Thank you for visiting our family's webpage of history and photographs. I will, of course, be expanding this page as we get more information. If you have any additions, please email them to me! My email address is: joe_tobia@yahoo.com
Better yet: leave notes, stories, and comments on the blog!!!
I've tried to propose a few topics. Click the "Post Your Comment" link under the most appropriate one. Email me if you have any problems.
The above photo of Borgetto was on a postcard, but coincidentally is the street--Via Sant'Antonio--where the Tobia house was located.
ME
My name is Joseph Anthony Tobia (actually Joseph Tobia II, according to my birth cirtificate); my brother is John Anthony Tobia; and we are the sons of Antonino or Anthony J. Tobia (Uncle Tony to many of you) and Madeline Fallone. Since I am telling the story of the family on this site, I will use the words grandfather and grandmother to mean the grandparents of my generation. You cousins who are younger will have to add another "great" to the designation.
This is basically the history of the lives of the four sons of Giuseppe and Antonietta Tobia who arrived for the last time in New York City in the year 1921.
Antonino (Tony,or Toby) married Madeline Fallone and had 2 sons: Joseph and John. John married Sylvia Wharton and have one daughter, Madeline and a grandson Jason, who is 7 years old at this time.
Giuseppe (Joe) married Caterina (Kate) Pedula and had one adopted daughter,Carolyn Sangillo (Tobia) married Stephen Sangillo in 1972 and had three children (Stephen Jr. – July-1976), Joseph (May-1979) and Laura (October 1981). Stephen Jr. married Judyann Wiltsie in 2002 and we have two daughters (Gianna Isabella and Gabriella Victorianna). Joseph married Seth in a civil ceremony in 2010. Laura is currently single. I can assure you that Joseph Tobia remains one of the most influential (and deeply missed) indidivuals in our lives. The love from our grandmother Katherine is a hole in our hearts that we carry everyday. We were truly blessed.
Vincenzo (Jim) married Anna Greco and had 2 sons and a daughter. Vincent Jr. married Carol ? and have 2 sons, Vincent and Davis. Mary aka Marie-Antoineete married Joseph Vigil and had one son, Joseph...they were divorced and Mary married Jerry Dean and they had two daughters, Melanie and Marianne. Raymond married Madeline and they had (not sure).
Giovanni (John) married Louisa (Lise-Lotte) Patoka and had a son and a daughter. William (Bill) married (?) and has two sons and three daughters. Logan was born in 1982, Ashley was born in 1985, Lindsay was born in 1986, Autumn was born in 1988 and Dylan was born in 1990. Antoinette married Scott Katora and have a daughter, Michelle Louise.
At this time I'm researching names.
The following is a song in Sicilian that I learned as a child living with grandma Antonietta. I lived with her during the day while my mom went to work.
There are songs that children learn all over the world when they're young, in order for them to learn the nuances of the language. For example, almost everyone is familiar with "Alouette" of the French. This one is about a lost rooster. I'll give the words in Sicilian and then in English.
"L'aviti vistu cumpar' un adduzzu, l'aviti vistu passari di ca? Ero 'i me, ero 'i me, nu addu persu e nun saccio d'un n'e.
E si 'ddu trovu, ci stirru lu coddu, lu mett' a moddu e lu brodu mi fa; Ero 'i me, ero 'i me, nu addu persu e nun saccio d'un n'e.
Engish free translation: Oh have you seen, my friend, a rooster, have you seen one pass here? Indeed, it was mine, indeed it was mine...one rooster lost and I can't find it. And if I find him, I'll stretch his neck, put him in the pot and I'll make a nice soup. Indeed, it was mine, indeed it was mine...one rooster lost and I can't find it.
Here is another which was sung as a lullaby. It tells of a beautiful baby boy or girl, so beautiful that the people want to steal it, but of course this does not happen and the song goes on to say,,,"(name) sleeps and the others don't.
"O quant' e beddu 'stu figghiu/figghia picciottu, ca la vonnu pigghiari la genti. Ma so matr' un ni voli rrari, 'stu picciuteddu la vonnu pigghiari. Bo, bo, bo, dormi Gianuzzu e l'avutri no. Bo, bo, bo, dormi Gianuzzu e l'avutri no."
Non ce rosa senza spina. No rose comes without thorns.
