Monday, August 17, 2009

Fessia in Italy, Chile and ??; Antonipieri in Italy and ??

Well now for surnames on my mother's side of my genealogy.
FESSIA -- My great grandfather was Giovanni Battista Fessia, b. 18 May 1847 in Gaglianico, Vercelli, Piemonte, Italy. I believe his parents were Pietro Fessia and Felicita Ciochetti. He married Margherita Anna Pozzallo b 3 May 1866 Donato, Piemonte, Italy on 29 Oct 1887 in Gaglianico. He died in 1903 in Gaglianico.
Children:
1. Pietro who emigrated to Chile, and married in Tome, Chile, Alejandrina Espejo. To them were boren 10 hildren. [I am still searching for theose cousins!].
2. my grandfather Augusto Secundo Fessia, b. 1 Apr 1890 in Gaglianico. He was sent to Lyon France to apprentice as a silk weaver. He served in the Italian army in the Italian -turco War. He emigrated to the US on the ship Stampalia, arriving in September 1913. He married a widow, "antonina" who was Maria Antonina Jacomina Theresa Antonipieri Felice [ or Felix]. They were married in 1917. Antonina had a daughter ( my Aunt Mary) from her first marriage. She also worked in the silk mills in Utica.
3. Felicita who was born 14 Feb 1892 in Gaglianico. She married Remo Leandro, who emigrated with my grandfather in 1913 on the ship Stampalia. She died in 1968.
4. Giovanni Battista Fessia, better known as John. He was born 14 July 1897 in Gaglianico . He also married a Margaret. He arrived a year later in 1914.

My the three siblings brought to the US their widowed mother Margherita to help with the grandchildren. She died 28 May 1943 in Utica.

Fessia is a fairly rare name in Italy, but Antonipieri, my grandmother's name is even rarer. She was born in Enemonzo, in the Friuli region of Italy, and the residents there considered themselves more "German" than Italian. She met her first husband in Buia when she attended a wedding there. There are many stories, about her family, which will have to wait until the next posting!

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