RAGUSIN BUYS AN ISLAND WITH CALIFORNIA GOLD

Marko Ragusin, the first Croatian pioneer in Sacramento, California appeared in 1849, being 21 years of age and having voted that year. He listed himself as a “Slavonian” from Louisiana. He later moved to San Jose and opened a saloon, again being one of the first Croatians in that area. He married a native Californian (Mexican) and they had their first child, Perina, in 1857. He was from the Island of Losinj.

In the last century, an opportunity came to the people of the Island of Silba to get rid of their colonial liabilities and to buy off their island. The noble Morosin family was the former owner of the island. At that time, they sold the island to Marko Ragusin, a native of Losinj and a rich emigrant who returned from America.

Raguzin had no interest to keep the island for a cash annuity, so he decided to sell it. The people of Silba purchased the island for the amount of 5,025 Bavarian talirs. They collected money among them and the wealthier households gave money for the poor ones. In 1867 there were 94 households still in debt, some of them owing up to 180 forints.

Adam S. Eterovich