52 Ancestors Week 3: What This Story Means to Me

 From Amy Johnson Crow: The theme for Week 3 is “What This Story Means to Me.” Some people don’t understand the appeal of genealogy. They think it’s only names and dates. What they don’t realize is that those names and dates lead to stories. This week, consider a story in your family history that means a lot to you. 

Part of my extensive Marvel library.

        As a writer, one of my favorite types of stories is one that connects the reader to a wider universe. That's why the universes of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who resonate with me. One small story is part of a bigger universe and makes the world seem lived in and real. Granted, those universes have been around for decades and let's be honest it can be rather daunting to dive into a story that's been going for decades with new material being added every once in a while. Thankfully, we have online encyclopedias and legions of fans out there who are willing to alleviate the problems that come with continuity. Worse comes to worse, there's always a reboot. This is why I never really got into DC Comics despite loving that universe just as much as Marvel.

    On the genealogy side of things, there is one story that sort of connects everything together in a very meaningful way much like a fictional universe. Everything comes together in a way that fills in a family tree or makes the people in it seem real. I've written about my parents' wedding and how both sides of my family tree wanted every relative to be there. I've even written about my cousin Caterina Aleardi's wedding and how my grandfather, grandmother, great-aunt and others all attended the event. This story is a little different. This is the story of  Caterina Coppola and how she was the linchpin connecting Haverhill, Mass and the Calabrian town of San Pietro a Maida.

    My second great-grandmother was very big on family and when her siblings Concetta and Paolo moved to Haverhill she made it a point to stay in contact with them. After they moved, her children Vincenzo and Caterina followed suit as Vincenzo went to Haverhill like her siblings and Caterina moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

    I can only imagine how she felt being separated from her family. Thousands of miles of ocean separated them and everything. One can only imagine what was going through her mind as her children, siblings and several cousins were all the way on the other side of the planet.  Fortunately, she had other family in Europe who helped to fill that void she had when the others left San Pietro.

    In America, relatives like my great-grandfather Vincenzo called her often and even sent letters to his mother. I remember my cousin Caterina telling me how she used to read the letters to her grandmother as her eyesight was getting poor in her later years. I wonder if Caterina saved those letters somewhere because you all know I'd LOVE to see them!

    Through Caterina, the family in Europe learned everything they could about her siblings overseas and when she passed away in 1962 it fell on her daughter Concetta to keep the connection going. Letters were written like the letter I wrote a blog about last year. Vincenzo and other family members were invited to participate in Caterina's wedding in 1969. While we're on that topic, my parents were even invited to go to Italy WITH them. Unfortunately, they had classes and couldn't go. Sigh. Can you imagine if they went? Maybe they did in some alternate reality. Who knows? At least I got a pretty cool story out of that adventure!

    Now, then. This story of Caterina means a lot to me because this was a woman who clearly wanted to keep her family together despite all of the odds stacked against her. Think about the time in which she lived. Air travel was relatively new and cost prohibitive. Sailing across the ocean was tough for some as well. The only thing people could do was write letters and maybe the odd phone call. I think the latter would have been extremely rare!

    Her story of maintaining connections breaks the old trope of family leaving for other countries never to be seen again! To some extent that's true-even in my family. However, people still stayed in touch. Vincenzo's sister Rosa had  my father's graduation picture. How she got it is no real mystery. My grandfather Marco must have mailed his aunt a copy. It's not that deep!

    Caterina basically set the stage for keeping in contact with family and I like to think she did a great job in trying to keep the family together despite long distances and everything.

    Unfortunately, people maintaining the connections passed away and it took a while for people to get back in touch with one another. However, it was Caterina who started it all. It was her dogged determination that kept her family together in the first place and it's definitely something to be admired. That's why I like her story. It defied the customs of the time and it allowed for amazing surprises to pop up every now and then. I was surprised to see my grandparents in Caterina's wedding photos. I was definitely surprised to see my dad's graduation picture in a relative's house in Rome! I wouldn't mind seeing those letters. I hope someone has saved them!

    The weird thing is that I never really heard stories about Caterina growing up. Sure Nicolina would provide me anecdote or two when I asked her about her grandmother. It wasn't until I talked to my cousin that she really came alive for me. Caterina has a lot of fond memories of her grandmother and it shows whenever I talk to her about her. I do sometimes wish that people stayed in touch with the Haverhill family for a lot longer than it did. It would have been nice to have a real head start on my genealogical adventure. But, it is what it is. At least I am in contact with them now and thanks to the Internet, that connection won't be going away any time soon. Huh....Maybe I have some of her dogged determination. That would explain a lot!

    

The wedding of Giuseppe Casarrubea and Caterina Aleardi!

    Caterina's story is clearly that of a woman who worked hard to keep a family together despite differences. She was the connection between the family in America and the family in Europe. She tried her best to keep everyone together and as a result her children tried to maintain those ties despite the distances. Now distances are no longer an issue. People can talk to others across the ocean instantaneously.  The technology is definitely beyond her wildest dreams. I think she'd be happy to know that I've been keeping the connection going this far into the twenty-first century. At least I hope so! She'd be amazed at all the changes and it's her story that drives me to continue maintaining the awesome connections I have made. 

See ya next time!

P..S. Here's an alternate banner I had in mind this week starring a team of heroes who meant a lot to me growing up. 

The New Warriors are property of Marvel Comics

52 Ancestors Week 2: A Record That Adds Color

 From Amy Johnson Crow: The theme for Week 2 is “A Record That Adds Color.” Our ancestors were more than names and dates. This week, tell about a record that added color or context to an ancestor’s life. What did it tell you about that person that made them feel more “alive”? Or maybe you found something literally colorful, like a painting. Remember, there’s no wrong way to interpret the weekly theme!

Taste the rainbow

    I love records that really bring people to life. Newspaper articles and even census records can give anyone reading them a real sense of who a person was as well as what kind of a person they were.  As a genealogist, we all have to remember that these were all just people and not just stats we're adding to our favorite family tree maker. These were living breathing people who walked the earth long before we were even a gleam in our parents' eyes. Photos also add color. If you look at one of the pictures I have of my second great-grandfather Joseph Laplante, you can definitely see what kind of a person he was. Don't believe me? Look at this picture of him, his wife and her sister at the beach and get back to me. I'll wait.

    Of course those aren't the only records that add color. Draft cards can add color and also serve to tell a story.....especially if someone filled out two cards.

Paolo and his first wife Lena.
Circa 1917.

    Enter Paolo Coppola, the brother of my second great-grandmother Caterina and national detective based in the city of Haverhill. Long before he ever decided to become a detective he was drafted into the service twice and the registrar even made a note of it on his second card. Whether or not he actually served overseas is not known at this time.

   

    In any event, he was first attempted to be drafted at the age of 29 on June 5th, 1917. The actual date is unfortunately not listed on that card. It's mentioned on his second card. On the top of the card, it says that his draft card was cancelled for undisclosed reasons. However, it did give the following facts:

Address: 26 Grove St, Haverhill Mass

Birth date: 7 Aug 1886

Bogus birth place: Naples, Italy

The card also listed his wife and four children as next of kin should anything happen to him as well as a physical description. Apparently, he was of a medium build and his hair was starting to turn gray....At the age of 29?! Dude needed to either stop stressing out or try ye olde "Just for Men Hair Color".

    Normally, this would have been the end of it. Paolo was denied entry into the US forces serving in the first World War.  When I found the card, I naturally added it to my sources and thought that was it. Little did I know that Paolo here had a second card! This card, you have to see to believe.

Second draft card

    On September 12th, 1918 Paolo went back to the registrar and again attempted to be drafted into the service. This time, the clerk made a note stating that he was the same man who attempted to be drafted on June 5th, 1917 and even gave the card number and everything.

    Paolo tried to be a little sneaky with his second card because he changed his birth date to May 31st, 1886. Not only that. He changed his profession, age and where he worked.

    The only thing that remined the same on Paolo's card was his wife Lena being his next of kin and his address. His physical characteristics were the same. This guy clearly wanted to go off to war. I was able to figure out that he was the same person just from the note alone. I mean....What other proof do you need, right? The clerk said it was the same guy from card #466. I'm inclined to believe them! It also helped that the addresses were the same and everything.

first draft card

    This whole adventure told me a lot about Paolo. Before he became a detective, Paolo was the kind of guy who'd be willing to stretch the truth a little bit. It remains to be seen which birth date is actually accurate. As I alluded to earlier, the birth place of Naples on his first card was completely bogus. He was born in San Pietro a Maida along with his sisters. Why he didn't put that down I'll never know. Thankfully, his daughter Beatrice set the record straight in the 1950 census and of course my cousin Caterina told me. I know that's a weak explanation. She talked to her grandmother Caterina about him and her sister Concetta. He was definitely born in San Pietro.

    These documents also tell me that while Paolo liked to stretch the truth he was determined to serve America in a time of war. Whether or not he was successful is to be determined. I have a feeling he did not serve as children were born to him and his first wife during the closing months of the war. World War I ended in November of 1918 and his last child with Lena was born in December of 1918.

    It's hard to say if he did serve and it's a discussion best left for another day. Either way, it's clear that Paolo was not above stretching the truth. I imagine a lot of people weren't truthful in their draft cards. I mean, I have a few soldiers of the American Civil War who definitely lied on their cards. It was something people did back in the day and we shouldn't judge them for their actions. 

    It is funny to think about the clerk's reaction, though. Can you imagine? "Oh. This guy again?! Didn't we ship you out before? Oh...right. Never mind. Okay. Let's try this again...."

    Draft cards and other documents definitely have a story to tell and sometimes you have to read between the lines to see what was really happening at the time. Sometimes people will be truthful. Sometimes people will lie. Does it tell you about their character? A little. And hey even if they lied, they still give you a great story to talk about at parties!

See ya next time!

52 Ancestors Week 1: An Ancestor I Admire

From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 1:

The theme for Week 1 is “An Ancestor I Admire.” Many people begin their family history journey in order to feel more connected to their ancestors. Who is someone in your family tree you admire? It could be a parent, grandparent, or someone further back in the tree. This is a week to tell their story.

How is this a free image for "admire"? Ask Google.

    Normally, I don't like putting an ancestor on a pedestal because he or she might be different from the image you have in your head. There's an old saying that says "You should never meet your heroes" as they'll sometimes disappoint you. Thankfully, most of the cast of every "Star Trek" series to date have been truly awesome people worthy of admiration. As for family? I would say there are a few people I admire. I'm going to keep it simple for this first week of the 52 Ancestors for 2026 and talk about my grandfather Robert Hamel and why he was basically Captain America.

Robert, Clara and Alfred junior (I think?)

    Robert may not have taken part in a top secret government program to create America's first super-soldier. However, he at least knew who Cap was! When I was a kid, I was reading a comic starring the first Avenger and he looked over my shoulder and said "Hey! I know that guy! I'm glad he's still around."

    That made sense. Captain America debuted in the 1940s and was very popular among US soldiers fighting in a conflict you might have heard of called World War II. It wasn't just kids who read comics in those days. Superheroes were popular with everyone. Not just with the kiddies.

    Robert was one of the many who enlisted to serve his country in its time of need and even though he was never a general or anything he served a very important function. My grandfather was a staff sergeant in the Air Corps, the organization that gave rise to the United States Air Force. He worked on planes and even flew on more than one occasion. The birth of my mother clipped his wings and he eventually took jobs that took him all over the country and even to places like Italy, Japan and Saudi Arabia once the war was over. To say he was worldly is a bit of an understatement. He loved to travel and tell people about the people he met in far away places and how we had to respect the people there. If that doesn't sound like Captain America I don't know what does!

    As I've said before, my grandfather was a bit of a shutterbug. He took pictures of anything and everything. He even took pictures during the war. He showed me several of his pictures and yet he never showed the wartime pictures to me as they were quite graphic. My aunts and my mother told me he was likely protecting me and I can see why. When you're a kid, you really don't need to see the images of war. Especially before bedtime.

    In all honesty, he never really talked about the war that much. He said where he was stationed, of course. He talked about the people that he met and how nice they were. He just never talked about the actual conflict like most soldiers do. I can understand that. I never pressed him on any of the details. You just never did that with him.

    What really surprised me is that he never talked about the awards he won or any of the promotions. So, imagine my surprise when I searched for him in the Newburyport Public  Library's newspaper archive  and found article after article about my grandfather getting promoted, sending letters to his mother Clara and getting awards from Uncle Sam. He got these awards and never talked about them! That's how humble he was.

    He'd probably say that it didn't really change anything and he was probably right. A medal on your tunic, while cool, doesn't always reflect the kind of person you are.  A decorated five-star general could still be a jerk regardless of how many medals he/she has. It's all about what's in your heart.

    I think that the modesty is what all ten of us grandkids remember about him. To us he was just grandpa or Pepe/Papa. And for Jim and I he was really the only grandfather we had growing up since we lost our other grandfather Marco while we were young. He never tried to replace him. He just treated us like any of his other grandkids.

    He never really yelled at us or anything. He just would tell a story, talked about his family history or just talked about fishing, golfing or any of his other hobbies. He was just that easy to get along with and because of that everyone who knew him liked him.

Totally not sus, Papa.

    It was actually very hard for us to keep a secret from him believe it or not. When we planned his surprise party for his 90th birthday, I thought I would record things for posterity. <cough>For Facebook</cough>. I had the camera out for the big reveal and he turned to me and asked "What are you doing?" My dad tried to save face and said "We're just taking a picture of you." I don't think he ever realized that I had a small camcorder.

    He just smiled, went with the flow and we had a great time. Though, in order to keep the surprise going I had to dress in normal clothes while the rest of my cousins were wearing nice clothes. Did I stick out like a sore thumb? You betcha!

 

    I like to think that he thought I was taking up a photography hobby like he did. He never knew I filmed parts of his surprise party. I don't think he'd have cared either way. I have the video clips saved to a jump drive and on a dvd so they won't be lost any time soon. Now that's forward thinking! I have videos of him at the party and at my cousin Kristyn's wedding. Both parties were great. I do feel bad, though. He never quite understood Bruno Mars and "Uptown Funk".

 

    Papa was admirable because he was just always modest and never let his medals go to his head. Lord knows he had tons of them! He was a kind man who loved his family and we loved him for it. He never really asked for much at Christmas, either! I guess all he really wanted was family and that's probably the best gift anyone can ever give someone. 

    That's why he was like Captain America to me. He never asked for much. He never waxed poetic about the hardships of war. And when you needed advice he would always lend an ear and we'd talk about what was bothering you. He was just that kind of guy and at the end of the day he was someone a lot of people should strive to be like. 'Nuff said!

See ya next time!

    

Not pictured: Jim and Brianna