The
Antonio Limosani Family
The Antonio Limosani Family
November, 1919. Picture
taken on the day of
United States citizenship.
From left to right: Grandmother, Teresa Cristoforo Limosani, 32,
Lucia, in her lap, age 1 1/2 years, Rosalia, 9, Maria, 5, Grandfather,
Antonio Limosani, 35, Angelo, 3 years old.
HISTORY OF THE
LIMOSANI FAMILY
in
SAN MARCO IN
LAMIS - PROVINCIA DI FOGGIA - PUGLIA, ITALY
Our Great-Grand Father
was ANGELO LIMOSANI &
Our Great-Grand Mother was ROSALIA SOCCIO
They had six children, all of which were born in San Marco in
Lamis
Mary Micheline - Grandma - Grandpa
GRANDPA'S YOUTH IN SAN MARCO
Grandpa's father, Angelo, was a shepherd who owned a flock of 400 sheep and land. Grandpa and his brothers were also shepherds. Grandpa's older brother Phillip taught grandpa how to read and write while they tended the sheep. After his father's unfortunate departure, the brothers kept the business going. However, all the sheep died while eating some poisonous grass and that was the end of the business. These were rough times for Rosalia Soccio Limosani and her children. Grandpa hated school and stopped going. He worked at various odd jobs but did not learn a trade which may have been instrumental in his decision to come to America.
THE COURTSHIP OF ANTONIO AND TERESA IN SAN MARCO
It seems our 20-year-old grandfather would parade in front of the house of our 17-year-old grandmother wearing a black cape that he borrowed from his brother-in-law, Luigi Fulgaro, who was married to grandpa's older sister, Mary Micheline. This seemed to work and our future grandmother soon fell in love with our grandfather. The intrigue goes something like this. Grandpa's sister would go to grandma's house and bring some clothing that needed sewing or altering-grandma and her sister Maria were working as seamstresses to help their mother with the family bills after their father had died somewhat prematurely. It seems that Mary Micheline wound up the messenger for grandpa and grandma. Messages of affection would travel back and forth between Teresa and Antonio.
However, grandma's mother, Maria Archangela, had other ideas. She did not particularly want our grandpa as a son-in-law. Maria Archangela invited a 27-year-old-man to the house under the pretense of meeting grandma's older sister, Maria. Maybe Maria was in on the ploy or maybe forced to go along at her mother's insistence.
Nevertheless, the get-together went well and the man expressed his interest in grandma to Maria Archangela, much to her delight. However, when our grandma found out what had transpired, she immediately sent word to grandpa. Shortly, grandma and grandpa eloped and were married much to the dismay of grandma's mother.
For some reason, grandpa and
grandma were unsuccessful in having children for the first six years of their
marriage. In keeping
with the logic of Italian beliefs and customs, Grandma petitioned St. Matthew
for help, and then walked barefoot nine miles to the church of St. Matthew.
(This is a true story.) Nine months later, Rosalia, their first daughter,
was born with light skin, blue eyes and blond hair, much to the relief of
Maria Archangela. St. Matthew must have listened to grandma because she eventually
had seven children.
Our Grand Father ANTONIO
LIMOSANI -March 22, 1884
- November 23, 1982
Our Grand Mother MARIA TERESA
CRISTOFORO -May 8, 1887 - December 24, 1976
They had six children that were all born in Chicago, Illinois, USA,
except Rosalia, who was born in San Marco, Italy
Grandpa did not have a trade and found it difficult after he got married. He heard about the opportunities in America from other men in town who had been to America. Grandpa first came to the United States in 1908. He came to Chicago because his sister Micheline and her husband Luigi Fulgaro had been living there. Grandpa and his sister were extremely close. She was five years older and was like a second mother to him. He got a job in Montana with the railroad.
Grandpa in Montana Circa 1908/1909 - Third from right with his left hand an his hip
He traveled back and forth to Italy about three times trying to get grandma to come to America. He returned to Italy sometime in 1909 for the birth of his first child, Rosalia, who was born in 1910. He stayed in San Marco trying to talk grandma into coming to the United States, but she still didn't want to leave Italy. Grandma became pregnant again and grandpa returned to America to work-there was little work in San Marco. A son, Angelo, was born, but died when he was one-and-a-half years old. Grandma was heartbroken. Antonio wrote her to come to America. She finally relented because she wanted to get away from the memory of little Angelo.
Grandma and her daughter, Rosalia, came to America on the deck of a steamship around April of 1913. Traveling with them was Antonio Vocale, who was married to grandma's sister, Maria. Antonio Vocale, who was on his way to America to work, watched over Grandma and Rosalia on the trip. Antonio's wife, Maria, stayed in Italy until around 1927 before she finally moved to America.
The Limosani first house in
America was at 525 W. Taylor Street. They shared the
house with Antonio's sister Mary Micheline and her husband Louis Fulgaro and
their three children, Tony, Mike. Rose, Lucia. Grandpa and the family lived
in half the house and the Fulgaro's lived in the other half. Antonio's family
grew with the birth of Maria, in the first year, followed by Angelo and Lucia.
Interesting anecdote: In those days, a man on a horse-drawn wagon would go through the neighborhood selling vegetables. He would shout his selection as he drove and the people would come out of their houses to buy them. One day, when grandma went out to buy vegetables, she looked in disbelief because the vegetable man was that 27-year-old-man who had come to her house and expressed an interest in her in the Old Country. He wanted to know if she was happily married and how she was getting along. She told him she was doing fine and after some small talk they departed as friends.
Grandpa and the family then moved to 717 W. Taylor over a saloon owned by Chi Chi (Cecil) Tagglia. Their son, Michael, was born there.
Grandpa bought the family's first house at 1013 S. Marshfield about 1921/22. Their son, Joseph, was born there. At that time, Marshfield was bounded by Taylor Street on the north, Roosevelt Road (12th Street) on the south, Paulina Street on the west and Ashland Boulevard on the east. This was an all-Italian neighborhood although there were a few other ethnic people who lived on the block. In fact, grandpa liked to drink wine with the only Black Man on the block, Mr. Blanton, who lived a few doors away. There was also a Jewish Synagogue on Marshfield near Roosevelt Road. Those buildings are no longer there. The area is now a huge mental hospital complex.
Grandpa told the family that
a Limosani in the past was a soldier for a Pope.
Eventually, grandpa bought another house at 1017 S. Marshfield, which was two doors away. In later years, grandpa sold the house at 1017 to help with Michael's tuition at medical school at the University of Illinois at Champagne.
Eventually, the family moved
from Marshfield to 1445 So. Avers and then to
12608 So. Ada.
Grandpa worked at Western Electric as a Crane Fireman for about 40 years and then retired. He passed away at the age of 99 in 1983. Grandma passed away on December 24, 1976.
A photo of a store in San
Marco, Italy, with the Limosani surname on it.
Taken by Antonio Limosani from Melbourne, Australia, on a visit to San Marco.
|
There
are 126 families in Italy with the Limosani Surname |
Three Pages of People Named Limosani
Submitted by Bob Limosani
OTHER
FAMILY LINKS:
Limosani
Family In Milan, Italy
Possible
Relative - Antonio Limosani Family in Australia
|
George
Barry
Texas, USA |
Lee
Barry
Illinois, USA |
Mark
Traversino California, USA
|
|
I HAVE MADE
A PAGE CALLED THE LIMOSANI BOARD.
CLICK
HERE TO GET TO LIMOSANI BOARD |
email
corrections, additions and deletions to
Mark Traversino at:
traverma@earthlink.net