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Genealogy
Emigration
The Colorado Mines
Villages of Trentino
Cunevo
Flavon
Trentino Culture
The Iob (Yob) Families
My Ancestors
Trentino History
 

The following pages list some of the residents of the villages who emigrated to the US in the late 1800's - early 1900's and the areas they claimed as destinations.  

Campo Tassullo
Paviilo, Rallo, Tassullo

Tassullo - An ancient town in Val di Non

The town ("comune") of Tassullo is composed of five villages (or "frazioni"):

Tassullo was also known as Tassullum in Latin, with variations such as Tasule documented to the year 1181, and  Tasulle in 1231.  One theory states that the name is derived from the ancient peoples of the area known as "tulliassi" -- a term found in the Tavola Clesiana,  which granted Roman citizenship to area residents in 46 A.D. Surnames commone to Tassullo include Bentivoglio, Busetti, Corradini, and Pilati (originally from the town of Rovereto, this name made its first appearance in the late 1500s).

Rallo, also known as Rallum in Latin, appears to have maintained its name since at least 1163. Surnames common to this village include Cristani (which dates to the early 1400s), Guarenti, Pinamonti, Valentini, and Zenoniani.

Pavillo was known as Paville in the early 1200's.  Within one of its buildings (recently used as a school) are the remains of walls from an ancient tower built during the Roman era. The surname Menapace is very common in this village, with branches intermarrying quite often over the centuries.  The name was written Menapas in the 1600s to the early 1800s, and Menapasis in the 1300s to 1500s.

Campo Tassullo -- As was common in many areas of the world, accusations of witchcraft were often made in the villages of Val di Non.  In 1679, as a result of such accusations, a Margarita Menapace of Campo Tassullo was tortured and executed at Castel Nanno.

Sanzenone

A census from the year 1819 shows how small the villages were.  Tassullo had 164 residents in 23 houses, Rallo had 348 residents in 44 houses,  Pavillo had 175 residents in 29 houses, and Campo Tassullo had 19 houses with 163 residents.

 

Historical Tidbits

Castel Valer contains 84 rooms, and, with its octagonal tower,  prominently overlooks Campo Tassullo.  It was probably constructed in the 12th century, and contained two distinct areas -- "castello di sopra" and "castello di sotto" (upper and lower castles).  The division was not structural, but rather because they were occupied by two branches of the same Spaur family, the last of which occupied "castello di sotto" in the late 1800's.  The Spaur's were one of Trentino's oldest feudal families.

World War I brought mandatory military service to the villages. Many of the men conscripted into the Austrian army fought in Serbia. 36 lost their lives as a result of the war:   (Rallo - 16, Pavillo - 11, Campo Tassullo - 3, Tassullo - 6).

The names of those who lost their lives, or who were otherwise missing, as a result of the war are memorialized on the walls of a chapel erected at the Tassullo cemetery.

WW I memorial
Courtesy of Theresa Zeigler

 

Water comes to Le Quattro Ville

Two brothers, don Gioseffo and Carlo Pinamonti of Rallo were responsible for bringing desperately needed water from Lago di Tovel to the villages in 1852 by designing and constructing irrigation aqueducts.  Their efforts are remembered by a plaque placed on the exterior wall of their ancestral home.
(photo: Pinamonti house)


Pinamonti House
Courtesy of Theresa Zeigler

Church and Religion

Church Interior
S. Maria Assunta, Tassullo
Photo courtesy of Theresa Zeigler

Tassullo contained the "pieve" or "mother church" for the surrounding villages, including, for a period of time, Nanno and Tuenno. The current church, which has been documented to the year 1101 (year in which the altar was reconsecrated), is dedicated to S. Maria Assunta. It is believed that a church was here as far back as the 9th century. It was reconstructed between 1520 and 1540, and restored in 1894. Within the church itself can be found the coats-of-arms of some of the noble families of years ago (Busetti, de Concini, Guarienti, Madruzzo, Spaur).


Photo courtesy of Caryl Simpson


S. Paolo, Pavillo

Pavillo - the church of S. Paolo was established circa 15th century.  During its restoration, a wall bearing an inscribed date of 1442 was discovered.

 

Rallo -- S. Antonio traces its origins to a church believed built sometime during the late 12th century. It was reconstructed in the 15th century.  The church building itself was destroyed in a disasterous fire in 1866, and all that remains of the original structure is the bell tower.

Bell Tower
Bell Tower, Rallo

 

 


Theresa Zeigler, who is descended from the >Pinamonti and Valentini families,  has written an inspiring story of her family's emigration from Rallo to the US coal mines and beyond.