I am just beginning to blog so be patient with me. I'm over 50 and not as computer literate as the younger generation.
I hope to use this blog to stay connected with relatives both in the US and in Italy. Genealogy has been a passion of mine for nearly 20 years and I have done extensive research on both my Italian and Early American families. Sharing that research with relatives and other researchers is a wonderful way to connect to others. Hopefully you will find something useful, or at least interesting, in my stories of ancestors and the records I have uncovered concerning them.
My Italian ancestors come from the village (comune) of Grotteria, Reg
gio-Calabria, Calabria, Italy. My grandfather, Bruno Cosimo Iannizzi, traveled from Naples, Italy to Boston on two separate occasions (in 1901 & 1907), finally settling in the United States in June 1907. He came to live with his older brother, Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi, who had immigrated to Boston, MA in December of 1899. Francesco was coming to live with his cousin, Giuseppe Belcastro - a perfect example of what is called "chain migration." This just means that one person comes first to "test the waters" and others follow and usually settle in the same basic locality. The previous immigrant can ease the way for the newcomers. By doing this the immigrants were assured of knowing someone in the new town or city, being able to communicate in their native tongue or dialect, learn the culture, find jobs, and also meet others from the same background, both religious and social. They often created little communities of like individuals from the same town or small area of the native country - hence the term "Little Italy" for many of the Italian neighborhoods that sprang up in large cities like Boston and New York.
When Bruno and Francesco first arrived they worked as laborers in construction and in the coal yards. They lived together, and saved their money and eventually Bruno brought his wife and children to the US in 1908.
Francesco chose to return to Italy, where he also had a wife and children. It appears that Francesco also made several trips across the Atlantic during his time in the US as he had children born in 1897, 1903 and 1909 in Italy. He made his final return to Grotteria about 1912 and stayed there for the rest of his life.
Francesco was the oldest son, and fourth child of Giovanni Giuseppe Iannizzi and Maria Zavaglia. The oldest child was Francesca Caterina Iannizzi, (born 1837 - died 1898); Rosa Maria "Rosina: Iannizzi, (born about 1862 - died about 1894); Angiola Maria Iannizzi (born 1867 - unknown date of death); Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi (born 1869 - died 1938); Maria Caterina Iannizzi (born 1872 - unknown death date); and my grandfather, Bruno Cosimo Iannizzi (born 1876 - died 1966).
All of these siblings married and had children. Some of the children immigrated to the US in later years but only one of the siblings (other than Bruno) came to the US. Bruno's sister, Maria Caterina, came to the US in 1950 but returned to Grotteria and died in 1965, according to a older relative.
The story of these immigrant ancestors is amazing. They boarded a ship leaving Naples, Italy to an uncertain future. Most Italians did not plan on staying in the US but rather came to work, earn money and then return to Italy in a better financial state than when they left. This was not always possible. World War I and II stranded many Italians on US soil and prevented other relatives from coming here. Separation was the most difficult part for many of them. They missed the family and the ways of their ancestral country.
My Aunt Susan (Maria Assunta Iannizzi), who died in 2000 at 99 years of age once told me that the day they left Italy was "like attending a funeral for all of your relatives on the same day." She said "I knew I would never hear my Nonna sing again."
Steerage travel was hard, long and brutal at times. Many didn't survive the 10-day to 2-week trip across the ocean. If they did they certainly thought twice about going back and having to endure the voyage yet again.
This family was separated by an ocean in a time when communication was possible only through writing letters and waiting for a reply. Months and years went by without word from one side of the ocean or the other - yet some of them persevered and succeeded in making a home here in the US. For that I will be forever thankful.
I have made the pilgrimage back to Grotteria on two occasions and have met some of the family still living there. In 2004 I had the honor of meeting Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi's son, Salvatore Giovanni Iannizzi. We spent two beautiful days with him and his family and learned more about the families on both sides of the Atlantic. We acquired photos of many of Bruno's siblings and their spouses and learned about the next generation.
This is what I know about the family (all events occurred in Grotteria unless otherwise noted):
Giovanni Giuseppe Iannizzi (b 17 Nov 1842 - d 25 May 1925) son of Francesco Iannizzi & Francesca Mesiti.
He married on 1 Nov 1860 in the San Nicola di Franco Church in Grotteria to:
Maria Zavaglia (b 27 Dec 1837 - d 20 Sept 1898) daughter of Domenico Antonio Zavaglia & Angiola/Angela Agostino.
they had t
he following children:
1) Francesca Caterina Iannizzi (b about 1862 - died after Feb 1894; married about 1886 to Domenico Belcastro (1861-1897)
2) Rosa Maria "Rosina" Iannizzi (b about 1865 - died after 1894) married Vincenzo Salvatore Ferraro in 1888
3) Angiola Maria Iannizzi (b 21 May 1867 - unknown death) married Nicodemo Vincenzo Belcastro in 1889.
4) Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi (b 27 Oct 1869 - d 8 Apr 1938) married Angiola Maria Femia in 1894
5) Maria Caterina Iannizzi (b
28 Jan 1871 - d 1969) married Rocco Cosmo Salvatore Zavaglia in 1897.
6) Bruno Cosimo Iannizzi, my grandfather, (b 19 Dec 1875 - d 1 Jan 1966 in the US), married 1st to Anna Piera Isabella Bullatta in 1901; married 2nd Emilia Bruno (my grandmother) in 1911 in Massachusetts.
Watch the blog for more information on these ancestors and their families. If you have interest in the towns Grotteria or Mammola, please contact me as I have much information and photos of both the towns and the families that lived there.
GeaniePro
I hope to use this blog to stay connected with relatives both in the US and in Italy. Genealogy has been a passion of mine for nearly 20 years and I have done extensive research on both my Italian and Early American families. Sharing that research with relatives and other researchers is a wonderful way to connect to others. Hopefully you will find something useful, or at least interesting, in my stories of ancestors and the records I have uncovered concerning them.
My Italian ancestors come from the village (comune) of Grotteria, Reg
gio-Calabria, Calabria, Italy. My grandfather, Bruno Cosimo Iannizzi, traveled from Naples, Italy to Boston on two separate occasions (in 1901 & 1907), finally settling in the United States in June 1907. He came to live with his older brother, Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi, who had immigrated to Boston, MA in December of 1899. Francesco was coming to live with his cousin, Giuseppe Belcastro - a perfect example of what is called "chain migration." This just means that one person comes first to "test the waters" and others follow and usually settle in the same basic locality. The previous immigrant can ease the way for the newcomers. By doing this the immigrants were assured of knowing someone in the new town or city, being able to communicate in their native tongue or dialect, learn the culture, find jobs, and also meet others from the same background, both religious and social. They often created little communities of like individuals from the same town or small area of the native country - hence the term "Little Italy" for many of the Italian neighborhoods that sprang up in large cities like Boston and New York.When Bruno and Francesco first arrived they worked as laborers in construction and in the coal yards. They lived together, and saved their money and eventually Bruno brought his wife and children to the US in 1908.
Francesco chose to return to Italy, where he also had a wife and children. It appears that Francesco also made several trips across the Atlantic during his time in the US as he had children born in 1897, 1903 and 1909 in Italy. He made his final return to Grotteria about 1912 and stayed there for the rest of his life.
Francesco was the oldest son, and fourth child of Giovanni Giuseppe Iannizzi and Maria Zavaglia. The oldest child was Francesca Caterina Iannizzi, (born 1837 - died 1898); Rosa Maria "Rosina: Iannizzi, (born about 1862 - died about 1894); Angiola Maria Iannizzi (born 1867 - unknown date of death); Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi (born 1869 - died 1938); Maria Caterina Iannizzi (born 1872 - unknown death date); and my grandfather, Bruno Cosimo Iannizzi (born 1876 - died 1966).
All of these siblings married and had children. Some of the children immigrated to the US in later years but only one of the siblings (other than Bruno) came to the US. Bruno's sister, Maria Caterina, came to the US in 1950 but returned to Grotteria and died in 1965, according to a older relative.
The story of these immigrant ancestors is amazing. They boarded a ship leaving Naples, Italy to an uncertain future. Most Italians did not plan on staying in the US but rather came to work, earn money and then return to Italy in a better financial state than when they left. This was not always possible. World War I and II stranded many Italians on US soil and prevented other relatives from coming here. Separation was the most difficult part for many of them. They missed the family and the ways of their ancestral country.
My Aunt Susan (Maria Assunta Iannizzi), who died in 2000 at 99 years of age once told me that the day they left Italy was "like attending a funeral for all of your relatives on the same day." She said "I knew I would never hear my Nonna sing again."
Steerage travel was hard, long and brutal at times. Many didn't survive the 10-day to 2-week trip across the ocean. If they did they certainly thought twice about going back and having to endure the voyage yet again.
This family was separated by an ocean in a time when communication was possible only through writing letters and waiting for a reply. Months and years went by without word from one side of the ocean or the other - yet some of them persevered and succeeded in making a home here in the US. For that I will be forever thankful.
I have made the pilgrimage back to Grotteria on two occasions and have met some of the family still living there. In 2004 I had the honor of meeting Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi's son, Salvatore Giovanni Iannizzi. We spent two beautiful days with him and his family and learned more about the families on both sides of the Atlantic. We acquired photos of many of Bruno's siblings and their spouses and learned about the next generation.
This is what I know about the family (all events occurred in Grotteria unless otherwise noted):
Giovanni Giuseppe Iannizzi (b 17 Nov 1842 - d 25 May 1925) son of Francesco Iannizzi & Francesca Mesiti.
He married on 1 Nov 1860 in the San Nicola di Franco Church in Grotteria to:
Maria Zavaglia (b 27 Dec 1837 - d 20 Sept 1898) daughter of Domenico Antonio Zavaglia & Angiola/Angela Agostino.
they had t
he following children:1) Francesca Caterina Iannizzi (b about 1862 - died after Feb 1894; married about 1886 to Domenico Belcastro (1861-1897)
2) Rosa Maria "Rosina" Iannizzi (b about 1865 - died after 1894) married Vincenzo Salvatore Ferraro in 1888
3) Angiola Maria Iannizzi (b 21 May 1867 - unknown death) married Nicodemo Vincenzo Belcastro in 1889.
4) Francesco Antonio Pasquale Iannizzi (b 27 Oct 1869 - d 8 Apr 1938) married Angiola Maria Femia in 1894
5) Maria Caterina Iannizzi (b
28 Jan 1871 - d 1969) married Rocco Cosmo Salvatore Zavaglia in 1897.6) Bruno Cosimo Iannizzi, my grandfather, (b 19 Dec 1875 - d 1 Jan 1966 in the US), married 1st to Anna Piera Isabella Bullatta in 1901; married 2nd Emilia Bruno (my grandmother) in 1911 in Massachusetts.
Watch the blog for more information on these ancestors and their families. If you have interest in the towns Grotteria or Mammola, please contact me as I have much information and photos of both the towns and the families that lived there.
GeaniePro
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