Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: FLORA,
Coming to California in the vigor of his early manhood forty-eight years ago, Angelo Di Fiore, is an excellent representative of the pioneer element of his day. Daring, enterprising, and full of life and energy, he at once became identified with the development of the horticultural resources of the state. A native of Italy, he was born in Palermo on January 23, 1848, a son of Dominic and Rose Di Fiore, his parents coming to the United States forty-two years ago. Both parents have passed away.

Angelo di Fiore was educated in the public schools of Italy and Santa Clara County, and came to America when he was twenty-two years old. He worked on ranches for a time and later traveled over the East and South, dealing in oranges and other fruits and became well known as an honest and conscientious dealer. In 1874 he settled in Santa Clara County and his first purchase of land consisted of twelve acres on which he built his house and planted his orchard, and still is the home-place. He bought another place of eleven acres near by and set that to fruit trees; then he purchased forty acres in the Berryessa district, and in addition to that has 240 acres above Saratoga; fifty acres now in grapes, which is one of the most profitable ranches in the fertile Santa Clara Valley. It is known as the Summit Rock Ranch, and in order to reach this vineyard he was obliged to build seven miles of private road. Success has come to him through his faithfulness, industry and hard work, and he is counted among the most enterprising and successful orchardists of his community.

Mr. Di Fiore's marriage occurred in Santa Clara and united him with Miss Rose Flora, and they are the parents of five interesting and intelligent children: Rose, Elizabeth, Angeline, Domenico and Genevia. In national politics he supports and votes for the candidates as endorsed by the Republican party. The optimistic spirit which he possesses sustained him through all the trials of frontier existence and brought him, in the enjoyment of a competency, tc, the present era of prosperity and progress.

From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 901

Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES:  LOVOTTI, PENNINGTON, KARTSCHOKE, 

A well-to-do and influential rancher and horticulturist who has done much to advance California agriculture while building a fortune for himself and near of kin, is Frank Di Fiore, a native of the province of Palermo, in Sicily, where he was born of his native land, and round about home worked on farms until, in 1883, he came out to California and settled near San Jose.

At San Francisco, Mr. Di Fiore was married to Miss Lina Lovotti, native of Buenos Aires, in South America, whose parents later removed to Italy and then continued their migrations until they reached San Francisco. Her father had been a cattleman, who had a transport company between Italy and Argentine Republic, he was a man of affairs, therefore, and something of initiative and executive talent was transmitted to his family.
Frank Di Fiore went to work as a laborer on ranches in the vicinity of San Jose, and later he engaged in the growing, buying and selling of fruit. He at first rented a fruit ranch, and then he purchased fifty-five acres near Alviso, which he devoted to the growing of prunes. He sold this ranch at a profit, and after that rented twenty acres on King Road. Next he bought fifty-five acres on Cropley and Morrill roads, set out to prunes, cherries, peaches and apricots, and this splendid ranch he still owns—one of the finest irrigated ranches in Santa Clara County. He also rented a part of the old Shaw ranch on the Berryessa Road, and later bought thirty-three acres of this ranch, all in prunes.

In September, 1911, fire destroyed the old home and the cook-house, and in 1912 Mr. Di Fiore erected a splendid, new dwelling, together with a new kitchen. Since then, in 1920, he has added to his new farm buildings, a modern evaporator, doing the work of evaporating in twenty-four hours. He sunk a well, and installed one of the first Layne & Bowler deep-well turbine pumps for irrigation in Berryessa, since which time the supply of water has been large. Mr. Di Fiore has also purchased the Titus ranch of sixty-seven and a half acres near Saratoga on the Prospect Road, devoted to prunes and walnuts, the house on this ranch was fifty-seven years old, and was one of the old landmarks, until it burned down in January, 1922.
The eldest son, Domenic A. Di Fiore, lives on this place.

Mr. Di Fiore is a trustee of the California Prune & Apricot Association and also a member of the advisory board of San Jose branch of the Bank of Italy. He was bereaved of his faithful life companion November 20, 1917, an amiable woman mourned by her family and many friends. Three sons made up the family of Mr. and Mrs. Di Fiore. Domenic A. was graduated from Santa Clara University with the Class of '12, when he received the B. S. degree and he married Miss Pennington of San Jose. Carl Frederick is also a graduate of Santa Clara University, a member of the class of 1915; and he received the B. S. degree in civil engineering. Leopold Pasqual Di Fiore was given the same degree in this subject, by Santa Clara University in 1920. Carl married a Miss Kartschoke, of San Jose, and they have one daughter, Dorothy. Leopold was a noted football player at college, and although at present at home, he intends pursuing engineering. Ail three of the sons were in the World War. Domenic enlisted in the aviation section of the U. S. Army, was commissioned a lieutenant and served overseas for nearly two years. Carl Frederick enlisted in the U. S. Engineers and was also commissioned a lieutenant. Leopold P. enlisted in the Heavy Artillery and served overseas until after the armistice. So not only Mr. Di Fiore, but the citizens of Santa Clara County are proud of the record of the three boys. 

From Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,  published by Historic Record Co. , 1922. page 1154

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SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight