Simionis in Veneto!

We have such a nice time with our Veneto Simioni families!

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Rick and I visited Castelfranco Veneto Comune offices again, and did get more information on his grandparents (birthdates) which will take us another branch up the Simioni family tree. I sure would like to find we are related to these wonderful Simionis!  

We DID find information on Rick's two aunts who remained in Italy and did not move to the USA when all the other brothers and sisters did. They both married men named Fior.  Maria named two of her son's Desiderio and Fortunato! (after Rick's father and uncle; her brothers) One son is still alive and living in Salvatronda, near where Rick's father lived. Had we located them last year we could have met another uncle who passed away in 2010.

With the help of Alice and her father Emanuele Simioni, we made a visit to Alfredo Fior, 87 years old. Without their assistance this would have been difficult, if not impossible, as Alfredo was hard of hearing and spoke dialetto! 


Meeting him was emotional for us. After years of searching, he is our first relative. He has sons and grandsons, and since we did not have any family history with us at that time, we are going to follow-up with a letter and photos when we return to the USA.

Rick meets his cousin Alfredo Fior

City records show Rick's other aunt apparently moved to Como, and we plan to contact that Comune office in the future to see whom we can find. This is all quite like a giant puzzle, with many missing pieces!

 Having fun with Veneto Simionis:

 Alice, Emanuele, Gianluca, Rick, Renata

at the Festa dea Poenta

A wedding we spotted in Castelfranco Veneto

Meeting Mattia Simioni, who was our first Castelfranco Veneto connection on Facebook over 2 years ago. Last year he was working in Greece when we visited.
He is Alice's cousin, and the son of  Germano.
The 3rd Simioni brother/family is Gabriele.

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We also had an afternoon to enjoy with the family of Oscar Simioni from Cartigliano. This time our English/Italian translator, his daughter Silvia, was not available as she is studying in Finland at this time. We managed with the help of her sister Federica, and Rick's improved Italian language skills! (His one year of university studies this past winter and spring did pay off!)

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Simioni of Montreal & Salvatronda

Last year we were Salvatronda (Castelfranco Veneto) to search for Rick's father's family. We had already become Facebook friends with Mattia, Alice, and Elisa Simioni from Castelfranco.

Alice's father volunteered to do some investigating before we arrived and found birth records of Desiderio!

He also found Sergio Simioni, who is from Salvatronda, had a father named Desiderio, and an uncle Fortunato, just as Rick did. We wonder if their fathers were cousins and named after important family members.

Sergio, Priest, Alice (maggio 2010)

Sergio mentioned he has family in Montreal Canada, and mentioned Lisa and Mario. Well, I already knew of Lisa and Mario because of our Facebook group "The Simionis of the World".  We were aware Lisa is in Montreal, and, took special note that Mario played professional hockey, NHL farm club I think, since Rick is a big hockey fan. (Mario is now in Denmark coaching a successful hockey team.)

And it became even more interesting as in Alice's home they have a hockey stick signed by Mario on their basement wall! When I asked Alice if she was related to him she replied no, he was just playing hockey in town one time and when she told him her name was also Simioni he gave her the stick!

Lisa and I exchanged a few emails and she spoke to her parents. Now she writes me that her parents will be in Castelfranco! Her mother Annamaria and I are now corresponding. We arrive late on the 8th of September, they return to Canada on the 10th.  We have planned to meet, with Sergio, on the 9th!

It's a small world after all!

Last year's post: Salvatronda 

30Sept2011: rather than make a new post, I'm going to chat about our Salvatronda 2011 meeting below...

9Sept2011

We met with the Ottawa Simionis! I'll collect my family details/notes and add them here later, but for now, we had a nice time and although we don't think we are related, we still sense there could be a connection because of the "Desiderio/Fortunato/Salvatronda" similarities. I'll be working with Linda when we return. Here's our new photo:

Simioni del Mondo/Italia! Lucas & Sergio and families

Lago Maggiore Area Simionis

Our last "Giro di Simioni" stop was in the northern lakes district.  We stayed at a B&B in Ispra.

Many Simionis are Facebook friends with Lucas Simioni. After Stephan & Tania Simioni in Montreal Canada, (who started "Simionis of the World" group on Facebook), and Cris Simioni from Brazil, Lucas has been our longest "Simioni del Mondo" friend, and our most frequent communicator. ;)

Lucas and his wife, Elena Contini, drove us to beautiful locations around the lakes and in spite of continued rain, we found pockets of daylight, allowing us to enjoy the sites. It's so fun to meet people we've only known online! Such warm welcomes we received.

We met Lucas' parents and brothers, aunts & uncles, and nieces & a nephew.  And boy did we get to eat!  Lucky us!  Silvano is a pasty chef!  They all kept cooking for us!  It was amazing! Grazie Lucas, Elena, Silvano & Mery -- I gained 5 pounds!  ;)

Above: Elena & Lucas, and a Simioni torte!
Monvalle, Italy

Below, All Simionis:

Cristian (also a chef) with his daughter Iris, and son Alessandro in front of father/nonno Silvano, then Lucas & Rick.  Sorry Massimiliano, we didn't get your family photo. 

Above. The Simioni wives: me/Nancy, Lucas mother Mery Barcella,
Cristian's wife Monica Porotti with Iris, and Lucas' wife Elena Contini. 

We also were able to spend a little time in Cavona with Lucas' cousin, Sergio, his family and friends.  We didn't go hungry there either! Grazie Franca!  Sergio and I agreed it felt like we had "jumped into our computer" -- standing there with our "virtual friends" we have made on Facebook.

Simionis:
Sergio, his father Giancarlo, Rick, and Primo.

Giancarlo & Primo are brothers of Lucas' father Silvano.

Father to Primo, Giancarlo, & Silvano is ALFONSO SIMIONI (b:1905,d:1962).

Alfonso had 4 brothers/sister: Augusto(m), Gelindo(m), Clara (f), Marinda(f) 

 

I believe Silvano says he has some relatives in Bassano del Grappa, that we'll have to meet next time!  Who knows who we'll be able to connect!

This "Giro di Simioni Italia" was truly an awesome experience after spending a lifetime not knowing there were any other Simionis! Even though we did not find relatives, we  had a fantastic time. We could not have imagined how wonderful all everyone would treat us!  It's been my pleasure to  meet, and maybe introduce you to, some of our Simioni del Mondo! Rick's father, Desiderio Simioni (1895 - 1965) born in Castelfranco Veneto, would be so pleased.

Mille Grazie a tutti!

Nancy (& Rick) Simioni
California, USA

ps: if anyone would like to translate any of these postings into Italian, please do so and I'll add the info.

Finding Desiderio - in Salvatronda

We did it! We found records of Rick's father, Desiderio Simioni, in very old local  church ledgers.

Today in Salvatronda (Castelfranco Veneto) Italy, we went to the local church, Santa Maria Assunta di Salvatronda, and found records of Desiderio's  baptism.  They match information from the city hall for his birth.  It was emotional for everyone there as we carefully searched through the ledgers together.  To think Rick's father was baptized here 115 years ago, walked these streets, and maybe tried to imagine his future.  Now we try to imagine his past.

With the help of Alice and her father, Emanuele Simioni, we met Sergio Simioni (above, left. Priest in center) who's father was also a Desiderio Simioni, and who also had a brother Fortunato Simioni, same as Rick's father and uncle. It's possible their grandparents were related.  If so, we are related to the Simionis in Montreal: Lisa and family. We'll be following up when we return.

There are so many things we learned, like family nicknames (because there are so many Simionis here).  Rick's family is part of the Cecconato branch.  (translates to "born thin".)

Meanwhile, the Simioni families in the Castelfranco area have adopted us!  We been treated to family dinners, shown us around, picked us up when it was pouring rain (Often!!), and just have been fun to meet.  They are family group #12. They even through me a birthday party down one of their basements! And they have family in California near us!  We have not been able to connect with them as direct relatives, wouldn't it have been wild to find out in Italy that the relatives we were searching for were just an hour or two away from our home?*

Mattia Simioni was my first Facebook contact in Castelfranco, and he led me to Alice and her family.  Unfortunately, Mattia was in Greece when we visited.

Mattia's family:

(me, Elisa, Emanuela Zampieri, 

Rick, & Germano)

Below: Lucky Alice, she's the only one in the 3 families who spoke fluent English and Italian!  We kept her busy!  A job that was often repeated on our trip by my other English speaking Facebook Simioni friends!

Here we are with Alice's family: 

Emanuele, (me), Alice, Renata Zampieri, 

Gianluca, and Rick

Brothers Emanuele & Germano Simioni married sisters Renata & Emanuala Zampieri!


Barbara, Silvia, & Jennifer are also Facebook friends and cousins of Mattia & Alice. Silvia was in New Zealand while we visited.

Gabriele, me again, Jennifer, & mom Ilde,

Barbara, & Rick.

Simionis:
Giuseppe Simioni had 5 sons.  
Gabriele, Emanuele, & Germano, plus Mario and Franco.
I need to check to see if it was Mario or Franco who moved to the USA. Olga and Lynda are two of the Simionis in California...  update please!  Alice?  ;)




*Update Summer 2010: Alice Simioni came to California to visit her Simioni relatives and us.  We had a wonderful time showing her around San Diego, sharing classic American movies, food, and customs.  And we met her Simioni relatives who live just an hour north of us.  We plan to do some additional research, and fully expect to find we are related.  Here's a picture of the California Simionis.

 Lynda Greene (Olga's daughter), Olga Simioni, Alice Simioni

 Craig Acerboni (Olga's son) and Rick Simioni 

becoming fast friends/relatives

It was just like meeting Simionis in Italy! Everyone so friendly and fun to meet.

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Benvenuto Castelfranco Simionis! Barbara, Silvia, Jennifer & Gabriele. And Alice too!

Ciao and Benvenuto to the latest Simioni family I've met via Facebook. Piacere! 
I look forward to sharing a pizza with you in May!

If I have this correct, sisters Jennifer, Barbara, and Silvia, are daughters of Gabriele, and from San Marco di Resana which is just 5 km from Castelfranco Veneto.


Then there is Alice, also a cousin of this family, daughter of Emanuel.  Alice and I have been corresponding, and Emanuel is going to help us try to find connections through his priest and church records! Alice, do you have siblings?

They are relatives of Mattia & Elisa, Gabriele being a brother of their father.  So, I'll combine them as part of Simioni Family #12. 

As always, I look forward to learning grandparents, aunts & uncles.   Nonni, zie, e zii --  (I'm practicing my beginners Italian!) 

For selfish reasons I hope to find out more of all Castelfranco area Simioni families as we plan to come to the area in May, and search for relatives of  my husband's father, Desiderio  and his sister & Amablie, and their parents Anna (or Angela), and Giovanni.   Desiderio came to the Canada/USA in 1920's.  His sister Amabile did not, so there may be cugini still in the area!


Once I get some additional grandparent/nonni background I'll add more to this:

 1. Great-grandparents:  (how do you say that in Italian?)

      _________ Simioni, married to ___________.

-- 2. Nonni: ____________ Simioni, married ___________

and they had at least these 3 sons:

---3.  _____________ Simioni, married to _____________

                 4a. Elisa, May 1, 1983

                 4b. Mattia, February 7, 1990

---3. Gabriele Simioni, January 3, 1958, married ____________

                 4a. Silvia, (currently in Australia)

                 4b. Barbara, February 25, 1988

                 4c. Jennifer

---3. Emanuele Simioni, married ____________

                 4a. Alice

Let's add other brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.

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#12 Mattia and Elisa! per voi e la vostra famiglia

Spazio per voi e la vostra famiglia! includa la foto se gradiceste?

I can't wait to learn more about Castlefranco Simionis! That is where my father-in-law, Desiderio, and his family were from!!!

From Elisa 20June09:

My grandfather was called Giuseppe "Bepi" and he has a restaurant in S.Marco di Resana, he has I don't remember how many brothers and sisters, few of them are still alive.

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California to Castlefranco to California! #2, #12

Our personal family heritage search took two giant steps today!

I found out at dinner that one of our cousins, Frank DiMercurio, (from Michigan, but also now here in California) has visited Castlefranco and met Simioni relatives there! His nonna/grandmother was a Simioni sister of my father-in-law, Desiderio.  ...update Feb 14: Frank lost touch with the Castlefranco relatives. Maybe someone looking at the Blog will help us find "our" Simioni relatives???

At the same time, I've "met" Mattia Simioni on Facebook! He is from Castlefranco, Veneto, Italy: the town my husband's father was born in! (or possibly Salvatronda). He says he knows he has some relatives in California!! Update  ...March 2, 2010: Alice Simioni, Mattia's cousin in Italy, showed me photos (on Facebook) of their relatives in Thousand Oaks, California USA.  And her grandfather was born in Salvatronda, same as Rick's may have been. 

We would be so happy to find relatives of Anna (or possibly Angela) and Giovanni Simioni born 1800's (and their children, Desiderio, Gemma, Adele.... see my posting down below.) Grazie!!!

We are getting very close....... the world is feeling smaller every day!

Update 02June2009:
Here is what we found out in the letter dated 1963:

Rick's father, Desiderio, born 1895*, received this letter from his sister Amabile Simioni. She was probably born close to 1900. She writes she is sad to not meet Rick as he is the only male Simioni from their family in the next generation. She mentions Onofrio is the only other male but that it does not look promising for him to have children. We don't know who Onofrio is, nor Angela Simioni, who is also mentioned.

Nancy
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