German Family
SCHWARZWALD (BLACK FOREST) ROOTS
My maternal grandmother's family was from the
BLACK FOREST, .they were clockmakers. Here are some of my local surnames:
Duffner, Bauerle, Dold, Faller, Winterhalder, Spiegelhalter,
Ruf, Beha, Kirner, Rombach, Fehrenbach, Fohrenbach, Dilgerin, Laulerin, & Weherle.
From
the towns of Neukirch, Furtwangen, Waldu, Gutanbach, St. Margen, Simmonswald & Kohlplatz, etc.
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I am of the STAPKE family of Chicago Ich bin der Stapke
Familie von Chicago My great grandfather was Wilhelm Stapke of Preilack-Peitz Mein Urgroßvater war Wilhelm von Stapke
Preilack-Peitz
His Father: Martin Stapke born 1829
Mother: Christiane nee Lolk
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William (Wilhelm) Stapke - 33 yrs b. Preilack Germany Married on 26 Dec 1886 Susanna Sietzen- 24 yrs b. Weissenseifen b.1 JAN 1865
The Messina-Projetto Family
Our immigrant ancestors
were born in Nicosia, Catania/ Enna, Sicily.
Rosario Messina: born Nov. 1882 was the son of Giuseppa Raspanti and
Salvatore Messina.
Rosario was a farm worker in Nicosia, and a construction worker in Chicago.
Santa Proetto
(Proietto): born Mar.1887 was the daughter of Provvidenza LiVolsi and Carmelo Proetto. Santa worked as a seamstress in Chicago.***
100
years after their wedding day their descendants total 93. (One baby is due in Spring 2010)
Our Nicosian surnames:
MESSINA, PROETTO, (PROJETTO), RASPANTI, LI VOLSI, LA PORTA, COZZO,BONOMO, BRUNO MARTELLO, VANARIA, MAZZARA, TESTA, MIRITELLO (MERITELLO)
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NICOSIA (Municipio) Ufficio di Stato Civile Piazza Garibaldi 94014 NICOSIA ENNA SICILY Italia
/ Italy tel: 0935 672111
The Nicosia Book Story
After my husband, Roger and I returned from our first trip
to Sicily and Italy in June 2001, I found an e-mail waiting for me...It was from Alberto Micalizzi of Livorno, Italy. The
post said he was researching a book on immigrants from Nicosia, Enna, Sicily: the birthplace of my grandparents.
In
researching my family history, I also collected data on the Nicosians in Chicago. It might not have pertained to my family,
but I saved the information. I thought that it might be important someday (papers on the church, club activities and festivals,
etc.). I also collected over 100 surnames of Nicosians in Chicago. Over the next few months I sent all the information to
Mr. Micalizzi.
When the book was published, Alberto invited us to the presentation of the book at city hall in Nicosia.
Roger and I attended the ceremony. We met many Nicosians, including the mayor. I was surprised and honored to see that
a photo of my family was used for the front cover.
When all of the speeches were finished, I read these words in Italian: "One
hundred years ago, our grandparents left Nicosia for a new life in Chicago. Their voyage continues today with this reunion.
Our family is scattered in America, but our heart remains in Sicily."...........
A few days later, the Messina family
was reconnected after 100 years when we met our Nicosian cousins in Firenze. We are grateful to Alan Hartman, who played the
role of translator, and helped us communicate with our cousins.
---------------------------------------------------------------- Genealogy
has led to an introduction to many amazing people, like Alberto Micalizzi and Alan Hartman, and the discovery of distant cousins
especially; Raspanti, LiVolsi, Vanaria, LaPorta families.
One of the Raspanti cousins is script writer and movie producer
Alessandro di Gaetano. Linda is assisting Alessandro with research and PR, for his next project RED GOLD. This film tells
the love story of an Italian Prisoner of War, and a beautiful American girl from a small town in Indiana.
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