From Barbara Dillon, United States
My great Grandfather Gardinzo Cheda great grandmother Antiona Calzonia came to California, Marin County, and started I believe the first dairy ranch in Jewell (Olema)He had a brother Peter (died Petaluma around 1919 I think), but married Mary (?) and who had 2 children Philip Henry and Amelio Cheda. I traced Philip (Philippini) to 1928 returning to Maggia to visit relatives of which I know none and want to find out their names. There was no trail after 1928. I have no info on my great grandmother Antionia (Antionette) Calzonia, only that she came to Marin and died in 1919. The photo below is part of a group photo taken 1924 on the Cheda Ranch entitled First Annual Ticino soci
Your great-grandfather Guadenzio Cheda became quite successful in Marin County. You can read about his Olema Valley ranch in detail in the publication
“A Good Life: Dairy Farming in the Olema Valley.” Search on the title, which is available to read freely on ebooksread.com and archive.com.
After the Chedas left ranching, Guadenzio established a feed and fuel business in downtown San Rafael. He eventually founded the Bank of Marin with several other Ticinese. The Cheda sons continued to be very active in Marin’s community.
see: http://bit.ly/1ozWj00 for photos, including one of the Cheda Building, which housed the Marin County Bank.
This should give you a start. More information is available, as Guadenzio and his sons were quite prominent. Of course, there’s less information on Antonia, as women at the time did not have much of a public presence.
Wow I am just seeing this 3 years later. Thank you. Gardenzio died in 1892 when my grandfather George Cheda was only 4 years old. But I traced in a 1870 census on the dair ranch in Tocaloma, Olema, that Gardenzio had a brother Peter, whom I had never heard mentioned and can not find anything on him. His son was Philipini and I traced him to returning to Maggia in 1928 but can find nothing more on him.