The home itself was originally built in 1895 and was designed in the Late Victorian Vernacular Revival style. Though the home comprises about 6,000 square feet now, it was originally about a third of that size. The original family that lived there was the Somerville family, whose patriarch was a tax collector for the City of Vernon and a dance instructor. He owned the home until about 1913, when it was sold to a man named H.G. Muller, who was the mayor of Vernon and owner of the Coldstream Hotel. Muller did a major renovation, and that’s how the house remained until the Caetani family arrived in 1921. The Caetani family were a preeminent family from Italy back in the day, with a known history dating back to 950 A.D., and no less than two different popes sharing their bloodline. In 1921, Leone Caetani – a famed scholar, politician and historian, who boasted titles such as Duke of Sermoneta and Prince of Teano – moved from Italy to Vernon following the rise of fascism and the unofficial end of his marriage. Leone’s first wife was Vittoria Colonna Caetani, who was also from a famous Italian family. He later met Ofelia Fabiani, with whom he had an illegitimate daughter, Sveva. Leone immigrated to Canada in order to be with his new family. Some staff members – as well as 33 trunks of luggage, including family treasures – made the journey with him. Leone moved to Vernon fully intending to live a more modest life than what he was used to in Italy, but his partner Ofelia likely didn’t feel as comfortable in her new surroundings. She continued to dress in designer MARCH 2023
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