Pasquariello

Andrea Pasquariello (1874-1960)

Note: Many anecdotal details are taken from Andrea’s daughter Amelia’s memoir.

Andrea Pasquariello, here at 55 years old, was Peggy’s paternal grandfather. He proudly became a citizen of the United States of American on September 30, 1930.

Andrea Pasquariello, here at 55 years old, was Peggy’s paternal grandfather. He proudly became a citizen of the United States of American on September 30, 1930.

Early Years in Italy

Andrea Pasquariello, my paternal grandfather, was born on Christmas Eve 1874 in a tiny town called Pasquarelli, located in the County of Arpaise, Province of Benevento. Andrea, the third and last-born child of Antonio and Felicia, joined his older brother Carmine and sister, Maria.

Tragically, his father died in 1878 leaving Andrea fatherless at age four. Fortunately, his Uncle Paolo took a fatherly interest in him, which provided great comfort during his developmental years. Andrea grew up tending sheep to help his widowed mother and family and at 16 entered the Italian Army, serving for three years.  Andrea’s world must have suddenly widened: his service occurred during the early stages of the Italian/Ethiopian Campaign, originating from a disputed treaty that the Italians claimed had turned Ethiopia into an Italian protectorate.

Returning home after his service, Andrea, 19, now knew there was a much larger world outside of his village, filled with opportunities and adventure. It was during this time that he became interested in town politics, holding several offices. While Andrea’s formal education ended at the completion of third grade, he nurtured his intellect by self-education, continually improving his reading and writing skills. All the while, he was also planning his next move.

Brooklyn

Andrea, having saved enough to finance a trip to America, arrived on April 13, 1896 at Ellis Island.  In Brooklyn he joined his dearest hometown friends, the Cennamos. He found employment quickly, mostly in the construction business, specializing in stone masonry and subsequently establishing himself as a small contractor. This was a time of enormous construction in New York. With Andrea’s strong work ethic and union membership, key for obtaining contracts, he was steadily and successfully employed.

His first priority at this time was to earn enough money to send to his widowed mother in Italy. He was able to do this routinely until her death in 1924.  He also sent money to his paternal Uncle Paolo, who had provided such comfort in his formative years.  After focusing his efforts on learning English, within a few years Andrea was capable of communicating sufficiently to prosper in his own small business.

Andrea also helped several of his fellow countrymen, who like him had emigrated from the small village of Pasquarielli to the United States. One such individual, Generoso Papa, who arrived in 1906 at age 15, went on to become president the Colonial Sand and Stone Company, a powerhouse player in New York’s skyscraper building boom.  In 1928, Papa, bought Il Progresso, the first Italian language daily newspaper in America and a key influencer on Italian immigrants’ new life in America. Papa (who later anglicized his surname to Pope) became the first self-made millionaire Italian immigrant in the United States.

An Important Train Ride

In 1904, acting on a tip from a friend, Gustave Thorne, Andrea boarded a train in Grand Central Station, bound for Winsted, Connecticut. Thorne, an immigrant from Sweden and now a sheet metal worker in Brooklyn, also had a farm on Mill Street, West Hartland.  According to Gustave, there was land for sale next to his farm.  As a result of the train ride and some negotiation with a bank in Winsted, Andrea purchased a ten-room house with 165 acres for $1200.00 in West Hartland.

Immediately after the purchase, Andrea paid all expenses for his brother Carmine, wife, and seven children to immigrate from Italy and occupy the home. They arrived in 1905 and stayed in the house until 1911. After Carmine and his family moved to Winsted, Andrea allowed other families to live in the house without paying any rent. Often, he would contribute to their welfare when necessary.

Husband and Father

In less than 10 years, Andrea had established himself as a business and landowner in his new country, America, a feat both remarkable and largely unattainable in his former country. His vision of a new and better life was fueled by his work ethic, discipline, and self-study. 

Now, at age 30, he began to think about having his own family. He wrote to his Uncle Paolo in Italy asking for his daughter, Rosina’s hand in marriage. Through letters and careful deliberation, the proposal was accepted and Andrea and Rosina were married in 1908 in Brooklyn. Children arrived in quick succession: Amelia, 1909, Anthony (my father) 1911, Felicia, 1914 and Paul, 1916.

Read Rosina Pasquariello’s blog for more details of their wedding and early years of married life

West Hartland

Life changed dramatically for the Pasquariello family when they left Brooklyn in 1917 and established permanent residence in West Hartland. No longer did they live in a beautiful home that Andrea had built in the bustling and lively city of Brooklyn, New York. Instead, their new home was a dilapidated farmhouse in an isolated section of Northwest Connecticut.  Andrea’s draft registration on September 19, 1918, lists his residence as Hartland; however, between 1917 and 1926, Andrea continued his business in Brooklyn, returning home for brief periods of time. 

Two more children were born in their new home: Anna in 1919 and Edith in 1922.

Photo taken circa 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. This is the photo identification for Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterer’s International Union of America. Members worked on many famous NYC landmarks such as the Metropolitan Life Building, the Flatiron …

Photo taken circa 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. This is the photo identification for Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterer’s International Union of America. Members worked on many famous NYC landmarks such as the Metropolitan Life Building, the Flatiron Building and the Woolworth building.

During the winter, not working with masonry, he would fell trees on his property for firewood, a practice that also helped to defray property taxes.  Bartering wood with a feed mill in Riverton, in exchange for his few heads of livestock and chickens, was another source for goods.

Andrea slowly repaired his farmhouse, painstakingly digging a well from an abandoned one in his cellar, lining the excavation with dry stones and excavating a cesspool for drainage.

Failures and Disappointments

Between 1916 and 1923, Andrea experienced two of the biggest disappointments of his life.  The first occurred when he trusted an individual to broker a deal to clear his newly acquired West Hartland property of trees that he intended to sell.  Unfortunately, the individual, whom he trusted implicitly, cheated him and robbed him of any of the proceeds.

The second, perhaps most discouraging of all, happened when a business partner, whom Andrea had added to his company, betrayed him by robbing him of all the assets that he had accumulated for several years through honesty and hard labor. There are few details about this devastating event; however, it should be noted that this was the time of rising crime in New York City, with the Mafia pressuring business owners and unions to answer to their demands and rules. 

While Andrea could have given up and sunk into bitter disappointment, losing faith in his fellow man, he did not. Rather, he continued to renovate his West Hartland property and began to work again as a self-employed individual. In 1926, he sold the Brooklyn property finding work primarily in the surrounding towns, such as Winsted and Torrington. 

Despite these setbacks, Andrea continued to believe in America’s people and opportunities and, at age 55, proudly became a citizen of the United States on September 30, 1930.

Later Years

At 67, Andrea officially retired from work outside the home in 1951; however, his retirement was by no means inactive.  He kept busy, primarily to overcome the loneliness of the loss of Rosina. In the same year he launched himself into tasks such as cultivating huge gardens in the summer and chopping wood to keep the favorite kitchen stove going. Rosina’s sister, the widowed Teresa, would spend summers there and provided good company and great meals.

Always physically strong, most likely from good health and years of hauling rocks and concrete, Andrea continued projects on his own land. He built a two-car garage with cement blocks.  In addition, he constructed a small house with three partitioned rooms on the ground level with a kitchen and bathroom in the basement.  Outside this cottage, he made a large fireplace and stone oven, complete with a table and chairs all done in perfect masonry. Unfortunately, Andrea fell off a ladder with this latest project. Picking himself up, he walked to a neighbor’s house, and later that day was admitted to the Winsted hospital.  He spent eleven days there with five broken ribs.  In a short time, he was up again working.

His favorite pastime was to read Il Progresso, the Italian newspaper which arrived every day by mail.  Always interested in world events, his main interest was American politics and discords among nations. He enjoyed talking about World Wars I and II, having definite opinions as to what the heads of nations should have done. He was particularly critical of the decisions of Roosevelt and Mussolini.

In 1958, at age 84, Andrea underwent prostate surgery and, despite his doctor’s warning that the risk was high, he emerged from the operation and continued life as usual.

When the Pear is Ripe, It Falls

Andrea woke up on the morning of December 8, 1960, and worried about his family having to shovel the snow that had fallen the night before.  He also planned to cut down some evergreens on the side of the driveway, but that was not to be. 

My father, Anthony, received a call from a neighbor who had found Andrea on the ground with his dog, Laddy, by his side.  Calling an ambulance and rushing to the Winsted hospital, he and Amelia met Doctor Reidy who confirmed that Andrea had passed away.  Just one week prior, during a routine appointment, Reidy, had noted that Andrea was in fine shape and had the heart of a man of 60.  Andrea, 86, replied, “When the pear is ripe, it falls.”

Andrea lived a long productive life, which included a successful career and a loving family with a wife and six children. His two sons, Anthony and Paul, graduated from Yale Universit,y with Paul continuing on to Yale law school.  His four daughters were successful in their careers as well.

 He lived to enjoy his only four grandchildren: Rose Marie, Alice Ann, Anthony and Margaret (me) who were Anthony’s children.

Lessons from Andrea

Andrea Pasquariello, a dreamer and a risk-taker, was a hard worker who took advantage of every opportunity America offered.  Endowed with great physical strength and a strong work ethic, he became a successful business owner, loving husband, and a devoted father.  He never forgot his family in Italy, always sending money and helping them and others immigrate to this great country. While he experienced two huge business disappointments in his life, and was sometimes too trusting—perhaps to a fault—he never gave up his faith in others, along with the American promise of prosperity.

His lessons are timeless. Dare to dream big and work just as hard to achieve your dreams.  Always be curious about the world and events.  Study, read, and learn as much as possible.  Have the courage to take risks.  Rise above your setbacks, and most importantly, always be loyal to your family and others.

Rosina Pasquariello (1881-1951)

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Rosina Pasquariello, Peggy’s paternal grandmother, age 55 in 1939. Rosina had arrived on Ellis Island, in 1908 on the passenger ship Konig Albert. She brought her hopes and dreams for a new life in America, as well as three trunks filled with her best linens and clothes, including a wedding dress and veil for her union with husband Andrea, 34 at the time.

Childhood in Naples

My paternal grandmother, Rosina Pasquariello, was born on November 26, 1881 in Arpaise, Benevento, Italy, a small village thirty miles northeast of Naples. As a young girl growing up in Naples, Rosina was curious, smart, and hardworking.  She attended school for the mandatory four years of free compulsory education, but her teachers were disappointed when she left. Rosina, quick and intelligent, showed so much promise. Like so many girls of that time, she was denied any more education due to economic and cultural norms for women.  Female roles were limited to that of homemakers or service providers such as seamstresses or store clerks. This was especially true in cities such as Naples with poor economies and few chances of advancement for anyone.

Nevertheless, Rosina made the most of her situation. Naples was a big and busy city. Rosina was a “city girl,” finding work in a department store waiting on customers and wrapping presents.  Always wanting to be busy, she sewed, made cookies, and even found time to swim in the Bay of Naples. She enjoyed her close-knit family including her aunts, uncles, and cousins.

One cousin, Andrea, had been back and forth between Italy and New York several times between 1894 and 1902.  During that period, he had established himself to be a successful contractor and experienced worker in stone masonry in Brooklyn, New York. Andrea must have had a special feeling for Rosina when he wrote to his uncle, Paolo, asking for her hand in marriage.  After careful deliberation between Rosina and her parents, the proposal was accepted.  The Civil Ceremony was performed in Naples, by Proxy, and the Roman Catholic ceremony was to be performed immediately in Brooklyn immediately upon her arrival.  

 Three Trunks and a Wedding

At 26 years old, Rosina arrived at Ellis Island, New York on September 25, 1908, on the passenger ship Konig Albert.  Along with her hopes and dreams for a new life in America, she brought three trunks filled with her trousseau prepared beautifully with the best of linens and clothes, including a wedding dress and veil.  Andrea, 34 years old, was there to meet his new wife.  They were married in the Catholic Church on October 4, 1908, just nine days after Rosina’s arrival. After the church wedding, Andrea brought his new bride to a nicely furnished apartment in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn years

Now in Brooklyn, Rosina, 27, easily adjusted to city life, which is all she had ever known.  As Andrea’s business grew, so did their new family with the birth of their first child, Amelia, born August 22, 1909.  In that same year, 1909, her younger sister, Teresa, 25, came for a visit and became a permanent Brooklyn resident when she married John Fidanza, a shoemaker, in 1911.

Rosina’s second child, my father, Antonio Paolo, was born on September 3, 1911.  Soon after, Andrea and family moved to a house that Andrea recently had built at 1418 70th Street.  Happy with their new beautiful home, they were financially stable. 

During this time, Andrea suggested that Rosina and her two children return to Italy for a visit with her parents. Rosina was elated but quickly disappointed when her father wrote: “Dear Daughter, unless you come here to stay, do not come at all.  Your mother and I cannot withstand another heart-breaking farewell.” While her father’s reply sounds somewhat heartless, it demonstrates the sacrifices that families made when their children immigrated. Loving them deeply meant letting them go for the advantages and opportunities in the new world, while realizing at the same time they may never see them again.

Andrea and Rosina had two more children in Brooklyn: Felicia, on January 8, 1914 and Paul, born August 12, 1916.

Change in Plans

In 1904, Andrea, with the advice and encouragement of Gustav Thorne, whom he knew in Brooklyn, purchased a house that was quite well kept with two stories with ten rooms on 165 acres in West Hartland, Connecticut. Throughout the years, he allowed various relatives to live there including his brother Carmine, wife, and seven children, who had emigrated from Italy.

During the summer of 1917, Andrea and Rosina planned a two-week vacation in West Hartland, Connecticut.  When they arrived, Rosina was shocked to see the disrepair and shambles.  The whole house was filthy, open windows with no screens, and flies swarming all over. The two families who were living there acted as if Andrea and his family were an intrusion. 

Rosina took action, and in no time managed to get the two families leave. So began a new life in the country, unlike anything she had ever experienced. Resigned, she accepted the challenge with much courage and determination to make this house their own. Their home was called the “Old Homestead of the Pasquariello family” on Mill Street until 2016.

The Spanish Flu

In 1918, the Spanish Flu ravaged the nation, and New York city recorded 20,000 deaths. Rosina’s sister, Teresa, married with three young children, became a young widow when her husband contracted the virus and died suddenly.  Now as the sole support of herself and three children, Teresa worked as a seamstress during the week in Brooklyn.  Her children lived with Rosina and Andrea and family in West Hartland with Teresa visiting on weekends.

Life in Connecticut

Rosina and Andrea had two more children, born at home in West Hartland: Anna on August 8, 1919; and their last child, Edith, on August 24, 1921. Andrea continued his business in Brooklyn, shuttling back and forth whenever possible and spending winter months with the family and slowly renovating his home.  In 1923, Andrea dissolved his business, sold the Brooklyn house, and returned permanently to West Hartland, working as a mason in many neighboring towns.

One can only imagine how completely different this new lifestyle was for Rosina. The city girl who brought the trunks of beautiful linens and dreamed of a comfortable new life was confronted with a new reality, living in a farmhouse with few amenities, a husband traveling back and forth, and six children. Of course, there were nine children most of the time when Teresa worked in New York.

Meanwhile, Andrea slowly repaired the house and, within a few years, the rooms were plastered, the floors replaced and chimneys rebuilt. Electricity did not come until 1935, so kerosene lamps were used for lighting.  There were no in-door bathroom facilities. Water came first from a nearby well.  Indoor plumbing also came in 1935 as well as an electric hot water heater. In 1951 an oil-burning furnace was installed.

The Great Depression and World War II

It must have been quite challenging for Rosina during the Great Depression and World War II with the stark reality of food shortages and rationing regulations.  Of course, her most important role was that of mother, feeding and nurturing her growing family. Just as critical was her role as a farmer, which included tending to the chickens, cows, and large gardens.  She grew and harvested the food, canning and preserving as she went along.  Not only did she feed her six children but often provided for Teresa’s children, Camille, Mary, and Philomena.  Adding to the mix were many homeless, hungry people who often appeared at her doorstep begging for food during those desperate times. 

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Peggy’s paternal grandparents, Rosina and Andrea Pasquariello with their first two children, Amelia and Anthony, Peggy’s father. Brooklyn, NY, circa 1913.

Educating her children

For the next several years, Rosina’s attention focused on insuring that her children received the best education, one that was denied her.  They attended a one-room school house down the street and later the Gilbert School, for high school in Winsted, Connecticut.  Being a strict disciplinarian, she made sure that homework was done and deemed as important as chores on the farm.  Her goal was realized when both her sons, Anthony and Paul, both high ranking students from grammar school throughout their college years, graduated from Yale University.  Anthony obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1933, and Paul in 1937. Paul went on to Yale Law School, graduating in 1940. Both sons received full tuition, room, and board scholarships to this prestigious Ivy League school. Her four daughters graduated from high school and had successful business careers as secretaries and administrative assistants.

Final Years

Rosina proudly became a United States citizen in 1930, pleased to be in a country that afforded her family all the opportunities sadly not available in Italy.  Although Rosina’s health declined in her later years, she did live to see and enjoy four grandchildren:  Rose Marie, Alice, Anthony, and Margaret, all Anthony’s children.  She passed away on August 4, 1951, at age 69. 

Lessons from Rosina

Rosina’s life did not exactly turn out the way she imagined when she arrived in New York.  She was a planner and loved all things beautiful, including the excitement of city life.  Instead, she found herself and her children living in the countryside, in a house in disrepair.  Her original dream did not work out, but she created a new focus, educating her children so that they would realize their dreams. 

Her story is that of many other immigrants who paved the way for future generations; education would unlock the doors so often closed to them. It was the critical foundation for their children’s success in this new country.

Her lesson bears a simple and powerful truth.  When one dream is not attainable, make a new one.  Always expect the unexpected and learn from that experience.  Most important of all, stay focused on the goal and take the necessary steps to achieve your dreams.

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