Fraternity-Testvériség, 1963 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1963-10-01 / 10. szám

FRATERNITY

5

ALFONZ LENGYEL:

THE LIFE AND ART

OF

ALEXANDER FINTA HUN G ARI AN -AMERICAN SCULPTOR

Chapter VI

FINTA’S WORK IN CALIFORNIA

(Continuation)

The Ágoston Harasztiig Memorial designed by Finta was unveiled in Sonoma, California, in 1958. Through the courtesy of the Haraszthy family, I was present at this ceremony.

Haraszthy came to the United States as a refugee after the suppression of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution. He settled first in Wisconsin, where, with a British friend, he founded a town and soon owned a fleet of ships.

He subsequently settled in San Juan Capistrano, California, a town founded and named by Father Junipero Serra in honor of the canonized Hungarian monk who founght under John Hunyadi against the Turks. Later Haraszthy moved to San Diego, where he was active in various business undertakings and even served a term as sheriff. For a time he was also U. S. Consul in Mexico.

Haraszthy acquired thirteen grapevine cuttings from Tokay, Hungary. Naming this variety the Buono Yista, he reproduced the stock and planted vineyards in the Sonoma area, giving cuttings to other farmers on the condition that the wine pressed from the grapes would be called Tokay.

During the course of a study tour of Europe, he visited the Hungarian revolutionary leader, Louis Kosssuth, in exile. He took Kossuth a cedar branch from Washington’s grave and told him of the peace and freedom in the United States,