Merced County Biographies
Ref: Pages 901-902
Transcribed by: Linda Diane Jackson 7/28/2009
JULIUS BONTA
The life which this sketch outlines began in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on November 26, 1871, when Julius Bonta was born to Carlo and Maria (Cesalina) Bonta. The father is still living in his native country at the age of ninety; the mother died at the age of forty-four. Julius has two brothers, Placido and August, in California. His father was a farmer and stockman. As Julius grew up he went to the common school and helped his father at home. When he came to that period in life when a boy begins to think what he is going to do in the world his thoughts were turned to that country across the sea whither so many of his countrymen had gone, and as soon as he reached his majority, in 1892, he bade good-bye to his native land and embarked for the New World. He had no capital or trade, but had learned about caring for stock from his father, and he naturally sought for work on a dairy ranch when he reached Salinas, Monterey County, Cal. After working there six years he came to the West Side of the San Joaquin and worked on ranches fourteen months near Newman. By this time he had saved enough of his wages to go into business on his own account. Entering into partnership with George Stewart, he carried on a dairy of 120 cows for five years, when the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Bonta carried on the business by himself, with two strings of cows, for five years. His next venture was the purchase of 100 acres of land eight miles south of Gustine in 1908, part of it in alfalfa and part undeveloped; but he has brought it all into a high state of cultivation and carries on a dairy of sixty head at the present time.
On March 4, 1909, Julius Bonta was married in Switzerland to Elvira Guzzi, a native of that country, and daughter of Clement and Celeste Guzzi, farmer folk, and they have two children, Emile and Daniel. Mr. Bonta received his naturalization papers in Monterey County and votes for the best man and measures regardless of party. In 1924, Mrs. Bonta made a visit to her home in Canton Ticino.
History of
MERCED COUNTY
CALIFORNIA
With A
Biographical Review
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
HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1925
Merced County Biographies ~ Archive Biography Index ~ Archive Index
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