my grandmother Virginia Mary Giannetti!!
Grandma was the only grandparent alive when I was born. She lived in Canada so I didn't get to see her often. I remember visiting her home once when I was about five. She had a cute little home with a garden in the back. I remember eating her peas fresh from the plant. There was a great little corner store down the street and she would give us money to go buy a treat. Grandma was born in Terracina Italy to Silviano Giannetti and Rosario Morlani, one of at least three children.
I was so happy to find her birth record on mircofilm. I love it that her given name was actually Virginia Felice, not Mary. Felice is happy in Italian, so her name is more like Merry than Mary!
Grandma was the only grandparent alive when I was born. She lived in Canada so I didn't get to see her often. I remember visiting her home once when I was about five. She had a cute little home with a garden in the back. I remember eating her peas fresh from the plant. There was a great little corner store down the street and she would give us money to go buy a treat. Grandma was born in Terracina Italy to Silviano Giannetti and Rosario Morlani, one of at least three children.I was so happy to find her birth record on mircofilm. I love it that her given name was actually Virginia Felice, not Mary. Felice is happy in Italian, so her name is more like Merry than Mary!
She married Pio Celestino in Terracina in 1912! It's rumored in family stories that her marriage was arranged by her older brother, Giovanni. She immigrated through Ellis Island and on into Canada to reunite with her husband in 1914. He however deserted her for another woman. So she had to raise two little girls on her own. Life was hard and difficult to live up to her name of Felice. 
This is my Grandma with my mom (the youngest daughter) and my Aunt Eva.
This is my Grandma with my mom (the youngest daughter) and my Aunt Eva.
A sweet memory I have of my Grandma is every Christmas she would send us Sees Candy. We would get a little sleigh filled with chocolates!! Yummy!! When I was a teenager my grandma and Aunt came to live with us in California. I was so excited to finally have a grandma close to me. However, Grandma was a quiet women. I wanted to hear stories of her life in Italy, but she didn't want to share. Such a disappointment to me. There was much family contention between my mom and her sister and they moved out. We didn't hear from them much. Very sad indeed. Years later when I started family research I had a feeling that my Grandmother had died, because I knew she had been ill. Unfortunately I found her death record in the California index. It is sad to me that she passed away and my own mom didn't even know about it!!
I wonder if my shyness comes from Grandma. I'm sad that her stories of life growing up in Italy never were shared. So, I need to remember to share my stories with my grandchildren!!
4 comments:
I love learning about your ancestors! I need to learn more about mine!!!
Your grandmother's story is heartbreaking. Having to raise 2 girls on her own, ending her life alone (if I've well understood) was very hard, indeed.
Too bad she was so uncommunicative, you would have learn a lot from her.Maybe she felt uproot (is it the good word?)during her entire life. Have you succeeded to find archives about her parents in Terracina?
catherine
Thanks for asking, Catherine. Her parents actually came to the US. They are both buried in Massachusetts and I have been to their gravesite. I also have found a little information on both of their set of parents and some siblings. The LDS church mircofilmed some civil records from Terracina and I found a few things there. But, there is more to do!!
No end work. I know. What I like the most is waiting for the answer of the authorities, the thrill when the letter arrives with its informations. catherine
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