Karolis Dagys (1830 - 1922)

Rokiškis

Karolis Dagys was born in about 1830 in Urliai village (Rokiskis d.), he lived in Punkiskiai for a long time. Nobody knows who his parents were. He was an illiterate man. K. Dagys lived his age by manufacturing crosses. Being young he used to travel through villages manufacturing crosses, wooden cult-figures and Marias. In 1911-1912 he settled in Juzintai. He has been in marriage for 3 times, had a lot of children. His sons were good woodworkers. They used to manufacture arks, commodes, cupboards, but they did not manufacture crosses. In the 7 decade of XX c. Memories of Karolis Dagys granddaughter Veronika Strumskyte have been written: „A lot of people used to visit grandfather by asking to manufacture sometimes a cross, sometimes a cult-figure, a lot of his works are held in Anyksciai, Laukupenai, Svedasai, Salos. Germans made photography of grandfather about 1918 during his work. In old days, when he has no power, grandfather used to whittle sticks with heads of doggies, small whip snakes, kitten on their endings. Germans liked to buy these sticks of him as much and brought lots of them to Germany. During Smetona times a book about his articles was issued with his photography and life description. At mummy‘s brother K. Dagys’ son student Kazimieras Paunksnis rented a flat for some moment. He was attending Kaunas University and used to bring a lot of books, between which the book about whittle works of my grandfather appeared. Grandfather Karolis Dagys was tall, „zdaravas“(strong), he was very good for us, used to brink lots of ring-shaped rolls, passed every of us...“. The death date of God maker is not known exactly. In accordance with the declaration of the above mentioned granddaughter, K. Dagys died in 1922 and was buried in Juzintai.