Luigi and Caroline Domenghini came to Calaveras County in the early 1870‘s with one son, Attilio, who was born in Switzerland in January 1868. They came by ship, the crowded old ships that caused the death of many a fearless traveler. They crossed this great country of ours by wagon train with hardships beyond the imagination of modern man.
In Calaveras County they picked the quiet and peaceful valley near Murray Creek to settle down and work the land as the good Lord had intended man to do.
Two more boys were born near Mountain Ranch, Cash in 1878 and Charles a year later, who died in infancy. Big strong boys were what every farmer looked for in his family, they were needed so a family could make a living from the land.
Luigi purchased a large piece of land in Mountain Ranch in 1872 and ran a saloon in the stone building built by Mr. Pagani in 1856. Luigi Domenghini was born in 1844 and died in 1891 at 46 years of age. His wife died in 1935 and both are buried in Mountain Ranch Cemetery.
Through the years the Domenghini family purchased more land in the Mountain Ranch area and at one time owned what is now called the M-24 Ranch and also Hidden Valley. As the years went by this land was sold piece-by-piece.
Cash Domenghini married Elba Ames in 1919. They had no children. Cash died in 1925 and is also buried in the Mountain Ranch Cemetery.
The present Domenghini Building was a saloon until 1901 when the Domenghini Brothers remodeled the interior and opened a general store ater one year in the Domenghini Building. Supplies were picked up at Valley Springs by team and wagon from the railroad. These trips took two or three days. Drummers also made the round to the mountain communities.
Attilio married Clorinda Valente from Sheep Ranch after a whirlwind courtship. They became acquainted at a dance in Mountain Ranch. They were married in Clorinda’s home by a priest from Angel’s Camp in January 1901. The wedding was delayed one month because the house Attilio was building in Mountain Ranch was not finished. Clorinda said No House, No Wedding! During this delay in the wedding plans Clorinda continued to work at their boarding house at Indian Creek to supply meals to the workers for the large electrical project going in near Angels Camp.
Their honeymoon was spent in San Jose and San Francisco. They traveled from Indian Creek, near Sheep Ranch, by a two-horse buggy to catch the train at Milton.
Clorinda still lived in the same house, next to the general store, that she moved into on her wedding day, until late 1966 She used the same bedroom set, wood cook stove, chairs and cabinets. The wallpaper was the original and the home was truly a step into the past.
Attilio Domenghini was on the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors in the early 1930‘s.
A son was born on Dec. 4th, 1901. Louis was an only child. He went to school in Mountain Ranch to the 9th grade He was an excellent student and excelled in sports. After graduation he went to Herald’s Business College in Stockton until his uncle Cash became ill. Then he returned home to help his father with the business.
Louis married Edyth Roe on Feb. 28th, 1925 at Stockton. They lived on the Roe Ranch just north of town until Oct. 1938 when they moved into Mountain Ranch. No children were born of this marriage. Louis died May 31, 1963. When he died it was felt throughout Calaveras County. He was a man without an enemy.
Domenghini General Store Building
Built in 1856 by a man named Pagani, this is the oldest building in Mountain Ranch. Constructed of stone, adobe and hand-hewn beams with a full basement, this old building has withstood time and tribulations with very little sign of stress. Material was dug from Adobe Gulch just south of town.
The 24-inch stone wall, iron shutters on the windows and doors, wooden plank floor and high ceiling make this one of the true marvels of the Mother Lode. There are glass windows inlaid in the floor about six inches square to give light to the basement. The large hooks for lowering heavy items into the basement are still visible.
It was purchased by the Domenghini family in 1872. This building was used as a saloon, pool hall and dance hall until 1901. The Domenghini brothers remodeled the interior into a general store in late 1901. It has been in continuous use ever since. The house next to the store burned down and was rebuilt in 1905. This same house was moved across the street in 1938 and is still in use today.
This business was known as Domenghini Brothers General Merchandise until Cash Domenghini’s death in 1925. Then Louis Domenghini, son of Attilio and Clorinda Domenghini, came home from business college to help his dad with the store operation. It became known as A. Domenghini and Son from that day on. With Attilio’s death in 1952 his son Louis continued to operate the general store under that name.
After Louis died in 1963 his widow continued the business under the faithful management of Francis Devoto who had worked for the Domenghinis for some thirty-odd years.
The business, buildings and Domenghini property was then sold in July 1965 to Phil O. Alberts and family. They have donated all of the old store fixtures and some merchandise that has survived all these years and now is on display at the Red Barn Museum.
The round glass candy case, McCaskeg charge account register, old scales, coffee grinder, tobacco cutter, old photos and so much more. Stop by and see this and all the other displays at the Museum.
Clorinda’s Family History
Genoa, Italy, is the place of departure for Mrs. Clorinda Domenghini’s mother in 1862. Janie Cuneo, Clorinda’s mother, was born in Plan De Cunei Turri, Italy, a suburb of Genoa. In her younger years she set off from Genoa to America in search of her two brothers. The brothers were mining around the San Antone Camp. After Janie had reached her destination, she set up housekeeping for the boys. A year after she arrived, in 1863, she married Angelo Canavera. After they were married they moved to Esmeralda and there they established a store. Then Janie gave birth to two boys, John and Henry. A few years after they had been married, Angelo died as the results of an accident. After her first husband’s death she married Steve Valente. At this time they moved to Indian Creek. This was a little mining community about three miles from Sheep Ranch and approximately five miles from Murphys road. After moving to Indian Creek Mr. Valente built a little store. It was not too long before the mines closed down and when they did the Valentes lived on their ranch. During the cold winters to follow the Valentes kept boarders that would occasionally work in the mines. Clorinda’s sister Mary lived in this house her whole life; it was burned down in the Old Gulch Fire.
Clorinda’s Youth
When the mines opened again the Valentes kept the boarding house to hep support the new addition to the family. This addition came in 1879 which was Clorinda.
There was not much going on in Clorinda’s life until she started school. She just had the usual chores boys and girls had at that time. Clorinda and her two half-brothers, John and Henry Canavera, and sister Mary would attend school in Sheep Ranch. At this time Sheep Ranch had quite a few people. The school at which they attended had two rooms. There were over a hundred students that went to this two room school. Clorinda, John and Henry would walk three miles on nothing but a cow trail. On their way to school they had to cross San Antone Creek on a log bridge. They never had to worry about the bus being late or if it was going to run. They just hoped that the bridge would not wash out. The bridge did wash out a few times. When it did this would cause them to miss school for several weeks before it would be repaired. They would come home from school by walking or hitch a ride on wagons driven by wood choppers or vegetable men, leaving from Sheep Ranch Mine. One person that they rode with had his wagon pulled by an oxen team.
There were other incidents that would happen to Clorinda and her brothers also. Several times, a wood chopper, who would cut wood for the mine, would stop them on the trail and ask them to get a few items in town for them. These items were tobacco and matches. When school let out Clorinda would take the items she got for the men and leave them on a certain stump that had a dime or some reward left for this little task. She attended school up to the fifth grade. Then her mother became ill and she was needed at home so had to quit school. From this time on she stayed at home and worked on the ranch at Indian Creek.
On January 10, 1950, Clorinda and Attilio celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. And two short years later Attilio died on January 17th, 1952, just before his 84th birthday. After Louis’ father died he took over the store. And after 11 more years the Domenghini family suffered another death in the family. This time it happened to Louis. He died May 31, After Louis’ death Clorinda passed away a few years later in San Andreas. The last of the gracious ladies of Mountain Ranch.
