The Capecchi Family in Minnesta
Joseph Capecchi and Teresa Romagnoli of Florence, Italy were married in 1864. Joseph died at an early age leaving behind his wife and a son Luigi
Luigi Capecchi (1864-1942) and Emilia Chirici (1867-1942) resided in Florence, Italy. Joseph A Capecchi(1889-1983) was the oldest of four children. He had two brothers: Otello(b.1893) and Mario(b.?) He had one sister, Bice(b.1899). In 1906 Joseph A. immigrated to St. Paul, Minnesota. He married Louise Ungaretti (1894-1981), the daughter of Pacifico Ungaretti (1867-1929) and Rose Rosaco (1876-1961). They had five children: Florence, Joseph E.(1917-1983), Bernice, Lois and Paul
Florence married Frank Erling and had eight children: Joanne, Robert, Therese, Francis, Rose, Richard, Frank and Jean. Joe married Pauline Berger and had six children: Joseph G, James, John, Donna, Jerome and Dianne. Bernice married Joe Dixon and had five children; Joseph, John, Thomas, Virginia and James. Lois married Jack Leonard and they had seven children: Thomas, Nancy, Mary, Patricia, Michael, Daniel and James. Paul married Elinor Hottinger and had five children; Paul, Mark, Jeanne, Larry and Lynda.
That's the skeleton of our famiy tree. It will be up to you to complete the branches and leaves and to add some color. Send me your family story and and I will link it to the above. If there is anyone who can help us trace our roots (e.g. your great uncle was Luigi Capecchi) please let me know.
Joseph G. Capecchi
Family history written by Paul L. Capeehi:
Nonno's grandparents were Teresa Romagnoli and Joseph Capecchi, both of nearby Florence, Italy. They were married in 1864 and lived in Florence. Joseph Capecchi died very young leaving behind his wife and a son Louis (Luigi). Louis grew up in Florence and studied accounting. In 1886, he married Emilia Chirici. Her family came from nearby Florence. I don't know her mother's name, but her father was Alexander Chirici. He sold charcoal for cooking.
When Louis and Emilia married, they moved to #3 Piazza Madonna in Florence. They had five children of which four survived.
Nonno was born in 1889 in Florence and attended art school. When he was 17, he left Italy by boat to go to St. Paul, Minnesota to work as a sculptor in the Giuliani Statuary Co. (later called the St. Paul Statuary Co.). He was all alone on the trip stopping in Chicago and transferring to a train for St. Paul. He lived over the Statuary Co. with other young Italian co-workers. He went to night school and studied English.
About 1910, he returned to Italy to serve time with the Italian Army in order to be able to travel Italy at future times without fear of being classified as a deserter. He was honorably discharged ten months later when his brother, visiting St. Paul, became ill and later had to return to Italy.
For a few years, Nonno left the Statuary to open a little gift store he called the Florentine Art Shop. He imported art items from Italy. He returned to the Statuary when he closed it up. When Joseph Giuliani died, Nonno became President (1929) and the company later changes names. It was a tough time during the great depression. There wasn't much money for salaries and he had a difficult time keeping the men from leaving. The company became prosperous later and kept doing well until the state highway wanted to buy the building and the men were growing old, so they sold the company.
Additional Notes:
Nonno went through Ellis Island and his name was put on the great wall of immigrants by his children (1959).
If you are interested in some of his art works, I can help.
Nonno made several trips back to Italy. He was a good American and brought us up that way, but he never lost his love for Italy.
I believe Nonno left for America by taking the train to LeHavre, France and boat to New York. Many immigrants left through this port.
Family history written by Tom Leonard
My Mother is of Italian ancestry. She has an uncle, aunt and a married cousin still living in Florence, Italy on her Father's side. I was able through the family there, to go back as far as my Mother's paternal great grandparents. They were Teresa Romagnoli and Joseph Capecchi both of near by Florence. They were married in 1864 and lived in Florence. Joseph Capecchi died when he was in his early twenties leaving behind his wife and son Louis. Louis grew up in Florence and was an accountant. In 1886 he married Emilia Chirici, Her family came from near by Florence. Her Mother (name unknown)-and her Father was Alexandro Chirici. He sold charcoal for cooking and had his own business.
When Louis Capecchi and Emilia Chirici married they moved to an apartment at # 3 Piazza Madonna in Florence where today their children, grandchild and great grandchildren still live. They had five children of which four survived. They lived through World War 2 and were instrumental in saving the lives of a Jewish -Italian family. They kept the family hidden in the attic of their apartments feeding them and keeping them from the hands of the Germans. In 1942, only three days apart, they died of natural causes. Both were in their seventies. Their eldest child is my Grandfather, Joseph Angelo Capecchi. Joseph Capecchi was born in 1889 in Florence and attended art school. When he was seventeen years old he left Italy to go to St.Paul, Minnesota to work as a sculptor in the company later to be known as the St. Paul Statuary. He could not speak English and went to night school to learn the language. He lived in an apartment above the Statuary Co. along with other young men who had come over to work in the company. In 1910 he returned to Italy to serve time with the Italian army in order to be able to travel Italy at future time without fear of being classified a deserter. He was honorably discharged six months later in order to return to the United States to help take care of his brother who was visiting in St. Paul and was sick, His brother, Othello, returned to Italy later because of his ill health.
(Please note - This information was obtained from my Grandfather, Joseph Capecchi and his brother Mario of Florence. Records were not kept in small towns in Italy long ago and it was not possible to go back any further.)
My Grandfather, Joseph Capecchi has done many works of art around the Twin Cities. At one time he owned the Florentine Art Shop in St. Paul and later became president of the St. Paul Statuary Go. up to the time of his retirement. In 1914 he married Louise Ungaretti and they had five children, one of whom is my mother, Lois. Among the works of art my Grandfather has done are a statue of James J. hills the railroad man, the altars at the College of St. Catherine, the stations of the cross at the Cathedral in St. Paul and many others. Today my grandparents live in West. St. Paul where my grandfather oil paints as a hobby He is eighty one years old.
My Mother's maternal great grandparents were Louise Casabianca (Webmasters note: I have been informed that the correct name is Casagrande) and Anthony Rosasco. Both were born in Genoa, Italy: Louise in 1851 and Anthony in 1848. In 1870 they married and moved to New York City in hopes of finding a place to make a better living. Their eldest child, Rose was born in New York in 1871. After her birth the family moved to Chicago where Anthony worked in candy factory. They had eleven children, eight of whom survived. Rose visited some friends in St. Paul where she met Pacifico Ungaretti. She left her family and moved to St. Paul when she married him in 1891. Her Father felt terrible that his daughter should move so far from him. In those days Chicago and St. Paul were considered to be a world apart. Anthony died in 1892 and Louise died in 1928
Pacifico Ungaretti was born in Lucca, Italy in 1864. When he was 13 he and a boy friend came by boat to the United States to seek their Fortune. He opened a fruit stand in St. Paul and later lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin for a short period. When he returned to St. Paul he opened another fruit store. Pacifico and Rose had five children. Their second child Louise is my grandmother. Pacifico died in 1929 when he was 65 years old. He died of a heart attack in the drug store at Fairview and Grand in St. Paul. Their house was next door. Rose lived to be 90 years old and died in California, in 1961. She had been visiting her daughter in Los Angeles at the time. Both Pacifico and Rose are buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul,