Thomas Tavernetti was born on December 23, 1889 on a ranch near Gonzales, California. His father was Paul Tavernetti. Paul was the son of Giovanni Battista Tavernetti,an unsuccessful "Forty Niner" of the California Gold Rush.
Paul was born in Moghegno in 1854 and immigrated to the United States. in the 1880s.
The last name "Tavernetti" is an Italian last name that points to the profession of an Innkeeper or Tavern owner, according to a family seal issued by the Swiss Government. Thomas was the second of twelve children, two of which died during birth. When he was young, Tom worked on the family farm in Salinas, California.
Hunter Lane, as it was called, was also where the family home was.
There was also a large ranch on Natividad Road which raised cattle. After schooling in Salinas, Thomas attended school at the University of California, Berkeley.
Thomas finished schooling at University of California Berkeley in 1913, majoring in agriculture. After graduating, Thomas began working at the University of California agriculture center in Davis, California.
In Davis, Thomas assisted in the foundation of the school.
He served as Assistant Dean of Agriculture from 1922-1934. In 1934, though, he died of pneumonia on his 45th birthday. Thomas Tavernetti has a bell hung in his memory in the front of Aggie Stadium in Davis.
After University of California Davis football victories, the California Aggie Marching Band-uh! rings the bell once for every point scored during the game.
The bell, referred to as the Tavernetti Bell (also known as the "Victory Bell"), was hung in his honor by University of California Davis Alumni. With the construction of Aggie stadium, the bell followed from its previous location at the old site on Toomey field in 2007.
The bell came from the Spreckles grade school that Tavernetti attended for his schooling. After its abandonment, the school"s bell was taken to Davis where it is still used today.
He shot down four enemy planes and was awarded the Flying Cross for his efforts.
Tavernetti was the first of many in his family to be educated through the University of California System. All three of Anderson"s children attended University of California Berkeley as well. Three of Anderson"s granddaughters attended University of California, Los Los Angeles Another of Anderson"s grandsons attended University of California Davis as well.
Anderson"s son-in-law attended University of California Davis.
