Happy Valentine's Day! It's not exactly Valentine-y or romantic but I do have a little gift for you all. Another Coffarelli story is beginning to take shape. I followed a bit of a hunch I mentioned previously regarding the unknown Orabel girls. Mary and Julia Orabell are buried together with your great grandmother Rose Coffarelli and your great great grandfather Giuseppe (Joseph -- also known as Nicholas).
I recently obtained a copy of Mary Orabell's deather certificate and she is one of the "missing" Coffarelli siblings--your grandfather James' sister. Mary is the first of the children to be born in New York (November 12 1886) which helps me pin down immigration information. I don't know the name of her groom just yet but I believe Mary was married Dec 23 1907 in Queens--just a few months later she had a daughter Julia who died a few hours after birth. (OK--it's a sad Valentine's Day story, but it's a celebration also to reclaim an ancestor). Mary was probably just 21 at this time. Julia was born and died just about a month after Mary's mother Rose died so I can imagine this was a very difficult time for her.
Mary herself died six years later in the Bronx after spending several days hospitalized. She is listed as married but no mention is made of her husband in the death record. Every time I get one question answered, that answer creates more questions! And that's the thrill of the hunt, I guess. This job will never be done and that's OK by me. I am just hoping someday some future descendant will be very happy with me!
I look forward to seeing some of you this upcoming weekend. I am including one of the "unknowns" from an album labeled "Regina Coffarelli"--I think the baby might be your mother but I don't know who the man is for sure. Any ideas? Maybe it's father/daughter--so I think the other picture makes a nice contrast.
1 comment:
I thought it could be Uncle Andrew, but you could be right about father/daughter. i love your other picture. Did he call his Valentine? See you soon.
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