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Old Days
Some glimpses of the generations gone before us. . .
This page features part of the story of the Italian branch of our
roots
E-mail me if you would like to compare notes on any of these lines.
this map courtesy of http://www.graphicmaps.com/webimage/countrys/europe/
Silvio and Mally [Perdona] Mosconi -- Verona and Caldiero, Italy, and Gloversville, Fulton County, New York
When their son was born on March 23, 1881 in Verona, in northern Italy, his parents named him Silvio Mosconi. In the nearby village of St. Pietro, Amalia Perdona was born on February 3, 1886. The two were wed not far away, in Caldiero, Italy on October 10, 1906. They made their home there, and it was the birthplace of their sons August, who arrived in 1907, and Eugene, born in 1909.
Map below and boundary data are copyrighted by FOTW Flags Of The World
Silvio and Mally shared the dream of many of their neighbors -- "discovering America" for themselves, in hopes of a better life for their little family. Their countryman Christopher Columbus had ventured from the very same port over four hundred years before, voyaging across the same ocean; the little family sailed from Genoa on the S.S. Konig Albert on May 17, 1913.
They arrived
at Ellis Island, NY at last on May 31. Perhaps taking advantage
of inexpensive transportation, and feeling most at home with a
simple way of life, they may have boarded a boat heading up the Hudson
River, then westward on the Erie Canal, settling in the town of
Gloversville, New York. As its name implies, the town was home to
a number of mills processing hides for leather products such as gloves.
Silvio worked in the "hair mill", and Mally sewed gloves from the processed
hides. It is said that Mally had a miscarriage en route to the new homeland,
but on March 4, 1914, the couple welcomed a baby daughter, Inez. Her
sister Amelia, now known as Maggie, was born January 22, 1917. The youngest
in the family was James, who was born July 19, 1920. He was known as
Jim or "Jock", perhaps a variant of Giacomo, Italian for James (that is,"Giac'
").
Are we related to Willie Mosconi, the esteemed late professional billiards player? Jim and I could have a splendid dinner out if we had a quarter for every time we're asked this! We don't have a definite answer either way. However, it is said James Sr. met Willie in passing, and the men weren't able to discover any common relatives. A present-day acquaintance who lives in Italy, also a Mosconi, agrees that Willie's family's roots in another part of Italy from Silvio's make a close link unlikely.
As Fran, wife of Silvio and Mally's grandson, has researched the family tree, Internet searching in present day Verona, Italy shows that a hide-processing firm was opened by some Mosconis in Verona in the early to mid-1900s! The founders developed a state-of-the-art hide-processing machine. Under new management, the firm remains in business to this day. Could their line of work be a coincidence, or was the company perhaps begun by a long-lost kinsman of Silvio's?
(below: Silvio and Mally about 1953, with grandson James Mosconi, Jr., son of James Mosconi, and future husband of Frances Kardos)
Roslyn, grandson Nicholas, and James Mosconi Sr., in 1991
James visited his sister Inez, by then Mrs. Fred Allen, at her home in Syracuse after his Army tour of duty in New Caledonia during WWII. Through Inez and mutual friends, James was introduced to lovely young Roslyn Nasiff, a first-generation Lebanese-American working as a secretary. The two were married on September 4, 1948 at Most Holy Rosary Church in Syracuse. They lived in Gloversville for about 12 years, making Syracuse their home in 1960. Jim and Roslyn were blessed with a son, James, in 1951, and a daughter, Janet, one day less than four years later.
Janet and her brother Jim share a chuckle, ca 1986
In 1978, Janet married Thomas Manko. They have three sons, Stephen, Daniel and Michael. Janet is a teacher, and Tom a school administrator.
below: Janet and Tom, with niece Angela Mosconi, ca 1989
Jim Jr. married Frances Kardos in 1982. They have five children, Matthew, Angela, Nicholas, Mark, and Dominic, ranging in age from sixteen years to sixyears old. Jim Jr. is a postal clerk, and Fran is a stay-at-home wife and mother, and an R.N. employed a few shifts a month. The couple met at the post office window at which Jim works!
Jim Mosconi Jr. and his wife Fran [née Kardos], 1997
below, fond memories: All of Roslyn and Jim Mosconi Sr.'s grandchildren celebrate Angela's 11th birthday at the Mankos' home. Left to right, back row: with black shirt, Matt Mosconi; Dan Manko, holding Dominic Mosconi; Mike Manko; Steve Manko, in FILA shirt; Nick Mosconi. Left to right, front row: Mark Mosconi in white shirt; Angela Mosconi. The Mankos now live an hour's drive from Syracuse, but Roslyn, the Mosconis and the Mankos often get together on holidays, for special life events and some birthdays. All have many glad memories of such gatherings through the years!
Jim Sr., Roslyn and their children's families lived in towns not far apart from 1979 until 1994, when a professional opportunity led the Mankos to their move. Everyone enjoyed many happy times together until Jim Sr. lost his battle with lymphoma in November 1995.
We have since learned to go on together as a family and to smile again, but we still miss you, Dad.
Our wonderful, thoughtful, personable Aunt Maggie [Mosconi] Fagiani, widowed in 1982, remains in good health. Her sons David and Tim and she reside not far from the home in which Silvio and Mally first lived in the U.S.
Silvio and Mally and three more of their children have left this world. Silvio died August 11, 1962, and Mally passed away June 11, 1971. Their son August, a clerk and salesman, and daughter Inez ("Iney" [Mosconi] Allen) each married, but each died in middle age and childless. Eugene had his own luncheonette and variety store, and worked in other occupations and volunteer capacities into his 70s. He and his wife, the former Lilyan Faris, shared 50 years of married life and many wonderful trips around the country for vacations and to visit their relatives before he passed away in 1989. Aunt Lil is still with us, a lively, witty "Jack Benny-age-39-and holding".
In the spring of 2000, Fran received a letter from an Alessandro Mosconi of Verona, Italy. He does not know of being any relation to Jim, but he was kind enough to obtain for us photocopies of pages from the parish roster in the nearby Italian town of Caldiero, showing the entry for Jim's grandfather's baptism in 1881, which at last gives us the names of Jim's great-grandparents, Francesco and Rosa (née Versini, daughter of Luigi) Mosconi, of Jim's great-great-grandfather Giacobbe Mosconi as well, and the entry for the grandfather's marriage to Jim's grandmother in 1906 -- what a find!
To be continued. . .
<---Return to Mosconi Family Home page
Go to Our Slovak Ancestors' story and photos , or
Go to The Gravestone Gallery: Cemetery Curiosities and Tombstone Tributes ---Then, Today and Tomorrow: an article by Fran, accompanied by an extensive photo tour of civilian and of veterans' gravesites, on the role of cemeteries in genealogical research and in our culture ----->