James Dalmazzo was born on December 14, 1784, in Torino, Torino, Italy. He married Lucy Johnson and they had eight children together. He then married Ann Elizabeth Price and they had one son together. He died on January 29, 1846, in Switzerland, Indiana, at the age of 61.
When James Dalmazzo was 20 he left home to start life in America. He arrived from Turin to Pennsylvania on the American ship "Liberty", Capt. Sidney H. Burrough, out of Amsterdam. They sailed from the Texel, 4 Aug 1805 - arrived 18 Oct 1805. James was listed as having one chest of clothes with him. John Marcel's letter of 22 oct 1805 tells us that it was the poor judgement of the "Second" that led to breaking the mast in a gale, the night of 28-29 Aug 1805. Repairs took all the next day, after which the passengers had the pleasure of seeing the mast raised again, but now at least ten feet shorter than it was before!
James settled in Switzerland Co IN in 1805 (listed for Ohio land purchase). At the age of 31 he married Lucy Johnson on 11 June 1815. Lucy was the daughter of Gabrial and Lucy (Hackley) Johnson, who also lived in Switzerland Co. James and Lucy were neighbors of Judge Joseph Malin. The Judge's son, Ira, married James' daughter, Elizabeth. Lucy and James children were: Joseph, b. 1816; Elizabeth J., b. 25 Sept. 1818; Johnson, b. c1820; and Gabriel J., b. 22 Jan. 1821.
Naturalization Papers - October Term 1828, 21 October, pages 432, 433 (copy received from Ann Stage):
"James Dalmazzo" (The Clerk of the Court wrote his z's so that they appeared to be r's - i.e. Dalmarro - this form was done consistently throughout the document as in citizen, Switzerland, etc., therefore I have used the z in transcribing for clarity.) an application to become a citizen Now in his own person in open court comes James Dalmazzo, and preparatory to becoming a citizen of the United States makes the following report that he was born in Turin in Piedmont in the year 1784, that he owes allegiance to the King of Sardinia that he emigrated from the Canton de (Vaeed sp.?) in Switzerland to the United States and landed at Philadelphia in Pennsylvania one of the United States sometime in the latter part of the summer of 1805. That he (second page starts with October Term 1828 21 Oct. at the heading) has ever since resided within the jurisdiction of the United States, particularly in the territory and State of Indiana. That he now resides and intends residing in the County of Switzerland and State of Indiana and is forty four years of age. And the said James Dalmazzo now prays to be admitted a citizen of the United States. And in appearing by the records of this court that the said James Dalmazzo had in open court before the Judges thereof declared on oath by intention to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce fore ever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, State or Sovereignty whatever, and particularly to the King of Sardinia and it now appearing in evidence to the satisfaction of the court by the oath of John Frances Dufour that he said James Dalmazzo has resided more than five years within the United States, and within the State of Indiana one year at least and that during that time he has behaved as a man of as good moral character attached to the principles of the constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and happenings of the same. And the said James Dalmazzo now declares on oath that he will support the constitution of the United States, and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance to every foreign prince, potentate, State or Sovereignties whatever and particularly to the King of Sardinia. The said James Dalmazzo is hereby declared a citizen of the United States.
James was elected one of seven First Trustees for Vevay Indiana. He purchased land (Early Ohio Settlers) on 1 Jul 1816 - Switz,IN 03 0323 and on 13 Aug 1836, Switz IN 03 0220. He is listed as owning a tavern in Vevay and later his son, Gabriel Dalmazzo owned Dalmazzo House Hotel. James' wife, Lucy, is listed as a Baptist.
Elizabeth (Dalmazzo) Malin was named as heiress of the Dalmazzo estate in Italy. However, when a family friend, a lawyer, went over to settle the estate he came back and informed the family that there was nothing left. The family was under the impression that the estate was quite large. Within the year the lawyer suddenly became very rich! This would indicate that James Dalmazzo came from wealth (in Turin) and at the time of his departure from Turin, Napoleon was 'drafting' young men for his army, which might be the reason James emigrated.
From the History of Switzerland County Indiana 1885:
p.1099 "About 1826 or 1827 a person named Thomas Ramsey, who was addicted to inebriation, was induced by some of those who wished to get their liquor without paying to become a candidate for representative. These friends of his after getting him about 'half seas over', would get him on a dray and haul him in triumph to 'Switzerland,' and back to town, after drinking several bottles of wine. This occurred several times. One evening, instead of using the dray, they put him on their shoulders and started for Mr. Dalmazzo's, who was selling 'the ardent' on Main Cross Street. They started from the corner of Min and Ferry Streets and wandered out of the way and over about where Clarkson's, Thiebaud's and Todd's houses now stand, which was rather a low place, and where there was quite a pond of water, they stumbled and fell with Ramsey, and some of them taking him by the feet, dragged him through the water to Dalmazzo's. ...This occurred about a week before the August election.
p.1129 "Malin & Dalmazzo had a store on Ferry Street, we think, midway between Main and Pike Streets, northwest side; and Ira Malin had a saddler shop also in the same building. He sold out to a Mr. Browning shortly after we came.
p.1118 "The first person buried in that lot (burying ground) was Mrs Nighswonger, the grandmother of Mrs. Elizabeth Dalmazzo, widow of Jos. Dalmazzo.
p1210 " ... re Julius Dufour "He was married, July 9, 1839, to Ann Elizabeth Malin, daughter of Judge Malin, with whom he lived a happy but brief period of seventeen years, she dying June 8, 1856...He returned to Vevay (from KY) in 1845 to enter mercantile pursuits again, the firm name being J. Dufour & Co., having at different times as partners J. Dalmazzo, Philip Golay, John S. Roberts and John W. Malin, and occupying the building now owned and occupied by O. S. Waldo.
p.1009 "The taxes for the year 1816, levied in the county ... as road tax ... On James Dalmazzo's store, 25 cents.
p.1076/77 "Some time in the year 1819 there were in the prison bounds of this county several persons against whom judgments were obtained, executions issued, and the officer, not finding any property whereon to levy, had delivered them over to the jailer; but the execution plaintiffs refusing to pay the jailer for keeping them confined in the jail and feeding them, they gave bond and security that they would not go outside the prison bounds, which was within the limits of the town; and as most of them resided in town they could live with their families. Among the number were Charles Henderson, John Mendenhall, James Dalmazzo, Edward Patton and John F. Siebenthal.
p.1127 "By special act of the Indiana Legislature, approved January 30, 1836, Vevay was incorporated June 6, of the same year. An election was held on that day at the court house between the hours of 10 o'clock A.M. and 4 o'clock P.M., for the purpose of electing seven trustees of the new town...The ballots were cast by the people, which resulted in giving to Vevay her first seven trustees as follows: John F. Dufour, Francis G. Sheets, Joseph C. Eggleston, William Shaw, James Dalmazzo, Charles Thiebaud and Frederick L. Grisard.
p.1048 "At a meeting of the Baptist Curch of Christ, held in Vevay, December 29, 1832, the following persons united themselves for the purpose of forming an arm of the Regular Baptist Church: John R. Cotton, Benoit Courvoisier, Thomas Morris, Augustine Courvoisier, Frederick L. Thiebaud, Henrietta Thiebaud, Caroline E. Thiebaud, Lucy Dalmazzo, Lydia Kirtley, William Price and Mordecai McKenzie.
p.1133 "The Dalmazzo House is a new hotel, on Ferry Street, kept by Gabriel Dalmazzo." (Vevay in 1876)
p.1189 "...Re John W. Banta ... daughter, "Lula, born February 27, 1859 (now Mrs. Dalmazzo).
p.1057 "Mr. Armstrong continued the publication of the Democrate till 1882, when he disposed of the office to P.T. Hartford and F.M. Dalmazzo, who, as a firm, conducted the paper till April 1, 1884, when Mr. Dalmazzo withdrew and Mr. Hartford became sole proprietor, which he still remains.
p.1223 "In partnership with F.M. Dalmazzo he (Philip T. Hartford) purchased the Vevay Democrat...purchasing his partner's interest in the paper in April, 1884.
A Johnston Dalmazzo is listed in the 1870 KY census, age 50 born in Indiana. Since Lucy's maiden name is Johnson it is probable that he is a son of James and Lucy Dalmazzo.
Information received from Ann Stage (a gggg granddaughter of James and Lucy):
"....born in Turin, Italy, in 1784; came to the US in 1805 from Switzerland; became a citizen in 1828 in Switzerland Co. IN; married 1st Lucy Johnson (daughter of Gabriel Johnson & Elizabeth Sebree). The only children I have listed from that 1st marriage were Joseph, b. 1816, Elizabeth (my connection), b. 1818, and Gabriel, b. 1821. Your Johnson must have been in there between Eliz and Gabriel if he was 50 in the 1870 census. Lucy died at age 38 and 2nd wife was Elizabeth Price, w/6 more children. He died 29 Jan. 1846 in Switzerland Co. & is buried in Vevay...."
A G.W. Dalmazo is listed in the 1870 KY census - another possible son?
Note: James Dalmazzo was actually from Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
Some of the Settlers Arrived on the Ship Liberty in 1805 Mrs. Gex and her 6 children, Luke Oboussier, and James Dalmazzo arrived in Philadelphia on the Liberty in October, 1805. The ship had sailed from Amsterdam, chartered by Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler, one of the partners in a "Societe" (a legal partnership) for the establishment of a new Swiss colony in the United States. The partners had recruited about a hundred adults whom they considered well qualified to set up a new colony. Including the children of the colonists, there were 162 passengers. However, some of the passengers, such as the Gex family, were apparently not part of the projected colony, since Mr. Gex himself had arrived at the Dufour settlement a few years earlier. The formation of the proposed colony was delayed when the assets of the Societe proved to be tied up in the courts in South Carolina and France. These assets were claims against money the State of South Carolina had to pay for the lease, operation, and loss of the French ship Indien, which had been used as a privateer during the Revolutionary War. The money should have been paid to the owners of the ship, but the principal owner, the Prince of Luxembourg, had since gone bankrupt, and the other owners, members of the military unit called the "Legion de Luxembourg", had died or had sold their claims to others. The question of who the rightful claimants were remained stuck in the courts for many years without a clear resolution. One of the partners, Jaques Marcel of Lausanne, spent several years in Charleston, hoping to obtain a settlement. The other partners found employment in the Philadelphia area, and the colonists, at first assisted by Hassler from his own funds, eventually had to fend for themselves. Apart from the partners, my ancestor John Marcel, the small group that went to Vevay, and a few others, we do not know what became of the passengers.
The Dalmazzo family was originally from Dalmatia (Dalmazzo Croatian meaning From Dalmatia). According to a Dalmazzo relative they were originally pirates and the Doge sort of bribed them to leave his shipping alone by giving them land in Turino Area and a title. They then became winemakers, at least later generations.
Chapter XXXVIII An act for the relief of persons therein named.(Approved January 26, 1847.) That the agent for loaning the surplus revenue in the county of Switzerland be and he is hereby authorized to take and receive of and from Stephen G. Peabody, and the administrator of the estate of James Dalmazzo, late of the said county, deceased, or from the heirs of said James Dalmazzo (the said Stephen G. Peabody and Dalmazzo being the securities of Causby M. Lewis) the sum of four hundred dollars in full satisfaction of a certain judgment rendered against them in favor of the State of Indiana at the April term, 1839, of the Switzerland circuit court (costs exempted).
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David P. | Golay | Grantor | A71 | Grantee | James | Delmazo | Deed | 1817 |
| Antoine | Guibert | Grantee | A136 | Grantor | James | Dalmazzo | Bond | 1817 |
| John Francis | Dufour | Grantor | A136 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo | Bond | 1816 |
| John Francis & Polly | Dufour | Grantor | A396 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo | Deed | 1819 |
| John Francis & Polly | Dufour | Grantor | A398 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo | Deed | 1819 |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James & Lucy | Dalmazzo | Grantor | B32 | Grantee | John F. | Dufour |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | B83 | Grantee | Gabriel | Johnson |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | B214 | Grantee | Jean | Daniel |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | D57 | Grantor | Israel R. | Whitehead |
| Martin | Roher | Grantor | D236 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Gabriel | Johnston | Grantor | D294 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Collector | Grantor | D300 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo | |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | D302 | Grantor | Collector | |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | D312 | Grantee | John F. | Dufour |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | D396 | Grantee | Milladary | |
| Mathias | Maday | Grantee | D396 | Grantor | J. | Dalmazzo |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | D567 | Grantor | Banta | Sheriff |
| Sheriff | Grantor | D567 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo | |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | D594 | Grantee | John F. | Cotton |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Jr. & Hannah | Farrell | Grantor | E228 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| James Sr. & Elleanor | Farrell | Grantor | E228 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Daniel & Antoinette | Morerod | Grantor | F29 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Francis S. | Lindley | Grantor | F30 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| James & Lucy | Dalmazzo | Grantor | F279 | Grantee | Samuel | Henry |
| Cyrus & Sarah P. | Hatch | Grantor | F280 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Vincent & Ann | Dufour | Grantor | F290 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Daniel Vincent & Ann | Dufour | Grantor | F291 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| John Daniel & Antoinette | Morerod | Grantor | F292 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| William B & Evelina | Emmett | Grantor | F398 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Benjamin S. W. | Brown | Grantee | F608 | Grantor | James | Dalmazzo |
| James & Lucy | Dalmazzo | Grantor | F618 | Grantee | Mathias | Maddry |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | G127 | Grantee | Charles F. | Krutz |
| Charles F. & Polly | Krutz | Grantor | G133 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Joseph | Dalmazzo | Grantee | G385 | Grantor | Eli | Ogle |
| James | Dalmazzo | G418 | Probate Court | |||
| David | Schoonover | Grantee | G502 | Grantor | James | Dalmazzo |
| United States | Grantor | G502 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo | |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | G505 | Grantee | Ulysses | Schenck |
| James | Dalmazzo | Bond | G517 | Indiana [State] | ||
| Robert | LeClerc | Grantee | G590 | Grantor | James | Dalmazzo |
| Robert & Julia E. | LeClerc | Grantor | G631 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | G633 | Grantee | Peter | Sherman |
| John Lewis | Chandet | Grantor | G634 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| James & Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | G668 | Grantee | Elizabeth | Dalmazzo |
| Ulysses & Elizabeth | Boral | Grantor | G692 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | G693 | Grantor | Lawrence | Nihell |
| Indiana [State] | G718 | Bond | James | Dalmazzo |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James & Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | H52 | Grantee | Frederick L. | Grisard |
| John Francis & Polly | Dufour | Grantor | H154 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| James & Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | H235 | Grantee | Ulysses P. | Schenck |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | H433 | Grantor | John | Sheets |
| Joseph | Dalmazzo | Grantee | H486 | Grantor | Hugh | Campbell |
| James | Dalmazzo | Bond | H588 | Indiana |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James | Dalmazzo | Bond | I521 | Indiana [State] | ||
| Joseph | Dalmazzo | Grantee | I531 | Grantor | Geo W. | Hill |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | I607 | Grantor | Frederick | Green |
| William Sr. | Picket | Grantor | I632 | James | Dalmazzo |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James & Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | J85 | Grantee | Joseph | McCutchen |
| Elizabeth & James | Dalmazzo | Grantor | J306 | Grantee | Frederick L. | Grisard |
| James | Dalmazzo | J510 | Sheriff's Sale |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | K70 | Grantor | John M. | King |
| Joseph | Dalmazzo | K127 | Court of Chancery | |||
| James & Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | K208 | Grantee | Ulysses P. | Schenck |
| James & Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | K208 | Grantee | Joseph | McCutchen |
| James & Elizabeth Ann | Dalmazzo | Grantor | K486 | Grantee | Ira N. | Malin |
| James | Dalmazzo | Grantee | K489 | Grantor | Ira N. | Malin |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John F. & Polly | Dufour | Grantor | L441 | Grantee | Joseph | Dalmazzo |
| Joseph | Dalmazzo | L450 | Circuit Court | |||
| Powel & Margaret | Taylor | Grantor | L494 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Daniel Vincent & Ann | Dufour | Grantor | L495 | Grantee | James | Dalmazzo |
| Given Name | Surname | Role | Page | Role | Given Name | Surname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M178 | Grantee | Perret | Dufour |
| Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M178 | Grantee | Josiah | Jackman |
| Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M181 | Grantee | Ulysses P. | Schenck |
| Elizabeth Ann | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M193 | Grantee | Charles | Theiband |
| Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M203 | Grantee | Charles T. | Jones |
| Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M221 | Grantee | Joseph | McCutchen |
| Ann Elizabeth | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M305 | Grantee | Robt. N. | Lamb |
| James W. & George Jr. | Boyd | Grantee | M542 | Grantor | Joseph & Gabriel I. | Dalmazzo |
| Gabriel & Elizabeth | Johnston | Grantor | M552 | Grantee | Joseph & Gabriel J. | Dalmazzo |
| Joseph & Gabriel J. | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M553 | Grantee | Indiana [State} | |
| Gabriel & Elizabeth | Johnston | Grantee | M557 | Grantor | Joseph | Dalmazzo |
| Joseph & Gabriel J. | Dalmazzo | Grantee | M558 | Grantor | Gabriel & Elizabeth | Johnston |
| Gabriel J. | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M566 | Grantee | Joseph | Dalmazzo |
| Gabriel J. | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M578 | Grantee | Joseph | Dalmazzo |
| Joseph | Dalmazzo | Grantor | M579 | Grantee | Ira N. | Malin |