The following is excerpted and transcribed from the publication Oakland, 1852-1938, Hinkel and McCann, eds., published under the WPA by The Oakland Public Library in 1939. For information on the parenthetical references, see the Foreign Pioneers Index Page
LUIGI BIGNAMI was born in ITALY in 1831. He migrated to this country and in the late '60s was located in Oakland on the northeast corner of Seventh and Jefferson Streets, where he sold wines and liquors. He lived here until the end of his life, November 23, 1888. (Stilwell's Directory) (M. V. C.)
"LUIGI BISAGNO, who came from ITALY in 1859, was a very wealthy hardware man in San Francisco. He lived in Oakland between Telegraph Avenue and the street east of it. Nearly every place then was a cattle ranch." (Files of Carlo Dondero)
BATZAN BUZZALINI, a native of ITALY. He was in the tailoring business here, but invented a peddle-driven boat and he and two others were drowned when the boat capsized. He was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Oakland, in 1870. He left a wife and six children. (St. M. C.) (Halley, p. 297)
"FRANK CAFFERATA came from ITALY in 1858. He lived about one hundred feet east of Grove Street on Temescal Creek. He died about 1863 or 1864." (Files of Carlo Dondero)
G. GEMIGNOMI was exiled from ITALY in 1848. "He lived in Oakland on Seventh Street near Broadway. I have been in his house many times. He was considered the best pastry man in California for many years. He was associated with G. Campi in the famous Campi restaurant in San Francisco." (Files of Carlo Dondero)
"DOMINGO GHIRARDELLI, a native of ITALY, arrived in 1849. He lived on the Peralta property in the early days in Oakland. I knew him very well. He and his family built up the great chocolate business in Oakland and San Francisco." (Files of Carlo Dondero) The name of Ghirardelli is probably best remembered of all the early Italian residents of Oakland. He began his career as the proprietor of a grocery store at 1072 Broadway, Oakland, and another in San Francisco.
JOSEPH GRONDONA was born in ITALY in 1837. He came to California in 1865 and located in Oakland in 1867, making his home on Wood Street which was then a wilderness. He died in 1895, aged 58, leaving a wife and eleven children. By trade he was a stationary engineer. (Guinn, p. 836)
A RETAGLIATO, a native of ITALY, who came to Oakland in 1859, had a hardware store on Broadway near Twelfth Street. (Files of Carlo Dondero)
C. ROSSINI, another ITALIAN-born resident of early Oakland reached here in 1858. He built a house on a sandy hill on the west side of Lake Merritt near Twelfth Street. (Files of Carlo Dondero)
