Hishats Innocenti

My first major genealogical discovery of 2012 is Hishats Innocenti.   Yep.  Hishats Innocenti.  And she's all yours.  Meet Margaret Coffarelli--once again found after having been a little bit lost.

Margaret Coffarelli first appears in records in the 1900 census at the age of 20 with her parents and works as a dressmaker.  In this census record, her mother Rose is listed as having had 9 children all living.  It appears that Margaret and Rose arrived in the United States in 1883, two years after John did. 




This picture may be close to what it looked like for dressmakers in the early 1900s in New York.  (Story here--not my style of writing, but interesting perspective in what Margaret probably experienced)

Ten years later, in the 1910 census, Innocence Disabto is living with her husband Mark in the same household with her father John (now widowed) as well as John's 94 year old father Nicholas (also widowed) who had recently arrived in the United States.  Mark worked as a concrete laborer and they had 3 young children Rosanna, Catherine and Marie.  One child had died, probably early in the marriage which occured 9 years prior. This was Mark's second marriage and Innocence's (Margaret's) first.  You might remember that finding her married and living right in the same house with her father was quite a discovery for me once I'd tracked her down with this new name from one of those "shaky leaf" hints  you hear about on the Ancestry.com commercials.

Armed with this new information, about the Disabto family, I was able to locate them in the 1920 census living in Long Island City.  By now there are 3 more children Jeanette, George and James.  Mark is listed as working with razors (?!)  Innocence is 40 years old.

But, no matter what I did, I couldn't locate this family in the 1930 census and I was certain I should have been able to.  Due to my curiosity about this elusive family, I wandered off (this is a very professional and official term in family history research :)  )  to find some newspaper articles such as those from the Long Island Star Journal that I've shared with you.  Even after finding the story about Mrs. Margaret Disabato's son Joseph killed in action at Guadalcanal in 1943, I still wasn't satisfied that I didn't have records for the gap between 1920 and 1943 when this death occurred.  

I recently picked up this research thread again.  I searched for Disabto, Disabato and Disabito articles other than those published in the Long Island Star Journal.  And I found small leads in the marriage announcements of daughters Rosanna (to Joseph Kernan) and Catherine (to Fred Pulzelo).  These announements were made in 1929 so curiosity once again led me to search for Rosanna and Catherine.  Pulzelo seemed like an unusual enough name that might help make the search a little easier, so I started with Fred Pulzelo.  Found the 1930 census record almost immediately and began to scan it.  My eyes wandered up and "then what to my wondering eyes did appear" but Hishats Innocenti AND Rosanna and Joseph Kernan all together in the same house!  CHA CHING!  No wonder I couldn't find Margaret or Innocencia Disabto or any other members of the still young family--the census enumerator listed Innocenti as the surname and Disabto got transcribed as Hishats.  Truly serendipitous  and a great boost.  Besides Joseph that I'd learned about from the newspaper articles, there was another son John listed.  Margaret (perhaps the Aunt Maggie that your Uncle John referred to) had 9 children like her mother before her, although one did not live past infancy.

As I've noted, the 1940 census will be released in April.  Who knows where or when I'll be able to find her there?  Looks as though she may have died around 1955--another record to track down.  This job is never done, but I have so much fun with it.  Even when it leads to Hishats Innocenti.

It's difficult to read, but here it is if you are interested.

This week, I heard the news that Kodak may be filing for bankruptcy.  Of course, this brought discussion about the rise of the digital camera in recent history.  Which got me thinking......(it ALL gets me thinking).....I've had my digital SLR for almost 5 years now.  I dragged my feet getting one, convinced I would never give up my 35mm pictures.  Boy, was I wrong about that!  After I got my camera, there was NO MORE 35 mm film.  I just never went back.  But, I wondered, what was the occasion of the last set of 35 mm pictures in my album?

Looks like Sea World in Orlando is the winner!  I took a quick weekend trip to Florida to visit my friend Bonnie shortly after she moved there.  I don't know one orca killer whale from the other (never mind the trainers) but I can't help but wonder if this might be Tilikum, the whale that killed its trainer a couple of years ago in Orlando.  Perhaps one of these women is the unfortunate trainer.  Isn't it funny what we find when we go looking?

Kathleen sent this picture along that she found again recently

In her words (and I am NOT comparing your parents to killer whales!):

It is Nov 1989, the first and only time I got both of them to come visit me. It is at my first house in Tampa. I was still married to Doug. I brought them to my office during that visit and introduced them to Nick, my co-worker. He still talks about the only time he met Mom. Who said they never rested? I was already thinking, If I could only get them to move to FL, but I knew she would never leave the grandchildren. 

Isn't it funny what we find when we go looking? 

Good by 2011; Hello 2012

Well, the Dalpiaz clan created many wonderful memories in the year 2011--a banner year for sure.  We celebrated new families:  congratulations Lindsay and Jesse; Brian and Monet; and welcomed Joey to the family tree.   Congratulations also to Amanda on her graduation and new Pittsburgh venture.  Brad and Cheryl's engagement is wonderful news as well.  I can just about picture the pride and joy on your parents' faces. 

 Genealogically speaking, it was a pretty good year as well.  Looks like we can add the Bentivoglio name to your grandmother Barbara Odorizzi Dalpiaz's side of the family.  Made some new discoveries on the Isoldi branch and met a new cousin Mike Russo.  I was able to make some of the names you see on the tree a bit more real via old newspaper articles which nicely detail some of those every day life events that march along and add up until.....before you know it.......it's 2012!

 2012 seemed like such a BIG number back in 1979 when I started teaching and it was listed as the standard retirement date based on my birth date.  Seemed quite unreachable and yet, there it is, balefully staring at me.  It feels like a great accomplishment just to get there.  Thank you for your part in the ride so far!  I wish the best for you all in 2012 and beyond.

Happy Birthday Kathleen and this blog (now 4 years old!--I hope it behaves better than the typical 4 year old!)

Merry Christmas from past and present

Merry Christmas all!  We hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  We missed you last night and I believe James in particular really missed singing Twelve Days of Christmas with you all.  We spoke with Kathleen and Nick this morning as she was in her shorts roasting pork.  Nice!

Kathleen mentioned receiving a card from Clyde and Linda and noticing how much Clyde looks like his mother your Aunt Anna.  I had to agree, which of course sent me rooting around for appropriate photo proof.

Clyde, Linda, Jared and Daniel Pitelli 2011

Marilyn Sheerin and Anna Pitelli 1979

As Jean said one time in a similar circumstance:  Holy Canolli!

O Christmas Tree; O Christmas Tree

I'm not sure why so many of us take pictures of our Christmas trees but here's a sweet one from 1946.  I love the chimney--I feel certain it must be cardboard and I can almost smell it.  Of course, the chimney seems to be covered with the creche.  Hmmmm.  I also note the picture of your dad on the wall which I also find very sweet and reminds me of your picture wall downstairs at Duffin Ave.  Something seems to be hanging from it and I"m not sure what that might be.  The entire effect is very festive.  Lots and lots of tinsel seemingly weighing the branches down to nearly touch the floor. 

Flash forward 65 years.  I always take a picture of the tree and always find myself a little disappointed that the picture doesn't reflect the beauty I see in the tree that year.  The cat accent helps this one a little.  In the background you can see the collection of First Christmas pictures of Amy that my dad put together and framed for us.  We have one for Ryan too but it's not visible in the picture.  Maybe it's the digital technology but I like the way the lights look in these pictures.  We put it in the window because we like how it looks as we are driving up the road.  Never mind that we very rarely get to see those lights sparkling in the window as we are driving up the road because we don't leave the lights on if we aren't home.  But it's nice to know they are there.

We are awaiting Amy's late night/early morning arrival.  I'm sorry we will miss you all but it feels just right for us to be here together with each other this year.  But it's nice to know you all are together there.  Merry Christmas.

Dec 7 1941

The 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor has generated more than the usual number of stories about that day, the survivors and its historical impact.  In particular, I noted with interest the stories about the veterans who wanted to be buried at the site.  Seventy years later and this event is still in their lives to the point that they wish to be buried with their long dead friends.  I find this amazingly touching.

We know in our heads that Dec 7 1941 was a seminal event in the history of the world, but the desire of these veterans to be buried there brings it home to the heart.  It's a sad fact that the various survivor organizations have had to disband for obvious reasons and that the remaining veterans worry that there will be no one left to share firsthand memories with school children.  So time marches on in its plodding and reassuring fashion.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor is often compared to September 11.  They are certainly comparable and I can't help but wonder if September 11 survivors remaining in 2071 will ask to be buried at the site.  I doubt it and that's because I don't believe workers usually have the same kind of camaraderie as soldiers and sailors.  That's a very special bond that cannot be denied--even 70 years later.

From Aunt Rose Joswicki's journal:  A couple years later Mother's health was failing.  That year of 1941 in December I had planned a birthday party for my son's fourth year (Walter).  I don't think that anyone will ever forget that day Dec 7 1941.  When the Japs attack Pearl Harbor and the war was declared.  The next day was Junior's birthday and I proceeded with my plans just the same.  But no one was very happy.  Except the children they were too young to know what it was all about.  And that's exactly what the veterans fear.