Domenico Colombo

Domenico Colombo (English: Dominic Columbus, Genoese: Domenego Corombo) (1418–1496) was the father of the Christopher Columbus and Bartholomew Columbus. He was also a weaver.

He was born in 1418. He had 3 brothers, Franceschino, Giacomo and Bertino. His father, Giovanni Colombo, had apprenticed his son, Domenico, to the loom at age 11. Domenico, a third-generation master of his craft in Genoa, Italy, was also a shopkeeper. His secure, respectable position in the lower middle class did not, however, guarantee his having a firm work ethic. Despite, or because of, having fingers in several problems, he was a poor provider and a worse credit risk, yet a pleasant, well-liked fellow withal.

In the boisterous, enterprising spirit of Genoa, he worked as a cheese maker, tavern keeper, and dealer in wool and wine. He married Susanna Fontanarossa, the papers attest. Their firstborn was Cristoforo, in 1451; later came Giovanni Pellegrino, Bartolomeo, Giacomo, and daughter Bianchinetta. When he was found in financial difficulty, he was helped economically from Christopher. Forsaking the loom, two of his sons-Bartholomew and Christopher-went to sea. If Domenico had, however, been prosperous, Christopher might have spent his entire life at a loom.

He lived in a house to the Plan of Sant'Andrea. In the Straight Alley, in the quarter of Ponticello, neighbor to the Door of Sant' Andrea, call also Soprana Door. In this house, Domenico died in 1496.

Persondata
Name	Colombo, Domenico
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Date of birth	1418
Place of birth
Date of death	1496
Place of death