CHAPTER ONE

Valrovian, Italy, 1889 My Mother was born in Valrovian, Italy on March 30, 1889 to her parents Gitano and Mary Pizzato, lived outside of Valrovian, Italy on a tobacco farm. That is how her Father made their living.

My grandfather Gitano Pizzato was a very strict man, and had his whole family cultivate the tobacco fields. At the age of fifteen years old Julia, my mama, had to get up at five O’clock in the morning, and she with the rest of the family would go into the tobacco fields to care for them until it was time for the harvest. When it was ready to harvest everyone, even Grandmother, had to participate. Now Julia, rebelled at this prospect of working in the hot fields and there fore got into a lot of trouble for this rebellion. My grandfather was a stern and strict Father to his children, and even to his wife Mary. All the children were frightened of their Father. Still, Julia rebelled. For punishment my grandfather would whip the boys but would lock the girls in their bedrooms without supper. However, her sister Louisa would hide some of her supper of cheese and bread in her blouse and bring it up to her sister Julia so she wouldn’t be hungry. This didn’t curb her hatred of the tobacco fields at all. My grandmother, Mary, would take Julia aside, and try to talk to her. She would say, please don’t get your Papa angry with you Cara (dear) he will only punish you harder. Then Julia would say to her Mother.

“But, Mama I hate the tobacco fields I can’t stand the heat!”

My poor grandmother was between a rock and a hard place, but she understood her little daughter’s dilemma and said.

“Julia Cara, I’ll ask your father if you can help me around the house because I need the help except for the harvest time, then we will all have to go alright?”

Of course grandpa also rebelled because they were of the same nature and temperment (OIL AND FIRE). However, he soon gave in to his wife’s request, but with one exception. Julia would have help in the fields on cool days and help in the fields. On hot days she would help her mother in the house. My grandfather would tell my grandmother "When the rains come we all go into the fields understand Mary?” This seemed to satisfy Julia for a short time until harvest came! One fall day that was cool Julia didn’t want to help with the tobacco harvest so she went for a short walk just off the fields by a shaded tree. The village was having harvest festivals that weekend after all the tobacco was harvested and the crops were brought in. Her father gathered all the family and told them if they finished the harvest by Friday they all could bring in their harvest and celebrate with all of the rest of the village. Well all the family worked hard, even Julia, but towards the end she lagged behind again. Grandfather caught her sitting under a tree resting while the rest of the family worked. He gave her a strapping and made her continue to work.

On Saturday at breakfast after they loaded the tobacco leaves on the wagon which had been dried and tied, they went into breakfast. Grandpa told everyone to go upstairs, and get dressed in their Sunday best, and we will go to the festival. Julia thinking that since she already got her spanking, she would be able to go. WRONG. Julia got up from the breakfast table to go upstairs to put on her Sunday best cloths and shoes. My mother always told me how she loved to dance that was the most wonderful thing for her. But, grandpa stopped her and said.

“Not you Julia you are going to stay at home in your room until we get back from the festival for not helping much with the harvest!”

"Now go to your room and stay there until we return from the village festival."

Her dear mother tried to persuade her husband to relent but he would not at all. In fact he got a little irritated with his wife Mary for even trying to persuade him other wise. To make sure Julia would not sneak out of the bedroom and come to the festival anyway he locked her in. However, she waited until they had a good start, and a long way from the farm. She tied her bed sheets to the bedpost and climbed down the side of the second story wall not caring if she fell or not. She wanted to go and dance with all the boys from the village. My mother was a very pretty young girl with black hair and green eyes. Her skin was almost velvet and clear that most girls today would kill for. When she reached the bottom, she walked barefooted with her only pair of good shoes in her hand and best Sunday dress, she walked to her village very proudly.

When Julia arrived at the village there were so many people from farms and villages all around the countryside. This was a very special occasion for all of the villages, which happened only once a year. They had all kinds of foods and games, dances that everyone certainly had a good time. The village has so many different dance areas, she knew her Father couldn’t find her if he tried. He was too busy playing boccie ball with his old friends he has known since his childhood, where they all grew up together. The women were at the tables dishing out all the great foods that everyone brought from their homes. As Italians do love to eat, and everyone had a splendid time eating and drinking home made wine and grappa. This is what the wives and older women did, they loved to do this to show off their excellent cooking abilities. So that took care of Mama too. Her sisters were kind of scattered around the village and her brothers were looking for girls, as boys will do. So Julia was really on her own which was alright with her.

The first thing that Julia did was to go looking for the dancing. Every one of the boys and men knew Julia and what a good dancer she was. So the minute she arrived she had dances until she told the boys she needed something to drink. She went to one of the booths that had some grenadine, which is a sweet drink like a Shirley Temple. She went back to the dance floor and she saw her sister Louisa looking at her. She came over and with a choked look on her face. She told her " If Papa catches you he will give you a whipping. It seems Julia you just can’t keep out of trouble!" Then she told Louisa " Would you look out for Mama and Papa so they don’t see me and come and warn me if they are coming my way?" Louisa who loved her little sister said. “Ok, but, don’t go any further then the dance floor!”

Then Louisa asked her sister if she wanted something to eat? Julia told her no she was having a good time dancing. Louisa left, and she didn’t see her again that day so she felt safe. After a while she decided to head for home before the family did. Julia walked home very slowly. When she arrived she climbed back up the sheets again, and then when she was in her room she fixed her bed very neatly, laid down and fell asleep for a little while. She heard the wagon coming down the road and as Julia looked out the window she saw it was her family. Her Father and Mother never knew she went to the festival and had a great time because Louisa never told on her. She heard footsteps and heard her Father coming up the steps, she hoped he never found out about her being at the festival. When he opened the door he said.

“Julia, you missed a great time, maybe the next harvest you will do your part like the rest of the family and then come to the festival!”

He then let her out of her room, he told her to see her Mother and she will give you something to eat. Her Mother was always her champion, and she loved her very much. She never cared much for her father,because he was too mean. Louisa came upstairs because they shared a room together and told her she was never so scared in her whole life that Papa would come and find you at the festival. Julia told her sister she was also watching out for Papa. '

As the time passed Julia decided to go into the fields and cultivate the tobacco so she didn’t get into to much trouble after that. One day her Uncle Giovanni came to visit his brother Gitano and he brought his family. This is were Julia and Guilio Pizzato met, and he was such a handsome man. Her Uncle Giovanni hardly came to visit and this was the first time she met Guilio because he traveled all over Europe. Her Uncle was a Taylor and was well too do so Guilio didn’t work he just traveled for enjoyment. His brothers were Ettore and Arturo. She passed away when they were very young her Uncle re-married a woman by the name of Matta Detta Vetti. She had four other children by her Uncle, but Guilio always told Julia he loved his Stepmother because she always treated the boys like her very own. Julia was not yet seventeen and Guilio and my Mama were dating. They fell in love and in the process Julia became pregnant. My Father and Mother were not married and had Guido out of wedlock. So my Father told her he would go to America and send for her when he got a house for them. Of course his Father Uncle Giovonni helped financially to send his son Guilio to America. When the time came for Julia to go to America my little brother Guido was to small to travel to America on the boat. So Julia couldn’t take the baby on the long ocean voyage across to America . So Julia reluctantly left the baby with her Uncle and Aunt because all of the children had already left home and they loved the baby, so Giovonni sent Julia to America to his son Guilio to get married. Then when the baby was better they would bring Guido to America to them.

Julia left for America by way of France. She was only eighteen years old and alone not knowing anyone on the ship, but she was a very gutsy lady for whom our family admired her when she told us this story. My Mother who was a strong, and steady of mind did what she had to do for such a young and brave woman. The trip over was uneventful and when they arrived in New York Harbor my Mother told me she saw the statue of Liberty. She swallowed very hard and had tears in her eyes thinking she was now in a free country and will be with the man she loved soon. This somehow made her feel much better. They now endure Ellis Island for a ten-day stay of medical examinations and questions about her country and why she is coming to America.

CHAPTER TWO

Julia arrived on Ellis Island and it really scared her because she thought it was a jail. There were so many people of all origins and races. No one could speak English ,some people did a little, but not many. The ones that did speak the language would interpret for their people who could not speak English. Julia didn’t like Ellis Island, she was very afraid and alone. So one of the interpreters told her not to be afraid. This lady was also an Italian, but an older woman. She told Julia what was going to happen and then after she was examined she would have to stay in isolation ward until she was released in a few days. After the two days were up, they came to take her to the New York immigration building to get her papers. When she arrived at the Immigration Building they pinned a tag on her to identify her, and to what her destination was. One of the guards wanted to take her tag and look at it, and she said in Italian to him.

“No! No! That is mine and you can’t take it away from me!”

Then the interpreter told her they just wanted to see what her destination was and bring you to the train station, and it's all OK! Mama finally climbed down and let them do their thing with the damn tag. It seemed like it was taking forever until she would get on the train to Michigan. Julia was headed for Negaunee, Marquette County Michigan. She was getting a little hungry and asked the Italian lady if she could have something to eat. She took her to the fruit vender and Julia pointed out a fruit she never seen before.The vender handed her the banana, and she peeled the banana. To everyone’s surprise she threw away the banana and stated to eat the peel. The vender shouted "NO! Signora!" She looked at him in utter shock, took another banana, and handed to him. He peeled it for her. She took the banana, took a big bite, and said to the vender.

“Molto Bueno Signor, Molto Bueno (very good Sir, Very good!”)

She finished the banana and the Italian lady, took Mama back to wait for the train. Whoever that lady was I would like to thank her very much for looking after our beloved Mother. It would take her a few days to reach Michigan and when she was put on the train the Italian lady told the conductor this was an immigrant and was going to Negaunee, Michigan, and for him to see that she get meals on the train. He told her he would take care of the little lady and Mama told us he certainly did too. She arrived in Michigan and my Father met her with some friends. They lady's name was Louisa Ponte and her husband Gustoff (Gus) Ponte greeted her. She was so glad to see Guilio. His friends took her to their home until they could find a place for themselves. Louisa suggested they get married right away at their Catholic Church in Negaunee so there will not be any talk. They married on April 5, 1919 in Negaunee, Michigan in the Catholic Church there. They stayed with the Pontes until they found a place not far from them. Within a few months Mama and Papa received a letter from Guilio’s parents telling them that little Guido died of Pneumonia. This devastated my Mama. She was feeling guilty. She wished she could have taken her little baby with her to America. But, Louisa told her it was not anyone’s fault. She could have other children. So Guido only lived to eight months old he was born in 1908 and died the first part of 1909. That would have been my mama’s oldest son. She once told me that she would never forget her baby Guido as long as she lived

CHAPTER THREE

My brother John James Pizzato our oldest brother was born to Guilio and Julia Pizzato on June 14, 1911 in Negaunee, Michigan. Then another brother Albert Barney Pizzato was born on May 22, 1912, then came my sister Marie Martha Pizzato born on June 19, 1913, then my other sister Italy Libera (Tillie) Pizzato also born in Michigan, then I came along many years later from the rest of the siblings. I was born on December 14, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois.

The family then moved to Chicago, Illinois and they bought a boarding house which my Mother cooked meals for the boarders. That is how she supported the family, as usual my Father didn’t work because he was (so called ) the Padrone ( Head of the family.) His friends called him Sport because he would go play cards with the other Italian men. Julia did all the work and paid all the bills for the boarding house. All the salesmen and venders knew that my mother would pay them, so they came to the boarding house to collect the money and bring the things she ordered. She dealt mostly with the Jewish salesmen who were very good to her and knowing she was the soul support of her family gave her good deals. She liked them and thought they were very generous with her. All the girls helped clean the rooms and help cook, and did the laundry. She didn’t speak very good English, but after five years in America she became an American Citizen and was very proud to be American. Times were very hard for everyone in the Twenties. Then came Probation, when Bars or Clubs could not sell booze to their customers. Here is where Alfonso Capone came into our family. Julia had to resort to making Gin in the downstairs basement where a friend of hers named Jerome Manzardo, who was a carpenter, built her a room with a huge bathtub for her to make Gin. Julia was doing alright until one day Al Capone’s henchmen came downstairs to where my Mother was preparing to make another batch of Gin. These burly Capone’s men knocked on her downstairs basement door. She opened it up and knew who these men were. Julia asked them in Italian what the hell did they want? (Judy Interjection here. My Grandmother wasn't very polite) One of the men spoke up and told her they were sent from Alfonso Capone to collect Protection money from her! Well, she looked at them with utter disdain, and in her hand she had a broom. She didn’t know were she got the nerve to do what she did but she said, "What do you mean protection money, I am only one person and I just sell the Gin to small families not restaurants. You can’t come in here and protect me because I haven’t anything to protect!" My Mother was so angry her Italian temper got the better of her senses and without thinking she told them to get out, and she was screaming at the top of her lungs in Italian. She hit Capone’s men over the head with the broom she had in her hand; and she was doing a great job of it too. As she was doing this she said. “You tell Alfonso that if he sends you men over here to bother a poor woman trying to make a living for her family, I will call his Mother who I know and tell her what her son is doing to a poor Italian women!”

"Do you understand me boys?" Believe it or not the henchmen left in a hurry because they didn’t want to be responsible for this woman calling Capone’s Mother without telling him! However, when Jerome came downstairs, she told him what happened to her he turned almost pure white in the face and said.

“Julia do you realize you could have been killed, those men are Capone’s henchmen and they had guns under their jackets.”

Then she laughed and said.

“You should have seen their faces Jerome, they almost turned white when I told them I would call Alfonso’s Mother!”

Still he told her she was very lucky they didn’t shoot her on the spot and throw her in Lake Michigan with cement shoes where no one would ever find you except the fish. She smiled and told him that at the time they made me so damn mad I couldn't think straight. "That’s what happens to me when I loose my temper Jerome, you should know that by now!" The next day my mother received a phone call from Alfonso Capone himself. He said.

“Signora Julia, I apologize for my men that coming to your casa (house) I didn’t know who you were until they told me what you said to them.”

So in Italian he asked her not to call his Mother on this matter she doesn't exactly know what I am doing. She thinks I am a legitimate businessman and she wouldn’t like to hear this! My Mother told Alfonso she wouldn’t tell his Mother anything at all.

My mother knew that Alfonso was born in Brooklyn New York. The year was 1889 he also was a young gangster at a very early age of eleven years old. He also graduated to a higher class of gangsters. They finally in time were imprisoned for tax evasion for eleven years.

One day Capone asked if he could come to see her to make a business proposition.He said "I think you will like it, and I don’t think it's an offer you can’t refuse" So she said, it was all right for him to come and see her and they will talk about it.

The next morning Alfonso Capone came to Julia’s house and he had three henchmen with him this time and two in his car waiting for him outside. He asked if he could see the basement if it will be what he had in mind to do. Julia took Alfonso downstairs and he looked around and saw it was a huge basement. Her turned to her; and asked her if he could have a cup of coffee and talk some business. He drank part of his coffee, and began to talk. He told her he would like to use her basement to put in five big wine vat’s to make Gin in and would pay her handsomely for the use of the basement. Somehow during the conversation Alfonso said something in Italian that seemed to insult, and my mother got up and through her warm cup of coffee in Alfonso Capone’s face, my sister Tillie a very young teenager who was a witness this was standing behind my Mother at the time. Tillie was so scared she almost fainted. He already had this scar on his face and all she could think of was, they were dead for what my Mother did. At that point the three men took out their guns and aimed it at her head. She turned to my Sister Tillie and told her to go outside pronto! My sister ran outside as my Mother told her to do. All of a sudden Alfonso Capone put up his hands to his henchmen and said.

“BASTA, BASTA, (that’s enough, enough!) Leave her alone anyone who had the guts to throw coffee in Al Capone’s face is pretty brave and couragous to me!" "Well Signora could you please let me have the basement to do this?" Then my Mother told Alfonso Capone it was a deal providing she was kept out of all of this. The next day he came back and had all the locks on the doors changed and they only had the key. It was in Jerome Manzardo’s name. Alfonzo Capone paid her such a great amount of money that she actually paid off the boarding house in six months. Then one day my sister Tillie told my mother that she had this terrible dream that the FBI agents were surrounding the boarding house with guns drawn. My Mother told her that was only a dream to forget about it. But, my sister Tillie couldn’t forget it at all.

However, the next morning Tillie’s dream came true and there were FBI agents surrounding the boarding house. They came in with a search warrant and went downstairs. When they came back upstairs they asked my mother who was making the booze downstairs. Well, she looked so surprised, and told them she didn’t know what they were doing down there they just rented the basement from me. (Judy interjection here. Now you know why I deny the bodies under the Pergo.) It was a Jerome Manzardo who rented the basement. They told her to appear in court and when she did appear she dressed in a ragged dress, and old pair of shoes her oldest hat. The lawyers asked her if she knew anything about what was going on downstairs? My Mother told her in broken English, the only thing is that they paid me to rent the basement and they had their own keys, and she couldn’t get downstairs.

Somehow they believed my Mother but, poor Jerome Manzardo who took the rap for my Mother, spent some time in jail. Her story saved her and she was not prosecuted for bootlegging and making Gin. No one knew that Alfonso was the one who rented the basement. All of the people involved are all dead now. The FBI went to my Mothers boarding house and busted all the vats that were in the basement and took everything related to making gin. After a while, things quieted down she resumed making money to support her family in those hard times. The main thing was that she had a boarding house free and clear now and during the depression it was a wonderful feeling to have. Life went on with the Pizzato family.My father didn’t contribute to the family income at anytime though out their married life. He drank and played cards with his Italian cronies. And my Mother Julia did all the work to support the family. My father when he got drunk would sometimes run up to the third floor and threaten to jump off the building. Of course my Mother Julia would always try to persuade him not to do it. He then relented, and came back downstairs. This one particular night after so many times of drunken threats, my Father Guilio made his favorite threat. My poor Mother was so sick and tired of telling him not to jump. Thinking he would always do this as he did so many time before and not jump at all, but instead upset the whole family by threatening to do so. After working all day cooking and changing the 40 beds she was extremely tired and was not going to put up with his nonsense any longer and after he threated to jump she finally told him.

“Go ahead Guilio jump!”

(Judy interjection here. I would have pushed the Bastardo!)

To her surprise my Father did jump, and when he fell he bit his tongue almost in half. He ran away because he was afraid he would be put in jail for trying to commit suicide, also afraid the police would take him to jail. The story was that he went to some friends house and during the night. They took him to the emergency hospital because his tongue swelled to twice it's size.His friends called my Mother and she went to the hospital and stayed with him. He was in the hospital for over a week. When he came home he started acting oddly with everyone.

Finally my Mother had to admitt Guilio to a Sanitarium in Elgin, Illinois.He was placed in a critical cancer ward; my Father had Cancer in the throatas well as suicidal tendencies. (Judy interjection here. Do you think they had shower curtains and a short chair back then?) He was in the Sanitarium for years before he finally died of cancer on April 5, 1940. My Father was born in Salcedo, Italy on June 24, 1885. He married my Mother Julia Pizzato on September 9, 1910. He is buried in Holy Seplicor, Chicago Illinois. He was only 56 years old when he died, which was much too young but, the cancer finally won the battle. I really never knew my Father Guilio because I was just a young girl of 12 years old at the time however, I remembered him. So as far as knowing what kind of man he was I couldn’t tell anyone. I received information from my sister Tillie Ray otherwise I would have only remembered bits and pieces. She was my family reference on what my Father was. I was born about 15 years after Tillie. She was the baby of the family until I came along. My Mother had me at the age of 39 years old so I was a change of life baby. They tell me I was very tiny. I weighed three pounds at full term and 10 inches long were as they could put me in a shoe box, that how tiny I was. My dear Mother when cleaning the forty rooms upstairs, while changing the bed sheets each week, would put me in the basket. But, one day she couldn’t find me and panicked. She looked every where, and finally found me on the bottom of the basket under all the dirty sheets fast asleep. She never did that again! After that she carried me in a basket, but of my own. My sisters Marie and Tillie took care of me when I was a baby because my Mother was so busy taking care of the boarding house. They were my Nannies as it were. They were very good Nannies and treated me wonderfuly, and cared for me expertly.

I loved my Mother very much. When she passed away I was devastated for many years.

Judy interjection here:

This is my Mothers story about my grandmother. Later I will tell you about how she knocked my face into a bowl of chicken soup.

VIVA LA ITALIA!!!!!!