Napa County Biographies

A.L. MARTINELLI

Transcribed by: Betty Wilson

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

 
A.L. MARTINELLI, whose vineyard and dairy ranch is six miles from Napa, on the 
Carneros Creek, known as the Falkland Ranch, has been in California twenty 
years, and for the past fourteen has been a resident of Napa County.  His ranch 
comprises 1,360 acres, mostly rolling land, on which he formerly kept from 300 
to 400 head of dairy cattle, but during the past two years he has reduced his 
dairy stock, and has engaged more extensively in general farming, having at 
present only about seventy head of milk stock.  Most of the dairy product was 
butter for the San Francisco market, of which he used to ship from 1,200 to 
1,400 pounds per week, but on account of the low price he has reduced production 
to a comparatively small amount.  He is now putting in about 300 acres of wheat. 
 He had on this place the first vineyard planted in Napa County, by Mrs. John B. 
Scott, the wife of the original owner.  This vineyard was of the Mission 
variety, and being an inferior grape Mr. Martinelli has finally rooted them out. 
 He has now only about five acres in vines.  He was born in the town of Maggia, 
Ticino, Switzerland, his parents being Fidele and Maria (Riccioli) Martinelli, 
natives of that country.  He attended the usual schools of the town until he was 
fourteen years of age, when he came to America, proceeding directly to 
California by way of the Isthmus.  He obtained employment at once in the dairy 
business in Marin County for two years, then for one year in Sonoma, finally 
engaging in dairying on his own account in Sonoma County.  In the fall of 1875 
he removed to his present place, renting at first and later purchasing the 
ranch, where he has lived ever since.  He was married in 1881, to Miss Ida 
Welch, a native of Vallejo, and daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (McConnell) 
Welch.  They have four children, Mary, Edward, Loretta and Rosa.  Mr. Martinelli 
is a member of the Young Men�s Institute, of Napa, and is a firm adherent of the 
Democratic party.
 
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing 
Co., 1891