So many questions! I found this envelope in a box of family stuff I received, I looked at the pin that was inside and was about to put away in the box. A Sons Of Italy pin is nice, I guess, but not a real important family heirloom.
"Sons of Italy Medal"
Upon closer look, nothing said "Sons of Italy", the bust on the front was the King Victor Emmanuel III and the rear had 1900-1901 CINA. So the year matched the envelope, but what was CINA. I google translated and was confused to learn that translates to "China".
So this is not a metal available to anyone, like something you would have purchased, this is only awarded to Italian military participants of the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900-1901. So we have an ancestor that went to China in the Italian military to join the Eight-Nation Alliance to put down the Rebellion. My grandmother - or really any relatives never mentioned an ancestor with a military background. So who was it?
The envelope says Grandpa Imprescia - so that depends who wrote on the envelope, but there are really two choices: Dominic Imprescia (b:1849) or his son Filippo (b: 1880). In 1900, Dominic would be 51 years old and Filippo would be 20 years old. So it makes sense this metal belongs to Filippo since he was military age and Italy did have required military service.
Filippo Imprescia and Maria Filippa Siciliano Wedding photo from 23 Jan 1908
So looking up history - this means my great grandfather Philip (Filippo) when he was was 20 was a member of the Italian Expeditionary Corps in China a small group of 2,500 soldiers that volunteered for service with the promise of extra pay. Departing from Naples in 19 July 1900 and arrived in China on 29 August 1900.
It is hard to guess what Filippo’s role would have been. Did he remain on the Naval Ships or did he venture into China mainland and see combat? It is amazing that this was never a family story.
But - there is a family story in an earlier blog post that he wanted a career as a “Polizia Stradale”. So there is a slight factual errors since that term is related to "traffic police" - that was created during the era of automobiles. So a “Polizia di Stato” or "State Police" makes more sense, and what if Filippo was in the military and went to China and upon return wanted to become a Polizia di Stato or Carabinieri and his parents did not want him to continue this profession - it may explain the story about his desire to be a police officer, with a twist.
So the mystery envelope contained an amazing unknown family story - no offense to the Sons of Italy and their metals.
Concetta Vinci (b:1817) my 3rd Great-Grandmother and was the mother of Dominic Imprescia (b:1849), so naturally when Dominic had his first born daughter, he honored his mother and named her Concetta (b: 1877). Unfortunately, Concetta died 11 months later in 1878.
As I detailed in an earlier post on Dominic and Anna Impresica and their 17 Children, Dominic and Anna had another daughter named Concetta (b:1889) that died 2 years later and a third daughter named Concetta (b: 1894) that tragically died in a factory accident at age 15. So ALL three of Dominic and Anna's children that were named Concetta never made it to adulthood.
Anna (Viola) Imprescia and her daughter Concetta (circa 1908)
Dominic and Anna's son Filippo ("Phillip") (b:1880) also carried on the tradition with his first born child who was born 10 Sept 1909, almost a year to the day of Filippo's sister Concetta death (26 Aug 1908).
Concetta Imprescia, first daughter of Filippo and Filippa (Siciliano) Imprescia (1909-1916)
Unfortunately, tragedy struck AGAIN in the Impresica family with the death of Concetta in 1916 at the age of 6 years old due to "valvular disease of the heart" according to her death certificate.
My grandmother Anna (Imprescia) Carbone described it to me a little differently. According to her, one day her big sister Concetta was crossing the street in "The Patch" (which was the nickname for the neighborhood where they lived in Fitchburg) and was almost hit by a motorcycle. From that point on she aquired a "weak heart" and became sickly because she was so frightened by the near miss of the motorcycle it damaged her heart. I guess the shock or surprise of the near death experience could have help identify there was a heart issue and I am sure there was no medical solution available in 1916.
Filippo and Filippa went on to have seven more children:
Anna (1911-2015)
Palma (1913-2012)
Josephine (1914-2002)
Dominic (1918-2011)
Eleanor (1920-1921)
Samuel (1925-2022)
and lastly another daughter Concetta in 1926 who was the baby of the family. This Concetta, or Connie lived a long life passing away at the age of 95 in 2022.
Connie (Imprescia) Piccolomini (1926-2022)
So it took almost 50 years from the first Concetta Imprescia to the last Connie (Imprescia) Piccolomini to break the bad luck of the Five Connies in the Imprescia family.
***Footnote: Salvatore and Maria Vincenzo (Imprescia) Costa also had a daughter Connie (Costa) Consolo (1913 - 2002) who lived to 89 years old. So she would be the first to break the bad luck of the Imprescia’s - but she was born a Costa ❤
My grandmother Anna (Imprescia) Carbone tells her recollection of her Aunt Concetta from stories passed down from her parents and grandparents. She was 97 years old when this was recorded on February 8th, 2008.
In prior post I tried to track down The Legend of Dominic and Anna Impresica and their 17 Children and found 11 children documented as births while they lived in Italy. When Dominic and Anna immigrated to the United States in 1906, only three children were still alive, my great-grandfather Filippo who would have been 26 years old at that time, Maria Vincenzo who would have been 23 years old and the youngest daughter Concetta who was 12 years old when she arrived.
Concetta Imprescia Circa 1908
By August 1908 the complete Imprescia family was in Massachusetts.
Dominic Imprescia - 3 Middle Street Lane, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Anna (Viola) Imprescia - wife
Filippo Imprescia - son
Filippa (Siciliano) Imprescia - daughter-in-law
Concetta Imprescia- daughter
Salvatore Costa - 471 Hanover Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Maria Vincenza (Imprescia) Costa - wife
Anthony Costa - son
Lena (Maria) Costa - daughter
Concetta the much younger sister of Filippo and Maria Vincenza, enrolled in school in 1906 and by 1908 she was able to read and write in English. But June of 1908 would be her last year of school, in July she was employed at Star Worsted Wood in Fitchburg as a spinner.
One month into her job, tragedy struck. Here is the scan of the original Fitchburg Sentinel story, but I have transcribed below. They have identified Concetta as Concettino and incorrectly indicate she is their only child:
Fitchburg Sentinel (Fitchburg, MA)
August 26, 1908
KILLED JUST BEFORE QUITTING WORK FOR THE DAY.
Young Italian Girl Caught in Shafting at Star Worsted Mill and Fatally Injured Before Machinery Could Be Stopped.
Caught by an empty coat sleeve in the shafting of a spinning frame at the Star Worsted Mill on Sheldon Street Tuesday night just before the whistle blows for 6 o'clock. Concettino Imprescia aged about 15 years, daughter of Mr and Mrs Domenico Imprescia, 3 Middle Street Lane, was literally pounded to death on the contact with the machine and the floor upon which her body fatally landed. The death came about 20 minutes after the incident with her battered body was stretched out on the floor of the mill with the section hands, overseers and fellow employees powerless to aid her or to even relieve her suffering although willing and anxious to assist. The young girl who came to work in the mill according to the books kept by Smith Bateman, overseer of the spinning department, on July 7 of this year, was the only daughter of a hardworking Italian couple who reside at 3 Middle Street Lane. The girl was the pride of the family and was well known throughout the Italian colony. Her pretty face and bright appearance made her a favorite with all her country people and others who came in contact with her at work. She was engaged as assistant spinner working on the frames over which Elzeau Goguen of 50 Main Street had charge. She was not afraid to work but like all others employed in the room was in the habit of getting ready to go home just as soon as the closing whistle announced 6 o’clock. Away from her mother and father all day, the little girl was over anxious to get out of the busy spinning room and so when the clock drew near 6 o’clock she became anxious to cease her toil and speed towards the warm supper and cordial welcome she knew awaited her in her little home on Middle Street Lane. But while anxious to get out, she did not neglect her work tending to the loom right up to the final moment. In her anxiety to be ready for home she took her coat and started to put it on. Slipping the left arm through the light-colored jacket she wore over her working dress, she stead the machine with her right hand keeping the little wheel which would stop it motion in easy reach. Three more minutes were before her and alert stood there, one arm in the coat sleeve and the right hand on the lever which controlled the machine. Elzeau Gougen section hand of that part of the room, stood 10 feet away from the frame with his back to the girl. Other employees stood to the right of her to the front and rear, all like herself intent on hearing the whistle. Suddenly like a flash of lightening the swinging coat sleeve, dangling at the right side of the girl became tangled in the shafting of the frame which revolved almost 18 inches from the floor. On this shafting ran a little 1 1/4 inch belt to a pully which controlled the motive power of the spinner. The shafting went around with about 400 revolutions per minute and instantly the child was wound around the revolving shaft. The belt slipped from the shafting but the roughness of the steel shaft combined with the amount of the cloth already wrapped around the shafting was sufficient to hold the girl and as it swiftly revolved the girl was thrown around with it. Her body was whirled through the air, striking the spinning frame and also thumping on the floor. Mr. Gougen heard her screams which were echoed in horror by all the other employees in the room and he turned like a flash to see what happened. Realizing the danger, he sprang over her revolving body and turned the wheel which controlled the spinner. In a moment the huge machine came to a standstill and the girl was released from its fatal clutch. Smith Bateman overseer of the room came up from the rear of the spinning room took in the situation at a glance. He made for the office telephone but the office was closed and he had to run to a house across the street, where he ordered a carriage at once. He returned to the mill, but seeing the little girl was dangerous, if not fatally injured, he returned to the phone and summoned the Burbank hospital ambulance. It arrived at 6:27, but the girl had died just 10 minutes before, Medical Examiner Frederick H. Thompson was notified and quickly arrived on the scene. He ordered the body be turned over to the Undertaker John R. Smith, who arrived a short time afterwards and removed it to his rooms at 181 Water Street. Chief of Police D.W. Tinsley and Officer Chadwick who came to the mill soon after the accident, took charge of the situation till the medical examiner had arrived and the body turned over to the undertaker. It was fortunate that they were there as the parents and friends of the dead girl began to arrive just before 7 o’clock. Word had been sent them that their child or “baby”, as they called her had been killed and the news traveled through the Italian colony with wonderful quickness. Fully 20 Italian speaking people followed the mother and father from their home on Middle Street to the mill, and as the grief stricken procession wounded its way through the crowded thoroughfare, the sigh was most pathetic . The grief of the heart broken parents was most pitiful. At the mill when they learned that the girl had passed away, their grief broke out with renewed force and for a moment it looked as if they lost complete control of themselves. Chief Tinsley and Officer Chadwick did their best to comfort them and ordered a carriage to remove them to their home. When it arrived the parents and friends, as many as could, went home to prepare for the arrival of the body. Even those whose round of duty bring them in contact with such scenes, were deeply affected by the grief of the parents, whose only child had been taken from them. Medical Examiner Frederick H. Thompson, Sr. viewed the body at John R. Smith’s this morning, giving primary cause of death, fracture of the skull and injury of the brain and multiple fractures. The contributory cause was shock and hemorrhage. The examination also showed that the left arm was broken, but otherwise the arms, hands and body escaped being even bruised, all the injury being in the head. The funeral will be held this afternoon, from Undertaker Smith’s rooms, with services at St. Anthony’s church. The internment will be in St. Bernard’s cemetery.
** End of article **
This story highlights the dangerous working conditions of our ancestors. In our current times of personal injury lawsuits and safety guidelines - what was recourse back in 1908?
I will continue the story of Concetta in a future post.
Dominic and Anna in front of their home on 31 Second St., Fitchburg, Massachusetts circa 1940
In my first posted document The Impresica-Costa Family History I found some interesting facts that I wanted to research and confirm. The first of these is the family lore that Dominic and Anna had seventeen children and of these only 2 survived to adulthood.
So let's start with the known facts. Dominic (born: 2 Apr 1849) and Anna (born: 27 Feb 1859) were both from Pietraperzia which is a small town in central Sicily. They were married on 27 May 1876 when Dominic was 27 and Anna was only 17. So using records I could find on Ancestors Portal I found the following birth/death records for Dominic and Anna's children:
Dominic Age
Anna Age
Count
Child
Birth
Death
Age at death (years)
Age at death (month)
28
18
1
Concetta
9/2/1877
8/17/1878
0
11
31
21
2
Filippo
2/13/1880
4/14/1966
86
2
34
24
3
Maria Vincenzo
6/21/1883
11/24/1974
91
5
36
26
4
Giuseppa
10/30/1885
7/9/1887
1
8
39
29
5
Giuseppe
1/29/1888
2/5/1888
0
0
40
30
6
Concetta
4/7/1889
11/15/1891
2
7
42
32
7
Giuseppe
9/13/1891
8/22/1892
0
11
45
35
8
Concetta
3/21/1894
8/24/1908
14
5
47
37
9
Santo
11/3/1896
12/1/1896
0
0
47
37
10
Maria Carmela
11/3/1896
12/1/1896
0
0
50
40
11
Giuseppe
5/21/1899
7/16/1901
2
1
I could confirm 11 children were recorded in Pietraperzia town records. Of these only 2 lived to adulthood (Filippo and Maria Vincenzo). Does this mean the history is exaggerated? I am not 100% convinced.
Where are the "other" 6 children? There is a 30 year span from 1876 - 1906 when Dominic and Anna lived in Italy, so it is possible to have 17 pregnancies during that span. In fact, children #9 and #10 are twins, so if Anna had another set of twins it is very possible. I also do not know if the children died in childbirth if they would have recorded the birth with town hall. All of the children found, the youngest was 7 days old before he died, so there was ample time to record the birth with the town. Also there are gaps in the records available in Italy, 1893 is missing records as well as records after 1902. So I cannot prove it - but it is very possible they could have had 17 children.
It is also interesting how they renamed children after other children that died. So they had 3 Concetta's, 3 Giuseppe's, 2 Maria's, 1 Giuseppa, 1 Santo, and 1 Filippo.
In any case - this must have been extremely difficult to have lost so many children, most of them under 2 years old. And when Anna came to America in 1906, she was accompanied by her 12 year old daughter Concetta which led to yet another family tragedy - but that will be told in another post.
I found an interesting family history document that was put together around 1984 and has some interesting stories of the family. I am going to try to fact-check what was written based on all the information I have gathered and what records are available on-line.
But to start - here is the original. Someone took the time (I would love to know the author) to research and type up this document on a typewriter, then photocopy and distribute to members of the family. They must have went to all family members to get background to put together this labor of love. I believe I got my copy from Anna (Imprescia) Carbone, my grandmother. It is a great read, but look for future posts to provide some background and documentation on these stories since I already see some things that I suspect are not correct - so it will be fun to play detective and get the real story.
I love being my families "historian" - but my extended family has no idea some of the great family history we have and some of the amazing stories that are part of our genealogy. So I have created this blog to post some of the information I have come across that may be of interest to all of the branches of my family tree.
So my family tree covers the family trees of my parents. My mother's family are the ancestors of the Imprescia/Carbone families. This is my true Italian side of my heritage, many of these grandparents immigrated to the United States during the very early 1900's from Pietraperzia Sicily and Lapio near Naples Italy.
My father's side are the ancestors of the Cook/Ouellette family. Since my father was adopted by Thomas Caravella when he married my grandmother Ruth Ouellette my last name is Caravella, but I have no blood relation to Thomas Caravella. This side of the family is extremely rich in US and Canadian history since the Cook family dates back to 1700's in Massachusetts and the Ouellette family dates back to the first settlers of Quebec in the 1600's.
My goal is to post stories from all of these branches of the tree as I catalogue all off the boxes of information I have gathered over the last 25 years of researching my family tree.
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