Person Sheet
Birth1828, Isola, Parma, Italy
Death23 Oct 1893, Coulterville, Mariposa Co., California
BurialCoulterville Cemetery, Coulterville, Mariposa Co., California
OccupationStorekeeper, General Merchandise
FatherLouis BRUSCHI
Spouses
Birth1840, Italy
Death25 Mar 1899, Coulterville, Mariposa Co., California
Burial27 Mar 1899, Coulterville Cemetery, Coulterville, Mariposa Co., California
FatherCASTAGNETTO
MotherMaria
ChildrenAurelia (1856-1872)
Virgilio Giacomo (1858-)
Demetrio Mario (1863-1937)
Adeline Josephine (Lena) (1862-1902)
Floria (1871-)
Anna Louisa (1874-1905)
Francisco John (1875-1931)
Marco (~1880-1882)
Notes for Francisco BRUSCHI
Francisco Bruschi, born in Isola, near Casneyo, Parma, Italy. Studied for the priesthood in Italy 1841 - 1845 prior to arrival in America. He came to New York, in 1846 where he worked in a candle factory with his two friends, Garibaldi and Laveroni. He came west in 1852 to California, with Jacob Laverioni and they walked across the Isthmus of Panama. The Bruschi's, reported to have come from the village of Bruschi, near Val Di Taro in the province of Parma, Italy. One of the two villages are Bruschi Sattani or Bruschi Soprani. Some moved to Borgo Val Di Taro and some to Isola. Francisco, on Nov. 16,1889, has purchased a five stamp mill at Martin and Walling and has a gang of men up there tearing it down and moving it to the Quail Mine on Indian Gulch. (Mariposa Gazette) Francisco, carried with him from Italy, his 44 caliber fire arm, which is in the Yosemite museum now. During the 1860's, Francisco was the town 's local banker. In the 1860's, he was the local agent for
the Giant Powder Company of San Francisco and because of this sale items, he new every miner in the county. During the late 1860's and the 1870's, Bruschi kept three clerks in his store, and three expert packers to handle over 50 head of mules, for his pack trains. Francisco, in his store, a picture of St. Barber, protector of the miners, and it was above the counter in the store. Bruschi, owned and operated 640 acres ranch on Buckhorn Mountain were he raised horses, mules, and cattle. In 1881, The Commercial Reference Book, the forerunner of Dunn and Bradstreet, showed only two merchants with a "fair" credit rating. They were Francisco Bruschi a general merchant and R. Jones a jeweler. Jones was said to be worth between $4,000 to $6000, but Bruschi rated a "6' which denoted they took his statement with a grain of salt. Bruschi Store; on Sat. and Sun. of the week, prospectors would be seen leading there mules and horses with empty saddlebags to the store and returning home with bags full. In 1860's, the store was doing a thriving business with local housewives, stagecoach drivers, miners, and lumberjacks. Francisco in the 1860's was the local banker, mainly for the miners and holding gold dust for shipping to the mint. The Bruschi Store, was closed for good in 1939, with the pasting of the last Bruschi boy. The Bruschi's were devout Catholic, and attended the Catholic church of Coulterville, that was built in by Father L.A. Auger, and it was dedicated Jan. 20, 1863. This church was destroyed by fire in 1926. Francisco, purchase the Quail mine sometime in the late 1880's, was also known as the Alvina, or Hartford mine. Location was in Sec. 15,16. & T. 3, S., R. 17 E. , M.D., on the north side of Indian Gulch about 7 miles by fair dirt road southeast of Greeley Hill. There are four patented lode claim, the Juniper, Sunset, Bonanza, and the Mammoth, and 7 unpatented claims, the Violet, Starlight, Morn Sight, Fairview, and west Lode 1, 2, 3, plus several mill sites aggregating over 380 acres. The Quail mine was discovered prior to 1873 and has a very large output of gold ore. The first owner was Hanbidge and Gonigall who made a strike of good ore in 1873. When ownership passed to Francisco, a considerable production was maintained. Ore was said to average $15.00 per ton in native gold and sulfide concentrates ran $800 to $900 per ton. Various
members of the Bruschi family operated the property intermittently through the 1890's. During this time the working tunnel was 700 feet long and on a 18 inch wide ore shoot was being mined. A 4 stamp mill was moved onto the property from the Louisiana mine and it was renamed the Hartford mine in 1900. at his time the mine included 3 tunnel, one of 800 feet long, one 1300 feet long, and the third of unstated length, and that the ore shoot was of 2 1/2 feet wide was yielding ore running $20 per ton. Operations were carried on through 2 working tunnels and 4 raises. A 10 stamp mill was destroyed by fire in 1917. The principal vein at the Quail mine strikes N. 20-25 degress West and dips 30-35 degrees NE as pass through the Juniper, Mammoth and Bonanza claims, but swings to a north strike as it crosses the Sunset claim. The elevation of this property is 2300 feet , with surface rough, and water comes from a spring. When Francisco, was being educated for priesthood, he learned and became proficient in French, Spanish, English and German and beside his native Italian. When decided to come to America, he ran away and upon
reaching New York, he went to work in a candle making company. When reaching San Francisco, he taught German and French for awhile and then went to work in the cobbler's trade and learning the shoe and boot make trade. Francisco, listed in the Mariposa Gazette, on April 1, 1865 the tax list for Mariposa County, showed Francisco Bruschi paid $500.00. Texas Hill Mine (Texas, Carrie Todd) located on Sec. 7, 8, -T 3S- R18E-MD, in the Kinsley district, 2 miles southwest of Kinsley guard station. The property includes one patented claim of 20.66 acres. High on the east wall of the North Fork of the Merced River Canyon. Accessible from either Briceburg or from Coulterville by the way of the graded Kinsley road and 2 1/2 miles of unimproved dirt road, (now called Ponderosa Way). Also this property had several adjoining unpatented claims. First called the Texas mine and later the Carrie Todd, was discovered about 1865 and operated until 1900. In 1822 Francisco boned or rented the mine to Gilbert Douglass of Seth Cook and Cook, but no great amount of work was done at that time. The known production of this mine is about $74,000. The principal (Carrie Todd) vein at the Texas Hill mine average 2 to 4 feet wide, with a strikes roughly east and dips 70 to 75 degrees north. It is developed by three drifts adits each several hundred feet long. A winze connects the lower and middle tunnels. The top level is at 3000 feet elevation and the lower level at 2450 feet, at the top of a steep canyon. Per the Mariposa Gazette, the Texas Hill was also known as the John L. Scanlon Mine, (dated May 9, 1872). A short time after this mine was discovered, Francisco acquired this property and worked hard until 1882. When Francisco died, he was 70 years old, 7 month, 10 days old.
Francisco Bruschi was born in Isola, near Casnezo, Parma. He went to New York in 1846 where he worked in a candle factory with GARIBALDI and LEVERONI. He came west in 1850.
Francisco stayed in San Francisco until Rosa arrived, took a boat to Hornitos, then walked to Banderito. George COULTER grubstaked him for the store. Maria Bacigalupi and Rosa Castagnetto knew each other in Connecticut prior to coming around the horn in 1850. Maria landed in Deer Flat whereas Rosa settled in Coulterville. Jacob LAVERONI and Francisco BRUSCHI walked across the Isthmus of Panama. (Written by Paula Seagle)98
Mariposa Gazette, Oct 28, 1893 - DIED: BRUSCHI- In Coulterville, Oct. 23, 1893, Francisco BRUSCHI, a native of Italy; aged 65 years.
Mr. BRUSCHI was one of the pioneer merchants of Coulterville, and was a highly respected citizen. He had been an invalid for several years, and for months had been daily expecting death. He leaves a widow and a large family of children to mourn his loss.
The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:
Coulterville, 1878 Business Directory
Pg. 81
"is a mining town situated on one of the reads to Yosemite Valley, and is one
of the principal towns in that section."
H. G. AUSTIN, physician
J. L. BERRY, physician and surgeon
Francisco BRUSCHI, genl mdse
G. CANOVIA, genl mdse (Giovanni)
F. CAPPURO, bootmaker
P. CASTRO, jeweler and gunsmith
N. T. Cody, drugs and agt. Wells Fargo (nelson)
Frank CONCO, genl mdse
John DEBALT, liquors
L. GIRARD, tinner
J. HARLOE, blacksmith
George W. HOBRON, sawmill
George JEFFREY, hotel (since 1876)
Ralph JONES, jeweler
Peter LONGHURST, liquors
G. MARZITMO, liquors
John MENTZER, livery stable
Henry MYERS, genl mdse
J. W. REED, bakery and restaurant
J. C. RIHNS, market
A. RIMEL, barber
ROSENTHAL BROS, dry goods
J. SHIMER, blksmiths (James)
Adolph SINNING, cabinetmaker
J. W. SMITH, liquors
A. TISCORNIA, genl mdse
Daniel WAGNER, hotel (Wagner Hotel)
The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:
Coulterville
Pg. 85
Polk 1890 Business Directory
"First settled in 1849 on Maxwell’s Creek, in Mariposa county, 25 northwest
of Mariposa, the county seat, 52 east of Modesto, the preferable shipping
point, and 42 NE of Merced, the nearest bank and tel location. A Catholic
church is located here. It is surrounded by a mining country, and ships gold,
grain, fruit and cattle. Pop. 250. Try-weekly stages, fares Merced $4.50,
Modesto $5. Big Oak Flat $2. Exp WF. Mail tri-weekly. W. J.MCCARTHY,
postmaster. "
Hathaway BONDURANT, mine propr
F. BRUSCHI, genl store (Frank John & Frederick)
Francisco CAPURRO, shoemaker
L. H. CARTER, physician
G. CAMMISSIONA, genl store
G. CONOVA, genl store
George COULTER, hotel
George W. HARLOW, blksmith
George W. HOBRON, lumber mnfr
George Albert JEFFREY, hotel
Thomas B. MCCARTHY, druggist, stationer, agt Wells Fargo
William J. MCCARTHY postmaster
Rev. Father RAGO, catholic
A. J. REEDY, (1) livery
Louis REPETTO, saloon
RIHN BROS, meat marked
James SHIMER, blksmith
Mrs H. SMITH, restaurant
John THOMPSON, (2) saloon
A. TISCORNIA, genl store
Richard WALSH, saloon Roadhouse kpr
(1) For a while REEDY & MULLIGAN
(2) John THOMPSON, born 1863, father J Violet SACKET
Coulterville
Pg. 65
1915 Bradstreet Business Directory
"Stage from Pleasant Valley, 9 miles. Pop. 350. Telegraph, post office, WF
express: banking at Merced 46 mi."
James BONDS, genl store (on Yosemite road near Bowers Cave)
BROWN & WHIVELL, saloon (Wm. WHIVELL & James BROWN)
BRUSCHI Bros, genl store (Frank John, Demetrio Marco)
W. L. CONONVA, saloon (Wm. L. CONOVA)
James S. GAZZALO, saloon
Ed GRENFELL, notions etc
H. C. HOGER, genl store (Herman)
Charles HOLLAND, genl store
Thomas HOPE, meats
Mrs. Eliza JEFFREY, hotel
J. W. KEMP, Mfr soda water (John)
Charles McLENNAN, shoemaker
J. W. MELVIN, drugs
Mrs. Lida PARKER, hotel
John PENDRAY, saloon
L. M. SAIN, genl mdse
SUN SUN WO CO, genl store
Edward WEBB, livery
the Giant Powder Company of San Francisco and because of this sale items, he new every miner in the county. During the late 1860's and the 1870's, Bruschi kept three clerks in his store, and three expert packers to handle over 50 head of mules, for his pack trains. Francisco, in his store, a picture of St. Barber, protector of the miners, and it was above the counter in the store. Bruschi, owned and operated 640 acres ranch on Buckhorn Mountain were he raised horses, mules, and cattle. In 1881, The Commercial Reference Book, the forerunner of Dunn and Bradstreet, showed only two merchants with a "fair" credit rating. They were Francisco Bruschi a general merchant and R. Jones a jeweler. Jones was said to be worth between $4,000 to $6000, but Bruschi rated a "6' which denoted they took his statement with a grain of salt. Bruschi Store; on Sat. and Sun. of the week, prospectors would be seen leading there mules and horses with empty saddlebags to the store and returning home with bags full. In 1860's, the store was doing a thriving business with local housewives, stagecoach drivers, miners, and lumberjacks. Francisco in the 1860's was the local banker, mainly for the miners and holding gold dust for shipping to the mint. The Bruschi Store, was closed for good in 1939, with the pasting of the last Bruschi boy. The Bruschi's were devout Catholic, and attended the Catholic church of Coulterville, that was built in by Father L.A. Auger, and it was dedicated Jan. 20, 1863. This church was destroyed by fire in 1926. Francisco, purchase the Quail mine sometime in the late 1880's, was also known as the Alvina, or Hartford mine. Location was in Sec. 15,16. & T. 3, S., R. 17 E. , M.D., on the north side of Indian Gulch about 7 miles by fair dirt road southeast of Greeley Hill. There are four patented lode claim, the Juniper, Sunset, Bonanza, and the Mammoth, and 7 unpatented claims, the Violet, Starlight, Morn Sight, Fairview, and west Lode 1, 2, 3, plus several mill sites aggregating over 380 acres. The Quail mine was discovered prior to 1873 and has a very large output of gold ore. The first owner was Hanbidge and Gonigall who made a strike of good ore in 1873. When ownership passed to Francisco, a considerable production was maintained. Ore was said to average $15.00 per ton in native gold and sulfide concentrates ran $800 to $900 per ton. Various
members of the Bruschi family operated the property intermittently through the 1890's. During this time the working tunnel was 700 feet long and on a 18 inch wide ore shoot was being mined. A 4 stamp mill was moved onto the property from the Louisiana mine and it was renamed the Hartford mine in 1900. at his time the mine included 3 tunnel, one of 800 feet long, one 1300 feet long, and the third of unstated length, and that the ore shoot was of 2 1/2 feet wide was yielding ore running $20 per ton. Operations were carried on through 2 working tunnels and 4 raises. A 10 stamp mill was destroyed by fire in 1917. The principal vein at the Quail mine strikes N. 20-25 degress West and dips 30-35 degrees NE as pass through the Juniper, Mammoth and Bonanza claims, but swings to a north strike as it crosses the Sunset claim. The elevation of this property is 2300 feet , with surface rough, and water comes from a spring. When Francisco, was being educated for priesthood, he learned and became proficient in French, Spanish, English and German and beside his native Italian. When decided to come to America, he ran away and upon
reaching New York, he went to work in a candle making company. When reaching San Francisco, he taught German and French for awhile and then went to work in the cobbler's trade and learning the shoe and boot make trade. Francisco, listed in the Mariposa Gazette, on April 1, 1865 the tax list for Mariposa County, showed Francisco Bruschi paid $500.00. Texas Hill Mine (Texas, Carrie Todd) located on Sec. 7, 8, -T 3S- R18E-MD, in the Kinsley district, 2 miles southwest of Kinsley guard station. The property includes one patented claim of 20.66 acres. High on the east wall of the North Fork of the Merced River Canyon. Accessible from either Briceburg or from Coulterville by the way of the graded Kinsley road and 2 1/2 miles of unimproved dirt road, (now called Ponderosa Way). Also this property had several adjoining unpatented claims. First called the Texas mine and later the Carrie Todd, was discovered about 1865 and operated until 1900. In 1822 Francisco boned or rented the mine to Gilbert Douglass of Seth Cook and Cook, but no great amount of work was done at that time. The known production of this mine is about $74,000. The principal (Carrie Todd) vein at the Texas Hill mine average 2 to 4 feet wide, with a strikes roughly east and dips 70 to 75 degrees north. It is developed by three drifts adits each several hundred feet long. A winze connects the lower and middle tunnels. The top level is at 3000 feet elevation and the lower level at 2450 feet, at the top of a steep canyon. Per the Mariposa Gazette, the Texas Hill was also known as the John L. Scanlon Mine, (dated May 9, 1872). A short time after this mine was discovered, Francisco acquired this property and worked hard until 1882. When Francisco died, he was 70 years old, 7 month, 10 days old.
Francisco Bruschi was born in Isola, near Casnezo, Parma. He went to New York in 1846 where he worked in a candle factory with GARIBALDI and LEVERONI. He came west in 1850.
Francisco stayed in San Francisco until Rosa arrived, took a boat to Hornitos, then walked to Banderito. George COULTER grubstaked him for the store. Maria Bacigalupi and Rosa Castagnetto knew each other in Connecticut prior to coming around the horn in 1850. Maria landed in Deer Flat whereas Rosa settled in Coulterville. Jacob LAVERONI and Francisco BRUSCHI walked across the Isthmus of Panama. (Written by Paula Seagle)98
Mariposa Gazette, Oct 28, 1893 - DIED: BRUSCHI- In Coulterville, Oct. 23, 1893, Francisco BRUSCHI, a native of Italy; aged 65 years.
Mr. BRUSCHI was one of the pioneer merchants of Coulterville, and was a highly respected citizen. He had been an invalid for several years, and for months had been daily expecting death. He leaves a widow and a large family of children to mourn his loss.
The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:
Coulterville, 1878 Business Directory
Pg. 81
"is a mining town situated on one of the reads to Yosemite Valley, and is one
of the principal towns in that section."
H. G. AUSTIN, physician
J. L. BERRY, physician and surgeon
Francisco BRUSCHI, genl mdse
G. CANOVIA, genl mdse (Giovanni)
F. CAPPURO, bootmaker
P. CASTRO, jeweler and gunsmith
N. T. Cody, drugs and agt. Wells Fargo (nelson)
Frank CONCO, genl mdse
John DEBALT, liquors
L. GIRARD, tinner
J. HARLOE, blacksmith
George W. HOBRON, sawmill
George JEFFREY, hotel (since 1876)
Ralph JONES, jeweler
Peter LONGHURST, liquors
G. MARZITMO, liquors
John MENTZER, livery stable
Henry MYERS, genl mdse
J. W. REED, bakery and restaurant
J. C. RIHNS, market
A. RIMEL, barber
ROSENTHAL BROS, dry goods
J. SHIMER, blksmiths (James)
Adolph SINNING, cabinetmaker
J. W. SMITH, liquors
A. TISCORNIA, genl mdse
Daniel WAGNER, hotel (Wagner Hotel)
The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:
Coulterville
Pg. 85
Polk 1890 Business Directory
"First settled in 1849 on Maxwell’s Creek, in Mariposa county, 25 northwest
of Mariposa, the county seat, 52 east of Modesto, the preferable shipping
point, and 42 NE of Merced, the nearest bank and tel location. A Catholic
church is located here. It is surrounded by a mining country, and ships gold,
grain, fruit and cattle. Pop. 250. Try-weekly stages, fares Merced $4.50,
Modesto $5. Big Oak Flat $2. Exp WF. Mail tri-weekly. W. J.MCCARTHY,
postmaster. "
Hathaway BONDURANT, mine propr
F. BRUSCHI, genl store (Frank John & Frederick)
Francisco CAPURRO, shoemaker
L. H. CARTER, physician
G. CAMMISSIONA, genl store
G. CONOVA, genl store
George COULTER, hotel
George W. HARLOW, blksmith
George W. HOBRON, lumber mnfr
George Albert JEFFREY, hotel
Thomas B. MCCARTHY, druggist, stationer, agt Wells Fargo
William J. MCCARTHY postmaster
Rev. Father RAGO, catholic
A. J. REEDY, (1) livery
Louis REPETTO, saloon
RIHN BROS, meat marked
James SHIMER, blksmith
Mrs H. SMITH, restaurant
John THOMPSON, (2) saloon
A. TISCORNIA, genl store
Richard WALSH, saloon Roadhouse kpr
(1) For a while REEDY & MULLIGAN
(2) John THOMPSON, born 1863, father J Violet SACKET
Coulterville
Pg. 65
1915 Bradstreet Business Directory
"Stage from Pleasant Valley, 9 miles. Pop. 350. Telegraph, post office, WF
express: banking at Merced 46 mi."
James BONDS, genl store (on Yosemite road near Bowers Cave)
BROWN & WHIVELL, saloon (Wm. WHIVELL & James BROWN)
BRUSCHI Bros, genl store (Frank John, Demetrio Marco)
W. L. CONONVA, saloon (Wm. L. CONOVA)
James S. GAZZALO, saloon
Ed GRENFELL, notions etc
H. C. HOGER, genl store (Herman)
Charles HOLLAND, genl store
Thomas HOPE, meats
Mrs. Eliza JEFFREY, hotel
J. W. KEMP, Mfr soda water (John)
Charles McLENNAN, shoemaker
J. W. MELVIN, drugs
Mrs. Lida PARKER, hotel
John PENDRAY, saloon
L. M. SAIN, genl mdse
SUN SUN WO CO, genl store
Edward WEBB, livery
Notes for Rosa (Spouse 1)
Mariposa Gazette, April 1, 1899: DIED - BRUSCHI- In Coulterville, March 25th 1899, Mrs. Rose BRUSCHI, a native of Italy, aged about 61 years.
OBITUARY: BRUSCHI, Rose - April 1, 1899 Mariposa Gazette
Death of Rose BRUSCHI.
Mrs. Rose BRUSCHI, of Coulterville, died at her home last Saturday after a short illness. The deceased has resided in Coulterville for a great many years, where she raised a large family. Eight children survive her. Her husband who preceded her to the grave several years ago was one of the pioneer merchants of Coulterville. Since his death Mrs. BRUSCHI and her children have carried on the business. At the time of her death deceased was about sixty years of age. The funeral, which took place on Monday afternoon, was largely attended.65
OBITUARY: BRUSCHI, Rose - April 1, 1899 Mariposa Gazette
Death of Rose BRUSCHI.
Mrs. Rose BRUSCHI, of Coulterville, died at her home last Saturday after a short illness. The deceased has resided in Coulterville for a great many years, where she raised a large family. Eight children survive her. Her husband who preceded her to the grave several years ago was one of the pioneer merchants of Coulterville. Since his death Mrs. BRUSCHI and her children have carried on the business. At the time of her death deceased was about sixty years of age. The funeral, which took place on Monday afternoon, was largely attended.65