Felice Pedroni.
Felix Pedro discoverer of Gold in Fairbanks, Alaska 1902 which started the Gold Rush to the interior of Alaska. Felix's father Giuseppe Pedroni died when he was very young, his mother was Carolina Lolli. Felix was driven by the hardships of the life in store for him and his family's poverty. He made the same decision as many of his fellow-countrymen at the time and emigrated. First to France in 1881, and then to the United States in 1883. Once in the United States Felice Pedroni, now known as Felix Pedro, moved around frequently, passing through the States of Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Oregon and Washington, always in search of better employment opportunities. He worked as a labourer and as a coal-miner but was soon caught up in what for many men became a true disease: gold fever. This took him first to Canada, from 1892 to 1893, and then to Alaska in 1895. He spent a long time in the Yukon, getting to know the local people, and he fell in love with the wild central lands, around the Tanana River. On July 22 1902 along with his partner Tom Gilmore he discovered gold about 30 miles out of what is now called Fairbanks. E.T. Barnette along with this wife Isabelle had started a trading post on the banks of the Chena River off of the Tanana River in 1901 by pure chance. They were heading for Tanana Crossing when the Stern Wheeler they were traveling on could no longer travel up the Chena River when looking for a short cut. Captain Adams put Barnette's 130 tons of freight on the riverbank, on August 26, 1901 with his wife Isabelle. In 1902 Barnette and his wife had gone to Seattle to borrow more funds to get supplies to continue their trip to Tanana Crossing. Upon their return they learned of Felix's gold discovery and decided to stay where they were. Barnette named the new formed town Fairbanks after Senator Charles Fairbanks on the suggestion of Judge Wickersham. Felix became President of the new Mining District of Fairbanks, founded in his cabin on September 8th 1902. Felix returned to Italy in 1907 to get married, but the girl he wanted turned him down; once back in Alaska he married an Irishwoman, Mary Ellen Doran. Their marriage was short lived as he died in Fairbanks July 7, 1910 at the age of 51. The cause of death was listed as a valve disorder of the heart. Mary had his cremated remains shipped from Fairbanks via riverboat and steamer to San Francisco and was eventually interred in Holy Cross Cemetery on January 31, 1912. The body of Felix Pedro (Felice Pedroni), rediscovered after 70 years, now lies in Fanano Cemetery in Italy, where it was laid to rest on October 10 1972. The City of Fairbanks, Alaska's second largest city after Anchorage, recalls Felix Pedro, as it's founder, in its Golden Days ceremonies every year.
His wife Mary never remarried and died in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 20, 1930, at the age of 70 after a long illness. She is buried in the Clay Street Cemetery in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Felix Pedro discoverer of Gold in Fairbanks, Alaska 1902 which started the Gold Rush to the interior of Alaska. Felix's father Giuseppe Pedroni died when he was very young, his mother was Carolina Lolli. Felix was driven by the hardships of the life in store for him and his family's poverty. He made the same decision as many of his fellow-countrymen at the time and emigrated. First to France in 1881, and then to the United States in 1883. Once in the United States Felice Pedroni, now known as Felix Pedro, moved around frequently, passing through the States of Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Oregon and Washington, always in search of better employment opportunities. He worked as a labourer and as a coal-miner but was soon caught up in what for many men became a true disease: gold fever. This took him first to Canada, from 1892 to 1893, and then to Alaska in 1895. He spent a long time in the Yukon, getting to know the local people, and he fell in love with the wild central lands, around the Tanana River. On July 22 1902 along with his partner Tom Gilmore he discovered gold about 30 miles out of what is now called Fairbanks. E.T. Barnette along with this wife Isabelle had started a trading post on the banks of the Chena River off of the Tanana River in 1901 by pure chance. They were heading for Tanana Crossing when the Stern Wheeler they were traveling on could no longer travel up the Chena River when looking for a short cut. Captain Adams put Barnette's 130 tons of freight on the riverbank, on August 26, 1901 with his wife Isabelle. In 1902 Barnette and his wife had gone to Seattle to borrow more funds to get supplies to continue their trip to Tanana Crossing. Upon their return they learned of Felix's gold discovery and decided to stay where they were. Barnette named the new formed town Fairbanks after Senator Charles Fairbanks on the suggestion of Judge Wickersham. Felix became President of the new Mining District of Fairbanks, founded in his cabin on September 8th 1902. Felix returned to Italy in 1907 to get married, but the girl he wanted turned him down; once back in Alaska he married an Irishwoman, Mary Ellen Doran. Their marriage was short lived as he died in Fairbanks July 7, 1910 at the age of 51. The cause of death was listed as a valve disorder of the heart. Mary had his cremated remains shipped from Fairbanks via riverboat and steamer to San Francisco and was eventually interred in Holy Cross Cemetery on January 31, 1912. The body of Felix Pedro (Felice Pedroni), rediscovered after 70 years, now lies in Fanano Cemetery in Italy, where it was laid to rest on October 10 1972. The City of Fairbanks, Alaska's second largest city after Anchorage, recalls Felix Pedro, as it's founder, in its Golden Days ceremonies every year.
His wife Mary never remarried and died in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 20, 1930, at the age of 70 after a long illness. She is buried in the Clay Street Cemetery in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Felice Pedroni.
Felix Pedro discoverer of Gold in Fairbanks, Alaska 1902 which started the Gold Rush to the interior of Alaska. Felix's father Giuseppe Pedroni died when he was very young, his mother was Carolina Lolli. Felix was driven by the hardships of the life in store for him and his family's poverty. He made the same decision as many of his fellow-countrymen at the time and emigrated. First to France in 1881, and then to the United States in 1883. Once in the United States Felice Pedroni, now known as Felix Pedro, moved around frequently, passing through the States of Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Oregon and Washington, always in search of better employment opportunities. He worked as a labourer and as a coal-miner but was soon caught up in what for many men became a true disease: gold fever. This took him first to Canada, from 1892 to 1893, and then to Alaska in 1895. He spent a long time in the Yukon, getting to know the local people, and he fell in love with the wild central lands, around the Tanana River. On July 22 1902 along with his partner Tom Gilmore he discovered gold about 30 miles out of what is now called Fairbanks. E.T. Barnette along with this wife Isabelle had started a trading post on the banks of the Chena River off of the Tanana River in 1901 by pure chance. They were heading for Tanana Crossing when the Stern Wheeler they were traveling on could no longer travel up the Chena River when looking for a short cut. Captain Adams put Barnette's 130 tons of freight on the riverbank, on August 26, 1901 with his wife Isabelle. In 1902 Barnette and his wife had gone to Seattle to borrow more funds to get supplies to continue their trip to Tanana Crossing. Upon their return they learned of Felix's gold discovery and decided to stay where they were. Barnette named the new formed town Fairbanks after Senator Charles Fairbanks on the suggestion of Judge Wickersham. Felix became President of the new Mining District of Fairbanks, founded in his cabin on September 8th 1902. Felix returned to Italy in 1907 to get married, but the girl he wanted turned him down; once back in Alaska he married an Irishwoman, Mary Ellen Doran. Their marriage was short lived as he died in Fairbanks July 7, 1910 at the age of 51. The cause of death was listed as a valve disorder of the heart. Mary had his cremated remains shipped from Fairbanks via riverboat and steamer to San Francisco and was eventually interred in Holy Cross Cemetery on January 31, 1912. The body of Felix Pedro (Felice Pedroni), rediscovered after 70 years, now lies in Fanano Cemetery in Italy, where it was laid to rest on October 10 1972. The City of Fairbanks, Alaska's second largest city after Anchorage, recalls Felix Pedro, as it's founder, in its Golden Days ceremonies every year.
His wife Mary never remarried and died in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 20, 1930, at the age of 70 after a long illness. She is buried in the Clay Street Cemetery in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Felix Pedro discoverer of Gold in Fairbanks, Alaska 1902 which started the Gold Rush to the interior of Alaska. Felix's father Giuseppe Pedroni died when he was very young, his mother was Carolina Lolli. Felix was driven by the hardships of the life in store for him and his family's poverty. He made the same decision as many of his fellow-countrymen at the time and emigrated. First to France in 1881, and then to the United States in 1883. Once in the United States Felice Pedroni, now known as Felix Pedro, moved around frequently, passing through the States of Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Oregon and Washington, always in search of better employment opportunities. He worked as a labourer and as a coal-miner but was soon caught up in what for many men became a true disease: gold fever. This took him first to Canada, from 1892 to 1893, and then to Alaska in 1895. He spent a long time in the Yukon, getting to know the local people, and he fell in love with the wild central lands, around the Tanana River. On July 22 1902 along with his partner Tom Gilmore he discovered gold about 30 miles out of what is now called Fairbanks. E.T. Barnette along with this wife Isabelle had started a trading post on the banks of the Chena River off of the Tanana River in 1901 by pure chance. They were heading for Tanana Crossing when the Stern Wheeler they were traveling on could no longer travel up the Chena River when looking for a short cut. Captain Adams put Barnette's 130 tons of freight on the riverbank, on August 26, 1901 with his wife Isabelle. In 1902 Barnette and his wife had gone to Seattle to borrow more funds to get supplies to continue their trip to Tanana Crossing. Upon their return they learned of Felix's gold discovery and decided to stay where they were. Barnette named the new formed town Fairbanks after Senator Charles Fairbanks on the suggestion of Judge Wickersham. Felix became President of the new Mining District of Fairbanks, founded in his cabin on September 8th 1902. Felix returned to Italy in 1907 to get married, but the girl he wanted turned him down; once back in Alaska he married an Irishwoman, Mary Ellen Doran. Their marriage was short lived as he died in Fairbanks July 7, 1910 at the age of 51. The cause of death was listed as a valve disorder of the heart. Mary had his cremated remains shipped from Fairbanks via riverboat and steamer to San Francisco and was eventually interred in Holy Cross Cemetery on January 31, 1912. The body of Felix Pedro (Felice Pedroni), rediscovered after 70 years, now lies in Fanano Cemetery in Italy, where it was laid to rest on October 10 1972. The City of Fairbanks, Alaska's second largest city after Anchorage, recalls Felix Pedro, as it's founder, in its Golden Days ceremonies every year.
His wife Mary never remarried and died in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 20, 1930, at the age of 70 after a long illness. She is buried in the Clay Street Cemetery in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Inscription
"Il giorno Dec 10, 1972 Felice Pedroni ha rivisto la sua terra. Il suo intuito, il suo coraggio, la sua tenacia hanno dato la ricchezza e la città di Fairbanks allo stato di Alaska"
Gravesite Details
His surviving niece, Mrs. Inez Bondi, made the arrangements to have his body moved to Fanano Italy
Family Members
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