I learned that your grandfather James Coffarelli was a
World War I soldier in the US Army and that his brothers John and
Phillip also served. James took many pictures during his service in
Italy and they are very carefully placed and labeled in a precious album
that was found in the attic. His careful notes and thoughtful pictures
paint a picture of a man who cared very much about the world around him
and the people in it. I'm certain we will learn a great deal from
these records so lovingly kept.
This is from a notebook kept by James Coffarelli probably during his
time of service in World War I when he was just about 21 years old!
First of all, note the address for M. Disabto whom I believe to be his
oldest sister Marguerite (the only sibling born in Italy)
Perhaps
this was well before he met his bride as I see several young ladies
listed here along with his sister's address, but no Marguerite
Manzelli! What great handwriting he has.
Now here's a letter sent from a lawyer to someone named HA Kellum in 1886
This
obviously has nothing to do with your grandfather James as it was
written 12 years before he was even born. But as it was in your uncle's
treasured possessions, we can conclude it meant something to someone in
the Coffarelli family over 100 years ago!
This
is another item in those treasures and here we see H.A. Kellum again.
I've done a little bit of research and discovered that the Queens
Amateur Athletic Club at that time was a raceground for bicycles--thus
the two mile handicap. H.A. Kellum's name appears as a participant in
several such races of the time period but I have NO idea what the
connection to the Coffarelli family might be. From bicycles in the 19th
century to Mustangs in the 20th!
So we have a bit of a two mile handicap of our own here to figure this out--any thoughts?
This blog is intended to share the stories of my ancestors. The stories reflect research over the years as well as some conjecture based on the history of the times. Family names include DALPIAZ, COFFARELLI, MANZELLI, RYAN, FLYNN and NEVINS
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
I found my own little pot of gold this week with the Irish research.
Could you hear the Cathedral of Family History church bells ringing
joyously? I did. I was finally able to unravel some family
relationships with our Gloucestermen and officially add them to the
family tree. These are the McDonoughs--this branch of the family has
been deviling me almost since I discovered them. John Bentley (captain
of the Schooner Paul Revere lost in 1882) married Mary Costello. Mary's
father Martin was Captain Bentley's cook on the Paul Revere. Martin
Costello was married to Julia so both Julia and Mary were left widowed
after the sinking of the Paul Revere. Mary died a few years after her
husband but I hadn't found a trace of Julia's death and that was
bothering me.
Finally I found Julia living in Boston in 1900 at the age of 72 and the census record indicated she had been the mother of 7 children and none remained alive by that time. She was living with a niece. Also in that household was the niece's sons, brother-in-law and nephew. It was those people that I needed to tie to Julia (and therefore to us also). Julia's death record indicated her maiden name was McDonough and I actually found her mother in Boston also! It was a big tableful of puzzle pieces that didn't seem to fit together. You keep going back to the table a move the pieces around, but can't quite make the one magical connection that allows all the others to fall into place.
Then I found the puzzle piece (a forgotten census record I uncovered in my paperwork set aside for later consideration) which allowed me to confirm and connect Julia and her niece as "our" Irish family members and open up a whole new group of families--all Irish fishermen, by the way.
And I'm not doing the discovery justice in the telling either--please try to be happy for me and say hello to your new McDonough cousins: the Costins and the Regans of Boston. Let the bells ring with genealogical joy.
Finally I found Julia living in Boston in 1900 at the age of 72 and the census record indicated she had been the mother of 7 children and none remained alive by that time. She was living with a niece. Also in that household was the niece's sons, brother-in-law and nephew. It was those people that I needed to tie to Julia (and therefore to us also). Julia's death record indicated her maiden name was McDonough and I actually found her mother in Boston also! It was a big tableful of puzzle pieces that didn't seem to fit together. You keep going back to the table a move the pieces around, but can't quite make the one magical connection that allows all the others to fall into place.
Then I found the puzzle piece (a forgotten census record I uncovered in my paperwork set aside for later consideration) which allowed me to confirm and connect Julia and her niece as "our" Irish family members and open up a whole new group of families--all Irish fishermen, by the way.
And I'm not doing the discovery justice in the telling either--please try to be happy for me and say hello to your new McDonough cousins: the Costins and the Regans of Boston. Let the bells ring with genealogical joy.
Monica Tierney McDonough's death certificate--the McDonough matriarch--Julia's mother
Monday, March 10, 2014
Treasure in Old Newspapers for the Coffarelli, Manzelli and Sapienza families
I found a wonderful new time-waster in the form of a website
that has TONS of old newspaper articles largely from New York State and
have been spending way too much time enthralled by my finds. FultonHistory.com has put hours and hours of work into digitizing newspaper articles to benefit all of us but especially those interested in the smaller newspapers. The Long Island Star Journal is a key newspaper for the Dalpiaz, Manzelli and Coffarelli families. I
think you're going to love these! (especially the Ruskas!!)
This
is the wedding announcement for Madeline Manzelli and Joseph Basile
published in the Long Island City Star Journal Mon Aug 26 1940--wedding
trip to Lake George!
The big one that got away from the Manzelli boys as described in the Nov 7 1939 Long Island City Star Journal. It's a special find to discover an article in which your ancestors are quoted.
This appeared in the Long Island City Star Journal Thursday July 29 1948
Grandfather Giacomo Sapienza. This appeared in the Lond Island Star Journal Sat Oct 26 1963
The big one that got away from the Manzelli boys as described in the Nov 7 1939 Long Island City Star Journal. It's a special find to discover an article in which your ancestors are quoted.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Canadian Link for Irish Immigrants
Our Irish ancestors were quite extraordinary. All Irish immigrants are quite extraordinary, actually. I recently got to watch a
documentary called "Death or Canada--Fleeing the Irish Famine".
Intellectually I know the Irish faced hard times in the Famine years
(1845-1852) but this documentary put the day to day hardships into sharp
focus for me. Disease and starvation forced Irish fisherman to sell
their boats and nets to buy food for their families. Typhus caused many
more deaths than starvation brought upon these families.
I'd long known that many of our Irish came to the United States through Canada. Apparently as the wave of Irish immigrants began to overwhelm Eastern US ports, the authorities reacted by increasing the fees owed by the shipping lines and immigrants. Canada was kinder (read:cheaper). Many Irish took the long two month voyage to Canada because they had no other choice for survival. Survival.
I believe Timothy Ryan immigrated during the Famine years. We know that Patrick Flynn's mother Ellen immigrated from Ireland but I believe this was later, though I'm not certain. The Pierces and the Nevins came from Canada but each are Irish families. Even if Ellen did not leave Ireland due to the Famine, she survived the Famine years there--imagine the strength and certain Irish luck working in her favor!
No small wonder the Irish are generally dark and brooding. No wonder their stories are often fanciful if not outright falsehoods. They are strong and resourceful. And we descend from these people. "Take a break and think about the past" came from this documentary and I think they are appropriate words for as St. Patrick's Day approaches.
This is a picture of the oldest Irish ancestors that I have so far: William Sr (Timothy's son) and his wife Kate Bentley Ryan. I can almost picture Timothy from this as well as so many of the other Irish fishermen and farmers. Perhaps you've see it before but it pays to look again with new eyes.
I'd long known that many of our Irish came to the United States through Canada. Apparently as the wave of Irish immigrants began to overwhelm Eastern US ports, the authorities reacted by increasing the fees owed by the shipping lines and immigrants. Canada was kinder (read:cheaper). Many Irish took the long two month voyage to Canada because they had no other choice for survival. Survival.
I believe Timothy Ryan immigrated during the Famine years. We know that Patrick Flynn's mother Ellen immigrated from Ireland but I believe this was later, though I'm not certain. The Pierces and the Nevins came from Canada but each are Irish families. Even if Ellen did not leave Ireland due to the Famine, she survived the Famine years there--imagine the strength and certain Irish luck working in her favor!
No small wonder the Irish are generally dark and brooding. No wonder their stories are often fanciful if not outright falsehoods. They are strong and resourceful. And we descend from these people. "Take a break and think about the past" came from this documentary and I think they are appropriate words for as St. Patrick's Day approaches.
This is a picture of the oldest Irish ancestors that I have so far: William Sr (Timothy's son) and his wife Kate Bentley Ryan. I can almost picture Timothy from this as well as so many of the other Irish fishermen and farmers. Perhaps you've see it before but it pays to look again with new eyes.
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