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. MASELLI. � Mr. Maselli has achieved success in the face of discour- 
agements and deserves the position he now occupies. He was born at Bari, 
Italy, May 15, 1864. His father was a proprietor of large vineyards and or- 
chards in Italy. His mother's name was Mary Campagna. Both parents died 
in Italy- Mr. Maselli was highly educated in the University of Padua. He 
took a special analogist and vineyardist course and became proficient in chem- 
istry. He was a producer and grower of olives, and manufactured olive oil 
in Italy. He built up a large business, and owned several vineyards, wineries 
and distilleries, and an olive oil factory. He also owned a chemical laboratory, 
which he operated in connection with his other business. While thus occu- 
pied he devised the method of extracting the oil from grape seeds in commer- 
cial quantities. When his first experiments were made, he was a boy at home, 
and later he worked the process out. 

Fifteen years ago Mr. Maselli came here as the special agent and chemist 
for the California Products Company, his particular work being the extraction 
of oil from the seed of grapes. It has been found that the seed from ripe 
grapes contains from fifteen to eighteen per cent, of oil. This oil is used in 
making fine soaps and fine paints. In paints this oil dries very quickly. Mr. 
Maselli has the honor of being the first man in the world to do this work in 
commercial quantities. 

About seven years ago he began the manufacture of grape juice. He 
has now developed the successful method for making ten different brands 
of grape juice, such as Muscat, Muscatel, Concord, Catawba, Reisling, Bur- 
gundy, Vermuth, Ropel, and Tokay. In 1917 he also started in to make a high 
grade of pure olive oil, known as the "Fresno Brand." He uses the cold proc- 
ess, and is making the very finest olive oil that can be produced � even supe- 
rior to the finest imported oils. Mr. Maselli took a second prize for his grape 
juice at the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco, and has taken three 
gold medals for his grape juice at the Sacramento State Fair. While in Italy 
he took two medals for wine. He is building up an industry that bids fair 
to become very important. 

In 1914 Mr. Maselli built his Log Cabin, which is the home of all his 
products. The Log Cabin, located on the State Highway, immediately south 
of Fresno, is an original conception and was designed and built by Mr. Ma- 
selli himself. In its structure it represents a cabin in an Alpine village. The 
outside is faced with natural redwood, pine and fir bark, cut and arranged 
to represent logs. The whole presents an appearance both real and natural, 
and at the same time romantic and picturesque. 

Mr. Maselli comes of a prominent family, his brother, Guiseppi Maselli, 
being a judge in Bari, Italy. He was married in Italy to Vincennes Fasana, 
and they have five children living, one having died in Mariposa County. They 
are : Ronato, Ribelle, Mary, Electro and Leo.