Madera County, California GenWeb - Madera Biographies: MALESANI

Click photo to enlarge

An Italian Swiss Colony Wine Tasting/Dinner Occasion.

Back Row - Right to Left. Standing: Con Bresline, Tullius Maleani, Mrs. T. Malesani,
Mr. N. I. Genidict, John Murphy, Wm. M. Hughes and Joseph Barcroft.
Front Row - Right to Left. Standing: Raleigh E. Rhodes, H. I. Maxima, J. G. Porter, J. Walter Schmitz,
E. D. Walters, Return Roberts, Doctor Danielsen, Mr. Sbrerbark of Italian Swiss Colony Co.,
Walter Brown and C. J. Preciado

TULLIUS MARCUS MALESANI has acquired for himself a prominent position in the business interest of Madera county, Cal., and since 1900 has been closely identified with the commercial life of the city and its vicinity as the superintendent of the Madera Winery, which, it is claimed, has one of the largest fermenting plants in the world and whose products are well know. The Plant is owned by the Italian-Swiss Colony, and comprises five thousand acres. The railroad spur was built one year before Mr. Malesani’s management began. The plant itself is of mammoth size, its various buildings covering twenty acres. Here is to be found he best and most improved machinery for crushing grapes, and the various branches of wines and brandies put upon the market by this company are among the finest-flavored in the world. A number of port, sherry and other sweet wines are also manufactured. The total cooperage of this winery is three million gallons and five hundred tons of grapes are handled in one day, almost twenty thousand in one season.

The water system is perfect, the tower holding fifteen thousand gallons and the machinery is operated by powerful engines, which aggregate three hundred and fifty horse power, and all the repair work is done in the blacksmith shops, wagon shops, etc., in proximity to the plant and the property of the company. The season commences early and twenty-six plows are usually running by March 15, and from one hundred to two hundred men are employed constantly. Each department is under competent foremen, who in turn report regularly to the superintendent. The two distilleries have a capacity of forty thousand gallons a day, and the plant is in the1st. District of California. No. 183. For storage purposes, the plant has fifty twenty-five thousand gallons each, and twelve other tanks with a capacity of five hundred thousand gallons for still another quality. The magnitude of this industry can hardly be over-estimated, and the same may be said of its importance in the community.

Mr. Malesani descended from a prominent family and is himself a native of Verona, Italy, October 1, 1873, marking the date of his birth. His common-school education was supplemented by a university course in his native land, and as a result he possesses superior intellectual attainments. In 1896 he came to the United States and for the two years following he was identified with the Sunnyside Company, at Sunnyside, Ark. He subsequently returned for a time to Italy in the interest of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Company, and in 1900 came to California and assumed the duties of his present position, succeeding at that time A. C. Paladini as superintendent of the Madera Winery.

Mr. Malesani was united in marriage with Miss Mary Lunghi, who was born in St. Louis Mo., and they have two children, Yolanda and Santina. The father of Mr. Malesani, G. B. Malesani, is still living in Italy, being now more than seventy years old. Although for a number of years past he has been living retired, he was for many years a prominent member of his community, a civil engineer by profession and a writer of some note. For years he served as school inspector and his is highly esteemed in his community. He is also decorated with the title of Chevalier of the Italian Royal crown, as a reward for his great interest and ability in popularizing the scientific progress of modern agriculture.

Guinn, J. M., History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the San Joaquin Valley, California, (Chicago: Chapman Publishing, 1905), page 609.