Historical Surveys of the Districts of Ticino- Giuseppe Mondada

In this book, Giuseppe Mondada's detailed and handwritten histories of eight districts of Ticino are reproduced and translated from the original Italian to French, German, and English. Although Corippo is not specifically mentioned, understanding the history of the surrounding areas is very enlightening, especially since the Corippians traveled and relocated to a number of these areas.

Here is a part of the entry from Leventina, which has a connection to other branches of my family. My great grandmother's family lived here.

According to tradition the name Leventina is derived from the name of the tribe Lepontina which lived there before the Roman period. Many place names with the ending -engo are of Celtic origin. ( regrading Corippo,  "the suffix -ippo, was in common usage from an early time. When used as a proper name , it can be attributed to a culture and language from the age before Roman civilization." from the book Corippo, also by Giuseppe Mondada).

Roman colonization, (parallel at some point to Corippo, one can assume by the naming) of which there is evidence, as also been proved by recent discoveries in the small burial grounds at Madrano. The history of the valley is closely related to that of the Gotthard route(where my great grandfather later worked) and other passes. Only partly reliable are reports about the existence of a barbaric people. above all the Lombards, which G. Rigolo made in his " Descrittione geographica del Contrado Lepontico".

The Levintina, as an independent unit, appears as a historic fact in the testament of the Bishop Atto of Vercelli, and the testament was later supplemented by the donation of Archbiship Arnulf II. ...Toward the end of the 13th century Ottone Visconti of Milan took over the property on lease of tenure.

In the meantime the Gotthard gained importance, and as a result the Confederates cast passive eyes toward the Southern side of the pass. Thus began the quarrel over the valley between the Duke of Milan and the Confederates.

The decisive events:
1330:People of Uri came to the help of the shepherds of Orsera.
1403:Pact of the Three Cantons which resulted in Uri's dominion over Levintina.
1412: Temporary submission of the Verzasca under Levintina.
1422: Defeat of the Swiss at Arbedo and subsequent dominion by Milan.
1439: Confederates began campaign to occupy the the valley, confronting Milan.
28 Dec 1478: Battle at Giornico, in which Conferderates where victorious. Leventine became subject territory to Uri.
1755: Attempted revolt at Airolo. Beheading of leaders.
1799: French troops devastated the valley, people hard fight with pitchforks.
1803: District of Leventina became part of the Canton of Ticino.
1814: Unification with Uri failed.
1827-1830: Road built over the Gottard.
1882: Gottard Tunnel Opens. Valley became more prosperous.

The political events of Ticino over the centuries no doubt determined the activities in Corippo, making their isolation both a blessing and curse.