One in a collection by Allen Bachoroski,
Local Historical Writer,
Tales Along the
Highway of Legends
Note: This
is one in a series of historical stories about local families
in the Trinidad region.
Click here to find out more
about how these stories were collected.
News of ample employment in the Colorado coal mines, either
first hand from returning immigrants or in letters from
friends, swelled the ranks of immigrants to Colorado.
In the small town of Strambino, Italy in the Province
of Torino, two children of Domenico Bonino and Marianna
Panetti joined their fellow Piedmontese in emigrating
to Colorado.
Bonino was and still is a common name
in Strambino. Usually a nickname is added to the surname
to distinguish different
families. Domenico and Marrianna's family was known as
the "Big Bonios" because the family was large
--11 children -- and some of their sons were well over
six feet tall. Even with large land holdings, it was
difficult
to support such a large family. Only six of the 11 children
would remain in Italy; five would emigrate ?? one to
Brazil
and four to the United States. Three ?? Charles, Lawrence
and Pauline ?? would settle in Trinidad.
Charles Boromeo Bonino was born October l, 1886. He came
to Colorado with his cousins, the Robinos in 1910. Together
they found work in the Las Animas County mines and quickly
became a member of the United Mine Workers.
When his cousin, Charlie Robino, was killed at the Ludlow
Massacre, he joined up with the union members who fought
the federal troops in a series of guerrilla attacks on
company-held mining camps. He remained a strong union
man and a life-long member of the United Mine Workers
and rarely missed a memorial ceremony at the Ludlow Monument.
In 1917 when the United States entered World War II Charlie
joined the U.S. Army and served in the trenches in France.
He received his citizenship by virtue of his military
service. After the war he returned to Colorado. In later
years, he was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
In 1924 he married Veronica Prioco Marta. They had one
son, Reginald Bonino, who was born in 1925.
The Boninos had a large, extended family. His step-children,
John, Mary, and Kate Marta, as well as, Charlie's younger
brother, Lawrence lived with them. Even a granddaughter,
Veronica Marta, lived with them.
During the depression, Charlie found employment with the
WPA. By 1939 he was back at work in the Morley Mine. In
the forties he left the mine to work at the old Walter's
Brewery. He returned to the mines for a few years before
his retirement. He died Jan. 30, 1956. His wife, Veronica,
died March 30, 1963.
Reginold D. Bonino was a Trinidad High School graduate
and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He later
attended Regis College and the University of Georgia.
He has been associated with several Denver auto dealerships.
He married Frances Wood in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1949.
They had two sons, Michael and Thomas. He later married
Roberta Lint.
Martin Bonino was also in the cadre of young Piedmontese
who came to the Trinidad area around 1910. Martin, the
son of Giovanni Bonino and Rosa Ciochetto, was not related
to Charlie when he arrived in Colorado. However, he soon
remedied that situation. Pauline Bonino, joined her brother
in Trinidad and on Dec. 19, 1912 married Martin.
Pauline was a professional seamstress. She made most of
the church vestments and the clerical suits for the priests
at Holy Trinity. Martin died July 6, 1955, and Pauline
died on October 26, 1959. They had three children, John,
Domenic and Rose.
John married Stella Ruscetti and worked
in the mines and had five children: Loretta Rawlins,
Pauline Menapace,
Mary Margaret Cortez, and John and Charles. Dominic Bonino
married Florence Mangino and worked for C&S Railroad.
They had two children, Martin Paul and Carol Ann.
Rose Bonino married Eugene Giordano. They lived in Farmington,
N.M. and had two daughters. Lawrence Bonino was born March
10, 1894. He remained in Italy until after World War I.
After emigrating to the United States he worked in the
mines until his retirement in Trinidad.
(Note:
if you have Photos of this family or know of anyone that
does, please have them get in touch with us so that we
might share some photos of the family here)