Written Treasures
One of the most interesting parts of ancestry research is to read families’ written communications (letters, postcards, telegrams, diaries, memoirs). It is from their own words that we can get a fuller sense of their lives, revealing their deepest feelings and emotions. This section will highlight some of those missives and provide more context into their hopes, dreams and values.
NAPOLI 12 AUGUST 1908
Naples, Italy, 1908. My great grandfather, Paolo, Pasquariello, writes to his newly wedded daughter, Rosina, who has immigrated to America. In his sweet and affectionate letter, he expresses deeply held values: “…our family values respect, honor, love, and not material things.” A timeless message for future generations.
NAPOLI 20 JANUARY 1909
Teresa writes to her sister Rosina, who has been in New York for three months, and shares news of the family and her upcoming trip to America. Teresa, who is younger, clearly misses Rosina and looks up to her for advice. However, it is also very obvious that Teresa is focused and level-headed about her plans.
NAPOLI 18 AUGUST 1909
My great grandfather, Paolo Pasquariello, writes to his daughter, Rosina, on August 18, 1909 to tell her that her sister, Teresa, will be coming to America. The ship “Konig Albert” will take 11 days to reach New York. The envelope reveals Rosina and her husband, Andrea’s first address in Brooklyn.
Memoir
Many anecdotal details about my paternal grandfather, Andrea Pasquariello, are taken from his daughter Amelia’s memoir, found on her nightstand after her death. I believe that this nine-page document, written by my paternal aunt, Amelia Pasquariello Zordan, was never completed.
My aunt, the meticulous family scribe, surely would have rewritten the crossed-out words to produce a polished document. Despite its brevity and apparently unfinished state, the memoir has been a source of vital information about my grandparents’ journey from Italy and their lives in their new home, America.