Louisa Terragnoli was married by the time she immigrated to the United States in 1907. She arrived in Boston, MA with her husband, Arnaldo DeNicola, and daughter, Annunziata, on May 13, 1907. They left the port of Naples, Italy on the S.S. Canopic on May 1, 1907, sailing for 13 days. Louisa was 24 years old when she ventured on this trip to America. I found an image below of the ship, and another site which has a little history on the SS Canopic.
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| Immigrants arriving in Boston, MA on the SS Canopic 1920, from BPL flickr site |
Louisa's last place of residence on her passenger record is listed as Prezza, Italy. It also lists her daughter, Annunziata, was born in Prezza in 1905. If Louisa had her first child quickly after being married, this would give Louisa and Arnaldo's marriage year to be around 1904-1905, maybe in Prezza. The 1910 Census states they had been married for 6 years, so that would also suggest around 1904. The Family History Center Library does not have the civil registrations for these years on microfilm, they only have 1809-1865. I did write to the commune of Prezza in August of 2010, over two years ago; asking for their extraction of marriage; unfortunately, I did not get a response.
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| From blog post louisa terragnoli |
1910-1943 residence for Arnaldo and Louisa DeNicola
View Arnaldo and Louisa DeNicola in a larger map
Arnaldo and Louisa lived on Canal Street in 1910. After looking at some historical maps, it seems the name of this road at some time was changed to the current Revere Road. By 1920, they moved to Washington Street; 1926 they are on Winter Street. The 1930 Census has Louisa living on Bracket Street with Arnaldo and 9 out of her 10 living children; their eldest, Nancy was married by 1930. By 1932 the family has moved to Edwards Street, then Massachusetts Ave by 1933 to at least 1938. In the 1940 Census, Louisa is a widow living with five of her children on Arnold Street. Louisa moves at least one more time by 1943 when she is found on Spear Street in that year's Quincy directory.
I believe Louisa's mother, Francesca Pettinelli, may have lived in Massachusetts also; as her name is etched on her daughter Eva's gravestone in Quincy, MA. Francesca dies in 1925, two years after her granddaughter Eva, who was only about 3 years old. These must have been some difficult years for Louisa.
Louisa may also had at least one brother, maybe two, living in Massachusetts; Cosmo and Damiano as mentioned above. I have not found Francesca or Cosmo in any census records, but Damiano is listed in the 1920-1940 censuses, living in Quincy, MA. Louisa probably saw Damiano since he was living so close.
The 1930 census gives us a little bit more information on Louisa and her husband. It does state that they were both naturalized by 1930, which I knew since I found Arnaldo's naturalization papers on ancestry.com. The census also notes that they are both able to speak English, and are able to read and write. They are renting their house, which is not surprising with all the moves from house to house they have done. They rent their house on Brackett street for $30 a month. (The only new information from the 1940 census is that Louisa's highest level of education is 4 years of High School. I am not sure of the school system in Italy when she was a child, but it seems she was well educated.)
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| From blog post louisa terragnoli |
Louisa's husband died in 1935, leaving her with her youngest child, Remo, still only 13 years old. Remo is my grandfather, and I do not remember him speaking much of his parents, or if his grandparents or any Aunts and Uncles came to the US along with Louisa. He would only have been about three years old when his grandmother Francesca dies, too young to remember her.
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