From Italian to Irish to German

I've always been interested in genealogy and where my family came from. When I was in 5th grade I visited Ellis and was hooked on learning how my family arrived here in America. As the grandson of Italian, German and Irish immigrants I thought it would be interesting to explore where my family came from and how it pertains to my culture.

Patrick Fitzgerald, my maternal grandfather was born in Limerick City, Ireland on Cassidy Lane to John Fitzgerald and Ellen Barry on February 6, 1898. He was orphaned by the time he was five and raised on an aunt’s farm. As an adult my grandfather became a member of the IRA that freed the South of Ireland from their British oppressors. His ship the Adriatic arrived at Ellis Island New York City on December 3, 1915. He was picked up by his brother, Jack Fitzgerald, who brought him to his new home in Hartford, Connecticut.

After his arrival he began to experience discrimination first hand while searching for a job. Many of the factories in Connecticut had signs posted outside “Irish need not apply.” How does an Irish man react to this discrimination? My grandfather and his friend opted for the sarcastic - they wrote on the sign “This is written on the gates of Hell” above “Irish need not apply.”

Finally Patrick, my grandfather, had some luck finding a job as apprentice to train as a Millwright. After the Stock Market Crash of 1929 many of the factories closed and he was once again out of work. As a result he moved to New York City and luckily found many blue collar jobs throughout the city.

Wilhelm Josef Schmitt my maternal great-great grandfather born in Prussia in 1844 to Ernst Schmitt and Philomena Dryer. He arrived in New York City in 1861. Wilhelm married Kathleen McQuillan from County Cavan Ireland. In order to avoid the discrimination many immigrants faced, they moved to New York City and changed their names to William and Kathleen Smith.

Francesco Pecoraro my paternal grandfather was born in Carini, Italy on February 16, 1918 to Croce Pecoraro and Maria Schilli. Maria and her children arrived on Ellis Island in 1922. They were met by Croce and taken to live in their new home in south Philadelphia. At the age of 12, Francesco's mother died in an accident and with no other options Croce moved the family to Brooklyn to live with relatives.

My grandfather was drafted into the army when World War II erupted. He landed on the beaches of Normandy three days after D-Day. During his first days in France he was captured by the Germans and remained a prisoner of war until the war ended in 1945.

After the war my Grandfather met and married Annuciata Migliorino from Silla in Calabria. When my father was eighteen, his biological mother passed away due to cancer. Six years later my grandfather met and married my nona Franca Sciarrino in Carini.

So that sums up how the Pecoraro family came to the US. Share your story with me here on my blog. How did your family come to be Americans?