CHARLES MULE.—A resident of San Jose for more than twenty-five years,
Charles Mule is a pioneer in his field of endeavor. He was born in
Sicily on February 1, 1858, the son of Nicholas Mule, a shoemaker, who
died when our subject was only two and a half years old. He had married
Maria Lazzaroni, also a native of Sicily, where they grew up to enjoy a
climate much like that of Santa Clara County; and she remarried after
her husband's death. When between six and seven years old, Charles went
to work in a bakery and macaroni factory; and when he reached military
age, he served for thirty-two and a half months in the Italian Army.
On reaching his twenty-fourth year, Charles Mule migrated to the New
World, sailing from Palermo on the Vincennes of Florio; and he landed
at the historic old
Castle
Garden in New York on September 28, 1883. He
worked in New York City for a while, and there learned the barber's
trade; and from the metropolis he went to New Orleans, then to Bryan,
Texas, and next to Dallas. at each of which places he worked as a
barber. He reached San Francisco on November 19, 1889, and there bought
a half-interest in a barber shop on Grant Avenue; but at the end of
eighteen months, he bought into a shop on
Dupont Street, between Broadway and Vallejo streets, again securing a
half interest. At the end of a year and a half, he had built for
himself a shop at the entrance to the Midwinter fair of 1893-94, and on
June 27, 1894, he came down to San Jose and purchased a barber shop on
Fountain Street. He has since then had no less than five different
barber shops in various locations in San Jose, established for the
convenience of the public,—a fact that the public has not been slow to
appreciate, as may be seen from his handsome patronage. His present
shop is at 27 South Market Street.
Mr. Mule has been twice married. He was joined in matrimony first in
the fall of 1894, when he was united with Miss Flora Malatesta, a
native of San Jose, who died in 1896. In July, 1902, at San Fran cisco,
Mr. Mule was married to Miss Maria Paggeto, a native of Sicily who came
to America in 1901. She was the daughter of Frank and Antoinette
Paggetto, both of whom died in Italy. She was reared in a convent at
Palermo; and coming to America, she stayed for fourteen months with an
aunt at San Francisco, and then, in 1902, came to San Jose. Two
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mule: Mary is a junior in the
San Jose high school, while Lena is a sophomore in the same
institution. Mr. Mule is the owner of the residence at 897 Vine Street,
where the family make their home. He belongs to the Masons and Odd
Fellows, and in politics is a Republican, active in the local party
organization.