John Augustus Raffetto
| John Augustus Raffetto, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born |
John Augustus Raffetto March 1, 1864 - October 11, 1954 Newtown, California, USA |
| Died |
October 11, 1954 (aged 90) Auburn, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | John Raffetto, Giovanni Raffetto |
| Occupation | hotelier, banker |
| Years active | ca. 1885-1930 |
| Employer | Ivy House, Cary House, First National Bank of Placerville |
| Known for | hotels |
| Spouse(s) | Adela Isadeen Creighton Raffetto |
| Children | Lloyd Alexander Raffetto, Elwyn Creighton Raffetto (stage name Michael Raffetto), John Augustus Raffetto Jr., Isadeen Adela Raffetto Murray |
| Parent(s) | Domenico Raffetto, Anna Pensa |
John Augustus Raffetto, Sr. (March 1, 1864 – October 11, 1954) was an Italian-American businessman who founded the First National Bank of Placerville and ran the Ivy House and Cary House hotels.[1]
Background
Raffetto was born in Newtown, California to Domenico Raffetto and Anna Pensa, both of Ognio, a mountain village northeast of Genoa, Italy. His father arrived in California "by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1859, and the mother joined him later... They were among the most substantial of the early California pioneers."[1]
Career
Raffetto was proprietor of the Ivy House and Cary House hotels.[1]
He bought the Ivy House, a major landmark in town, on February 4, 1895. The Ivy House had fifty rooms and dining hall; it was formerly Conklin Academy and later Placerville Academy, one of the first boarding schools in the state. Later, it was torn down; currently, it is a city parking lot.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
In 1908, he bought the Cary House. In 1915, he demolished and rebuilt it with three stories that had fifty-four rooms (fifteen with baths), coffee shop, and dining room. His oldest son renamed it the Raffles Hotel. It is now again the Cary House.[1][5][7][8]
Historical figures known to have stayed at the hotel include Mark Twain (who used to write for the Mountain Democrat in Placerville), President Ulysses S. Grant and John Studebaker. Hollywood figures, such as actress Bette Davis, have graced the hotel. Most recently, Brooke Shields and Lou Diamond Phillips filmed a movie at the hotel.[9]
Raffetto became a director of the First National Bank of Placerville.[1]
Personal
Raffetto married Adela Isadeen Creighton (born March 30, 1875) of Smithflat, California on April 22, 1896. They had six children, four of whom survived early childhood:
- Lloyd Alexander Raffetto (1897-1988): Known lifelong as "Raff," he helped found the Mother Lode Bank[10]
- Elwyn Creighton Raffetto (1899-1990): Under stage name "Michael Raffetto)," he became a national radio star in the 1930s and 1940s
- John Augustus Raffetto, Jr. (1908-1977): Businessman in Auburn; son Peter Raffetto former president of River City Bank, Truckee River Bank, Sierra West Bank, and Calnet Business Bank[11][12]
- Isadeen Adela Raffetto Murray (1910-1998): Married Alexander Howison Murray, Jr., mayor of Placerville (1950-1952) and president of the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce[13][14]
His wife died February 9, 1927, age 47.[1][15]
He was registered as a member of the Democratic Party (United States) and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Native Sons of the Golden West.[1] His name appears in the Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of California at Its Annual Convocation, where he is listed as one of six first-degree "Mark Masons."[16]
He died on October 11, 1954, aged 89, at the home of his third son, John Jr., in Auburn, California.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wooldridge, Jesse Walton (1931). History of Sacramento Valley California, Vol. 2. Pioneer Historical Publishing Company. pp. 419–420. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ↑ California in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the Golden State. Federal Writers' Project, Federal Writers Project of the Works Progress Administration. 1930. p. 486. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ↑ Taylor, Judith M.; Harry M. Butterfield (2003). Tangible Memories: Californians and their gardens 1800-1950.
- ↑ Wilkerson, Lyn (2009). Slow Travels--California: A Historic Driving Guide. p. 50.
- 1 2 Hoover, Mildred Brook; William N. Abeloe; Hero Eugene Rensch; Ethel Grace Rensch (1966). Historic Spots in California. Stanford University Press. pp. 80, 82. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ↑ "Ivy House Parking Area". AmericanTowns. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ↑ Bidwell, John (1891). A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Chicago: Lewish Publishing. p. 516.
- ↑ "home". Cary House. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ↑ "Historic Cary House Hotel". Sierra Nevada GeoTourism MapGuide. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ↑ "History: Recollections of people on the West Slope". Lake Tahoe News. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ↑ "Profile: Peter Raffetto". Sacramento Business Journal. 11 February 2001. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ↑ "Directors and Executives". Community 1st Bank. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
- ↑ Sammon, John (15 April 1991). "Placerville Pioneers Pack Up to Leave". Mountain Democrat. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ↑ McDonald, Don (3 November 1993). "'Sandy' Murray, Former Mayor, Dies". Mountain Democrat. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ↑ "Mrs. J. A. Raffetto Dies". Placerville, California: Mountain Democrat. 10 February 1928. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ↑ Proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of California at Its Annual Convocation. Freemasons. 1910. p. 158. Retrieved 27 December 2015.