The Fenaroli's of Porcigatone
Luigi & Maria Fenaroli
First Generation
Luigi Fenaroli, son of Marco Fenaroli was born 1860. Luigi died 1906 in Porcigatone.
He married Maria Delgrosso in Porcigatone, 1885. Maria was born in Brunelli just outside of Borgotaro 1867. She was the daughter of Bernardo Delgrosso and Maria Corvi. Maria died 1955 in Astoria NY, interred in the 3rd Cavalry cemetery.
Maria Delgrosso was born in 1867 in the farming community of Brunelli. She married Luigi Fenaroli 1888 at the age of sixteen. She had eight children, four boys and four girls. there are twenty years spread between Joseph the oldest and Louise the youngest. Luigi travelled extensively but obviously came home often enough to spawn eight children. In addition to her own children Maria was known to take in children in need of a family.
Maria, Nonena, was known for many good traits, not the least of which was her Bomba. Bomba is difficult to describe. It is a moulded rice dish, like a round cake, made with rice, saffron, light sauce, the boneless meat of doves and lots of other good stuff. Recently a Cinema "The Big Night", featured two brothers, one of which was an Italian perfectionist chef . The chef works days to produce an extravagant meal where the piece de resistance was a Bomba or at least something very similar. It brought back exquisite memories of Nonena's Bomba.
Maria made the final migration with Josephine, Camille and Louise three to four years after Luigi died. Without a husband, Maria helped support the extended family by sewing at home. Home sewing was a widespread vocation among the wives of immigrants. Clothing manufacturers paid stay at home mothers for their fine hand sewing. Maria also made most of the family clothes, including suits for the men and bridle gowns for the ladies.
**** Luigi Fenaroli was born 1860 probably in the Porcigatone area. Since there are no longer any Fenaroli's in Porcigatone, it is not certain where Luigi was born. He married Maria Delgrosso in 1888. He was 23 at that time and Marie was 16. The family lived on a farm in Porcigatone . Although the Family tilled the land, Luigi became known as a merchant. Ergo the family nickname of Mercante. He travelled extensively in France and Northern Italy and perhaps Switzerland selling odds and ends to farm families. He mostly walked and carried his wares. He also worked at some trades. It is known that he worked as a chimney sweep in paris. Luigi certainly had a lot of spunk and apparently some success. He visited America and did some work for a short period of time. Upon return to Porcigatone from America he told the family, America is the future and we are going. The family started emigrating with the boys first. Marie came to America 1910. later she Luigi died of Pneumonia in 1906 prior to the last migration. Ironically, Luigi, who made it all happen died at the age of 47 and missed out on the Opportunities of America. Given another 20 or more years in the new world, it's hard to imagine what he could have accomplished.
He also was known to purchase lambs at market, probably in the open market in Borgotaro, to raise and to sell as Easter lambs for eating and for sheep. It is known that his son Ettore was a shepherd until he migrated to the USA. Ettore love animals continued throughout his life and made for some interesting stories as you will see.
Luigi died in Italy circa 1906 and is probably buried in Porcigatone.
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