POINTers IN PERSON Minutes
Chapter # 10 Central Texas/Austin
Submitted by Lin ONOFRIO Brinkman (#1388)
POINT #10 met on 23 January in the home of Bill and Lin ONOFRIO Brinkman (#1388) with 11 present.
Lin presented her cugina Betty TOMMASELLI Glaser [ #5297 ] and Jeanie
MARSALIA [ #4251 ] with 5 Euros each for their upcoming trip to Italia,
for their first gelatos!
Scott Patrick [ #4819 ] has been going through the 1809-1865 films for his ancestral town of PIETRAPERTOSA ( PZ BA ). He already had the names of his direct ancestors from this town, but has added 40 or so individuals who are first and second cousins, plus their spouses. Names he has found include GARAGUSO, ZOTTERELLI, CARLUCCI, MONA, NARDI, and FRABASILE.
Stace SMARELLI reported that, over the Christmas holiday, he was able to contact his cousins [ GUARDIANI ] in Staten Island whose Mother was Stace's Grandmother's sister [ STICCA ]. They told him that in the late 1800s, early 1900s, Italy allowed its residents to relocate to either Australia or Brazil, because of the hard times they were experiencing. His Great Grandfather must have gone to Australia, because his name keeps showing up there, while their Great Grandfather went to Brazil, where their father was born. Stace knows that the family home and land still stands in TOCCO CASURIA, PESCARA, because his uncle [ his Dad's younger brother ] and his family go there to stay. His cousins are getting the address for him, since Stace's brother will be traveling to Italia this spring and would like to visit the family homestead. His cousins shared several newspaper articles which appeared in the NY TIMES, telling how giant windmills were erected in Tocco to harness wind energy.
Don VILLONI said to have our members look up any city in the world on Google. He found this out recently by searching for his Grandfather's home town of BELLONA, CASERTA, ITALIA. Apparently many cities are putting all of their city statistics, including photos, population, etc. on the web.
Jeanie MARSALIA [ #4251 ] received a Christmas card from the Nicola Marsaglia family living in CASELLE TORINESE, ITALIA. She also received an e-mail Christmas greeting from a friend living in TORINO, ITALIA.
Betty TOMMASELLI Glaser [ #5297 ] found an obituary on "Find a Grave ' for her second cousin. Charles J. Tomaselli ( Aug 3, 1935- Oct 3, 2008 ) was born in New Haven CT to the late Nicolo Tomaselli and Giovanna SANTANELLI. Charles was a Marine veteran who served in the Korean War, and is survived by a sister, 4 brothers, 3 children, and 6 grandchildren.
Our next meeting will be held on 27 February 2013.