Devoto, One of the Early Families in Old Eldorado Camp

Benidito Devoto came to Calaveras County in the early 1860‘s.  He came from Italy around the horn in a clipper ship.  Two years later he sent for his wife Rosa.  He traveled from San Francisco to El Dorado Camp by hitching rides on wagons heading for the gold fields.

By working hard and saving what little he did make from mining he was able to buy a small lot and adobe building in El Dorado.  Later he purchased a small acreage northeast of town and put in a vineyard.  He soon became one of the finest wine makers in the area.  Near his vineyard he also found gold valued at $800 in one pocket.  He also lost one eye in a mining accident.

There was a bakery in El Dorado as early as 1858.  Mr. Devoto’s bakery is listed on the township map of 1872.  We believe he bought the same bakery that was operated in the early days.  It was in an adobe building behind the present candle shop.

In his later years grandfather Devoto told of Joaquin Murietta coming over Butcher Hill from Cave City to his bakery to get sacks of bread.  When business was poor for Murietta he did not offer to pay.  When the pickings were right he often rewarded the baker very well.  Mr. Devoto never spoke of this during the time it happened.  No one spoke of Murietta at that time for fear of reprisal.  His gang was known throughout California as cold-blooded killers.

The Devotos lived behind the bakery in small living quarters.  Later with the help of his two sons he built the existing Devoto home which stands next to the stone Dughi building which is now the Lutheran Church, the oldest wooden building in town.  The sons exchanged work for lumber from Wiggins Sawmill on Jesus Maria Creek.  Joe Cuneo helped with the carpentry work on this house.

Benidito Devoto was born in Italy in 1828, died in El Dorado in 1917; his wife was born in 1832, died 1923.

They had five children, one died as an infant.  Louis was born 1864, died 1929; Jennie born 1872, died March 29, 1967 age 94; Joe born 1869, died 1943; Auralia born 1875, died 1951.

The children went to school at the old Fischer School north of El Dorado.  Louis later became Justice of the Peace in San Andreas.  He moved to San Francisco.  At one time he was assistant treasurer for the city, later became head of the Board of Health and finally was elected to the assembly.  When he first moved to San Francisco he worked as a guard at San Quentin and also as a bartender on the infamous Barbary Coast.  He was known all his life as “Judge”.  Louis married Mame Coran.

A son Francis was born in 1897 in San Francisco.  A daughter born in 1902 was named Maria Rose.

Francis went to the St. Mary Catholic School in San Francisco and later went to Lincoln Public School in Oakland after the earthquake in 1906.  He was living with his parents on Minna Street in San Francisco when the earthquake hit.  He was nine years old.  The morning of the quake Francis was awakened by his father.  By the time Louis got his family together the house had moved two feet off its foundation and there were cracks in the walls large enough to walk through.

Louis was a big man, over six feet tall, he picked up his son and jumped through a hole in the wall, leaped several large cracks in the earth until they had reached safety.  He returned to the house several times to get the rest of his family and some supplies.

As they wandered about the city trying to find a place away from the fires, Francis can remember seeing tongues of flames licking out of every window in the Call Newspaper building.  Fires started everywhere, there was no water to fight with, the lines had broken from the quake so many buildings were blasted down by the fire fighters.  Many people were hysterical and untold numbers were killed.

The Devoto family stayed two days in Golden Gate Park.  It was a haven for many homeless families.  They they moved out of town with family friends.  When the family gathered what was left after the quake they moved to Oakland.

Francis’ uncle Joe lived in Mountain Ranch for many years.  He was postmaster here in 1894.  He married Louise Rodesino, sister to Johanna Rodesino, who was killed in a stage hold-up.

Later he moved to San Francisco where Louis set him up as a partner in a saloon.  He also moved to Oakland after the earthquake.  He bought a saloon at 7th and Broadway called the “Station Saloon”.  Lew Powell, a promising young fighter, became close friends of Joe and Louis Devoto.  Lew Powell spent his life in the fighting game and was considered the most colorful fighter of his day.  He spent his retired years at Mountain Ranch.  Joe Devoto had no children.  Lew Powell’s daughter still owns the Powell Ranch off Banner Road.

Francis’ Aunt Jennie became postmaster in Mountain Ranch in 1906 after working for many years in the post office.  In fact, she took care of the post office when Joe, her brother, was postmaster.

Francis moved from Oakland to Mountain Ranch in 1908 when he was eleven years old.  He lived with his Aunt Jennie.

Francis went to school in Mountain Ranch.  Elba Ames was one of his teachers.  He used to ride the butcher’s wagon from San Andreas, operated by Jim Uland, who served the El Dorado - Cave City area selling fresh meats.  Francis said he kept towns clear of flies, as they followed the meat wagon wherever he went.

He moved back to Oakland when he was 13 to work for Southern Pacific Railroad as an apprentice machinist for 15 cents an hour.  Later he worked for the Telephone Co. collecting money from pay phones.  He spent two years in Dunsmuir for his health but working in a billiard parlor did not seem to do much good.

He missed the first World War because he was working on the railroad.  After the war he made two trips to Europe as a pump man on an oil tanker for the Tri-Mountain Oil Co.

Francis returned to Mountain Ranch in the early 1930‘s to work part time for A. Domenghini.  He also worked some in the Sheep Ranch Store.  Later when Atillio took sick he went to work full time for Louis Domenghini in the general store.  His first marriage did not work out and he married Mabel Dale Hatch in 1946.  Francis worked for the Domenghini family for over 30 years.   He retired in 1965 when the Domenghini Estate was sold to Alberts Family and has since passed away.

The Domenghini General Store fixtures and old merchandise as well as old photos is now on display at the Red Barn Museum, donated by Phil and Florence Alberts.