The Castagno family
Sailing from Chiavrie, Italy in 1896, Giovanni Battista Castagno immigrated to the United States with his wife Angela Faleta, their step-daughter Cynthia, and their son Remo. Three more sons-Charles, Frank and Victor-were born after the family settled in Ravensdale, where Giovanni was killed in the Ravensdale Mine explosion in 1915.
It was Remo and Frank Castagno who settled their families in Issaquah, and founded the family business. Hauling milk from the Hobart area to Darigold, they later obtained general freight authority and called themselves Issaquah Auto Freight. When Remo retired, his three sons joined Frank and incorporated as Renton Issaquah Auto Freight, Inc. When they retired in 1975, parts of the families continued the business and today operate it as Renton Issaquah Freightlines.
Remo and Gertrude Castagno had seven children: William, Mervyn, John, Dorothy Martin, Gertrude Smothers, Shirley Seil and Rae Bakamus. They also raised their niece, June Shultz. Remo served as mayor, fire chief, president of the Kiwanis Club, on the city council and on the school board.
Frank and Bonnie Castagno had one daughter, Joyce Lewis. Frank was a member of Kiwanis for 54 years and president of the Washington Trucking Assoc.
All of Frank and Remo’s children except one live in the Issaquah area. The extended family includes 22 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
