64. 

Donna Mott Turney 17 Dec 1926 - 11 January 2026, age 99

Granddaughter of Rocco Vincenzo Sarli AKA Joseph Louis Mott

Donna Faye "Betty" Mott Turney, 99, passed away at her home in Alamogordo, NM, on 11 January, 2026. Betty was born on December 17, 1926 in Lehi, Utah, the fifth of 12 children, to Jacob Lyman and Elsie Sowards Mott.

Betty enjoyed a life-long passion of learning. She graduated from high school in 1943 as valedictorian of La Jara High School, La Jara, Colorado, and then graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Bacteriological Sciences in 1947 from Adams State College, Alamosa, Colorado. She began her medical technology career shortly thereafter at St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In 1949, she married John F. "Jack" Turney, and together they raised four children. After their marriage, Jack began his career in the National Park Service, and Betty continued working in the medical technology field for another 30 years, including performing research in Los Alamos, NM, as well as working in laboratories in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Arkansas. When Jack retired from the National Park Service after 30 years of service, Jack and Betty purchased and operated White Sands Concessions from 1981 to 1996.

Her passion for learning, combined with a love of plants acquired from growing up on a farm, led Betty to become a Master Gardener. She eventually became President of the Alamogordo Garden Club, and ultimately, President of the New Mexico State Garden Club in 2001.

In her twilight years, despite failing eyesight, Betty continued her quest for learning by listening to audio books each night and keeping up with current events. All who knew her well were amazed by her mental acuity, especially in her later years.

Betty is survived by a brother, Dr. Joseph Mott, a sister, Jeannie (John) Brandis, and all of her children -- daughters Janet White and Elizabeth Schellman (Mark), and sons Brian Turney (Carol), and John Turney. Jack and Betty also have 13 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

The memorial service for Donna "Betty" Turney will be held Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 11 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1800 23rd Street, Alamogordo, NM.

Inurnment in the Santa Fe National Cemetery will be held at a later date.

 63.   Joseph Louis Mott's Naderman harp

 62.

Old photo of Sarli/DeCarolis house

 

 61. 

Rocco Galgano in front of Sarli/DeCarolis building

Molto bello, Rocco!

 60.

Sarli Home in Laurenzana (part 2)

by Dr. Joseph Mott

After seeing the Sarli land in the country, we returned to the cars. I removed my muddy shoes and climbed into Giovanni’s Audi. He announced that we would now go to the “Sarli house." This surprised me, as he had never before mentioned a Sarli house to us before.  He told me he had been in the house when his aunt lived there with his Uncle Luigi De Carolis.  He loved his great-aunt Maria Carmela Sarli.  She was a daughter of Grandpa Mott's brother, Vito Sarli (1855-1944). This house is located in the village, on SS92, which weaves its way through the village. The house is not far into the village. When you look out over the hill below, there is a lot of green countryside.  The house itself has two levels.  The house has been reconstructed on one end, so that only part of the original remains as it was. That part has steps up to the upper level, and the old original arch of the front door, and a broader entrance through an arch into the lower level. The key of the arch of the door has the date 1839. The building to the right is an old school, apparently built in 1809, and there is a plaque on the front wall commemorating an event. Walking down through the front arch, there are some stairs to  the right leading upstairs to a door, and two more large arches, one through the back wall, and overlooking a valley, and and the other toward the left, with a double gate or iron door that you can easily see over the top.  

Giovanni told me that the Sarli's kept their animals on the lower level.  He said it was a large space before the construction modifications.  I asked him how many animals it might hold. He said “40." Adam and I think that Grandpa Mott may have herded the sheep to pasture each morning from this area. This house is on SS92, but that is the modern name. I will do a little research and see if the street name was possibly strada Trojana, where Grandpa Mott was born.

In a letter written by Gwen Mott, Uncle Elmer's 2nd wife, she says that Uncle Elmer remembered that his father said he lived in a house that was big and white. That leaves the possibility that this was the house where Grandpa Mott was born and lived.  It looks like it was a substantial house and could easily be described as white. Once the ground dries out, Giovanni hopes to explore a second rural area property connected with the name Sarli.

 59.

The Sarli Home in The Country (part 1)

by Dr. Joseph Mott

On Saturday, June 10, 2023, Giovanni De Carolis led us to a rural property just outside of the village of Laurenzana.  Adam, Fernanda, Christopher, Julieta, and I got out of the car. It had been raining some, and we climbed over what looked looked like an electric wire fence, but we didn’t get shocked.  We started up a little hillside.  The ground was pretty wet, and there were a lot of clumps of grass, but dirt between, sort of a slippery clay, making it difficult to walk or climb up the hill. We all  managed to reach the top of the hill, but did not find any buildings or ruins of buildings. Lower down on the hill, it looked washed out, and there was water seeping from the ground.  Someone had put a new black plastic hose, about 1 1/2 inch in diameter, into the hill where the water was seeping. The hose ran down the hill further, across a little stream, and then up onto the property beyond a fence on the other side.  I surmised that someone had tapped a spring for water.  I was interested in seeing this because Grandpa Mott reportedly lived close to a spring or stream in a rural area.  One account mentioned the possibility of a spring running under the house.  In any event, we did not see any ruins of a house in the washed out area.  In fact, it was not a good locale for a house because of the rough terrain.  The stream was small, but probably could carry a lot of water in the wet season.  Someone had constructed dams (we saw two), out of large masonry blocks, each with a broad spillway in the middle. Perhaps they wanted to form small pools. 

 58.

Dr. Joseph Mott visits Laurenzana

Dr. Joseph Mott, his son Adam and daughter-in-law Fernanda with their two children, visited the Province of Potenza June 8 -11. On June 8, they stayed overnight in Viggiano. During the day, Giovanni Antonio De Carolis, his wife Antonietta, and translator Annalisa Pisillo drove from Laurenzana and met with the Mott's for the very first time at their hotel in Viggiano.

L to R: Dr. Joseph Mott, Annalisa Pisillo, Antonietta Martoccia, Giovanni De Carolis, Adam Mott

Giovanni is the grand-nephew of Maria Carmela Sarli (1898-1990), daughter of Vito Maria Sarli (1855-1944) who was the brother of Rocco Vincenzo Sarli AKA Joseph Louis Mott (1857-1894). As a boy growing up in Laurenzana, Giovanni knew and dearly loved Maria and her husband Luigi Policarpio De Carolis (1899-1980).

Now Giovanni works for the city of Laurenzana and his wife is a math teacher. They are the parents of two grown sons, Rocco and Marcello, who  both live and work in Potenza. Rocco is a security guard and Marcello is a high school music teacher who is gaining fame as a classical guitarist and virtuoso of the chittara battente.

 

Mary "Kathleen" (Mott) Jefferson of Grand Junction, Colorado passed away peacefully at the age of 85 on April 5th in the presence of loved ones. Kathleen was born May 31st, 1937 in Alamosa, Colorado to her parents Elsie (Sowards) and Jacob Mott. She was the 9th of 12 children.

Kathleen was raised in Alamosa and attended Adam State College, where she proudly represented the school as a cheerleader. While at Adam State, Kathleen met her husband of 66 years, Jay Jefferson, and they were married January 26, 1957.

In 1966 Kathleen and Jay set roots in Grand Junction. She began her first years in Grand Junction as a homemaker raising her 2 children. In 1972 she began her career with Mesa College as a Residence Hall Director. Later she was assigned the duties of Assistant Housing Director and ultimately served as Housing Director until her retirement. In retirement, Kathleen enjoyed spending time in her home, working in her flower garden, and being visited by family.

Kathleen was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where she graciously and proudly served others in their times of need.

Kathleen is survived by her husband John W. "Jay" Jefferson of Grand Junction, CO; son Kendall (Jennifer) Jefferson of Lindon, UT; their four children: Lindsey (Justin) Reed, Andrew (Claire) Jefferson, Parker Jefferson, Samuel Jefferson, and 6 great grandchildren; daughter Jill (Deryl) McKinnerney of Hondo, TX; their 3 children: Taylor Rae McKinnerney, Monty McKinnerney (deceased), and Nathan McKinnerney. She has three surviving siblings: Donna "Betty" Turney of Alamogordo, NM, Dr. Joseph Mott of Chandler, AZ, and Jeannie Brandis of Flagstaff, AZ.

A memorial service will be held at a date to be announced.

Please express your condolences at this site: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/grand-junction-co/mary-jefferson-11237284/add-memory

 56. 

Article: "The Slave Children"

Marie Abrams of the Pavese and Martoccia families has shared with us an article, "The Slave Children of New York," written by David McCormick and published in the Winter 2012 issue of Italian America. Thank you, Marie! I can only share excerpts due to copyright restrictions.

The New York Times published on June 17, 1873: "It has been learned that at the present time there are between 7,000 and 8,000 children kidnapped from Italy held in this state of slavery in the large cities of the United States, New York being the great central entrepot. The children are brought here and sold daily by private auction, prices varying from $100 to $300 for boys, and from $100 to $500 for girls."

The article says that "most of these children were from small towns in Italy, snatched from their beds or given freely by their parents to Italian agents called padroni." They were given one outfit and were given basic lessons playing the triangle, harp, or violin.

In 1873, one Italian mother from Basilicata sailed to America with her two young children to search for her other four children who had been kidnapped.

Once resettled in crowded poor neighborhoods in Brooklyn or Manhattan, they were expected to wake early, eat a small piece of brown bread or some pasta, and ordered to go out and not return until they had filled their quota of 50 to 80 cents.

In 1873, a New York Times reporter who spoke Italian came upon three young boys around a garbage can in an alley. He learned that six-year old Francesco and his friend Pietrovito had been kidnapped and sent to America. The 12-year old's name was Rocco and he gave Laurenzana as his place of birth.

"The New York Times played a pivotal role in unmasking the plight of the young Italian street musicians. . . it took the combined efforts of the biggest Italian American fraternal organization, the Italian government and finally the U.S. Congress to end it."

"In December 1873, the Italian parliament passed legislation making the selling or employing of abducted children a felony. . . on July 22 1874, the U.S. Congress passed the 'Padrone Act' forbidding the use of children under 16 in public entertainments. The laws greatly diminished this slave trade. By the late 1880's the Italian street musicians had all but disappeared from the sidewalks of New York City."

 55.

The stream that ran under the house

54.

Land for grazing sheep on Sarli homestead 

 53.

Bridge next to Sarli homestead land,

off of SS92

 52. 

Giovanni De Carolis of Laurenzana, Italy,

working on Sarli homestead land 8 March 2023

(grandnephew of Luigi De Carolis & Maria Carmela Sarli)

 51.

"late Renaissance harp"

I found this photo on the internet when looking for old small harps that might have been similar to the ones that Giuseppe Pecora's troupe of boy musicians might have played back in the 1870's. 

 50.

Pensieri di Annie Romano Niccolai . . . per chi vuole visitare Laurenzana

(Annie e io ci siamo conosciuti tramite Ancestry.com e abbiamo scoperto che siamo imparentati! In precedenza aveva condiviso alcune delle sue splendide foto e un video delle sue visite.)

"Sono la nipote di immigrati lucani italiani. Per 15 anni ho svolto ricerche approfondite e genealogiche nella regione Basilicata, con un interesse per Laurenzana. Recentemente, ho deciso di chiudere il cerchio del viaggio dei miei nonni tornando nel Vecchio Paese .

Stavo cercando un legame più profondo con la terra da cui hanno avuto origine i miei antenati. La genealogia era un inizio, un legame importante. È stata un'ancora di salvezza, in realtà, per me e per altri come me, tutti noi che cercavamo di comprendere le nostre radici: il sangue, il suolo e la cultura che hanno dato vita alle nostre linee familiari.

I miei nonni non tornavano mai in Italia e spesso non riuscivano a parlare del Vecchio Paese. Era semplicemente troppo doloroso. Per questo motivo, sono rimasto con innumerevoli domande senza risposta, come molti di noi. Così ho deciso di approfondire, di essere il primo della mia famiglia a tornare a Laurenzana dopo 160 anni. Non ho mai provato un senso più familiare di profonda connessione.

Ci sono molte cose meravigliose che vorrei condividere sul villaggio: i bei dialetti e la lingua, i profumi, il cibo, la ricca cultura, la squisita campagna, ma soprattutto le persone straordinarie. L'ospitalità che mi hanno mostrato è stata meravigliosa. Erano gentili, affettuosi, rispettosi, sinceri e disposti a dare una mano. La gente del posto si è sentita onorata della mia venuta, che non sono semplicemente passata, ma ho impiegato del tempo per apprezzare, per iniziare a capire.

Laurenzana è piena di molte belle chiese: Chiesa Madre Assunta (la chiesa madre, che mette in mostra il corpo del beato Beato Edigio), Chiesa Madonna del Carmine, San Vito, San Filomena, San Giorgio, chiese antiche piene di incredibile arte e storia.

Un massiccio castello e fortezza risalente all'anno 1000 d.C., torreggia in cima al villaggio. Laurenzana ha mercati, panetterie e ristoranti; le sue montagne e i suoi sentieri sono pieni di abeti bianchi e faggi. Ci sono festival, concerti e rappresentazioni teatrali e una piazza cittadina dove tutti si riuniscono per incontrarsi, mantenendo vivacemente un forte senso di comunità.

Se dovessi decidere di visitare, è importante prendersi del tempo. Passeggia per le strade dove un tempo vivevano i tuoi antenati; Strada San Giorgio, S. Sofia e Carmine, San Giacomo, Canaglione, Vicolo del Prato, Via Umberto, S. Silvestro, Via Roma, Vico Sette Torre. Scatta foto, esplora, annusa i sapori, assaggia il cibo, ma soprattutto entra in contatto con le persone. Ascolta e lasciati guidare.

I ricordi che ho creato a Laurenzana dureranno tutta la vita. Le connessioni ora forgiate si sono radicate profondamente dentro di me e non potranno mai essere dimenticate. Ogni visita mi avvicina a quello che sono".

Annie Romano Niccolai

49.

Thoughts from Annie Romano Niccolai                                               . . . for those wanting to visit Laurenzana

(Annie and I met through Ancestry.com and have discovered that we are related! She previously shared some of her gorgeous photos and a video from her visits.)

"I am the granddaughter of Italian Lucanian immigrants. For 15 years, I have done extensive research and genealogy in the Basilicata region, with an interest in Laurenzana. Recently, I decided to bring my grandparents’ journey full circle by returning to the Old Country. 

I was looking for a deeper connection to the land where my ancestors originated. Genealogy was a beginning, an important link. It was a lifeline, actually, for me and others like me, all of us seeking to understand our roots—the blood, soil, and culture that birthed our family lines.

My grandparents never returned to Italy and often could not speak of the Old Country. It was simply too painful. Because of this, I was left with countless unanswered questions, as are many of us. So I decided to delve in, to be the first of my family to return to Laurenzana in 160 years. Never have I felt a more familiar sense of deep connection.

There are many wonderful things I’d like to share about the village—the beautiful dialects and language, the scents, the food, the rich culture, the exquisite countryside, but most of all, the extraordinary people. The hospitality that they showed me was wonderful. They were kind, affectionate, respectful, sincere, and willing to lend a helping hand. The locals felt honored that I came—that I did not simply pass through, but took time to appreciate, to begin to understand.

Laurenzana is filled with many beautiful churches: Chiesa Madre Assunta (the mother church, which showcases the body of blessed Beato Edigio), Chiesa Madonna del Carmine, San Vito, San Filomena, San Giorgio—ancient churches filled with incredible art and history. 

A massive castello and fortress dating back to the year 1000 a.d., towers atop the village. Laurenzana has markets, bakeries, and restaurants; its mountains and trails are filled with silver fir and beech trees. There are festivals, concerts, and plays, and a town square where all gather to meet, vibrantly maintaining a strong sense of community.

If you should decide to visit, it’s important to take time. Stroll through the streets where your ancestors once lived; Strada San Giorgio, S. Sofia e Carmine, San Giacomo, Canaglione, Vicolo del Prato, Via Umberto, S. Silvestro, Via Roma, Vico Sette Torre. Take pictures, explore, smell the flavors, taste the food, but most of all, connect with the people. Listen and let them guide you.

The memories I’ve made in Laurenzana will last a lifetime. The connections now forged have rooted deep within me and can never be forgotten. Each visit brings me closer to who I am."

Annie Romano Niccolai

48. 

FOUND: 

Sarlo-Pecora connection

As a family, after finding Joseph Louis Mott's true identity as Rocco Vincenzo Sarli, we have often wondered how he became connected to Giuseppe Pecora (1827-1875), the leader of the traveling musical group. Giuseppe "Joe" Pecora was born in Laurenzana and surely would have been known to Rocco/Joseph as a child.

I recently found an early connection of the Sarlo's and Pecora's.

Sebastiano Pecora (1822-), son of Domenico Egidio Pecora (1797-) & Carmela Anna Laraja (1792-) married Angela Carmina Sarlo (1824 -1855) daughter of Francesco Sarlo (1785-1848) & Maria Giuseppe Crapullo (1797-). Francesco Sarlo was the son of Saverio Sarlo (1750-1810) and Geronima Bianco (1755-), so Angela Carmina Sarlo was their granddaughter.

Sebastiano and Angela had a son Domenico Nicola Pecora (1852-1853). Then they had a daughter named Maria Carmela Pecora (1855-1923) who immigrated to New York City and married Donato Maria Crecco (1854-1939) who was from San Fele, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy. Angela died toward the end of the year their daughter was born.

Sebastiano and his second wife Maria Carmela Abbate had six children in Laurenzana. *It is my belief, based on Denver court records, that their fourth son Giovanni was one of the three youths killed along with Joe Pecora in Denver.

1. Domenicantonio Pecora (1857-1913)

2. Giuseppe Maria Pecora (1858-)

3. Giovanni Antonio Pecora (1860-1862)

4. Giovanni Antonio Pecora (1863-1875)*

5. Concetta Pecora (1865-1866)

6. Concetta Pecora (1867-1868)

 47.

Denver Court Documents

It is undisputed that Giuseppe Pecora (1827-1875) was killed on October 21, 1875 in the ramshackle house on Lawrence Street in Denver by mostly Italian perpetrators. The other three victims were youths.

Court documents obtained by Donna Faye Mott Turney and her brother Dr. Joseph Mott, contributor of articles to this blog, list the three young victims as John (Giovanni) Pecora, Domenico Fanelli, and Domenico D'Onofrio. 

Very strong possibilities I've found are:

(1) Giovanni Antonio Pecora b. 12 Sep 1863, Laurenzana

son of Sebastiano Pecora & Maria Carmela Abbate 

- age 12 in fall of 1875

(2) Domenico Egidio Fanelli b. 18 Oct 1856, Laurenzana

son of Francesco Fanelli & Rosagnesa Cafarella 

(younger brother of Maria Vittoria Fanelli who later married Vito Maria Sarli 

(Vito was older brother of Joseph Mott/AKA Rocco Vincenzo Sarli)

- age 19 in fall of 1875

(3) Domenico Antonio D'Onofrio b. 19 Nov 1857, Laurenzana

son of Rocco Giuseppe D'Onofrio & Maria Giovanna D'Esopo.

 - almost age 18 in fall of 1875

 46. 

Passing of Mott daughter

I'm sad to report the passing of Elsie Carol Mott January 2, 2022. I have just updated the list of the children of Jacob and Elsie Sowards Mott. Carol lived in Canon City, Colorado.

Here is her obituary:

Carol Mott, 89, passed away at home surrounded by family on January 2, 2022, after a short illness. She was born to Elsie and Jacob Mott of Romeo, Colorado on December 21, 1932. She received her education from Alamosa High School and Adams State College. She has resided in Canon City since 1963 and is a member of the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Church.

She had a successful career working for Fremont National Bank from 1963 to June of 1990 and she retired as an Assistant Vice President Customer Relations Officer. Carol was active in the community volunteering with the Salvation Army, United Way, March of Dimes, and the Chamber of Commerce Prospectors. She enjoyed golf and was a member of Shadow Hills Country Club. 

Blessed with many talents, Carol was an expert seamstress, a wonderful cook, and an avid card player. She played in several Card Clubs through the years enjoying Bridge, Hand and Foot, and just about any other card game. She competed fiercely at Five Crowns regularly with her family.  She loved to read and the challenge of crossword puzzles. Most of all she enjoyed time with her family.

Carol is survived by her son, Gregory (Cheri) Stimack of Lakewood; daughter, Susan (Doug) Miller of Leadville; four grandchildren, Greg Stimack Jr. of Longmont, Nadia Stimack of Denver, Ryan (Michelle) Miller of Greeley, and Kendra (Shane) VanHandel of Medford, OR; and 6 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Mary Jo Miller of Canon City; 4 of her 11 siblings, Donna Turney of Alamogordo, NM, Kathleen (Jay) Jefferson of Grand Junction, Jeannie (Johnny) Brandis of Flagstaff, AZ, and Joseph Mott of Phoenix, AZ; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Due to Covid concerns, services will be held on Monday, May 23, 2022, at Holt Family Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation to the Glycogen Storage Disease Association at https://agsdus.org.

 45.

COMING SOON - 

ARTICLE by guest ANNIE NICCOLAI BLACK

(Some of her beautiful photos from her recent trip to Laurenzana)

Castle and Church

Castle

                                                  Village