In 2014, Len and I visited Pietrabbondante, the birthplace of my paternal ancestors. Although we didn’t meet any relatives or locals, we thought we had found my grandfather’s birth home and were satisfied to add another check to our “Visit Ancestral Hometowns” list.
In late 2017, however, I received a very unexpected message (in Italian but translated here):
I am Francesco, an Architect from Pietrabbondante, and it is an honor for me to have been born in the same town as the illustrious Alessandro Capraro. I am researching all his works and it is my intention to have a street named after him in the town that gave him his birthplace. If you have any news, please respond to me.
And so I did, and that response led to the beginning of a new and wonderful friendship. For much of the next year, Francesco and I talked, exchanged information, and finally met in Cortona in the fall of 2018.
Meet Francesco, the dedicated architect who never gave up on his goal to recognize the works of a fellow native architect, and the reason we were in Pietrabbondante last month to recognize Alessandro Capraro, my grandfather.
Bravo, ben fatto, Francesco, e grazie mille!
©blogginginitaly.com
While the next post will be filled with pictures and stories from the ceremony, I first wanted to introduce you to some wonderful people, my new extended family of Pietrabbondante.
Because of Francesco’s research, we were able to meet the people who were raised in and still own/occupy my ancestors’ home. Not only did their grandfather purchase the home from my great-grandfather, they have kept the home virtually intact, furniture and all.
©blogginginitaly.com (From left, Roberto, Rinella, Judy, Len, Rosaria and Francesco)
Rinella is now the lady of the house and her sister and brother came from northern Italy to be with us. And here’s a truly incredible gift – Rinella insisted that Len and I stay in the primary bedroom, the bedroom that had been occupied by my great grandparents and the birth bedroom of my grandfather in 1895!
The house is so interesting it warrants a post of its own, which will be the fifth in this series. For now, a bit more on the people.
As part of Francesco’s effort to bring more attention to the works of Alexander Capraro in the U.S., Francesco and Dr. Lucia Krasovec-Lucas, architect, sponsored a conference about him in Pietrabondante last year. I was zoomed into the conference and “met” Lucia for the first time. What I only recently learned was that she had done post doctoral work in Chicago 20 years ago. At that time, she discovered Alexander Capraro, architect from Pietrabbondante, and his architectural contributions to sites including the The Main Navy Building and the Munitions Building in Washington D.C.; Casa Bonita, still included as a historical site in the annual Open House Chicago; and The Italian Pavilion for the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933-34.
©blogginginitaly.com (Dr. Lucia, 4th from right, next to Francesco)
Some years later, she published a book about her research, including drawings for the Italian Pavilion by Rome architects as well as my grandfather. She and Francesco are continuing their research even today, and of course, I will support them anyway I can.
In 1938, Alexander Capraro visited Pietrabbondante, the only time he would since he left at age four. In a letter home to his wife Maude, he wrote:
“Today I met several aunts, cousins and relatives. They cried with joy and they never stopped feasting their eyes on the boy from America… In a few minutes, word spread that I was there and the whole town seemed to come around to see the native son from America.”
86 years later, returning to Pietrabbondante as the granddaughter of Alexander Capraro, I had some of the very same feelings as they warmly embraced me as part of the Pietrabbondante family.
The first night in town, Francesco and his sister, Maria Concetta, plus cousins, of course, welcomed us for dinner at their family home. But before dinner, we were introduced to Caciocavallo, a wonderful local cheese.
©blogginginitaly.com
©blogginginitaly.com
The last night, even after a huge buffet at the ceremony, Rinella and Rosaria insisted we needed just a simple dinner…
©blogginginitaly.com
©blogginginitaly.com
As for my extended Pietrabbondante family, we’re not actually sure how we might be related, but if we go back far enough, there’s most likely a connection, either via bloodline or marriage. Vitullo and Di Salvo are common Pietrabbondante names that are in my family tree dating back to 1772, (thanks to Janet, Lyniece, and many others) and these names are in Francesco and Rinella’s ancestry as well.
So many people spend endless hours tracing their ancestry. How very fortunate I have been to actually walk in the shoes of mine.
My heartfelt thanks for the tireless efforts and friendship of Francesco and Lucia, and the warmth, generosity and hospitality of Rinella, Rosaria and Roberto. I remain forever grateful to each of you.
Next up, the reason for our return…the recognition and celebration of Alexander Capraro, American architect, born in Pietrabbondante in 1895.
Ciao,
Judy
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