52 Ancestors Week 29: Automobiles

From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 29

The theme for Week 29 is "Automobiles." My dad owned and operated two services stations for 40+ years. Cars definitely play a role in my family history! This week, celebrate the car buffs, mechanics, road-trippers, and backseat drivers in your family.

You might find yourself behind the wheel of a sleek lime green
automobile.

   Traveling anywhere by car can be an adventure in and of itself. I remember taking many road trips all around New England with my parents and they've taken many road trips together or with other people. My father often went with his fellow "grumpy old Italian men" on fishing trips to Lake Ontario. My mother traveled with her parents and all of her siblings from California to Haverhill just to attend my great-grandparents' wedding anniversary party. Sufficed it to say they are well-traveled people and while those trips were awesome, I don't think they can compare with the time we all went in a caravan to the Outer Banks.

Dr. Kathleen Grammatico-Ferraiolo!

    Just after my sister-in-law Kathleen graduated from the University of Virginia, we decided to go on a trip with her parents to the Outer Banks. Joining us on the adventure were Kathleen's parents Steve and Regina Grammatico and my older brother Jim. Jim and Kathleen had been married for a few years at that point and wanted to go on a few adventures before having children.

    My parents and I have taken many trips to Virginia ourselves and found the journey to be quite fun if a little long. In total it takes about twelve hours to get to Virginia from our house. Along the way you get to see amazing sights and ride the Tappan Zee Bridge where you might actually get a glimpse of New York City on a clear day!

    That's just the beginning of the adventure. There are just so many places to see out there on the road to your final destination. Though, if you do take the same route we did,  I would avoid going the "Subway" restaurants in Pennsylvania. Three pieces of salami do NOT qualify as an Italian sub! Sigh....That was a crime against sandwiches. It was 95% lettuce! I could rant for hours on that atrocity. That's not what you're all here for. Moving right along....

   

Cozy and crazy expensive!

     It was decided early on that we'd travel to North Carolina in two separate cars because we didn't want to rent one of those huge recreational vehicles. While those are nice and everything, we were already staying at one of those fancy houses you'd find in the Outer Banks. So, to save money and incidentally gallons of gas, we opted for the caravan option.

    The caravan was still a fun option. We met up at Jim and Kathleen's place and drove to Outer Banks from there. Along the way, I got a good look at the Appalachian Mountains and I really wish I took some pictures! They were just that amazing! Nature sure can be amazing sometimes and it was a good thing we went well before hurricane season. Mother Nature can be beautiful. However, her wrath is mighty. 

    Once we arrived at our luxurious beach house, we planned out the rest of our stay. Where were we going to go while we were here. There was really only one logical place to go if you're within driving distance of a very important historical site. That's right. We went to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the birthplace of modern aviation.

Hey, Leonardo! THIS is how you build a plane!
Those "bat" wings aren't gonna fly!

The Wright Brothers museum was one of the main highlights of the trip for me and not just because my grandfather worked on airplanes! Seeing a replica of the first airplane the Wright brothers created sparked the imagination. Think about it. We went from planes that looked like they were held together by duct tape to passenger jets in only a few decades. That's just unbelievable! 

   I know this week's blog is about cars and everything. But, it's just incredible how far we've come in such a short time. I'm really glad we saw the museum on the trip. It's definitely one of the places you need to see if you ever decide to visit North Carolina. Oh and I should point out that we went in the early 2000s and because of that, the museum had special 100th anniversary exhibits. Now that was 

cool!

    Of course visiting historical landmarks wasn't the only thing on the agenda. We checked out the local cuisine and dined at a place called "Dirty Dick's Crab House".  Please clean up after your spit takes, everyone. Yes. That is a real place and I have proof. Get your minds out of the gutter! This is literally a family blog! Sometimes. 

See! Told you! It exists! Check it out
on Yelp!

    Located in Nag's Head, North Carolina. Dirty Dick's menu offers succulent shrimp, tasty crab legs and even fried calamari.  If memory serves, the meal came in this big tin bucket and we were supposed to pick what we wanted out of it. Not bad. Though, I don't think that would fly in New England. Buckets would be thrown at people.

    I forget what I had to be honest. I think I might have had the crab cakes and they were pretty good. We were going to try the lobster. However, I think they tend to have a different taste than the ones we're used to in New England. It's not bad or anything. Just different.

    Speaking of crabs and other crustaceans, we also checked out the nearby aquarium and it was pretty awesome!

    While the New England Aquarium also has rays and all manner of sea life, I've always enjoyed seeing the exhibits in other aquariums. These rays at the North Carolina Aquarium were definitely fun to watch. 

    There was also this little tank where these fish were sort of picking on this other fish inside a cave. They were putting little pebbles in front of the opening and the trapped fish looked at his "friends" like "What the hell?!"

    I think we stumbled on fish drama at the aquarium that day!

    All in all the trip to the Outer Banks was an amazing adventure. The two families had a great time at Nag's Head and we all ended up returning to the Outer Banks in 2015. That was yet another multi-car caravan trip with an added bonus: Two nephews who were five and two years old at the time. That's a story for another time! My nephews have requested that we go there once again. Perhaps we will. You never know what the future will bring and I wouldn't mind going to the Outer Banks once again!

    Road trips are definitely fun and it's good to get out of your familiar surroundings every once in a while. It's a big world out there and there are so much to see and do. Every once in a while you should take a trip and see what the world has to offer. You might be surprised at what you might find out on the open road. Just....stay away from Subways in PA. And gas station sausages, too.....

See ya next time!

The grumpy old Italian men were telling me
to put my camera away....

52 Ancestors Week 28: Trains

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 28

The theme for Week 28 is "Trains." Trains opened up the world to more people than anything that had come before. Who is someone in your family tree with a connection to trains?

Time to ride the rail!

    Long before planes were used to get a person from point a to point b, trains were used to get people where they needed to go. My parents and I think this was how my great-grandmother Maria Tedesco and her children, Nicolina and Marco traveled once they arrived in New York and headed to Haverhill, Massachusetts to meet up with my great-grandfather Vincenzo. They weren't going to be driving the four hours to Massachusetts by car I can tell you that much! Not with two young children in the backseat and definitely not in 1929 when kids didn't have iPads or even portable Nintendo consoles!

    Speaking of Vincenzo. He was definitely no stranger to the rail. He, like many Italian immigrants, often used trains as laborers working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Shoutout to the poor Italian railworker named Giuseppe Barberio who unfortunately had his Naturalization papers stolen from him in Montana, by the way.  Poor guy. Check out his profile on WikiTree if you want to read his story.

Vincenzo and Maria

    Vincenzo didn't just use the rail for business ventures. Toward the end of his life, he used a train to get from Rome, Italy to Switzerland where his cousin Caterina Aleardi was going to marry her then boyfriend, Giuseppe Casarrubea.

    When I was growing up, I heard this story from my parents, my grandma Ollie, my great-aunt Nicolina and so many other family members. At the time I thought it was just one of those stories people told their kids when they asked about their grandparents. I never imagined that the story would turn out to not only be true, but, that I would  eventually get in touch with the person whose wedding Vincenzo and the others attended! That is pretty darn awesome if you ask me. The pictures she sent me are amazing!

    Now, hold on. I said Vincenzo went with other people, right? Yes, I did. In the September of 1969, Vincenzo went to Switzerland with my grandparents Marco and Ollie, my great-aunt, his brother Paolo, and his sister, Rosa. During this time, my parents were in college and dating and weren't invited to the wedding. However, they obviously heard about the happy occasion because the invitations arrived during the summer and of course the people involved were discussed as travel plans were made.

Vincenzo, Nicolina, Cathie and an adorable little 
doggo.

   Vincenzo and the other Ferraiolos left Boston for Italy by plane and naturally my great-grandfather
wanted to start the journey to Switzerland in his hometown of San Pietro a Maida. Nicolina's husband Walter rented a car in Rome and they drove to San Pietro before taking the train north to pick up relatives. It is a bit odd how they went to San Pietro from Rome by car and then BACK to Rome by train. Did they just leave the rental car behind?! It certainly looks that way to me and it makes sense because Italy is a large country and they'd be traveling more than twelve hours by car. That's a lot to deal with even today!

    The family took in the sights along the way and looking back I can only imagine what my grandmother thought of the trip. Along the way north, you can't help but notice the Apennine Mountains

that go down the Italian penninsula from the Alps like a spine. That had to have been a breathtaking sight for sure! 

    Ollie's parents, Giuseppe and Clementina, were from Gesualdo in Campania and it's quite far from San Pietro. In fact, it's 98 kilometers outside of Naples. I wonder if she wanted to visit family there. Then again most of her family was already in America and to this day I can't find any close relatives still in Gesualdo like my family in San Pietro, Switzerland and Argentina. I have found Carrabs cousins in Australia, though! Alas, there hasn't been anyone from Gesualdo knocking at my door. I think they all came to America to be honest.

The happy couple, Giuseppe and Caterina

    After seeing the sights, the family made their way to Rome to pick up Vincenzo's siblings Paolo and Rosa. They then stopped in Florence and continued northward to Switzerland where Caterina and her parents, Giuseppe Aleardi and Concetta Ferraiolo lived.

    As you can imagine, the wedding was a huge family event since everyone came from all over the world to celebrate the union of Giuseppe and Caterina. I have no idea if the family in Argentina made the trip as well. I suspect that they were invited and why wouldn't they be? They were family after all. Yes, I'm sure the Astorinos were invited. Note to self: Confirm this fact with Caterina! I'm sure she would remember!!

    When I first heard about the wedding, I naturally asked what they thought of Italy since I had never been there. I'm happy to report that my grandmother enjoyed herself. It must have been a treat to see where her family came from even if it wasn't Gesualdo. Italy is a beautiful country and I would definitely jump at the chance to visit where my ancestors came from. Yeah, I don't think I'd stay at the touristy spots very long!

     I can almost see Ollie telling her father and her sisters about the trip once she and the others returned home. I bet they were happy for her and maybe a little jealous. Nah. Her sisters were never jealous of Ollie. Nicolina had a fun time for sure as she got to visit with family she hadn't seen in a long time. After the wedding, though, Nicolina still made regular trips back to San Pietro throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

I can totally find my grandparents! Can you?
Here's a hint. Look at the left side of the picture!.

      I will say that the food wasn't what everyone expected. Since the wedding was in Switzerland, the food was a mix of Swiss and Northern Italian cuisine. My grandmother's family and Marco's came from the southern parts of the country. So, you can imagine there were dishes like polenta and other food that they weren't accustomed to.

    All in all I think it's safe to say they enjoyed themselves on their trip. They got to see a lot of the country and had an amazing trip without any tour guide telling them where they could and couldn't go! I don't think they would have gone over very well.

    As you can see trains play almost as big a part in my family story as planes did last week. I've been on a few trains myself. But, the sights my family saw in Italy pale in comparison to traveling from Virginia to Boston. Trains have been connecting people for a lot longer than plans have and it's important to remember that's how people got around before we took to the skies and road on the highway. They were actually the first step to making those vast distances between point  a and point b so much shorter. That's something to think about the next time you ride the rail.

See ya next time!

52 Ancestors Week 27: Planes

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 27

The theme for Week 27 is "Planes." I sometimes think of my grandparents, going from childhoods where they often traveled by horse to adulthood where they could get on a plane and visit relatives on the other side of the country. What role do planes play in your family history?

What's our vector, Victor?

    There are so many things I can write about this week. As long time readers of my blog know my mother was an Air Force brat. Her father, Robert Hamel, was in the Air Force and that meant that she and her siblings often went from airbase to airbase growing up until the late 1960s. This week, I'm going to have to hijack this plane and talk about something I just couldn't wait to talk about any longer. Don't worry. It'll involve airplanes. Somehow. You'll see! =)

We bleed green here. =D

   On June 17th, 2024, my family and I were watching the Boston Celtics play the Dallas Mavericks in game four of the NBA Finals. Being the Celtics fans we were our eyes were naturally glued to the television. My brother Jim and one of his sons went into Boston that night to rectify a wrong that had transpired the last time they attended a game at the TD Garden. The Celtics had lost miserably when they went to see them in the summer of 2023.

   Good fortune smiled upon the Celtics that night as they ended up beating the Mavericks 106 to 88. The spirit of Celtics legend Bill Walton was clearly with his team that night! Just when the final buzzer hit.....I got an email. 

    I said to myself , "Who could be emailing me right now?!" It was late and I was so pumped from the Celtics' victory.  I checked my iPad and saw that someone had emailed me about my San Pietro a Maida one place study on WikiTree. I was thinking "Okay....It's probably some random person asking a random question". I checked the message and immediately my jaw hit the floor. The sender of the email was a woman named....Melina Astorino.  That last name caught my attention despite me being both very tired and pumped at the same time!

   Before I continue, let me explain just how huge of a deal this is. My second great-grandfather Marco Ferraiolo and his wife Caterina Coppola had six children including my great-grandfather, Vincenzo. Vincenzo's sister, Caterina married a man named Lorenzo Astorino and moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this blog, I've talked about how the family in Europe lost touch with relatives in South America shortly after the death of Vincenzo's sister, Concetta. After twenty years contact was finally reestablished. 

    Melina had emailed me wondering if I could help her with her Astorino connections and asked me if we were somehow connected. She said she was looking for information on her grandfather, Juan Julio Astorino. I was very tired from watching the game and so I emailed her back with as much information as I could since it was 11:30 pm and I try not to do genealogy after 11 pm! I sent my message and thought "I'd better message the family in Europe in the morning. They're not going to believe this!!".

Juan y Dora Astorino

    The next morning I sent messages to my cousins in Switzerland and in Rome and while I waited to hear back from them I got to know Melina a bit more on Google Chat. I found out that Melina works as an airline stewardess in Argentina. See. I told you I could somehow bring this topic back to being about airplanes!  Take that! Though that might have just been luck or I could be stretching it further than Marvel's Mister Fantastic. Who can say? 

    Melina told me more about her grandparents Juan and Dora and how she had been asking various family members for help in her quest. I did all I could by providing information, photos and a few other odds and ends. 

    It turned out that my cousin in Switzerland gave me a picture of Juan years ago and at the time I had no idea who he was. Caterina had told me he was a son of an Astorino and that was about it! I showed her the picture and Melina said that the man in the photo was her grandfather. She showed me more photos and in every one of them he had this pencil-thin Howard Hughes-style moustache on his face. It was the style at the time, I guess. Even Marvel artists Jack Kirby and Don Heck were drawing Marvel's "Iron Man" with that 'stache in the 1960s. 

    We talked almost every day since and every time we talked she had jucy bits of information her relatives gave her. She even managed to get several documents from the archives in Buenos Aires faster than I could have gotten information from San Pietro. I'm not jealous. Not at all! Okay. Maybe a little. One of the documents was Juan Julio's birth certificate. The information on the record proved the connection because not only did it say he was born on July 9th, 1934. The birth record, like current Italian records, listed the parents and grandparents. In this case it listed his parents as being Lorenzo Astorino, son of Gregorio Astorino and Maria Copola and Caterina Ferraiolo, daughter of Marco Ferraiolo and Caterina Coppola.

Caterina Ferraiolo

    At this point was thinking about how I never got a picture of Vincenzo's sister, Caterina. No one ever sent me one and I thought a picture of her was lost to time. Fortunately, Melina messaged me days later with this gem! A relative of hers found passports belonging to both Caterina and her son, Juan!

    That....was amazing. Not only did the passport provide me with Caterina's birthdate of November 29th, 1904, it showed me that she and her sons flew out of Argentina at least once. Though, I'm not sure when it occured.

    According to my cousin Adriana she went back to San Pietro a Maida to visit her mother and went to Rome to spend time with her family. Did they go by plane? I'm not really sure. It's possible!

    Adriana did tell me that she had more photos. I hope she finds them! Fingers crossed! If she does, you can be sure I'll share them with my third cousin, Melina. =D

    Clearly my family is well-traveled on both sides of the tree. We've been using airplanes since almost the dawn of aviation itself. I originally was going to write about the time my parents and I were stuck at Logan International for seventeen hours. That was not fun! I think this is a better blog and I somehow connected it to planes! Now that takes skill!

     Planes have made distances shorter and our world so much smaller. They've allowed families to reconnect and stay in touch when that was just a fantasy generations ago. The Internet shortens those distances even more. Times change and connections don't fade away as they once did.

    Even now my cousin plans on visiting San Pietro in the fall. I can only imagine what she'll find on her European vacation. She has already been to the United States and I would love to meet her. Perhaps one day that will happen. She went to Salem. Massachusetts on her last trip and it wouldn't be too much of a trip to visit the non-witchy Salem.

    Crossing the country by plane is one thing. Crossing an entire ocean is something else. The world of travel has changed since the day Caterina left San Pietro for Buenos Aires. Planes allow us to visit the lands our ancestors called home. Let's just hope the friendly skies stay friendly.

 This is your captain speaking. We are now descending toward the end of the blog. The temperature here is a balmy 83 degrees Farenheit. Thank you for flying Haverhill Air. I hope you have enjoyed your flight.

See ya next time!

52 Ancestors Week 26: Family Gathering

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 26

The theme for Week 26 is "Family Gathering." It's the time of year for family reunions, holiday cookouts, and other get-togethers. Has your family had a family reunion? Do you have favorite memories of getting together with cousins and other relatives?

One out of two grandparents look directly at the camera.

    There's a lot I could say about this week's topic because my family has had its fair share of family gatherings. I've seen family at weddings, funerals, birthday parties and of course the annual Christmas eve feast of the seven fishes. I don't think there's been one gathering I haven't talked about in this blog. It's true that I haven't gone through many specific ones because over time the events just sort of blur together into one big party. Don't worry. I've got a story for everyone this week like I always do. Sit back and make sure you dress to the nines because we're heading to a wedding!

My cousin Ryan, David, Kristyn and Kristyn and
Ryan's father.

    My cousin Kristyn married her then boyfriend David Stout on March 3rd, 2016 in scenic Jacksonville, Florida. Naturally, everyone was invited to attend and though some people couldn't make it I took it upon myself to make a wedding video for the happy couple. I even I made it a point to include messages from family members who weren't at the event. See! I didn't just review comics on YouTube, you know! My editing talents are available for weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, conventions and more! Email me and we'll hash out the details. Have your people contact my people! I'll even do dog weddings! I'm sure that's a thing. Right?

    All joking aside, the wedding of Kristyn and David was a huge deal and it wasn't just because my cousin was getting married. Nope. This was unfortunately the last time I saw my grandfather Robert Hamel alive and in person prior to his death the following year. Naturally, we didn't know it at the time. But, we still made the event one for the books!

I make this look good.

    The reason why it became so memorable started right when my parents and I were waiting for the bus to take us to Logan airport in Boston. I uhh....forgot to pack my suit for the wedding. I can see the disappointment in your eyes, everyone! It all worked out! Once we arrived in Jacksonville we went to a store and picked out a suit just a day before the wedding.

    I told Kristyn what happened and she just smirked and shook her head. Hey. The suit I got was actually better than the one I left at home!

    My grandfather and my cousin Brianna had the shortest distance to travel since they were living in Florida at the time. So, we all met up at the hotel before the wedding and took in some of the sights around town. Jacksonville was nice and since it was early March it wasn't ungodly warm out there. It was warm but not too warm.

   

    We all ended up going to a few nice seafood restaurants and I remember my grandfather watching me eat this lightly cooked tuna encrusted with nuts on a bed of rice. It was like sushi/sashimi. He asked me if I was having a good time. I said I was. I asked him the same thing and he said he was too. But, I could tell he definitely missed my grandmother, Natalie. She and Kristyn were pretty close and I know she would have definitely wanted to be there. Perhaps she was there in spirit.

My cousin Brianna

    The ceremony was as beautiful as you might expect. With her boquet she carried our grandmother's hankerchief and I thought that was a nice touch. She had something from both of her grandmothers in the gown she wore and that was really cool.

    Once the ceremony was over, it was time to party. I spent a lot of time recording bits for the video and talking to various people. I got snippets from the minister who married them, most of the wedding party and various family members.

   

    Since it was still early March the sun set pretty early. So, the minister was actually making sure I was recording a bit here and there. The funny part was I was getting side-eyed by the wedding photographer the whole time! After a few bits I explained to her what I was doing and she seemed okay with everything. At least I hope she was! I wasn't trying to steal her thunder! I swear!

   

I don't know why I look surprised here.

    I did get some clever bits from my grandfather. I told him what I was up to and I asked if he wanted to say anything to Kristyn and David. Natually, he couldn't hear me thanks to the loud music. He had no idea what to make of "Uptown Funk". That song was one of many awesome bangers at the party. Kristyn and David knew what the people wanted to hear!

    In the end, Papa said "I wrote it down."  I took that to mean he signed the guestbook and offered his best wishes.

    That's all you can really ask for. He couldn't hear very well. But, I added that bit into the video and I'm glad I did.  Oh and just so we're clear I made sure I had fun in between filming bits here and there. Though, it was fun dodging the wedding photographer and having the minister help me with some what he called "establishing shots". He was a cool guy I have to admit. 

Aww! When siblings dance.

    One of the best memories I have from the wedding involve Kristyn's mom, Linda. My aunt Linda was supposed to get a knee replacement the day after the wedding. So, what do you think she did? Well, she didn't rest her legs. I can tell you that much!

    Instead of resting she had a bit of a dance-off with her son, Ryan and wore every bit of what was left of her old knee down. Why not, right? If your knee's gonna go out why not dance to the greatest hits from "Uptown Funk" to even "Billie Jean".

    And oh, yes. Linda caused a scene. =) 

    My aunt also made the rounds to every table and wanted to make sure everyone was having a good time. No one ever dared to tell her to slow down. Mother of the bride was in "mama mode" the whole time.  She went into surgery the next day with no regrets at all! If you're going to have knee surgery the day after your daughter gets married, why not go out with a bang? She had no regrets and I can't blame ber for partying!

    Family gatherings like Kristyn and David's wedding are memorable because of the people there and the general celebratory atmosphere. While it is sad that their wedding was the last time my cousins and I saw our grandfather, we take solace in knowing that we saw him the way we wanted to remember him. We remember him having a great time with friends and family alike at the party. He celebrated with us and had a great time. In the end, that's what counts!  It's good to look back at events like these and remember the good times everyone shared because they'll never come again and you never know what the future will bring.

See ya next time!

P.S. I also tried grits for the first time at the wedding. And no they weren't "magic grits". They were pretty good.

52 Ancestors Week 25: Storyteller

 From Amy Johnson Crow: Week 25

The theme for Week 25 is "Storyteller." Genealogy is more than names and dates. It's the story of our family. It seems like every family has a storyteller, whether it's Uncle Pete with his tall tales or Grandma Adah who quietly told stories of growing up in the early 1900s. Who is the storyteller in your family?

Not to be confused with the Jim Henson show by the same name.

    Welcome back to All Roads Lead to Haverhill, true believers! Stories are a common aspect of your genealogical adventure. You might hear about tales of daring-do like when your great-grandfather narrowly avoided capture by the police or you might hear some off the wall story about how your great-uncle claimed he invented the left-handed turn. Whatever the case is there are sure to be yarns out there spun so tight that even your cat will want to play with it! Are they true? Are they fictional? Well, friends. It's up to you to decide that once your relative finishes talking!

    I love talking like Stan Lee. It's fun. As far as storytellers go, I have quite a few of them in my family tree. My grandfather Robert  was known to tell a few tales about growing up in Newburyport. My grandmother Ollie and her sisters definitely told a ton of stories in their time. You just can't beat a yarn spun by a group of little old Italian ladies. Now, picture three of them all sitting at the table trying to tell you the same story at the same time! Are there tangents? Yes. You bet there is! That comes with the territory. I think this week I'll focus on one story Ollie and her sisters told me a long time ago.....in a city not so far away.

    Growing up, my family and I would visit my grandmother Ollie's house in Haverhill quite regularly. It didn't matter if we were unannounced or not. She was always very happy to see us. She would also somehow have a meal prepared for us and we would dig in. It didn't matter if you already ate. You were still getting fed!

    I remember one visit really well. We arrived at her house on Washington street one summer day and sitting at the kitchen table were Ollie and her sisters, Ellie and Louise.  My brother went into the den to watch some television after being hugged by everyone and I being the curious kid wanted to know what was going on.

  

    Grandma Ollie had a pot of pasta fagioli on the stove and she and her sisters were just talking about "the old days".

    I wondered what that meant and I asked her to continue. Apparently Ollie and her sisters were talking about their parents and visiting their uncles in Melrose and Everett. At the time it was the first time I had ever heard of her uncles Rocco and Pasquale. They also had an aunt named Rosina who also came to America. So, naturally I asked for more information about them. I was only ten years old at the time and I was unaware of the story that awaited me AND its many, many tangents!

Rocco on the far left. Pasquale on the far right.

    To set things up properly, the three of them explained how their parents, Rocco and Pasquale were all born in the mountain town of Gesualdo in Campania. They immigrated to America in the 1910s and made lives for themselves in the Massachusetts cities of Haverhill, Melrose and Everett.

    Since the cities were in close proximity to one another, the families would get together quite frequently.  This started tangent #1 when my father brought up Rocco's wine and how it was so strong it could peel the paint off of a boat's hull. Then someone mentioned how Giuseppe's wine was strong too and a big debate ensued!

    Naturally, I had no idea what everyone was talking about. I was ten and I obviously couldn't drink. In fact, the only time I ever had wine was during communion. I started to look confused by what was happening and before I knew it my grandmother brought out this old photo album. She told me I needed the faces that went with the stories we were talking about. She also told me that every good story needed to have faces attached to it. Maybe that's why I like pictures so much now!

Master storytellers!

    I looked at Rocco's picture and I remember saying "He looks like Mario!"  My brother heard me and ran into the kitchen to see what was going on and I showed him the picture. Jim was like "Oh, wow. He does!"  My grandmother and her sisters were a little confused and had no idea we were referencing the video game character.

    Italian men in those days had thick moustaches and wore them proudly. Rocco was no exception. His was thick like his accent. We talked a bit more about Rocco and everyone talked about how he never really spoke English and how he had eleven children.

    This was the next tangent! I learned so much about each of his eleven kids that I wish I took notes. That would have been quite the time saver years latter when many of Rocco's grandchildren turned up as DNA matches on Ancestry.

    My parents even mentioned how some of Rocco's children were at their wedding. That was very cool.

   The stories about Rocco continued for some time and I never got to hear about Pasquale or Rosina during that visit. When it was time to leave, I asked my grandmother about Pasquale and Rosina and she said there'd be time for it the next time we visited or she visited us. 

    Looking back, I figured Rocco stories took up the most time because he was the one who had a ton of children. Rocco and eleven kids. Pasquale had four. Giuseppe had six. Rosina had a few, too. More on her in a future blog.

    As you can see little old Italian ladies are a veritable library of stories. They have many to choose from and many branching tangents going from one topic to another. I remember asking my grandma about my grandpa Marco and somehow we ended up talking about the African American family who used to visit them in the 1950s. Stories just went all over the place and there are some stories that should probably remain internal if you know what I mean. Definitely not safe for WikiTree.

    If there's one thing I learned from the stories my grandmother told me it's that most of them turned out to be true. It was cool seeing the pictures that went with the names and I'm glad that my grandmother had the forsight to just give me a photo album to look at while my parents and everyone else talked. That was pretty cool and I daresay that was probably the start of my genealogical adventure. I'll forever be grateful to my grandma for giving me pictures that went with the people she was talking about. I'm sure she and the sisters would be happy to know I reconnected with many of the Carrabis cousins via dna so that the stories can continue.

'Nuff said.

52 Ancestors Week 24: Hard Times

 Week 24: Hard Times: So, no one told your ancestors life would be this way. Their job's a joke, their broke. Their love live's DOA. It seems like they're always stuck in second gear....At least they get by with a little help from their friends. So, how did your ancestors get through the hard times? Let's hear their stories and let's hope things turned out better for them.

Wow. Things are rough. But, not THAT rough.

      Every family has had to deal with hard times in their lives and our ancestors are no exception. The loss of a loved one is a common theme along with money issues and enough drama to fill one season of your favorite television show. Even then, the truth can often be stranger than fiction. Recently, I found out the reason why my second great-grandparents,Wilfred Felker and  Gertrude Stevens divorced and I am one hundred percent certain that it led to some hard times for their son, Austin.

Wilfred Feker on
a barrel.

    In Gertrude and Wilfred's day, "divorce" was considered a diry word. You didn't go into that situation unless you had little to no choice in the matter. To sum up, Wilfred and Getrude were married in Haverhill in 1891 and they stayed together until the late 1890s. 

    I always knew that they had divorced at some point because it was no big family secret or anything. My mother fondly remembered Austin's half-siblings in the Senter family since they visited him often and a few of them were even at my parents' wedding. So, sufficed it to say Austin was close to the Senters.

    Sadly, Austin was never really that close to the family his father had with a woman named Mary Ann Porter Pierce. Sure they visited each other every once in a while. Many of the kids ended up moving to Indiana and they lost touch with the family back in Haverhill. It happens.

    I always wanted to find out the reason why Wilfred and Gertrude divorced in the first place. I initially suspected that it had something to do with Wilfred's infidelity. While Getrude was pregnant with Austin, he got Mary Pierce pregnant as well. Oh and to make things even more interesting, the baby was born a few months after Austin. Austin was born in September 1892 and his half-brother George was born in February 1893.

    It doesn't take much to put two and two together here. You would think adultery would have been the cause for the divorce. NOPE! I submitted my request for a case file to the Essex County Superior Courthouse in Salem, Massachusetts and within a few days I had my answer. The reason why they were divorced was because SHE abandoned HIM. I sat back in my chair and just read the report three or four times to make sure I was reading it correctly given what I already knew. Really, Wilfred? REALLY?! Sigh....

Getrude and the Senters

    I can't really be mad at someone who's been dead since the 1950s but that was a bold statement to make on his part considering his actions. If he made that claim today, the DNA evidence alone would have made him look like a fool in court. I have DNA matches who descend from Wilfred and Mary. I even have contacts in Indiana who descend from the guy, too.  I really, really, really don't think Gertrude abandoned anyone. 

    Here's where the "hard times" come into play. In the early 1900s, women didn't have the legal standing they do these days. Gertrude could have said anything she wanted and the judge would have brushed her aside as if she was nothing. Though, if it were me I'd have brought out Austin and George's birth certificates and told the court to compare the two documents. The timing is a little off, isn't it? Oh and it gets better. Wilfred's listed as the father on George's birth certificate. Hear that noise? That's the sound of my head banging against the wall.

    It gets even better. Wilfred attempted to get custody of Austin and the battle was so intense that it made the papers in Boston. In the end, neither side "won". And there are no real winners in divorce, anyway.

    Gertrude did end up leaving Haverhill and settled in Farmington, New Hampshire where she married Walter Howard Senter in 1899. She made a better life for herself and got out of a bad situation After all of this, I can tell that she was a strong woman. She likely had a hard time dealing with an intense custody battle, courts not listening to a word she said and a divorce proceeding at a time when women still didn't even have the right to vote among other things. The turn of the twentieth century was not all fun and games for anybody.

Austin Felker and Henrietta Legault

    Thankfully, Austin turned out pretty well after everything that happened to his family. He likely had a hard time dealing with his parents' divorce as he was just seven years old at the time of the custody battle. Many emotions likely ran through his head and I can only imagine how he felt at the time.

His grandparents, Jeremiah Felker and Elizabeth Fellows, were definitely on hand to help their grandson in any way they could. Jeremiah's own struggles likely helped Austin deal with his parents' drama. They probably bonded over the issues since Jeremiah had issues with his father, Elias. I think I covered that drama on more than one occasion.

     The interesting thing is that you can find Austin living with his grandparents in the 1900 and 1910 census in Haverhill. There's no sign of him ever living with Wilfred despite him being clear across town. That tells you something about their relationship. Now, you could atgue that he was visiting them. That may have been the case if it was during the 1900 census. However, he was still there in 1910. That's very telling.

    I don't want to put words in anyones' mouths. But, it seems to me that Austin didn't have that good a relationship with his father. Even my grandmother Natalie didn't talk about her grandfather Wilfred that much if at all. I guess now I know why and the truth really is stranger than fiction. At least things turned out for the best for Austin, his mother and everyone else involved in this story. Did Austin get along with his Felker half-siblings? Probably. I mean they did go boating on the Merrimack River together. Although, the boat did hit a Coast Guard ship once. See the attached article.

    Perhaps after all was said and done there were no hard feelings between George and Austin. They were innocent children caught up in the nonsense brought on by Wilfred's infidely. Though, it is odd Wilfred listed George as a "step-son" in the 1900 census. After reading everything, I think I've come to the conclusion that Wilfred was likely a very hard man to deal with and Gertrude and Austin were lucky to get out of the situation. The early 1900s were clearly a hard time for Austin and Gertrude. If it was a different time, the court would have sided with her and the case would have been open and shut.

    At least now I know the truth about the situation and I can't help but feel sorry for most of the people involved. Austin had a hard time dealing with his parents' divorce and Gertrude had a hard time dealing with the courts of the early 1900s. As far as Wilfred goes, I think I see him in a new light now. It's best to remember that the people behind the names and dates were people and once you find out the truth you may or may not like what you find. Drama happens and it definitely happened way back in the day.

See ya next time.

52 Ancestors Week 23: Health

 From Amy Johnson Crow:

Week 23

The theme for Week 23 is "Health." Health affects everything we do, and it was no different for our ancestors. This week, consider writing about an ancestor who dealt with health issues or one who the picture of health. Another angle would be to write about an ancestor who was a health professional.

Doctor Crusher, report to Sickbay.

    Growing up with two parents who were healthcare professionals was definitely interesting to say the least. Not many people can say that their mother took their blood at the dining room table. Well, they could. But, I think that might be a different issue altogether. As I've discussed many times, my mother was a lab supervisor at Merrimack Medical Laboratories for many years and my father is a dentist. This meant that both of my parents often brought their work home with them. Imagine being six years old and looking through their medical journals. Scary stuff! My dad's journal alone made me want to brush my teeth seven times in a row just to make sure that they were clean! 

Doctor James Ferraiolo
DMD

    Dental health is important and my father, Doctor James Ferraiolo DMD, often made sure my that brother and I had the best dental care ever. Were we good patients? That depends. I still crack jokes when he has me in the operatory chair. His hygienists and I always had a good time at his expense!

    As a dentist, he was well known among my peer group. I remember one time he visited my elementary school to teach us all about the importance of brushing, flossing and everything. Aside from the tips, my friends remember being given these pink tablets called disclosing tablets. They are designed to detect plaque on your teeth and gums and turns them pink for a while so you could see what areas needed to be worked on.

     Looking back, I wonder if there was any hard science behind it. I mean, what if you used the tablets after you had soda or coffee or something? Still, it was a good way to get kids to brush their fangs.  

    I should also note that my dad pratically knew everyone in town and everyone seemingly knew him.  It's not like he was the only game in Salem when it came to dentistry. I think people liked him more than the other places because he had a great bedside manner and a terrific sense of humor. He really makes you feel at ease when you're in the chair. And hey, my teeth have never looked better! Though, I did have to have braces. That wasn't my fault!!

Lab Supervisor Diane 
Ferraiolo

    My mom's work at Merrimack Medical Labs in North Andover, Massachusetts often had her counting blood cells for patients and checking them for various ailments. Merrimack Medical Labs provided important analysis for doctors' offices all across the the valley and my mother was one of the people in charge of making sure the people of the Merrimack valley were healthy.

    Every once in a while, I joined my mother in the lab. I forget why I was often there. I may have been getting bloodwork done. I may have also been picked up from school early and my mother had to go back to work. I'm not sure. However, I do remember using my mother's microscrope a lot while I was there. A REAL lot.

    It's funny because the sight of blood freaks me out a little bit as you can imagine. However, once you look at blood under a microscope it doesn't seem scary in the slightest. Blood cells look like donuts and it was neat looking at them under the microscope.

    I think I also looked at various microbes under the microscope, too. Nothing dangerous mind you! Just paramecia getting devoured by bacteria in real time. To an eight year old boy that is the epitome of cool!

    Like I said it was very interesting growing up with two medical professionals in the house. I had plenty of help with my homework and I've always been grateful to them for any medical assistance they provided whenever I needed assistance of some kind. Because of them, I've always been grateful to doctors of any kind because of all the things they've had to deal with to keep everyone on the planet healthy. They don't get a lot of credit and they definitely deserve all their allocades and my parents are no exception. It's always good to have medical professionals in the family. You never know when you'll need to Facetime a grandchild who has a toothache or something!

See ya next time!