Community Chat

[Burnsite]

I remember my mother's father as very depressed after his wife died.  He only ever seemed really happy when watching the Red Sox on TV.  In his youth he was active in Boston Irish politics, and bet his house that Alf Landon (a Catholic) would win the Presidency during the 20s.  (He lost the bet; but went on to do very well anyhow.)  He was prosperous but depressed in his later life.  I asked him if he wanted to return to Ireland for a visit.  He had left when he was 12 due to the political assassination of his father.  He looked at me as if I were crazy and said that losing his father as he did was the worst thing that ever happened to him--but that coming to the US was the best.

The surviving family--his mother and six children--landed in Philadelphia in the winter.  And they walked to Boston from there: an older daughter had a job and had lined up a house for them in Dorchester.

[sfnative]

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@Shorty2U wrote:

I dont know that its suprising. But my grandfather came over here from Italy and worked hard. Once settled in, he went back for my grandmother and brought her back. He learned English immediately and went to work opening businesses. He had a wonderful garden in their city yard with fig trees. He and my grandmother made the best homemade spaghetti (yes homemade no boxed!), sauce, and meatballs on earth! We ate at their house every Sunday. Even when my grandmother died my grandfather continued to make the big spaghetti dinner into his 80s!

My other grandparents, I never knew. My moms mom died at 27 of heart disease, and my moms dad died at 47 of heart disease (my mom died at 51 of heart disease). I did have a step grandmother who outlived my mom and we were close.

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@Shorty2U

My paternal grandfather sounds just like your grandfather from Italy.  Both came over here and made it a goal to learn English right away.  When I asked my Grandfather about this, he said, in his Russian accent, "When I come to America, I'm an American now, not Russian any more.  If I want to do well, I need to learn English.  Many of my Russian friends thought I was wrong, but I did well."  And indeed he did.   I continue to be proud of his accomplishments.

Oh, and their city garden was beautiful, too!!!  At Easter, we had the most wonderful egg hunts.  My Grandmother would always caution us to be kind to the flowers that were blooming.

[LyndaGee]

My paternal grandfather died before I was born.  My mother's dad died when I was 7, but I remember him pretty well.  He was a character - Disliked hippies, and labeled men with even slightly longer hair as hippies.  He loved talk radio, and hardly ever turned on the tv. He and my grandmother lived in Jersey, and we lived in CT, so I didn't spend a lot of time with him, but when we visited, they always showed us a good time.