ancestors

Letters from America

Second letter

Letters from America

The letter from Norbert Dejaco in Kentucky USA whose great-grandfather born in Val

Badia emigrated to the US from Urtijei-St. Ulrich. Norbert sent me the letters from My

great-grandfather Alois Kostner.

...

The first letter is dated 21 May 1893 written to my great-grandfather Franz

Dejaco, and signed by Alois Kostner. The second letter is dated 27 May 1898

written to my great-grandfather Franz Dejaco, and signed by Luigi Kostner.

They are handwritten on Alois Kostner letterhead stationary in both German

and Ladin. I was able to get the German script translated by a elderly nun

at the nearby convent, but the Ladin wasn't able to be translated although

we tried even at the University. Whatever you can do would be greatly

appreciated. From the cordial tone of the German translations it would

appear that my great-grandfather and Alois Kostner were friends and artists.

In 1847 my great-grandfather, Franz Dejaco, was born in Campill, Tyrol, then

part of the Austrian monarchy. He was the 10th child of a large family of

12 children. He reportedly attended the Institute at Innsbruck and studied

sculpture-art. He possibly did his apprenticeship in St. Ulrich. In 1881

he and an associate, Simone Grosserubacher, left Tyrol and came to the USA

through the port of New York. He established a sculptor shop in Milwaukee

where he sold religious sculptures and wood carvings. It is apparent that

the Moroder family (Josef Theodor) was close with my great-grandfather; they

possibly helped sponsore his business venture in the USA. In 1884 my

great-grandfather married Antonia Thoeny, another immigrant from Tyrol near

Pfunds. They later moved his family and business to the Northern Kentucky

area, and raised a family of nine children, two of whom became Catholic

priests.

I have photographs of several religious statues which my great-grandfather

created over the years. Some family members are fortunate to have

individual statues. Over the years the Catholic diocese eliminated many

religious artifacts from the local churches, but there now seems to be a

revival underway. Nevertheless, many of the statues that he created are

gone, and only the photographs of a few remain.

When Franz Dejaco left Tyrol his passport listed him as an Apprentice

Sculptor. I don't exactly understand what it took, but he eventually did

achieve his Masters certification, and began signing his works. Despite his

apparent reluctance to answer letters sent by old friends and relatives over

the years, he eventually did respond, and it is known that he sent aid

especially after the World War when Tyrol suffered so much devistation. My

great-grandfather died in 1926.

My sisters and I have attempted to journalize many of those early family

events and record them for future generations. We have extensive

information about the American family. During our endeavor we even

contacted an elderly Anthony Moroder, Sr. and he was most helpful. And we

have some information about our Tyrolean relations, but our attempt to

retrieve information is unfortunately hampered by distance and language. We

have often talked of visiting Tyrol as a team for a couple of weeks,

especially Campill, Bozen, St. Ulrich, Innsbruck, etc. to see for ourselves.