Giacomo Toller was born in Pergine, Austria, today known as Pergine Valsugana, a town in the northern Italian province of Trento. This historic region in the Alps includes northern Italy and western Austria. Born in 1868, Giacomo came to the United States in 1888. Soon after, he found work at the Sopris mine in Las Animas, Colorado. In 1892, he sent for his future wife, Angelina Zampedri. Angelina arrived in New York on April 3, 1892; she and Giacomo were married in Trinidad, Colorado on April 8, 1892. In 1894, the couple’s daughter Julia was born, followed by Virginia, Mary, Angelina, Jacob, Giacomo, Jack, Henry Albert, William, Ester and Violet.
Like many other immigrants, Giacomo Toller worked in the Colorado coal mines until he had enough money to start a new career. In the late 1890s, he opened a saloon in Berwind, a coal mining town in Las Animas, Colorado. He then purchased land there, and in 1908 went into business with the Cedar Hill Coal and Coke Company; this partnership led to the development of the Toller Mine, also known as Tollerberg. The mine started operations in June of 1908.
In addition to his work with the Toller Mine, Giacomo Toller operated the G.M.O. Toller Merchandise Co. in Tollerberg. In need of help to run his store, he sent for his nephew Joseph Toller. A well-established businessman in the Trinidad area, Giacomo Toller sold his land (around 156 acres) to Colorado Fuel & Iron in 1918. CF&I operated the Toller Mine until 1932.
Angelina Toller died in 1926. By 1930, Giacomo Toller was living with two daughters and two sons at 108 Colorado Avenue in Trinidad, Colorado. His next door neighbor was Oliver E. Aultman (1867-1953), the photographer who ran the Aultman Studio in Trinidad and took the photograph of Giacomo and Angelia featured here.
Giacomo Toller died in Walsenburg, Colorado in 1944. By: Alisa DiGiacomo
