52 in 52 (Challenge): Angela Nardin

I knew this ancestor spotlight would come sooner rather than later, and I didn't have to think real hard for this weeks 52 in 52 submission, which the prompt is "Challenge."  Eventually, I will probably compile all my facts and write a book about great grandma Angela (Which will be a challenge in and of itself, I'm just a hobby novelist) but for now a spotlight blog will do.  Angela is perfect for the "Challenge" prompt, as you'll see when you read about her life, she was faced with one challenge after another, but she always rose above.  I can only image the strength this woman had.

I never got to meet her, but I bet I would have loved her.  As the mother of one of my favorite people in the world (my Nona Mary) I expect them to be very much alike.  Nona always said she spoke "very broken English," as of course Italian would have been her first language.  Nona never said she herself  knew Italian, she certainly never spoke it and had no accent, so it makes me wonder if Angela purposely didn't teach the children in an effort to leave the old life behind.  But more on that in a bit.

Catterina Angela Nardin was born Feb 7th, 1887 in Asiago Italy to Giovanni Antonio Nardin and Anna Maria Angela "Mary" Strazzabosco.    At the age of 24 she married who we always heard was the love of her life, Valentino Paganin, on Feb 12th, 1911 in Asiago (he was 25.)  One year later, their daughter Giustina Maria Ain Zara "Rena" Paganin was born, Feb 26th, 1912 at 10:15 pm. 

Ain Zara "Rena" Paganin

We as a family have always wondered where the name "Ain Zara" came from.  If you google it, Ain Zara is a town in Libya, with the Battle of Ain Zara being fought December 1911 during the Italo-Turkish War.  I wondered if they were close to someone who'd died in the skirmish, it looks like only 18 soldiers were killed in the first attack and three in a second of January 1912.  Unfortunately I can't seem to find a list of casualties.  It could even just be that it was a skirmish somehow close to their hearts and on their minds.  Italy had become a unified nation only 50 years before, and this was one of the first real attempts to widen their territories.  Also, an Italian pilot was the first to throw bombs from an airplane in this battle.  He literally had a grenade in his jacket pocket and three more in a box at his feet, and chucked them from the airplane.  It likely did little damage, but he was "pleased with the result.  Terrorized Turks scatter."  

The happy little family unfortunately was not meant to be.  Jan 15th, 1913 Valentino was killed in Schio, Italy.  It looks like the two towns are less than 20 miles from one another, I ponder if he was working there, or vising family.  Valentino's father had fifteen children between two wives, and although several passed before 1900 it still leaves a lot of siblings one could go to visit.  Unfortunately we may never know, Italy isn't exactly forthcoming with many of it's records, to the dismay of all genealogists with Italian heritage. (sigh.)

Family lore says that Angelina asked for or expected Valentino's family to help support them.  This would have been tradition back then, but the Paganin's could not or would not.  With so many children to feed, it makes sense they would have either been extremely wealthy or extremely impoverished, and I've been told Angelina and Valentino didn't have money for a midwife, so I'd guess the latter.  Whatever the reason, Angelina and her mother Mary emigrated to the US to find better luck.  Angelina was passenger 100348010348 on the ship Duca D'Aosta, which arrived in Ellis Island NY April 1st, 1915.  Her name was listed as Angela Nardini Paganini, travelling with daughter Anizara (passenger 100348010349.)  They had departed the port of Genoa, with Rena being only 3 years old.  I can only assume she was joining her brother, Pietro in Staunton IL, who had emigrated in 1911.

Her mother, Anna Maria, came October 3rd, 1920 aboard the ship "France," leaving the port of Genoa, to join her son Pietro at 835 East Mill st, Staunton Illinois.

I do not know if she knew him before emigration, or if brother Pete knew him and set them up, but Angela married Guiseppe Antonio "Joe" Barra, a man who himself had emigrated from Brossasco Italy, December 1915.  

The first of their five children, Aurora, was born Sep 13th, 1916, followed by Joe in 1917, twins Mary and Alba in 1920, and Bruno in 1922, renting a home at 164 Main st, Hauge Addition, Benld.  Joe is shown as a coal miner.  Unfortunately, tragedy would again touch Angela.

"Joe Barra of Benld was electrocuted outside his home Monday morning about 5:30 am after a high wind storm tore down one of the street light wires of the IL Power & Light Corp. The wire set a post between Barra's barn workshop and the street light on fire.  Barra, awakened by his wife, ran out to the workshop and it is thought he threw a bucket of water on the burning post and wire, which electrocuted him.  The body was taken to the Harms Undertaking Parlor.

Feb 12th, 1925"

1927 (L to R) Rena, Aurora, Mary, Bruno, Alba, Joe, Angela

Angela found herself again a widow, this time with six children, all but Rena under the age of nine, Rena being just 12.  On the 1930 census Angela is the owner of a home at 401 Seventh st, in Benld.  I do not know if this is a home she moved the children to or if this is where Joe died, as they were in between census' at the time of his death.  Her occupation is listed as a Laundress in private homes, with now-eighteen year old Rena a maid.   Angela would not remarry again.

Her mother, Mary passed in 1934, when Angela was 47.  1940 sees the Barra's still at their home on Seventh street; Angela, now 53 is not working, but the children are.  Joe is a slate picker at a local coal mine, Alba and Mary waitress in a tavern, Bruno is listed as a 'new worker.'  They've all been working for a while, Joe graduated high school but the twins did not, Alba dropping out her freshman year and Mary her sophomore, most likely to help with work.  Bruno completed only to the eighth grade.  Rena has moved to Chicago, a housekeeper for the Henry Berger family at 190 W Washington Bld.  

Sometime around 1940, L to R:

Bruno, Mary, Alba, Joe, Angela, Rena, Aurora

Rena passed away Dec 4th, 1946 in St. Croix Wisconsin, married to a soldier named Walter Garey, when Angela was 59.  Brother Pietro passed ten years later, Nov 2nd, 1956, with Angela herself following behind Feb 8th, 1963.  She was 76.

"Mrs Angelina Barra, a resident of Benld for many years, passed away Friday night at St Francis Hospital, Litchfield, a day after her 76th birthday.  In an invalid condition for the past five years, the result of a stroke, she was hospitalized for the latter par of January, but recovered sufficiently to return to her home nine days ago.  Her condition again became serious and she was re-admitted to the hospital Wednesday evening.

Born Feb 7, 1887, in Asiago Italy, decedent, who's maiden name was Nardin, came to this country in 1914.  In Dec 1915 she was married to Joseph Barra and has since resided here.  Mr. Barra died Feb 9, 1925, and a daughter, Rena Garey passed away in Wisconsin in December 1946.

Surviving are two sons, Bruno, who resided with his mother, and Joseph of Gillespie, and three daughters, Mrs Aurora Obertino, Mt Claire; Mrs Frank (Mary) Heigert, of Carlinville; and Mrs Harry (Alba) Odorizzi of Staunton.  Thirteen grandchildren also survive.

Last rites were conducted Monday morning at 9:30 at St Joseph's Church with Rev George E Faller officiating, followed by internment at Benld cemetery.

Pallbearers were six grandsons, Don, Richard, and Jerry Obertino, Mt Claire; Frank and Allan Heigert, Carlinville; and Terry Odorizzi fo Staunton.

Relatives from a distance who attended the funeral included Mr and Mrs Pete Barra, Louis Barra, Margaret Brill, Fred Barra, and Mr and Mrs Joe Barra, Roanoke Il; Mr and Mrs Dominic Schrazzabosco (sic) and Dante Nardin, Chicago; Mrs Santina Nardin and Mr and Mrs Dobrinik (sic) Staunton, and Mr and Mrs Leo Nardin of Alton."