Bert Bertino

Birth: He was born in 1871.  

Family Information: Uncle of Jimmy Bertino.  

Description:  

Pre-Colony History: In December 1928 he was a new subscriber to the "Llano Colonist" along with J.H. Eggleston, Prof. W.D. Laurie, C.P. Allred, G.C. Campbell and Lester Caves -- all from Texas.

In May 1930 he was a new arrival in the colony and immediately went to work with Comrade Atwood in the big garden.  

Home in Colony: In 1931 he and his nephew, Jim, lived in the garden house which had been fixed up for them by John Szpila.  

Job in Colony: In 1930 he was working in the gardens. In October he and Atwood were still working in the garden and bringing along the Fall truck in splendid fashion.

In October 1931 Chas. Jaufroid and Dan Wooley, helped Bartlett build a log cabin in the center of the garden. Everyone was wondering who Bert Bertino would put in it.

Also in 1931 he volunteered to help with tearing down Cravens, Louisiana, where colonists were salvaging materials from the old sawmill town. In November of that year he and Charley Boydelatour were making a determined effort to clean all the stumps out of the hotel garden.

In June 1932 this story in the "Colonist": "Over across from the oil derrick, Bert Bertino goes methodically and effectively on his way, with his capable crews, gathering in beets, cucumbers, string beans and onions... If next week we have to report that the Colonist has been ruined by a flood of black stuff floating in through the windows of the printery and the laundry has quit running because they can't wash clothes in an atmosphere of crude oil, you'll probably guess that Claude Long has provoked a gusher. And what will Bertino do then. He'll probably smile some more. And then he'll hunt for some more places to plant cabbages and tomato plants."

In November 1934 he was undertaking the super-human task of unearthing a deep cement foundation in the lower section of Harriman Circle. The foundation had obviously been put in to support some heavy machinery when the place had been the site of the Gulf Lumber Company's operations.  

Other Info: A column from the "Colonist" in December 1932 stated, "Bert raises tomatoes while Jimmy (Bertino) raises bread. It's a great combination."

In 1933 he and Manager Pickett traveled to Arkansas to look over a plantation which they thought might fit into the colony's expansion program. Afterwards, Bertino went to Hot Springs, "for his rummatiz."  

Post-Colony History:  

Death: He died suddenly in November 1934 while living in the colony. When he hadn't arrived for breakfast or wished his comrades his usual cheery "Good Morning," Walter Duncan went to his home and found Bert with his arms folded as though in sleep. He was laid to rest on December 4th following an investigation by the coroner who ruled that he'd died of heart trouble.  

Sources: "Llano Colonist": December 1, 1928, May 31, 1930, October 25, 1930, March 14, 1931, October 31, 1931, November 14, 1931, December 10, 1932, September 30, 1933, December 8, 1934, December 15, 1934; Louisiana Statewide Death Index