Meet Angelo

This handsome young man provided the main thrust behind this journey.  Born in agrarian Conflenti Italy in 1892, Angelo applied for permission to immigrate to the USA on February 21, 1910.  Permission was granted on February 24, 1910 and shortly thereafter he was received into the USA by his Uncle John Sacco in Palo Alto PA.  Soon growing weary of the mining based economy, he moved on to Rolla Missouri and worked on a ranch.

Circa 1912, many residents of Rolla Missouri decided to pack up wholesale and pursue the homestead grants being offered in British Columbia, Canada. Near to 1916, Angelo decided to join them and although his alien status was registered in Redland Alberta Canada on June 22 of that year, he joined the group from Rolla Missouri that had set up shop just over the border in British Columbia via a homestead entry grant on June 25, 1917.  By that time their settlement had been established under the name of Rolla, British Columbia.  I guess that there’s nothing like taking a little bit of home along with you.

By July 1, 1920 Angelo commenced residence on his 160 acre grant and by August had completed his cabin. On July 20, 1922 he filed for the patent (title) on his homestead located 7.5 miles northeast of Rolla BC, citing his only absences were for periods of farm work in nearby Redland Alberta (even back then there were bills to pay). Homestead improvements amounted to breaking/cropping 52 of his homesteaded acres, and building a 14×19 log house, stable, granary and digging a well.  Adding to that period, 70 acres had been fenced.  Wheat was the crop of the area.  On August 19, 1922, he provided his certificate of Canadian naturalization, leading to his patent being recommended for approval on October 23, 1922.

 

 

Then…Angelo received a letter.  It was from his Uncle John, way back in Pennsylvania.  It seems that one of John’s friends had a couple of sisters that had arrived earlier, on November 26, 1921, (also) from Conflenti, Italy.  John thought Angelo should meet them.  Apparently Angelo thought so, too.  By June 30, 1923 he had made his way back to Pennsylvania, met, courted and married the sister named Emilia.

I suppose that the honeymoon was over when Emilia informed Angelo that, having emigrated all the way from Italy, she had no intention of moving, yet again, on to Rolla BC Canada. (I don’t know how to say in Italian “but, but…I’ve got all this land and animals and a cabin and…!)  So, in Pennsylvania, Angelo and Emilia would remain and raise their family.  He worked on the Reading Railroad and she ran the household.

On March 6, 1925, Angelo’s patent (title) was granted by the Canadian Department of the Interior.  His Rolla BC neighbor, Arlie Ivan Plaster had been farming the quarter section, in Angelo’s absence.  Angelo never returned to this land. His children had no interest in taking its title or visiting it. So, Arlie Plaster went on to purchase the land from Angelo on January 10, 1945, two years after the completion of the Alaska Highway with its milepost zero in nearby Dawson Creek BC.  Angelo used a portion of the proceeds to buy Emilia a brand new dining room set (the things we do for love).

To finish this saga, in the late 1950s Angelo and Emilia relocated to join their son Leonard and daughter Jenny, already living in Maywood California.  On June 18, 1957, Mr. Plaster sold the storied property to Christian and Andrew Raaen, and then he traveled to Maywood California to visit his old friend Angelo.  I’m quite sure that Emilia listened-in very closely to all of their conversations during that visit.

Thank you for indulging me with this personal story about Angelo and Emilia Pascuzzo, my paternal grandparents.  He was my first mentor and as a skilled hunter, carpenter, stone mason and all-around handyman, I benefitted immensely from knowing him and also those that he fostered.  I think of them all often and can clearly hear them from time to time.

The photos were taken by me earlier today and yes, that is the same 160 acre plot that has fueled this story and provided the impetus for a major portion of this journey.  I’ve added to those, a few of the nearby city of Rolla BC.