My Grandma Helen

Anthony & Tony Pinto November 16, 1929

My maternal Grandmother, Helen Louise Giammaria

My Grandma Rose

When my Grandmother Rose Marie Francis was born on November 8, 1915, (98 years ago today) in South Amherst, Ohio, her father, Carmine, was 31 and her mother, Angela, was 24.  
When she was 7 years old, her parents moved the family from a South Amherst farm to Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood, and she lived there the rest of her life! 
She had three sisters, and one brother.
She married John DiFrancesco on November 26, 1938, in Cleveland, Ohio.  They had three sons in 11 years, and her occupation was a typist.

In April 1945, my Grandfather was drafted into the U.S. Navy during World War II and left my Grandma to care for my father and his younger brother. While he was in the Navy, he wrote "Love" letters to my Grandma and I am lucky enough to have all of them! They wrote back and forth to each other for 10 months! The first letter was dated April 16, 1945 and the last one was dated February 8, 1946. He was totally in love with my Grandmother and his children. 
My Grandma bought both boys sailor outfits so they could be like their Daddy...

She went on to have one more son and raise her three boys in Little Italy, an Italian neighborhood in Cleveland.  
Unfortunately, my Grandfather passed away in May 1964 and left her a young widow at the age of 48. She never remarried.
Her sons all married and she had six grandchildren (me being the oldest).  We spent many, many Sundays at our Grandma's home eating pasta dinners and her delicious pizza and cookies! She was always baking... 
We also celebrated the Feast of Assumption every single year at her house until she passed away. This was a family tradition. She died one day after the Feast Day on August 16, 1995.

My Great Grandmother Rosa Filomena Sinibaldi Pinto D'Amore

My maternal grandfather's mother was born Rosa Filomena Sinibaldi in Busso, Molise, Italy on March 12, 1885

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October 19, 1920 
She emigrated from Busso to New York with my grandfather Antonio Pinto (age 14) and two other sons - Amalio (Mario) and Angelo.

New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957

July 1922
Her third son, Richard was born..

January 25, 1928
Her husband Lorenzo Pinto died of Tuberculosis at St. Luke's hospital in Cleveland, Ohio


April 12, 1930
Mrs Filomena Pinto married Tony D'Amore in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Marriage Records and Indexes, 1810-1973 
This was her second marriage.

September 15, 1969
Her second husband - Antonio (Tony) and is buried at Lakeview Cemetery next to his first wife, Rosina...

March 30, 1970
Her third son, Richard died of heart disease.

April 22, 1971

She died at a nursing home in East Cleveland, Ohio at 86 years old. She had lost her husband and her youngest son within a year and it was too much for her.

Her grave in Calvary Cemetery has her birth year as 1893. This has always been a mystery to me but I remember my Mom telling me that her Grandmother always lied about her age, so maybe it's because she was 8 years older than she lead people to believe...
I remember her well - she use to tell stories in broken English and Italian but somehow at age eight I knew what she meant...


My family made a recent visit to her grave at Calvary Cemetery on Memorial Day 2013

My Great Grandfather Carmine

I'm going to start my NEW GENEALOGY BLOG with a photo of my Great Grandfather Carmine Franzese aka Herman Francis, Carmen Franzese, and Carmine Francis depending on what document you may be reading...I remember my Great Grandpa Carmen very well because he lived right next door to his daughter, Rose (my Grandmother). 

He was born in San Giuliano del Sannio, Italy in March of 1884 and married Angela Maria Salvatore in February1909 in that same town. The first time he came to America, he was 14 years old and he came with his family - his mother and his siblings.  This was after his father had died in Italy. They arrived at Ellis Island on December 23, 1898.
He obviously went back to Italy before 1909, got married and came back to America on his honeymoon.  He served in the Italian Army and I believe he fought in the Italo-Turkish War. The two countries fought over Libya, 1911-1912.

Every time I would see him he would give me, my sister and my cousins money! It would usually be a silver dollar for each of us.He didn't speak too much English, mostly Italian, but enough to understand him when I was a kid. 

He loved to plant a  wonderful huge garden up behind his small garage on a hill every Spring and he was proud of it. He moved into Little Italy of Cleveland, OH in about 1921. They first settled on "Piggy Street" for about 3-5 months.   

Carmen and Angela bought a home on East 125th Street in 1922.  They had five children: Mary, Lena, Rose, Domenic, and Josephine. His military service was in the Italian Army. He worked as a landscaper and retired in 1959.

He passed away at 93 years old and is buried at Lakeview Cemetery next to his wife.