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Harry Kockos
Autobiography
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(The Holy Trinity Historical Society gratefully acknowledges Mrs. Amanda Antipa for allowing us to reprint her father's story so that we
may share it with you. Mrs. Antipa also contributed photographs to our historical archive. Please see
the Kockos Virtual Photo Album.)
Harry Kockos was born in 1882 and he was from Licouria in the county of Kalabrita. He arrived in the United States in 1903.
Harry traveled to America with his brother Mike. Harry and his brother Mike worked on the railroad. Harry quickly learned English and became
a railroad foreman leading groups of Greek laborers. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake & fire there was need for railroad workers
to rebuild the city's public railways. Harry and his brother Mike were one of many Greeks that came to San Francisco during this time
period.
After Harry and his brother Mike moved to San Francisco, Mike decided to return to Greece. Harry sent for his other brother Andrew and they went
into the grocery business. Harry and his brother Andrew were early pioneers in the wholesale grocery business. Their business, Kockos Bros. Wholesale Grocers (located at 701 Davis Street),
provided groceries to many grocery stores in San Francisco and the bay area. They also shipped California products overseas.
He was a manufacturer. He made jams, jellies, and peanut butter. He also roasted coffee. He was also a publisher. He published
the "Pacific Coast Review" and later sold the publication to Angelo Papulias. He also published his own trade journal,
the "Commercial Guide.". After his retirement, he became a real estate investor and developed property near Candlestick Point.
Harry Kockos wrote his autobiography in the 1970s. He dictated to his grandchildren as they recorded his life story. We retyped the text,
divided the autobiography into six chapters, and it is presented below.
Holy Trinity Historical Society
Questions regarding this article? Please send the historical society an email.
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