52 Ancestors Week 8: A Big Decision

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 8:

The theme for Week 8 is “A Big Decision.” Life is filled with choices – some easy, some life-changing. Think about a big decision an ancestor had to make. Maybe it was choosing between staying in their home or moving across the ocean. Maybe they had to decide between two people to marry. Maybe they had to decide whether or not to fight in a war – and which side to fight on. 

"Every great decision creates ripples, like a huge boulder dropped in a lake. The ripples merge and rebound off the banks in unforeseeable ways. The heavier the decision, the larger the waves, the more uncertain the consequences." - The  7th Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) , "Remembrance of the Daleks".

    I will never get tired of quoting that "Doctor Who" serial whenever somebody mentions a big decision that was made or needs to be made. For context, the 7th Doctor, played by the awesome Sylvester McCoy, had to wrestle with a decision which could alter the fate of his peoples' mortal enemy, the Daleks. The writer of that serial was correct. Every decision you make could have far-reaching consequences and as a time traveler the Doctor could see the results of any decision with ease. If you'd like to read more about the serial, check out this article on the Tardis Wiki. I also highly recommend watching the serial as it's one of the best from the classic era.

    Thankfully, my ancestors have never had to decide the fate of an entire species that I know of. Still, important decisions were made and they still have far-reaching consequences today. For example, if my great-grandfather Vincenzo had never went to Vermont in the mid 1930s, several DNA matches my father, my great-aunt and I have would not be around today. All it took was one trip to Vermont to change the course of history. Was it a bad decision? That's not for us to decide. What happened happened and we can't really judge a man who's been dead for over fifty years.

    Speaking of Vincenzo, it's widely known that he and his family traveled quite extensively. They traveled to and from Europe every once in a while and visited family there. His last trip was to see his niece Caterina get married in 1969. For him, moving across the Atlantic was a great decision and for all his faults he still made an effort to keep in touch with the family in Europe. My father's paternal side definitely broke the old trope of "leaving the old county and never seeing family again". What about the grandparents his mother's side? Well, there's a story there....

Giuseppe and Clementina

    My other Italian great-grandparents Giuseppe Carrabs and Clementina Forgione are the textbook examples of "moving to a faraway land away from family and never seeing them again". Then again....Are they really? More on that later.

    On one of my trips to Haverhill city hall, I asked my dad's cousin Bob if he heard of any relatives in Europe and why Giuseppe and Clementina never went back to their hometown of Gesualdo. He told me that he wasn't sure if any relatives still lived in the area and to be honest I was slightly disappointed. On one level, I knew it was a longshot. However, I do like to remain hopeful.

    Then he told me the story of their trip to America and why it was their first and LAST trip.

    The decision for Giuseppe and Clementina to leave Gesualdo behind must have been a hard one to make. Their large families were there and their parents were still alive when they left for Haverhill in the early 1910s. They boarded the Adriatic in March 1912 and with them was their daughter, Jenny. Before that trip, Giuseppe had went to America a few times. This was Clementina's first and only trip.

    According to Bob, the story of their trip was not a pleasant one. I guess Clementina told the story to her grandchildren many times. Traveling on the North Atlantic in March was not a good idea. It was very cold. The sea was also a bit rough that week and the food was not that great. An Italian woman would comment on the quality of the food and Clementina was a master chef. She did not have a pleasant trip for those and other reasons. I'm not sure if she got seasick. Bob told me that she did not have a good time on the boat. At the end of the trip, she turned to Giuseppe and said "NEVER AGAIN! I don't want to go on a boat again!"

Still waiting for the bus, I see.

    Giuseppe, being the great husband that he was, decided that it was for the best that they stayed in Haverhill. I don't know if it was because he didn't want to face Clementinas's wrath or not. I don't blame her for feeling that way about the trip. When you're sailing across the North Atlantic at that time of year, you're going to face rough seas and I don't think she had what we call "sea legs".  It's ironic considering how my dad loved going out on the water. We all like different things and my great-grandmother just didn't like being out on the ocean.

    Giuseppe and Clementina's decision to stay in America because of their nautical adventure did end up having long-lasting repercussions for sure. 

    Eventually, my great-grandparents' brothers and sisters joined everyone in Massachusetts. Giuseppe's brothers Rocco and Pasquale went to Melrose and Everett. His sister Rosina joined Pasquale in Everett. Clementina's brother Pasquale joined his sister in Haverhill. Their uncle Giovanni Penta and aunt Rosaria Penta also moved to the Queen Slipper city with their large families. Several Carrabs cousins even made their home in the Worcester area. 

Giovanni Penta and family

    I'm not entirely sure if Giuseppe and Clementina were the first in the family to arrive in America as I haven't found any of the others' manifests. I suppose it would make sense if they were the first and everybody else followed shortly thereafter. Their decision paved the way for everyone else to join them and as a result there was less family in Gesualdo to go back and visit.

    I think that's the main difference between my father's paternal side and his maternal side. More people on his maternal side decided to move to America and other places around the world than his paternal side. Granted, people on his paternal side did end up in places like Argentina and did not go to America. However, the number of people who moved is simply greater.

    At the end of the day, it seems like Giuseppe and Clementina didn't really have to go back to Italy. Their decision to stay brought family to America and as luck would have it those who came to America wanted to stay! Though, I should note that several Carrabs cousins did go to Australia. I guess people had other plans.

    It's amazing how Giuseppe and Clementina's decision to stay in America and not travel to see family had huge consequences. By staying in America, they just had to wait for family to eventually join them in Massachusetts. It makes me wonder if it was their plan all along to play the waiting game. It also still; makes me wonder if there are other family members in Gesualdo. Time will tell if that's the case. I haven't encountered anyone in that Campanian town who could tell me otherwise. I'm sure there are Carrabs, Capobianco, Forgione and Penta families still there. You never know. All I can do is wait and see. 

    As for as the Carrabs' decision goes, I'd call it a good one. Their decision to move inspired other relatives to leave Gesualdo for greener pastures. They ended up thriving in a new land and still made close connections with their families. Again, I'm not sure if Giuseppe and Clementina were the first to settle in America. It would be awesome if they were and I think it would make the most sense.

See you next time!