Coffarelli News

It looks like you all will need to make a little more room on your Coffarelli family tree! I believe I have found another generation--great great great grandparents.

In 1910 and 1915, Nicholas Coffarelli (James Coffarelli's grandfather) lived with his son John's family in Long Island City. He had arrived from Italy when he was probably about 88 years old. Can you imagine making such a change in your life at that age? I suspect perhaps he wasn't in very good health but I don't know too much about that yet.

But I had never found out what happened to Nicholas. I didn't expect he could have lived very much longer and by 1920 he no longer lived with the family. Some extra persistence paid off and I think I found his death record in January 1917 at the age of "99 years 4 months and 20 days" (making his birthday August 18 1817). He is listed as having been found dead in bed of "chronic myocarditis; arterio sclerosis and general senility". Small wonder.

He is actually listed on the death record as Giuseppe N Coffarelli, and since I'd been looking for Nicholas, it's no wonder it took persistence to find him. Another lesson learned. I should have been a little suspicious since I hadn't found any children named Nicholas anywhere yet. Your family research is certainly teaching me many lessons!

Anyhow, back to the new added branch on the family. Guiseppe N Coffarelli's parents are listed as John and Isabella Malizasso! Welcome to the family John and Isabella! Isabella Coffarelli is a very pretty name.

A new branch on the tree is always a cause for celebration and a new surname to boot is a terrific bonus. I recently bought some old but very beautful Christmas tree ornaments and finding Isabella Malizasso Coffaerelli is like hanging one of those pretty old ornaments-- a pretty sparkling ornament sitting in an antique shop just waiting to be discovered. And you always know there are more out there!

Happy Birthday shoutout to Jake!