While asking my family about our heritage, I came to learn some very interesting things. Unfortunately, all I was able to learn about my father's side was that they came from Ireland. My mother's side, however, was much more intriguing.
My grandfather is 100% Italian, and is first generation born in the United States. His father, John Sr, met his future wife, Bettina, through her father. Her father was a land owner/ farmer in Miller, Italy and John worked for him. Through this he met Bettina and they fell in love. In 1930, John came to America from Chigliano, Italy to work for his aunt's brother-in-law who was a construction contractor; leaving his future bride home in Italy. After a year he returned to Chigliano to marry Bettina, and in 1932 they came back to Springfield, Massachusetts, moving where work was available. This led them to Greenwich, Connecticut, where John worked on the Merit parkway doing stonework on bridges, and my grandpa was born. This job moved them family all the way to Hamden, Connecticut.
My grandmother's side of the family was more complex. In the 1700s, my grandmother's mother's family came from England. My grandmother's father, Alexander, came from Combusland, Scotland in 1926 and moved to New Haven, Connecticut. This is where he met his wife, Virginia Sherwood, family owners of Sherwood Farm in Greenwich from 1776 -1976, Connecticutfrom 1776 -1976, who went to Larson College which is now known as Quinnipiac University. The two met in New Haven, got married, and my grandmother was born.
My grandfather is 100% Italian, and is first generation born in the United States. His father, John Sr, met his future wife, Bettina, through her father. Her father was a land owner/ farmer in Miller, Italy and John worked for him. Through this he met Bettina and they fell in love. In 1930, John came to America from Chigliano, Italy to work for his aunt's brother-in-law who was a construction contractor; leaving his future bride home in Italy. After a year he returned to Chigliano to marry Bettina, and in 1932 they came back to Springfield, Massachusetts, moving where work was available. This led them to Greenwich, Connecticut, where John worked on the Merit parkway doing stonework on bridges, and my grandpa was born. This job moved them family all the way to Hamden, Connecticut.
My grandmother's side of the family was more complex. In the 1700s, my grandmother's mother's family came from England. My grandmother's father, Alexander, came from Combusland, Scotland in 1926 and moved to New Haven, Connecticut. This is where he met his wife, Virginia Sherwood, family owners of Sherwood Farm in Greenwich from 1776 -1976, Connecticutfrom 1776 -1976, who went to Larson College which is now known as Quinnipiac University. The two met in New Haven, got married, and my grandmother was born.
In 1953, Virginia Hair (my grandmother) and John Rossotto Jr. met in a telephone booth in Hamden, CT in front of an ice cream place. She was 15, he was 17 and it was love at first sight. They've been together ever since and live happily in Hamden, CT in the same neighborhood as their two daughters and four grandchildren. My grandfather has done a lot of developments in Hamden including building Sherman Ave, where York Hill is located, in the early 60s. From this, I have come to learn that I am not only Italian and Irish, but also Scottish, English, and Connecticut Yankee.
I loved how the end of every mini story in this blog ended up with people moving to Hamden or New Haven CT and especially how her great-grandmother actually went to Quinnipiac (before it was actually Quinnipiac).
ReplyDeleteI thought it was intersting to find out that you are third generation America on your father's side.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting that your family is from right around here. So cool that your great-grandmother came here before it was Quinnipiac!
ReplyDeleteIt was cool how you knew the complete stories behind your family
ReplyDeleteIt was great that from this blog you learned so much about your heritage. It's so unique that so much of your family came to live and work in this area that you still live in today.
ReplyDeleteI liked the story about how your parents met. It was an interesting side note to your family history and makes it unique.
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting how each side of the families all ended up in Connecticut somehow, all within Greenwich, New Haven and Hamden. I like how your family also has many connections to our school, being the construction of certain areas and attendance at the school prior to its renaming when it was Larson College. I also like the phone booth story!
ReplyDeleteI always like how families pass on first names, like how Virginia shares the same name as her Grandmother. It almost a way to keep memory of those that have helped establish who we are
ReplyDeleteI think it's really cool that your family has such a strong background in Hamden. It is cool that you all still live around here today! I especially liked the telephone booth part..very cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post-- I'm actually thinking of moving to Connecticut and have been scoping out houses for sale in Hamden CT, so it's great to read stories that speak to the strong heritage this community offers its residents. And I love the telephone booth story too-- so unique!
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