Comming to America
Giovanni Castagnola was the first of our family to come to the USA. Giovanni, his wife Bianca and son Giovanni were livinng in a small village, Riva Trigoso, Sestri, Levante, Italy. Wanting more for his family he decided to go to America. They talked and he went, even though his wife, was 8 months pregnant w/Giuseppe Amedeo, and thier first son Giovanni (Joseph) Dante was five years old.
He left from Le Havre France, aboard the SS Gascogne. He arrived a week later in New York, Ellis Island on October 24, 1887.
Giovanni Was living in San Pedro, Los Angelas, California when his wife Bianca, his sons Giovanni (Joseph) & Giuseppi (Amedeo), came to America. After seven days they arrived on December 21, 1901 aborad the SS La Savoie from La Havre France, Amedeo was 14.
Anita Collie
Anita 'Nanna', wanted to come to America. Her mother, Givanina Zecchini had a brother already in San Pedro, CA within the Los Angeles, California area. The plan was to have Anita go on her own, she was 18 years old. They contacted Pietro 'Pete' Zecchini, Anita's uncle, and made arrangements. Anita was living in Bologna, Italy at the time and planned to leave aboard the ship SS Moltke, leaving Genoa Italy on April 3rd, 1909. She said goodbye to family and friends and boarded the ship on April 3rd. 14 days later the SS Moltke arrived at New York Ellis Island, on April 18, 1909. When Nanna, arrived she headed for California.
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After a few years, she met a young man from Italy, Giovanni Dante Castagnola (Joseph). I don't know how they met, so if anyone has the story let me know. Anita married Joseph on August 2, 1912. 'Photo on right'. They had three boys, John 1913, Tony 1914, and Ricky 1916.
1918 - 1919, The German Flu Pandemic swept around the world, It's said to have killed over 50 million people. Joseph unfortunately was one of them, he passed away on May 18, 1918, at the age of 36. Anita was alone now with three young boys, but Amedeo stepped up and took on the responsibility of three boys also, on March 4, 1919, he and Anita were married. In the next 12 years of their marriage, they would go on and have 6 more children. Bianki 1920, Louie 1921, Mary 1924, Larry 1926, Joe 1927, and Catherine 1931. Amedeo was their father and Anita their mother. Of course, we know them as Nanna and Nonno, they were married for 46 years. Until Nonno's passing, on October 4, 1965. Nanna left us on December 4, 1978, Until we see all of you in Heaven standing next to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, God bless!
1918 - 1919, The German Flu Pandemic swept around the world, It's said to have killed over 50 million people. Joseph unfortunately was one of them, he passed away on May 18, 1918, at the age of 36. Anita was alone now with three young boys, but Amedeo stepped up and took on the responsibility of three boys also, on March 4, 1919, he and Anita were married. In the next 12 years of their marriage, they would go on and have 6 more children. Bianki 1920, Louie 1921, Mary 1924, Larry 1926, Joe 1927, and Catherine 1931. Amedeo was their father and Anita their mother. Of course, we know them as Nanna and Nonno, they were married for 46 years. Until Nonno's passing, on October 4, 1965. Nanna left us on December 4, 1978, Until we see all of you in Heaven standing next to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, God bless!
SS Gascogne
La Savoie
S.S. Moltke
Giovanni Castagnola & Anita Collie-Castagnola