Two branches of the Cavaletto family settled in the Santa Barbara, California area. The original settler of the family in Santa Barbara was Aventino Cavalletto.

The story goes that Aventino worked on the Panama Canal for the French company that began the project. He became sick, perhaps from yellow fever or malaria, and was sent to New York to recuperate. While there, someone told him that California was a good place to recover his health and that Santa Barbara, with its Mediterranean climate, was particularly nice. So, he went there and settled in 1884.

In 1886 Aventino ran a boarding house on Rancheria Street. In 1888 he was joined by his wife, Clementina Pagliotti, and their nine year old son Lodovico, known as Coto. Later a second son Jack was born. After 1907 Aventino subleased some land from the three Pomatto brothers. In 1913, he and his brother Jack bought 200 acres at Coal Oil Point.

Aventino wrote to his nephew Michele Cavaletto telling him that, if he wanted to come to America, he would help him to find a job. So in 1892, Michele Cavaletto, 21, and his brother Giovanni Battista Cavalletto, 16, decided to try it. As promised, Aventino helped them to settle in. Later followed Eugenia, Margherita, and Giovanni. Moreover, two of their sister Francesca's children emigrated later as adults.

Michele worked for awhile and then returned to Italy to marry Caterina Cavaletto. In California he worked on the historic San Jose Vineyard, then leased it, and finally purchased it in 1900.  In 1906 he acquired the ranch on Yaple Avenue. Michele operated the winery that had been built by Mission padres in 1804 until 1918 when prohibition took over. In 1921, he purchased his brother Giovanni's ranch along the San Jose Creek before Giovanni and his family returned to Italy.

Joannes Ludovicus Cavaletto b. ca. 1600) is the earliest known member of this family. He had at least one son Franciscus Cavaletto.

Franciscus Cavaletto (b. ca. 1620 at Rivarolo) married on February 16, 1648, Anna Nida (b. 10/15/1628 at Rivarolo) the daughter of Jo Petrus Nida and Bartholonea Bertrami). The couple had a son Joannes Ludovicus Cavaletto.

Joannes Ludovicus Cavaletto (b. 9/15/1660 at Rivarolo) m. 4/25/1694 Maria Paliotto (b. 2/24/1676) daughter of Marco Antonio Paliotto and his wife Antonia ?. They had a son Franciscus Cavaletto.

Franciscus Cavaletto (b. 1/7/1706 at Rivarolo) had a son Joannes Ludovicus Cavaletto.

Joannes Ludovicus Cavaletto (b. 3/10 1741 at Rivarolo) m. Marta Caterina Preverino Franciscus Dominicus Cavaletto (b. 12/7/1769 at Rivarolo, IT) m. Margarita Drueti SPECULATION: Does Giuseppe Cavaletto (deceased in 1871, father of Francesco and grandfather of Defendente) fit here? Also, is this Giuseppe Cavaletto the same as the Giuseppe Cavaletto (b. ca. 1800) that fathered the Spring Valley clan? Francesco Cavaletto m. Maria Pagliotti Defendente Cavaletto (b. 1845)? Joannes Lodovico Cavaletto (b. 4/1/1802 at Rivarolo, IT) m. 2/4/1828 Caterina Cecilia Verna (b. 11/22/1811 at Rivarolo, IT) daughter of Joannes Baptista Verna and Rosa Maria Griffa. Reportedly Lodovico and Caterina had twenty-one children although in all probability quite a few never made it to adulthood. This family apparently owned "il Cortile della Signora" (the Farmhouse of the Lady), one of the best in Vesignano. Aventino Cavaletto married Clementina Pagliotti. Lodovico [Cato] Cavaletto Jack Cavaletto. Employed in law, banking, and ranching. ? Cavaletto (brother mentioned but left unidentified by Geo. A. Cavaletto in his letter of March 14, 1994) Teresina Cavaletto (b. 1849 d. 1925) m. Defendente Cavaletto (b. 1845 d. 1915) of Vesignano a son of Francesco Cavaletto [a son of Giuseppe] and Maria Pagliotti. Teresina and Defendente Cavaletto were cousins. Defendente and Teresina had eight children (plus other four who died as babies).  Marietta Cavaletto (b. 1871 at Vesignano, d. 1938 at San Bernardo, Chile) married Antonio Germano (b. 1872 at Pasquaro, d. 1921 at Santiago, Chile). The family migrated to Chile in 1907. Caterina Felicita Germano (b. 1900 at Vesignano, d. 1982 at San Bernardo, Chile), the only daughter of Antonio and Marietta, married Roque Osés (b. 1891, d. 1966), a Spaniard. The couple had seven children, all of whom live in Chile except Teresa. Antonio Osés (b. 1927), m. Begoña Aguirre. They have two sons, one daughter, and five grandchildren. Elena Osés (b. 1929), m. Gilberto Angel. No issue. Catalina Osés (b. 1930). Maria Teresa Osés [called Tere] (b. 1934), m. Juan Bengoechea. They live in Spain, in a small Basque village, Juan's hometown. No issue. (e-mail). Fernando Osés (b. 1936), m. Anita Bronzic. They have two daughters and six grandchildren. Francisco Osés (b. 1938), m. Blanca Follmer. They have one son, two daughters, and four grandchildren. Jaime Osés (b. 1940), m. Martita von Bischhoffshausen. They have three sons, two daughters, and three grandchildren.   Giuseppe Michele Antonio Cavaletto (b. 9/8/1842, d. 11/14/1916 ) m. 5/14/1864 m. 5/14/1864 Laura Cavalletto (b. 9/5/1845, d. 12/20/34, at Rivarolo, TO, IT) the daughter of Joannes Lodovico Cavalletto and his wife Maddalena Canavotto. (Editor's Note: The father of Maddalena Canavotto was Bartolomeo Canavotto. The father of Maria Canavotto was also Bartolomeo Canavotto. Apparently both girls were born in the 1820s. This appears to be a connecting link between the Spring Valley Cavaletto family and the Santa Barbara Caval(l)etto family. Maria was the mother of Giovanni Battista Cavaletto (b. December 24, 1842, d. April 20, 1930). This would make Giovanni Battista Cavaletto a first cousin of Laura Cavalletto. This explains the oral tradition that cousins of the Spring Valley Cavalettos settled in Santa Barbara. The proof of this proposition should lie in the baptismal records.) Eugenia Cavaletto (b. 10/26/1866, d. 7/26/1926) m. Dominic Perello (b.  1862, d. 11/16/1921) Bartolomeo (Bert) Perello (b. 1/5/1891, d. 1/26/1962) Giovanni Lodovico Cavaletto (b. 3/31/1868, d. 1/27/1954) m. Caterina Micono (b. 5/17/1869, d. 5/14/1947 or d. 3/14/1920) Giuseppe Cavaletto (b. 1892) Giacomo Cavaletto (b. 5/9/1894, d. 3/15/1949) Laurina Cavaletto (b. 2/11/1899, d. 2/9/1937) Michele [Mike] Cavaletto (b. 2/28/1870 at Vesignano, d. 10/25/1921 at Vesignano) m. 11/4/1896 Caterina Cavaletto (b. 11/19/1873, d. 10/23/1950). Both interred at Calvary Cemetery, Santa Barbara, CA. Laura Cavaletto (b. 8/29/1897, d. 4/17/1970) m. Borgaro Frances E. Cavaletto (b. 8/23/1898, d. 3/23/1956) m. Borio Joseph Cavaletto (9/7/1899, d. 3/16/1900) Margherita Cavaletto (b. 2/7/1901, d. 6/7/1901) Joseph Louis Cavaletto (b. 5/15/1902, d. 7/11/1973) m. 4/18/1934 at Solvang, CA, Elvira Giorgi (b. 9/3/1902 at Nojoqui, Santa Barbara, CA, d. 5/22/1994) daughter of Natale Faustino Sr. Giorgi and Elisa Casserini Michael J. Cavaletto (b. 9/4/1935) m. 7/18/1959 Mary Louise Valenzano (b. 8/16/1936) Lisa M. Cavaletto (b. 4/18/1961) m. 7/18/1987 Gordon Thygeson (b. 2/2/1962) Diana C. Thygeson (b. 4/5/1992) Sam M. Thygeson (10/22/1996) Laurie M. Cavaletto (b. 4/6/1964) m. 10/5/1991 John Mark Moore (b. 2/6/1962) Jack M. Moore (4/15/1995) Janeen E. Moore (4/1/1998) Jenna M. Moore (b. 10/1/2000) Catherine G. Cavaletto (2/12/1938) Cecilia E. Cavaletto (b. 8/3/1940) m. 6/27/1970 Robert E. Villines (b. 10/25/1933, d. 8/12/1998)  Jennifer M. Villines (b. 5/9/1971) m. 9/12/1998 Samuel McCue Carrie J. Villines (b. 8/10/1973) Peter B. Cavaletto (b. 8/22/1904, d. 4/26/1990) Louisa D. Cavaletto (b. 1/17/1907) m. Marchiando Lodovicco M. Cavaletto (b. 2/28/1909, d. 1/20/1959) Francesca Cavaletto (b. 12/5/1873 at Rivarolo, d. 10/17/1962 at Rivarolo) m. Michele Perona (b.  1/5/1868, d. 6/29/1935). He was a son of Giacomo Perona and Maria Cavalletto (d. 12/19/1917 at Rivarolo). Maria Perona (b.  1/13/1895, d. 1/6/1977) m. Lodovico Germano (b. January 25, 1891; d. February 1976). Frances Germano m. Raffetto. Giacomo [James] Joseph Perona (b.  2/20/1896 at Rivarolo, d. 1/29/1956 at Santa Barbara, CA) m. 1929, at Rivarolo, Margherita Baudino (d. 1976 in Turlock, CA). James was a gardener for large estates in Santa Barbara. He emigrated to the US in the 1920s. He went to Santa Barbara to work for a Cavaletto uncle who served as his sponsor from Italy. Re returned to Italy to marry and brought his bride to Santa Barbara. Two babies died young. Michael J. Perona (b. 1942) m. Beth Warner. Mike is a professor of chemistry at California State University at Stanislaus. (e-mail). Laura Perona (b. 1/20/1901, d. 2/12/1916) Teresa Perona (b. 4/05/1903, d. 6/18/1986) Catterina [Catherine] Perona (b. 10/11/1906, d. 9/25/1993) Giovanni Battista [G.B.] Cavalletto (b. 11/22/1875, d. 6/29/1955) m. 1/1/1903 Catharina Pagliotti. Also married Madalena Bernasconi which ended in divorce. Laura A. Cavalletto (b. 7/3/1904, d. 12/18/1968) Joseph Cavalletto (d. ?/?/1905) Louis D. Cavalletto (b. 9/23/1906, d. 6/25/1985)  George A. Cavalletto (b. 1/14/1913, d. 6/25/2000). See Letter of March 14, 1944, from Geo. A. Cavalletto, a retired attorney, providing family history details. Margherita Cavaletto (b. 7/3/1880, d. 9/28/1975) m. 12/22/1900 Giuseppe G. M. Scavarda (b. 11/25/1976, d. 11/29/1953). Katherine Scavarda (b. 7/4/1903, d. 3/26/1985) Laura M. Scavarda (b. 3/22/1907, d. 10/14/1992) Domenic Scavarda (b. 1/20/1914, d. 5/20/1930) Giovanni Cavaletto (b. 6/24/1886, d. 10/07/1955) m. Angiolina [Angelina] Pagliotti (b. 8/17/1892, d. 5/2/1955). Laura Cavaletto   Giuseppe Cavaletto (b. 11/18/1920, d. 2/12/1991) Domenica Cavaletto (b. 12/31/1916, d. 1/28/1996) The editors thank Joseph Lewis Cavaletto, George A. Cavaletto, Catharine G. Cavaletto, Silvia Kay (Cavaletto) Herman, and James A. (Jay) Verett for their contributions to this chapter in Cavaletto history and genealogy.