Jožef Pregelj was born on February 28, 1854 in Col, Slovenia. His future wife, Marija Bajec was born on May 1, 1863 in Col.

Col is a settlement on the edge of a karst plateau overlooking the Vipava Valley in the Municipality of Ajdovščina in the Littoral region of Slovenia.

Jožef Pregelj (29) and Marija Bajec (20) married on November 14, 1883.

They had eight children - seven daughters and one son. 

1. Jožefa (April 15, 1884)
2. Marija (May 1, 1886 - August 15, 1929)
3. Angela (February 17, 1890 - October 23, 1957)
4. Antonija (February 5, 1893 - December 18, 1911)
5. Jožef (January 25, 1896 - November 2, 1975)
6. Ivana (July 29, 1899)
7. Julijana (May 18, 1902)
8. Karolina (October 24, 1904 - January 30, 1911)

The first five children were born in Polje Col (near Col). Then, in 1897, Jožef and Marija moved approximately 45 km (28 miles) north-west of Col close to Idrija, where they purchased a farm at Srednja Kanomlja No. 29. Their daughters Ivana (1899), Julijana (1902), and Karolina (1904) were born in Srednja Kanomlja at the above address.

Srednja Kanomlja (literally, "Middle Kanomlja") is a dispersed settlement in the Kanomljica Valley west of Spodnja Idrija in the Municipality of Idrija, Slovenia.

Tomaž Gnjezda was the farm's previous owner (prior to 1897). The original house name was Perles. The word "Perles" means "By the Timber". The farm was located on the hill above the Ovčjakarica Creek. On the creek were so-called "klavže" for floating timber for the Idrija mercury mine in the valley. The "klavže" were barriers; once the gates were opened, the water then carried the wood all the way to Idrija. In the bend of the Ovčjakarica Creek (right below the farm) the timber stopped and hence the name "Perles" ("Pri lesu") - "By the Timber".

The new owners, Jožef and Marija, who migrated from Col (Vipava Valley), named their farm "Pri Ipavcu". In 1910 the house address "Srednja Kanomlja 29" changed to "Gorenja Kanomlja 48". According to the description in the Land Cadastre of Franz I ("Franziscean Cadastre") dated 1823, the scale of the ground fit into the category of half possession, so the farm's owners were half owners.

Gorenja Kanomlja is a dispersed settlement in the hills northwest of Idrija in the traditional Littoral region of Slovenia.

Jožef Pregelj died on March 6, 1932 at the age of 78 in Gorenja Kanomlja in his farm house at Gorenja Kanomlja No. 48. His wife, Marija Bajec, died on March 19, 1944 at the age of 80 at the same address.

Below is some information about Jožef and Marija's children.

Jožefa was born on April 15, 1884 in Polje Col. First marriage on June 24, 1905 in Idrija to Anton Lapajne, miner, born on May 25, 1888. Second marriage October 11, 1913 to Ivan Brus, miner, born in 1890.

Marija was born on May 1, 1886 in Polje Col. She left home for the United States of America at the age of 20 in 1906. She sailed on board Grosser Kurfurst, from Bremen, Germany, and arrived to New York on August 7, 1906. Single. Occupation - servant. Able to read and write. On February 15, 1909 Marija married a Slovenian immigrant, Anton Mervar, in Marion County, Indianapolis. Anton and Marija had seven children. Anthony Mervar died suddenly from heart disease on June 24, 1925 at the age of 40. Marija (Mrs. Mary Mervar) died on August 15, 1929 at the age of 43. Buried on August 19, 1929 at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Fr. Casimir OMC.

Angela was born on February 17, 1890 in Polje Col. She immigrated to the United States of America in 1910 at the age of 20. Initially, she resided with her sister Marija Pregelj (Mervar) at 710 Holmes Avenue, Indianapolis. On May 8, 1911 she married a Slovenian immigrant, Frank Grabner, in Indianapolis. They had eight children. Angela died on October 23, 1957 at the age of 67.

Antonija was born on February 5, 1893 in Polje Col. She left home for the United States of America at the age of 18 in 1911. She (on record Antonia Pregel) sailed on board La Savoie, from Havre, France on June 3, 1911. Antonija arrived to New York on June 10, 1911. Single. Occupation - housewife. Able to read and write. Final destination - Indianapolis. According to Slovenian archives, Antonia died six months after arriving to America, on December 18, 1911 at the age of 18 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jožef was born on January 25, 1896 in Polje Col. In 1915 enlisted as a soldier in World War I. Died on November 2, 1975 at the age of 79.

Ivana was born on July 29, 1899 in Srednja Kanomlja. 

Julijana was born on May 18, 1902 in Srednja Kanomlja. Married on November 26, 1922. Husband - Anton Carli, miner born on January 5, 1899. Lived at Spodnja Kanomlja No. 26. 

Karolina was born on October 24, 1904 in Srednja Kanomlja. Died on January 30, 1911 at the age of six in Srednja Kanomlja.