California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


G. B. GARBARINO. � A resident of California for over forty years, and 
numbered among the old and prosperous settlers of Fresno County, G. B. 
Garbarino has contributed his share to the development and improvement of 
the lands of the county. He is a native of Italy, born in Genoa, December 27, 
1855, and when a babe only six days of age was left an orphan. Mr. Garbarino 
was reared to young manhood by his uncle Peter Garbarino, and remained on 
his uncle's farm until he reached his majority, when, being the only child, he 
came into possession of the estate left by his father. 

In May, 1877, Mr. Garbarino left his native land for America, arriving in 
the Golden State in June of the same year. For a while he worked as a gar- 
dener in San Francisco, after which he engaged in mining in Mariposa County, 
and later followed lumbering. In 1882, he came to Fresno County, where he 
purchased a ranch, near Calloway, from Thomas Hughes. Here he followed 
gardening, but later on he set out the ranch to vines ; he has retained this 
property ever since. For a number of years he owned and operated a ranch 
on the Kings River. Mr. Garbarino was the first man in Fresno County to 
irrigate crops by pumping water from a well. He installed a chain pump 
which he operated by horse-power, and in this manner he was enabled to 
raise enough water to irrigate his crop of vegetables. 

It was in 1902 that Mr. Garbarino purchased his present place of twenty- 
five acres, situated between Thorne and Palm Avenues, and the following 
year he located there. He leveled and improved the place, engaged in garden- 
ing, and sold the products of his well-kept place in Fresno. The business 
finally grew to such an extent that it required five wagons to deliver the 
vegetables to his many patrons in the city. He has installed a modern pump- 
ing plant and also built a large and comfortable residence on his ranch. With 
his son-in-law, Fred Maglio, Mr. Garbarino has secured the contract for the 
Fresno New Scavenger, and for this business owns and operates four auto 
trucks. 

G. B. Garbarino has been married three times, the first time to Serephina 
Garbarino, the ceremony being solemnized in Italy. She passed away, leaving 
one child, Joe, who died at the age of seven years and seven months. His 
second marriage occurred at Coulterville, Cal., when he was united with 
Mary Garbarino, who afterwards died on the Calloway ranch, leaving two 
children : Annie, who is now Mrs. Allen ; and Aurelia, Mrs. Maglio, both of 
whom reside in Fresno. In 1901, Mr. Garbarino took a trip to Italy, and upon 
his return to California was united in marriage with Mrs. Ida Garbarino, a 
native of Italy. She passed away in August, 1911, leaving five children: 
Blanche, Joe, John, Ernest, and Eva. The last-named dying when seven 
months old. By a former marriage Mrs. Ida Garbarino was the mother of 
one child, Mary, who is now the wife of Jerry Lombardi. 

Mr. Garbarino was made a citizen of the United States of America over 
thirty years ago, having received his naturalization papers at Fresno. In po- 
litical matters Mr. Garbarino supports the principles of the Republican party.