Aloisio Orelli

Aloisio Orelli (after 1486 – 13 July 1572) was a merchant and pharmacist from Locarno who became a founding member of the Protestant community there before fleeing to Zürich as a religious refugee. He is the ancestor of the Orelli family of Zürich.

Life

Aloisio Orelli was born after 1486 in Locarno, the son of Johannetus Orello. He married Apollonia Toma, also from Locarno.

In 1541, Orelli purchased a pharmacy in Locarno and engaged in trade. He was among the leaders of the Protestant community in Locarno. In 1555, religious persecution forced him to take refuge in Zürich.

By 1557, Orelli owned a shop in Zürich where he traded in leather goods, hats, soaps, tallow, and candles. From 1558 onward, he expanded his commerce to include silk fabrics, velvet, and ticking. He died in Zürich on 13 July 1572.

Legacy

Orelli is recognized as the progenitor of the Orelli family of Zürich. In 1797, Salomon von Orelli dedicated to him an idealized biography of over 500 pages.