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Note: F. Borreo
F. Borreo - Was born in Italy, November 24, 1837. In 1851 he went to sea, which life he followed for about one year; then came to California. He went up the Sacramento River, and followed fishing for the Stockton market for about two years. We next find him in Shasta, where mining was followed until 1857 or 1858, when he returned to Stockton. Here he engaged in the vegetable business for one year; then followed the grocery business until 1860. He then went to Virginia City, and was engaged in mining two years; then engaged in the grocery business again for a short time; then mined for one year, after which he opened a restaurant, and conducted it for a few months. He next opened a billiard saloon, which he run until 1866, when he came to Napa, where he is engaged in the grocery business, dealing also in wood, coal and liquor, as well as in farming. Married in 1865 Miss Mary Arata. They have five children: Josephine, Nellie, Mary, William and Ernest.
History of Napa and Lake Counties,: San Francisco, Cal.: Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers, 1881
Transcribed by Julie Appletoft, February, 2007 Page 386
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He was born in 1837, near Genoa, in Oreglia, in the olive-growing district of Italy, near the sea-coast, and as a boy he engaged in the seafaring life, making his way to California in 1853. Appreciating the great advantage of this new country he decided to remain. He followed mining pursuits until 1866, when he came to Napa and engaged in the general merchandise and warehouse business, which he sold out in 1889, coming to live on the ranch which he has owned and operated since 1883. Besides this ranch and vineyard Mr. Borreo owns valuable property in Napa City. He has always been a supporter of the Republican party, and though not desiring any official recognition he has been a representative in county conventions and has been prominent in the local councils of his party.
He was married in 1864, in Virginia City, Nevada, to Miss Maria Arata, a native of his own district in Italy, who died in May, 1885, in Napa, leaving six children. They are: Josephine, now the wife of Frank Hodgdon, of San Francisco; Nellie, now the wife of G. B. Cerrut; Mary, William, Ernest and Archibald.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
pp 558-559
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SODA CREEK VINEYARD - Surrounding the old ghost winery built by prominent Napa grocer and winemaker Felix Borreo in 1888 are the seventeen acres of Sangiovese and Zinfandel vines of the Soda Creek Ranch.
On this location, encouraged by a small experimental planting at our Mt. George Vineyard, winemaker Jack Stuart and vineyard manager Michael Walsh have cultivated specialized rootstocks, designed lyre-shaped trellises, and grafted Sangiovese cuttings from Italy itself, as well as from the University of California at Davis.
Soda Creek's western exposure and cobbly soils are ideal conditions for Zinfandel grapes, cut from old Healdsburg vines and planted for future blending. This year's crush, in fact, will see the first significant harvest of these Zinfandel vines. Soda Creek is also the home of the 414 century- old olive trees that produce the much-lauded Soda Creek Ranch olive oil.
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