It is common knowledge that the Ceppo and Lombardo families are related because there are many aunts and cousins that are common to the the two families. But investigating the Ellis Island immigration records and talking to some of the older surviving members of these families we were able to show the very complicated relationship between these families.
But where to begin?
Continue readingWrite story about the Lombardo Family’s adventures in coming to America…
Mom was 6-years old when the family moved from Tunisia to Beliot, Wisconsin. She often told the story of being run over by a car. As Mom was crossing the street, she got hit by a car and ended up under the car. She remembers her sister, Lena, screaming that Mom was under the car. Somehow Mom managed to escape from under the car unscathed. She remembers the driver was concerned about the accident but doesn’t remember anything else. Thanks be to God all ended on a positive note.
Mom says that she was chased by a turtle while living in Beliot, Wisconsin. I have no recollection of any stories of her being chased by a turtle. But it must have been hilarious! However, perhaps my mom was chasing the turtle when she was hit by a car. That would most certainly have not been hilarious!
Before marrying Guiseppe Lombardo, Maria Rizzo was married to another man in Marsala, Italy. She had a child with him but the child died at birth. Maria was so upset that she cried and cried and eventually went to the orphanage to see if she could get a child. Giacamo (born in 1897) was an infant and Maria was still able to nurse him from her recent childbirth. At the orphanage, the birth mother and the adopted mother were both given a piece of ribbon. If the 2 pieces of ribbon matched, then the birth mother could take back the child. Maria became so attached to Jack that she destroyed the ribbon so he wouldn’t be taken from her. Shortly after this, her first husband was killed by a horse drawn cart. She then married Guiseppe Lombardo and Jack became their adopted child.
Rose’s Mother called her grandmother Francesca “the dirty one” and wouldn’t let her children sit on her lap.
The following are Ciaccio Family stories that still need to be added ….
Recollections of Joe Ragucci.
As I was growing up we always had a backyard pool. This post is about the 2 major pools, one in Port Reading as I was growing up and one in Carteret at Rose & Joe’s first home. Continue reading
Recollections of son Joseph.
My dad, Dominic, has always been someone who wanted to save money. At every chance he did improvements and repairs himself rather than hire someone. Saving money on water usage was no exception. Continue reading