MILATOVICH’S

ADVERTISEMENT V. MILATOVICH’S STORE

Vincent Milatovich from Dubrovnik had one of the largest foreign delicacies business in the State of Nevada during the 1860’s. Vincent was in San Francisco in 1859 and had a liquor business at Marysville, California in 1857. He appeared in Virginia City in 1863 with a grocery and liquor business at 67 No. C Street. In 1864 he owned the Ophir Exchange Saloon and then owned his very successful V. Milatovich provision business.

Vincent located at Reno in 1870 and opened his V. Milatovich Grocery and Liquor Store. He took an extended trip to Dalmatia and turns up in San Francisco in 1878 at 1024 Stockton Street as a Capitalist.

It is not known what his movements were after this date, perhaps retirement. he was a member of the Famous Knickerbocker Fire Engine Company at Virginia City in 1867.

A noted writer on Nevada history notes the Milatovich clan in Virginia City and gives extensive and interesting remarks about the family: (1)

PICTURE V. MILATOVICH- RENO

The Milatovich Association of Virginia City typified the foreign merchant families. The Milatovich Grocery Store at 93 No. C. Street and a nearby saloon had, in 1870, been providing the community with foreign delicacies for almost a decade. In addition to Scotch, English, and Irish whisky, Jamaica Rum, and French Brandy, the Milatovich’s specialized in French and Italian wines, truffles, Italian mushrooms, roasted chestnuts, Italian, English, Holland, Swiss, and California cheese, Dutch sardines and herrings, Russian caviar, Pagoliano syrup, and dozens of other foreign items to please the most discriminating epicure. During the summer of 1869, Vincent Milatovich decided to retire to the sunny Adriatic, but Andrew, along with other relatives, continued to direct the Comstock business, including the first apparently the largest winery ever operated in Nevada.

Andrew Milatovich was and early pioneer to the Pacific Coast. He was a fruit dealer at San Francisco on 252 Dupont Street in 1852. In 1854 he had a fruit business on 42 J Street in Sacramento. He was in Marysville, California in 1859 with a restaurant. The 1860 Federal Census listed him as a Slavonian with a Mexican wife and a son, John. He was a long time resident of Virginia City in the Fruit business associated with Vincent Milatovich. He was an American citizen. he returned to San Francisco in the late 1880’s and operated a restaurant.

Antonio Milatovich came to San Francisco on his own Brig, Portina, in 1850. I would assume that Vincent and Andrew Milatovich came with him. He was a long time resident of the city and was a wealthy capitalist in the 1850’s. He owned over one million acres of land in Mexico and had made many trips there in the 1860’s. He had an audience with President Juarez in 1864. He was no doubt associated or related to the Milatovich’s of Virginia City and their successful ventures in that State. He died in 1901 and was buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in San Francisco. (2)

1. Wilbur s. Shepperson, Restless Strangers (University of Nevada Press 1970), p. 31

2. Zajednicar, January 20, 1971, Pittsburgh