Coffarelli Cousins

I don't think I actually had a chance to speak to everyone too much regarding your new Coffarelli cousins when I saw you all at Christmas. But indeed, there are living Coffarelli family members you should know about! I guess I had the impression Coffarellis were few and far between--since your Mom and her brother were the only children of James and Marguerite. But since James had EIGHT brothers and sisters, it is only natural that there must be other family members resulting from these 8 other families. And indeed, there are.

James' sister Louise married Michael Barra in June 1919. They had 3 children Teresa (now deceased); Anthony and John. Anthony is now 86 years old and living in an assisted living facility in Catskill. I had written to Anthony asking for confirmation that he is a Coffarelli and I received the confirmation from his son Michael along with most of this information you see here. Michael Barra is the oldest of Anthony's four children (also Patricia, Anthony Jr and Joseph). I believe this family lived mostly in Catskill New York. These children are just a little bit older than most of you (born mid to late 1940s). Sister Teresa had 3 children and brother John 6 so there are many many cousins out there for you all! Isn't it a big world right in our backyards sometimes?

Michael lives in Middletown and says: "I remember Aunt Tessie (Louise's sister) from my childhood. She was a nun and stayed with my grandparents during her summer vacations in Kiskatom in the town of Catskill (on Rt. 23A).My grandparents owned and operated a boarding house called Hickory Lodge when their children were growing up in Kiskstom, NY."

He also confirms this picture is of Phillip Coffarelli and his sister Theresa (Sister Magdalene) probably at this Hickory Lodge.

Wow, all these newly found family members should be enough interesting news for you BUT there's more news on the Coffarelli front. James' mother Rose died when her children were quite young and I believe I have discovered her death and burial. Rose died in May 1908 when her youngest, James, was only 9 years old. She is buried at the Calvary Cemetery (same as the Manzellis) in a plot with 3 others. Naturally I had to go find out who these other 3 were.

I assumed I'd find Rose, her husband John, then either Mary or Margaret (one of whom apparently died before James did) and father-in-law Giuseppe Nicholas Coffarelli. I was wrong. Goes to show once again. Rose and Giuseppe Nicholas (Joseph in the cemetery records) are buried in this plot along with Mary Orabel (died age 27 1914) and infant Julia Oreball (died 1908 only a few hours after birth).

If I could shout, I would: Does anybody know the Orabells????? It appears Mary was born in Italy around 1887. This does not match up nicely with anything else I know so far but it might not be impossible that this is still Mary the missing sister whom I have listed as born in New York around 1885. It also could possibly be missing sister Margaret born in Italy around 1880, although that doesn't really feel right to me.

These long sought answers very often simply generate more questions--"not that there's anything wrong with that"! So think think think. Who are these Orabells?

Happy New Year. It was great to hear that Robert and Bobbie has such a great trip and found the beautiful ancient Caffarelli chapel in Rome!

That's No Mystery! Part One

We visited Aunt Josie, Uncle Tom and Richard this week in their home. They very nicely allowed James and I to land on them with very short notice so that I could figure out some of the pictures that Robert allowed me to borrow. I had pre-selected some of those I was most curious about and only brought those with me for Aunt Josie to look at. For me, these were the biggest mysteries. But for Aunt Josie, "That's no mystery! That's ......(fill in the blank)". It made me laugh and say "Well, that's why we are here".

So here's the first That's No Mystery Post. This wedding picture intrigued me for a couple of reasons. This same wedding dress appears in another wedding picture and the female attendant is especially beautiful. I could pretty much tell the groom is Walter Jozwicki making the bride Rose Messa, your grandmother's sister.

Aunt Josie clarified for me that the female attendant is her cousin Mary Lessie and the male attendant is Walter's brother Henry. I did some research and found Rose Messa's wedding listed in Queens County to Ladislaw Jozwickie on Sept 17 1933. I believe this is probably the same wedding as portrayed in the picture. Perhaps Ladislaw is Walter from the Polish language? Seems likely.

A little further research in the census records shows Walter with his siblings Henry, John and Genevieve and parents Anthony and Helen in Brooklyn in 1920. Walter was apparently born in New York around 1915 making him a bit younger than his wife Rose.

In 1930, just a few years prior to this wedding, Mary Lessie is living with her family in Queens County and she was working as a saleslady in a department store. I have found a Mary Lessie marrying Joseph Campilonga in 1935--any idea if this might be the cousin Mary you see here?

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2008 and Hello 2009. Thanks to Robert's persistance and generosity, here is a New Year's picture for you all. I see Uncle Tommy, Aunt Josie, your dad, your grandfather, Walter and Aunt Rose in the foreground. Clearly this is New Year's Eve somewhere, but I am not sure where or when this picture was taken. There are a couple of boys just in the background and I almost think that might be James blowing a noisemaker as if it were a trumpet. So a wild guess is that this might be around 40 years ago. Any further insight from any of you would be appreciated.

Happy Anniversary to Robert and Bobbie and Happy Birthday to Kathleen this week. I understand Robert and Bobbie are overseas so we wish them a particularly memorable anniversary and New Year's. I suspect Kathleen may have to rest her way through her birthday after the great Long Island vacation recently!

I am working my way through the pictures slowly but with great pleasure. Thank you again for sharing and I think you'll enjoy the upcoming posts.

Just Peachy

James just came out of the neighborhood store with my newspapers and and and peach pie which he presented proudly. And he should be proud that he was thoughtful, but I couldn't help but shiver a little bit seeing this peach pie.

There was a bumper crop of peaches the year I was about 10 years old. I have no idea who provided my mother with ALL THOSE PEACHES, but we had bushels and bushels of peaches. And bushels more of them it seemed. We had peach pie, peaches with milk, and peach jam till the cows came home (almost literally). I distinctly remember peach jam and peanut butter sandwiches in my lunch for weeks. I recall the jam left sugary remains along the rim of the jars so you couldn't always get them all the way screwed back on properly--which I'm sure made the problem worse but no fear--there was more where that came from! I really can't look at peaches to this day without thinking about this and kind of shivering.

Did your family have any such experience that left a lasting impression on you even to this day where you might avoid something as a result? I think all my siblings remember this and it's one of those stories that gets shared when we are all together such as for holiday celebrations. Sharing these sotries is a way of keeping the history alive especially for the kids, who might be rolling their eyes now but will certainly be retelling these one holiday in the future around another table.

Thanks for another great holiday full of memories and stories to share. I am having a grand time with the pictures Robert kindly allowed me to borrow and you'll be seeing these soon. It's been about a year now of sharing stories with this blog and I've got lots more waiting in the wings for you in 2009!

Christmas 2008 Dalpiaz Style

Hailey, Robert, Brad, Marisa, Jake, Brandon, Thomas D, Ryan, Steve, Bobbie, Mallory, Linda, Nick, Pat D, Ron, Michelle, Jean, Sarah, Scott, Amanda, Amy, Drew, James, Emily, Bob, Thomas H, Lindsay WD, Brian, Pat H, Danielle, Kathleen, AND Lindsay D--says it all for Christmas 2008 Dalpiaz Style.

I have sent you all an invitation to the pictures I have on Shutterfly. I hope you enjoy. First anniversary of the blog. Thanks for reading it! More fun to come before you know it.

Christmas Past ...and Christmas way, way Past

Christmas Past circa 1987. Robert helping out.

Christmas way way Past 1967 Robert helping out.

Christmas 2008. Priceless.

See you all soon!

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!