Grandpa's early years in America
Grandpa did not have a trade and found it difficult after he got married. He heard about the opportunities in America from other men in town who had been to America. Grandpa first came to the United States in 1908. He came to Chicago because his sister Micheline and her husband Luigi Fulgaro had been living there. Grandpa and his sister were extremely close. She was five years older and was like a second mother to him. He got a job in Montana with the railroad.
Grandpa in Montana Circa 1908/1909 - Third from right with his left hand on his hip.
He traveled back and forth to Italy about three times trying to get grandma to come to America. He returned to Italy sometime in 1909 for the birth of his first child, Rosalia, who was born in 1910. He stayed in San Marco trying to talk grandma into coming to the United States, but she still didn't want to leave Italy. Grandma became pregnant again and grandpa returned to America to work-there was little work in San Marco. A son, Angelo, was born, but died when he was one-and-a-half years old. Grandma was heartbroken. Antonio wrote her to come to America. She finally relented because she wanted to get away from the memory of little Angelo.
Grandma and her daughter, Rosalia, came to America on the deck of a steamship around April of 1913. Traveling with them was Antonio Vocale, who was married to grandma's sister, Maria. Antonio Vocale, who was on his way to America to work, watched over Grandma and Rosalia on the trip. Antonio's wife, Maria, stayed in Italy until around 1927 before she finally moved to America.
The Limosani first house in America was at 525 W. Taylor Street. They shared the house with Antonio's sister Mary Micheline and her husband Louis Fulgaro and their three children, Tony, Mike. Rose, Lucia. Grandpa and the family lived in half the house and the Fulgaro's lived in the other half. Antonio's family grew with the birth of Maria, in the first year, followed by Angelo and Lucia.
Interesting anecdote: In those days, a man on a horse-drawn wagon would go through the neighborhood selling vegetables. He would shout his selection as he drove and the people would come out of their houses to buy them. One day, when grandma went out to buy vegetables, she looked in disbelief because the vegetable man was that 27-year-old-man who had come to her house and expressed an interest in her in the Old Country. He wanted to know if she was happily married and how she was getting along. She told him she was doing fine and after some small talk they departed as friends.
Grandpa and the family then moved to 717 W. Taylor over a saloon owned by Chi Chi (Cecil) Tagglia. Their son, Michael, was born there.
Grandpa bought the family's first house at 1013 S. Marshfield about 1921/22. Their son, Joseph, was born there. At that time, Marshfield was bounded by Taylor Street on the north, Roosevelt Road (12th Street) on the south, Paulina Street on the west and Ashland Boulevard on the east. This was an all-Italian neighborhood although there were a few other ethnic people who lived on the block. In fact, grandpa liked to drink wine with the only Black Man on the block, Mr. Blanton, who lived a few doors away. There was also a Jewish Synagogue on Marshfield near Roosevelt Road. Those buildings are no longer there. The area is now a huge hospital complex. Grandpa told the family that a Limosani in the past was a soldier for a Pope.
Eventually, grandpa bought another house at 1017 S. Marshfield, which was two doors away. In later years, grandpa sold the house at 1017 to help with Michael's tuition at medical school at the University of Illinois at Champaign.
Eventually, the family moved from Marshfield to 1445 So. Avers and then to 12608 So. Ada in Calumet Park.
Grandpa worked at Western Electric as a Crane Fireman for about 40 years and then retired.
He passed away at the age of 99 in 1983. Grandma passed away on December 24, 1976.
Grandpa in Montana Circa 1908/1909 - Third from right with his left hand on his hip.
He traveled back and forth to Italy about three times trying to get grandma to come to America. He returned to Italy sometime in 1909 for the birth of his first child, Rosalia, who was born in 1910. He stayed in San Marco trying to talk grandma into coming to the United States, but she still didn't want to leave Italy. Grandma became pregnant again and grandpa returned to America to work-there was little work in San Marco. A son, Angelo, was born, but died when he was one-and-a-half years old. Grandma was heartbroken. Antonio wrote her to come to America. She finally relented because she wanted to get away from the memory of little Angelo.
Grandma and her daughter, Rosalia, came to America on the deck of a steamship around April of 1913. Traveling with them was Antonio Vocale, who was married to grandma's sister, Maria. Antonio Vocale, who was on his way to America to work, watched over Grandma and Rosalia on the trip. Antonio's wife, Maria, stayed in Italy until around 1927 before she finally moved to America.
The Limosani first house in America was at 525 W. Taylor Street. They shared the house with Antonio's sister Mary Micheline and her husband Louis Fulgaro and their three children, Tony, Mike. Rose, Lucia. Grandpa and the family lived in half the house and the Fulgaro's lived in the other half. Antonio's family grew with the birth of Maria, in the first year, followed by Angelo and Lucia.
Interesting anecdote: In those days, a man on a horse-drawn wagon would go through the neighborhood selling vegetables. He would shout his selection as he drove and the people would come out of their houses to buy them. One day, when grandma went out to buy vegetables, she looked in disbelief because the vegetable man was that 27-year-old-man who had come to her house and expressed an interest in her in the Old Country. He wanted to know if she was happily married and how she was getting along. She told him she was doing fine and after some small talk they departed as friends.
Grandpa and the family then moved to 717 W. Taylor over a saloon owned by Chi Chi (Cecil) Tagglia. Their son, Michael, was born there.
Grandpa bought the family's first house at 1013 S. Marshfield about 1921/22. Their son, Joseph, was born there. At that time, Marshfield was bounded by Taylor Street on the north, Roosevelt Road (12th Street) on the south, Paulina Street on the west and Ashland Boulevard on the east. This was an all-Italian neighborhood although there were a few other ethnic people who lived on the block. In fact, grandpa liked to drink wine with the only Black Man on the block, Mr. Blanton, who lived a few doors away. There was also a Jewish Synagogue on Marshfield near Roosevelt Road. Those buildings are no longer there. The area is now a huge hospital complex. Grandpa told the family that a Limosani in the past was a soldier for a Pope.
Eventually, grandpa bought another house at 1017 S. Marshfield, which was two doors away. In later years, grandpa sold the house at 1017 to help with Michael's tuition at medical school at the University of Illinois at Champaign.
Eventually, the family moved from Marshfield to 1445 So. Avers and then to 12608 So. Ada in Calumet Park.
Grandpa worked at Western Electric as a Crane Fireman for about 40 years and then retired.
He passed away at the age of 99 in 1983. Grandma passed away on December 24, 1976.
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