Ernest John Minoletti was born in Santa Maria Maggiore, Italy, in 1879. His parents were farmers, and his own early life was spent on the farm. About fourteen years before the war broke out, he came to the United States, taking up his residence in Nevada where two of his brothers were living. He followed in turn the occupation of miner and rancher, after which he became the owner of the Hamilton Stage Line, carrying United States Mail between that town and Ely. John Minoletti was a robust, hearty, big-hearted man who made friends with all classes of people, and who was known and liked throughout White Pine County.

On March 5th, 1918, he was sworn in at Fort McDowell, California, as a volunteer in the American Army. He was one of those real patriots who did not consider himself unobligated to serve simply because he was above the draft age. And, therefore, John Minoletti left his business to offer his services to his adopted country, and enrolled his name as a true and valiant American. Soon after his enlistment, he left for Camp Meade, Maryland, having been assigned to the 27th Engineers. But while on the train he was taken seriously ill with gastric ulcers, and was removed from the train at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the Mercy Hospital. There on the 18th of March, 1918, he gave up his life for the Flag, leaving a name which will be forever honored in Nevada. He now lies in the cemetery at Eureka, Nevada, where he was buried on March 27th, 1918. His mother and his wife, Angela Minoletti, reside in Santa Maria, Maggiore, Caimo, Italy, and two of his brothers are in Nevada. One is Charles Minoletti of Hamilton; the other Julius Minoletti, of Eureka. Fraternally, the soldier was a member of Hamilton Lodge NO. 17, I. O. O. F.