Gold: Silvio and Clemente Boldrini In the Klondike & Nome Gold Rushes, 1898-1899

Clete Boldrin’s fascinating family history is the stuff of legends. Clete’s great grandfather, Silvio Boldrini, of Prezzo in Pieve di Bono in Val Giudicarie, left Solvay, NY to become part of the famous Klondike and Nome Gold Rushes of 1898-1899.

Tens of thousands of prospectors departed from Seattle, transforming the city. Few found gold and struck it rich, but Silvio and his brother Clemente were lucky and returned with a fortune. Their adventurous story is documented in the book Gold, thanks to a diary by Silvio.

The Boldrini’s bought land in the Seattle area – eleven acres on Green Lake – where three houses built by Silvio still exist. Silvio founded a College of Engineering and formed Seattle Tool and Die Company. Fortunes were shared with a brother, Battista, in Solvay, NY and a sister, Margherita, in Trentino.

Clete and his siblings (Larry, Jerry, and Pat Penaranda) and cousins (Linda Dodds, Merry Gaskins and Kim Boldrini-Senn), all of whom are descendants of the Boldrini siblings, have been active members of our club since they joined.

For more photos of the story and the family click here.

The book Gold: Silvio and Clemente Boldrini In the Klondike & Nome Gold Rushes, 1898-1899 was published by the Provincia Autonoma di Trento.  An online version of the book is available at:  https://en.calameo.com/read/0002698606e2d3d626ae6

Here are some excerpts from the book: