Angeles, Ca. 1911
Transcribed by Roberta Hester Leatherwood
June 27, 2011 Pages 1092-1093
Sonoma County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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