Pasta Fagioli

Family recipes remind us of past memories and preserve the unique features of culture, food and traditions. Pasta Fagioli, “Pasta and Beans” brings me back to my loving Italian aunts, Edith and Anna, who made this simple dish for lunch or a light supper.                                                          

Pasta Fagioli, sometimes referred to as Pasta e Fasule, a Neopolitan dish, originated in Campania, Italy, where my Italian ancestors lived.  In Italian, Pasta Fagioli means Pasta and Beans.  My grandfather told his family that beans were a poor man’s meat and how right he was.  Today we know how beans add not only protein but also fiber and nutrition to any meal.  Without meat, this dish is an inexpensive alternative that delivers on flavor keeping the family satisfied and happy until the next meal.

The recipe is easy to make and I keep the ingredients on hand always.  My Aunt Edith gave me this recipe which I double and serve with warm bread and butter, as she did.  When I eat this soup, I am right back in her kitchen warmed by her love and surrounded by fond memories of visits and meals over the years.

Your family will thank you for this humble meal, a peasant’s fare yet fit for royalty.  They may just drool with satisfaction as you imagine Dean Martin singing “When the stars make you drool, just like past’se fazool, that’s amore”.  And yes, this meal is love for sure.  

The measurements and directions are pretty vague, but consider it a blessing and use your imagination.  There are many interesting variations if you wish to experiment but why mess with perfection!

Ingredients:

Cannellini beans, 1 can

Garlic

Olive Oil

Onion, 1

Oregano

Tomato Sauce

Directions

Diced celery, par cook in water and keep adding as needed

Add a slice onion

Add and can of cannellini beans

Add a can of tomato sauce

Add chopped garlic (diced)

Add oregano

Cook up some ditalini and add 4 teaspoon of olive oil.

Anthony Paul Pasquariello (1911-1981)

Beginning Years

Anthony Paul Pasquariello, my father, was born September 3, 1911 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Rosina and Andrea Pasquariello, were Italian immigrants and already had one daughter Amelia, born two years before. When Amelia was six, the family moved to a small town in West Hartland, Connecticut, which now included another sister, Felicia, and brother Paul.

My father ,Anthony Pasquariello, born 1911 in a class picture for his one room school house, Mill Street, West Hartland, Connecticut, circa 1920. He is first left, top row. His sisters are bottom row, left to right: Amelia, fourth, and Felicia, sixth in front.

Education

Anthony’s education began at Mill Street School, a small one-room schoolhouse, which accommodated all grade levels. From there, he went to The Gilbert School in nearby Winsted, graduating with honors, and on to Yale University on a full scholarship. He needed to get an exception for the scholarship requirements due to his faith, Roman Catholic, as the award was intended for Protestants.

The October 1929 stock market crash sent some of the wealthy students home from Yale since their families lost most of their wealth. Tony began his college years that fall, and as a scholarship student, waited tables. He received honors for his studies in electrical engineering. At the beginning of each school year, his parents bought him one suit which he wore every day to class. He would have loved to play football, but his mother, on the advice of the local doctor, vetoed it due to the risk of long-term injuries.

Career and Marriage

Prospects for jobs upon graduation in June of 1933 were dismal at best even for an Ivy League graduate. During the depression, there were few opportunities for employment. Lasting from 1929 until 1938, unemployment reached 25% in 1933 and remained high until preparation for World War II, which started in the late 1930s.

Anthony turned down an offer for an electrical engineering position in upper New York state, and instead accepted a job with a local construction company, Oneglia and Gervasini, in Torrington, Connecticut for $1.00 a week more. Most likely, he also selected this position to remain home to support his family since his younger brother Paul was now a student at Yale.

For the next several years, Tony worked with construction, learning the practical applications of an engineering degree. In 1938 a new assignment in Wingdale New York, Dutchess County led to a romance and eventual marriage in 1940 to my mother, Mary McCleary.

Lt. Commander A.P. Pasquariello, Naval Ammunition Depot, Crane, Indiana, 1941-1945

The Navy and World War II - Crane, Indiana

In 1940, The United States was preparing for war, and supplies for roads, buildings, and weaponry were needed to support troops around the world. To that end, a new Naval Ammunition Depot for production, testing, and storage of military weaponry was being built in 1941 in Crane, Indiana. On June 9 of the same year, Anthony enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve, reporting for his first assignment in Crane as a Lt. Commander.

The unanticipated attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, shook Americans to the core, as well as escalated their unified efforts to win World War II.  The Crane Depot took on even more importance in these efforts.

In 1943, Tony was made an officer in charge of construction overseeing $58 million allotted for the new construction at the Depot. That $58 million translates into $872 million in 2020, underscoring the scope and scale of his role. During the four years he was there, he oversaw the completion of more than 2000 buildings, 150 miles of railroad, and approximately 300 miles of highway.

Captain Anthony Pasquariello, 1911-1981, USN Reserve, proud to be an American and part of the Seabees for 26 years.

Despite the enormous responsibility of this important position, my father was very happy. He loved the Navy, finding the protocol and lofty mission inspiring and fulfilling. My mother and he had two young girls, Rose Marie and Alice, and lived in comfortable Navy accommodations for officers and families.

As the war lingered on, Lt. Commander A.P. Pasquariello was dispatched on May 5, 1945 to Washington and then on to Davisville, Rhode Island for a construction assignment that would eventually take him outside of the continental United States. My father was excited about this new role, but his enthusiasm was curbed when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, effectively ending the war.

With the war coming to a close, so did Anthony’s active duty, and he was released October 23, 1946; however, he proudly remained in the Naval Reserve until 1968 when he retired as a Commissioned Warrant Officer. He loved the Navy and his years with the Construction Battalion, the Seabees, having many fond memories of his team and their accomplishments.

My father started his company, CESCO Steel, in our garage, 1947, Torrington, Connecticut.

Cesco Steel and the Flood of 1955

After the Davisville assignment was completed, my father was back in Connecticut planning his new business, which he started in the garage of our home on 240 Charles Street, Torrington, CT.  My brother Tony was born in October of 1945 and I, Margaret (Peggy) followed 22 months later. Our family was complete now.

His new business, which grew incrementally through the years, moved from our yard to Riverside Avenue on the other side of town. Slowly it grew and steadily, as a distribution supply company for construction, equipment and supplies (welding, bolts nuts).  It was truly a family business. My aunt, Alice Quinlan, helped secure one of the biggest suppliers in the nation, The Bethlehem Steel Company. My brother, sisters and I worked summers as well as my aunt Amelia who was the office manager.

The summer of August 1955 was a hot and muggy one and on August 19, the unthinkable happened.  Two powerful hurricanes, a perfect storm, hit the Naugatuck Valley and effectively wrought havoc on surrounding towns including Torrington which received 14 inches of rain from Hurricane Diane, after Hurricane Connie dropped 4-6 inches the week before. When the Naugatuck River flooded its banks, water rushed through the town, destroying homes, businesses, roads, bridges and local utilities.

Tony received a phone call in the early hours of the morning and rushed to save what he could, boxes of bolts, supplies, but the river was quickly destroying everything in its path.  Not spared, Cesco Steel was ravaged as steel and supplies, washed down the river, leaving large trailer trucks buried deep in the mud. It took many months for the town and my father’s business to slowly recover.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Family Life, Community, and the Challenging Sixties

My father was strict and a task master.  He set high standards and wanted the best for his children. We had chores, which included the tending of a huge garden and a city lot behind our house. I still remember weeding, harvesting, and canning all kinds of vegetables.  And I can still see him coming home from work and walking directly to the garden to water the plants.  It was in those moments that he seemed the most calm and serene, almost meditative.

As we four children reached our teens, he set firm curfews and had great difficulty accepting the free spirit of the sixties, which questioned every rule and assumption of the former generation. The Vietnam War, the hippies, Woodstock, protests, college unrest, Bob Dylan, to name a few, were sticky subjects at the dinner table.

Tony was a leader and contributor to the community.  He was a member of the advisory board for the local bank and chairman of the board of Directors for the Torrington Chapter of the Red Cross. He was active with the Boy Scouts and a regular communicant of our Church, St. Francis of Assisi.

Football and Family

My father was driven to succeed in his new company, leaving early each morning in workman’s clothes and returning at 6 p.m. for dinner with the family and then back to his office for paperwork. He allowed little time for relaxation with one exception: Yale football.  He loved the game and the team and spent many Fall Saturdays in New Haven with family and friends.

On one Saturday in September 1981, he was in his office at his company completing work before getting ready for the afternoon game. He never got to that game, as he suffered a final heart attack there that morning. He passed away a few days later on September 23, at age 70.

Lessons                                      

Tony, being the first-born male in his family born in the United States, assumed a leadership role early in his family and distinguished himself as the first child to graduate college, become a reserve Naval officer, and later a successful business owner, devoted husband, and father of four children.

His accomplishments did not come without challenges. During the span of his lifetime, he encountered prejudice, economic downturns, business disappointments, and personal challenges. Despite these obstacles, he found opportunities and moved forward optimistically.

Always confident, he was a fighter, embodying the motto of the Sea Bees, The Construction Battalion, whose motto was “The difficult we do now; the impossible takes a little longer.” He loved the Navy, Seabees with its “can do” positive attitude and mission.

Being a private person, he advised: “Give people information on the basis of what they need to know.” So, in many ways, we will never know his most interior, private thoughts. But this we can safely say: He was hardworking, responsible, and driven to follow rules, regulations, and protocol. Despite his loyalties, he remained independent in his thinking, as he would often say “Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.” He often would add that the only true page in the newspaper was the Sports Page, which stated the facts. This was much before “fake news” and today’s social media debacles.

His legacy is his unwavering belief in God, America, and family, manifested by hard work, loyalty, and honesty—balanced with a dose of healthy skepticism.

Italian Letters

While emptying my grandparents’ house, I found a stack of letters in a simple plastic bag in a dresser. I instantly knew that I had received an incredible gift, one that would reveal relationships, feelings, values, and customs of the times. All the letters, written in cursive Italian, would need to be accurately translated.  Around the same time, I was researching my family and came upon a familiar name, Maria Rossi, a second cousin whom I had met fifty years ago in Italy. She had become an Italian teacher in New Jersey, married Gennaro Ragucci, and had two boys, now grown.  When I reconnected with her, I asked if she would help with the translations, and she generously agreed.  I conducted an oral history call with her on July 17, 2020, and the letters with complete English translations are available.

The following three letters are from 1908 – 1909.

Napoli 12 November 1908

Letter #1

Naples, Italy, 1908. My great grandfather, Paolo, Pasquariello, writes to his newly wedded daughter, Rosina, who has immigrated to America. In his sweet and affectionate letter, he expresses deeply held values: “…our family values respect, honor, love, and not material things.” A timeless message for future generations.

My great grandfather, Paolo Pasquariello, wrote this four-page letter from Italy to his daughter Rosina, who was married in October to Andrea Pasquariello in Brooklyn, New York. This very sweet and affectionate letter reflects a father’s love and concern for his newly married daughter as he stressed some deeply held values. The following are some highlights:

Paolo commented on Andrea’s last letter, which gave him and his wife beautiful news about the newlyweds’ life:

 “He says that he is happy with you and, this has always been our desire.  After having read your letter, both of us were so joyful, we were as happy as one can be after winning the lottery.”

Later in the letter Paolo expressed his displeasure with Cosimo, a potential suitor for Rosina’s sister, Teresa.  Apparently, Cosimo wanted to know exactly what the conditions of the dowry were before any commitment was made.  Dowries were the way parents could support their daughters in setting up their new households and might include property, as well as linens, clothes, china or silverware.  Legal papers documented the agreements.

 “…Cosimo and his family have decided that they would like to receive the chest with all the linens and clothes of your sister and then, they will set a date for the dowry documents.  We were so disappointed. I tell you. The students want to teach their master.” 

Paolo closed with a wish for Rosina and God’s blessing.

 “Your mother and I greet you with love.  God bless you always and may He grant you what your heart desires. Forever, your dear father” 

On the last page of the letter, addressed to his new son-in-law, his tone is more serious with some advice clearly stating his expectations of Andrea, Rosina’s new husband:

“You know well that our family values respect, honor, love and not material things. We hope that Rosina is always loved, endeared and treated well by you.  It’s not that we don’t trust you, we know well that you are good and we know your beautiful ways, but we like to stress this because she is now in a foreign land, without father, mother, brother or sister and, we fear that she can become lonely and depressed.  Please, encourage her and keep her spirit up. I say no more”

Paolo and his wife never saw Rosina or Andrea again nor their grandchildren.  Letters became the only way to communicate and stay connected.  I am sure Rosina read them again and again to feel the warmth of her family’s love.

See letter in Italian
See English translation

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Napoli 20 January 1909

Letter #2

Teresa writes to her sister Rosina, who has been in New York for three months and shares news of the family and her upcoming trip to America. Teresa, who is younger, clearly misses Rosina and looks up to her for advice. However, it is also very obvious that Teresa is focused and level-headed about her plans.

First and foremost, she discusses a will that her mother has not addressed and states that their brother will undoubtedly take care of her:

“If I come to stay with you, we can remain tranquil and reassured that we have a brother in Italy who takes care of our old parents. It is right that we bear everything for them.  In fact, anytime I say that I plan to come to America, our father has tears in his eyes.  Therefore, I wish that they stay in full agreement with our brother, so that we can stay calm.”

Teresa is interested in employment opportunities in the new world as well as what to pack:

“My dear sister, let me know If I can do some work there because you know that I have expenses even for the trip’s two- way ticket.  I can have ideas on planning everything from your advice. Help me to decide whether I have to bring with me all the linens and clothes that I have, or only the things I need in the short time.  I always follow your advice.  Let me know everything.”

Other news includes the mention that their niece, Mariantonia, has scarlet fever and hoping that it is mild and will go away soon.  Teresa is also done with a potential suitor, Cosimo, who she fears is not sincere. She sends greetings from many friends as she concludes:

“So many kisses and embraces from mother and father and so many kisses and embraces from one who will always love you, your sister Teresa”

 Teresa never uses her two-way ticket, remaining permanently in the United States.

See letter in Italian
See English translation

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Napoli 18 August 1909

Letter #3 

My great grandfather, Paolo Pasquariello, writes to his daughter, Rosina, on August 18, 1909 to tell her that her sister, Teresa, will be coming to America. The ship “Konig Albert” will take 11 days to reach New York. The envelope reveals Rosina and her husband, Andrea’s first address in Brooklyn.

Paolo writes to Rosina to tell her the details of Teresa’s trip to America:

“Today, I have set the date for Teresina’s departure.  It is Friday, the 20th for her and Luigi’s aunt.  The boat is named “Konig Albert”. It takes 11 days to reach New York.  If I am not mistaken it’s the same boat you took last year.”

He continues, explaining the delay in making the arrangements:

“Dear daughter, do not worry or complain about us or about your sister if she has not left earlier according to your desire.  The delay was caused by the fact that she could not have her passport on time.  I contacted the secretary of Arpaise’s Municipal Office on the first of June.  But, at the end, I had to go myself to Benevento to get it.”

Paolo is hopeful that Teresa will have more company on the voyage and concludes quickly since the mail will stop soon:

“The daughter of Antonio the cook, is planning to leave with your sister, but I don’t know if she can make it.  So far, she has no passport.  I hope she will be able to leave with your sister.  I say nothing more.  To you and Andrea, greetings from us and God’s blessings.  From your dear Father.  P.S. I am in a hurry because at 1:00 p.m. the mail will be stopped.” 

Teresa never returns to Italy and remains in New York, marrying and having three children.  Paolo and his wife never see Rosina, Teresa again nor meet their grandchildren.  What a huge sacrifice in return for the hope of better lives for their only daughters in America.

See letter in Italian
See English translation

Andrea Pasquariello (1874-1960)

Note: Many anecdotal details are taken from Andrea’s daughter Amelia’s memoir.

Andrea Pasquariello, here at 55 years old, was Peggy’s paternal grandfather. He proudly became a citizen of the United States of American on September 30, 1930.

Early Years in Italy

Andrea Pasquariello, my paternal grandfather, was born on Christmas Eve 1874 in a tiny town called Pasquarelli, located in the County of Arpaise, Province of Benevento. Andrea, the third and last-born child of Antonio and Felicia, joined his older brother Carmine and sister, Maria.

Tragically, his father died in 1878 leaving Andrea fatherless at age four. Fortunately, his Uncle Paolo took a fatherly interest in him, which provided great comfort during his developmental years. Andrea grew up tending sheep to help his widowed mother and family and at 16 entered the Italian Army, serving for three years.  Andrea’s world must have suddenly widened: his service occurred during the early stages of the Italian/Ethiopian Campaign, originating from a disputed treaty that the Italians claimed had turned Ethiopia into an Italian protectorate.

Returning home after his service, Andrea, 19, now knew there was a much larger world outside of his village, filled with opportunities and adventure. It was during this time that he became interested in town politics, holding several offices. While Andrea’s formal education ended at the completion of third grade, he nurtured his intellect by self-education, continually improving his reading and writing skills. All the while, he was also planning his next move.

Brooklyn

Andrea, having saved enough to finance a trip to America, arrived on April 13, 1896 at Ellis Island.  In Brooklyn he joined his dearest hometown friends, the Cennamos. He found employment quickly, mostly in the construction business, specializing in stone masonry and subsequently establishing himself as a small contractor. This was a time of enormous construction in New York. With Andrea’s strong work ethic and union membership, key for obtaining contracts, he was steadily and successfully employed.

His first priority at this time was to earn enough money to send to his widowed mother in Italy. He was able to do this routinely until her death in 1924.  He also sent money to his paternal Uncle Paolo, who had provided such comfort in his formative years.  After focusing his efforts on learning English, within a few years Andrea was capable of communicating sufficiently to prosper in his own small business.

Andrea also helped several of his fellow countrymen, who like him had emigrated from the small village of Pasquarielli to the United States. One such individual, Generoso Papa, who arrived in 1906 at age 15, went on to become president the Colonial Sand and Stone Company, a powerhouse player in New York’s skyscraper building boom.  In 1928, Papa, bought Il Progresso, the first Italian language daily newspaper in America and a key influencer on Italian immigrants’ new life in America. Papa (who later anglicized his surname to Pope) became the first self-made millionaire Italian immigrant in the United States.

An Important Train Ride

In 1904, acting on a tip from a friend, Gustave Thorne, Andrea boarded a train in Grand Central Station, bound for Winsted, Connecticut. Thorne, an immigrant from Sweden and now a sheet metal worker in Brooklyn, also had a farm on Mill Street, West Hartland.  According to Gustave, there was land for sale next to his farm.  As a result of the train ride and some negotiation with a bank in Winsted, Andrea purchased a ten-room house with 165 acres for $1200.00 in West Hartland.

Immediately after the purchase, Andrea paid all expenses for his brother Carmine, wife, and seven children to immigrate from Italy and occupy the home. They arrived in 1905 and stayed in the house until 1911. After Carmine and his family moved to Winsted, Andrea allowed other families to live in the house without paying any rent. Often, he would contribute to their welfare when necessary.

Husband and Father

In less than 10 years, Andrea had established himself as a business and landowner in his new country, America, a feat both remarkable and largely unattainable in his former country. His vision of a new and better life was fueled by his work ethic, discipline, and self-study. 

Now, at age 30, he began to think about having his own family. He wrote to his Uncle Paolo in Italy asking for his daughter, Rosina’s hand in marriage. Through letters and careful deliberation, the proposal was accepted and Andrea and Rosina were married in 1908 in Brooklyn. Children arrived in quick succession: Amelia, 1909, Anthony (my father) 1911, Felicia, 1914 and Paul, 1916.

Read Rosina Pasquariello’s blog for more details of their wedding and early years of married life

West Hartland

Life changed dramatically for the Pasquariello family when they left Brooklyn in 1917 and established permanent residence in West Hartland. No longer did they live in a beautiful home that Andrea had built in the bustling and lively city of Brooklyn, New York. Instead, their new home was a dilapidated farmhouse in an isolated section of Northwest Connecticut.  Andrea’s draft registration on September 19, 1918, lists his residence as Hartland; however, between 1917 and 1926, Andrea continued his business in Brooklyn, returning home for brief periods of time. 

Two more children were born in their new home: Anna in 1919 and Edith in 1922.

Photo taken circa 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. This is the photo identification for Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterer’s International Union of America. Members worked on many famous NYC landmarks such as the Metropolitan Life Building, the Flatiron Building and the Woolworth building.

During the winter, not working with masonry, he would fell trees on his property for firewood, a practice that also helped to defray property taxes.  Bartering wood with a feed mill in Riverton, in exchange for his few heads of livestock and chickens, was another source for goods.

Andrea slowly repaired his farmhouse, painstakingly digging a well from an abandoned one in his cellar, lining the excavation with dry stones and excavating a cesspool for drainage.

Failures and Disappointments

Between 1916 and 1923, Andrea experienced two of the biggest disappointments of his life.  The first occurred when he trusted an individual to broker a deal to clear his newly acquired West Hartland property of trees that he intended to sell.  Unfortunately, the individual, whom he trusted implicitly, cheated him and robbed him of any of the proceeds.

The second, perhaps most discouraging of all, happened when a business partner, whom Andrea had added to his company, betrayed him by robbing him of all the assets that he had accumulated for several years through honesty and hard labor. There are few details about this devastating event; however, it should be noted that this was the time of rising crime in New York City, with the Mafia pressuring business owners and unions to answer to their demands and rules. 

While Andrea could have given up and sunk into bitter disappointment, losing faith in his fellow man, he did not. Rather, he continued to renovate his West Hartland property and began to work again as a self-employed individual. In 1926, he sold the Brooklyn property finding work primarily in the surrounding towns, such as Winsted and Torrington. 

Despite these setbacks, Andrea continued to believe in America’s people and opportunities and, at age 55, proudly became a citizen of the United States on September 30, 1930.

Later Years

At 67, Andrea officially retired from work outside the home in 1951; however, his retirement was by no means inactive.  He kept busy, primarily to overcome the loneliness of the loss of Rosina. In the same year he launched himself into tasks such as cultivating huge gardens in the summer and chopping wood to keep the favorite kitchen stove going. Rosina’s sister, the widowed Teresa, would spend summers there and provided good company and great meals.

Always physically strong, most likely from good health and years of hauling rocks and concrete, Andrea continued projects on his own land. He built a two-car garage with cement blocks.  In addition, he constructed a small house with three partitioned rooms on the ground level with a kitchen and bathroom in the basement.  Outside this cottage, he made a large fireplace and stone oven, complete with a table and chairs all done in perfect masonry. Unfortunately, Andrea fell off a ladder with this latest project. Picking himself up, he walked to a neighbor’s house, and later that day was admitted to the Winsted hospital.  He spent eleven days there with five broken ribs.  In a short time, he was up again working.

His favorite pastime was to read Il Progresso, the Italian newspaper which arrived every day by mail.  Always interested in world events, his main interest was American politics and discords among nations. He enjoyed talking about World Wars I and II, having definite opinions as to what the heads of nations should have done. He was particularly critical of the decisions of Roosevelt and Mussolini.

In 1958, at age 84, Andrea underwent prostate surgery and, despite his doctor’s warning that the risk was high, he emerged from the operation and continued life as usual.

When the Pear is Ripe, It Falls

Andrea woke up on the morning of December 8, 1960, and worried about his family having to shovel the snow that had fallen the night before.  He also planned to cut down some evergreens on the side of the driveway, but that was not to be. 

My father, Anthony, received a call from a neighbor who had found Andrea on the ground with his dog, Laddy, by his side.  Calling an ambulance and rushing to the Winsted hospital, he and Amelia met Doctor Reidy who confirmed that Andrea had passed away.  Just one week prior, during a routine appointment, Reidy, had noted that Andrea was in fine shape and had the heart of a man of 60.  Andrea, 86, replied, “When the pear is ripe, it falls.”

Andrea lived a long productive life, which included a successful career and a loving family with a wife and six children. His two sons, Anthony and Paul, graduated from Yale Universit,y with Paul continuing on to Yale law school.  His four daughters were successful in their careers as well.

 He lived to enjoy his only four grandchildren: Rose Marie, Alice Ann, Anthony and Margaret (me) who were Anthony’s children.

Lessons from Andrea

Andrea Pasquariello, a dreamer and a risk-taker, was a hard worker who took advantage of every opportunity America offered.  Endowed with great physical strength and a strong work ethic, he became a successful business owner, loving husband, and a devoted father.  He never forgot his family in Italy, always sending money and helping them and others immigrate to this great country. While he experienced two huge business disappointments in his life, and was sometimes too trusting—perhaps to a fault—he never gave up his faith in others, along with the American promise of prosperity.

His lessons are timeless. Dare to dream big and work just as hard to achieve your dreams.  Always be curious about the world and events.  Study, read, and learn as much as possible.  Have the courage to take risks.  Rise above your setbacks, and most importantly, always be loyal to your family and others.

Rosina Pasquariello (1881-1951)

Rosina Pasquariello, Peggy’s paternal grandmother, age 55 in 1939. Rosina had arrived on Ellis Island, in 1908 on the passenger ship Konig Albert. She brought her hopes and dreams for a new life in America, as well as three trunks filled with her best linens and clothes, including a wedding dress and veil for her union with husband Andrea, 34 at the time.

Childhood in Naples

My paternal grandmother, Rosina Pasquariello, was born on November 26, 1881 in Arpaise, Benevento, Italy, a small village thirty miles northeast of Naples. As a young girl growing up in Naples, Rosina was curious, smart, and hardworking.  She attended school for the mandatory four years of free compulsory education, but her teachers were disappointed when she left. Rosina, quick and intelligent, showed so much promise. Like so many girls of that time, she was denied any more education due to economic and cultural norms for women.  Female roles were limited to that of homemakers or service providers such as seamstresses or store clerks. This was especially true in cities such as Naples with poor economies and few chances of advancement for anyone.

Nevertheless, Rosina made the most of her situation. Naples was a big and busy city. Rosina was a “city girl,” finding work in a department store waiting on customers and wrapping presents.  Always wanting to be busy, she sewed, made cookies, and even found time to swim in the Bay of Naples. She enjoyed her close-knit family including her aunts, uncles, and cousins.

One cousin, Andrea, had been back and forth between Italy and New York several times between 1894 and 1902.  During that period, he had established himself to be a successful contractor and experienced worker in stone masonry in Brooklyn, New York. Andrea must have had a special feeling for Rosina when he wrote to his uncle, Paolo, asking for her hand in marriage.  After careful deliberation between Rosina and her parents, the proposal was accepted.  The Civil Ceremony was performed in Naples, by Proxy, and the Roman Catholic ceremony was to be performed immediately in Brooklyn immediately upon her arrival.  

 Three Trunks and a Wedding

At 26 years old, Rosina arrived at Ellis Island, New York on September 25, 1908, on the passenger ship Konig Albert.  Along with her hopes and dreams for a new life in America, she brought three trunks filled with her trousseau prepared beautifully with the best of linens and clothes, including a wedding dress and veil.  Andrea, 34 years old, was there to meet his new wife.  They were married in the Catholic Church on October 4, 1908, just nine days after Rosina’s arrival. After the church wedding, Andrea brought his new bride to a nicely furnished apartment in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn years

Now in Brooklyn, Rosina, 27, easily adjusted to city life, which is all she had ever known.  As Andrea’s business grew, so did their new family with the birth of their first child, Amelia, born August 22, 1909.  In that same year, 1909, her younger sister, Teresa, 25, came for a visit and became a permanent Brooklyn resident when she married John Fidanza, a shoemaker, in 1911.

Rosina’s second child, my father, Antonio Paolo, was born on September 3, 1911.  Soon after, Andrea and family moved to a house that Andrea recently had built at 1418 70th Street.  Happy with their new beautiful home, they were financially stable. 

During this time, Andrea suggested that Rosina and her two children return to Italy for a visit with her parents. Rosina was elated but quickly disappointed when her father wrote: “Dear Daughter, unless you come here to stay, do not come at all.  Your mother and I cannot withstand another heart-breaking farewell.” While her father’s reply sounds somewhat heartless, it demonstrates the sacrifices that families made when their children immigrated. Loving them deeply meant letting them go for the advantages and opportunities in the new world, while realizing at the same time they may never see them again.

Andrea and Rosina had two more children in Brooklyn: Felicia, on January 8, 1914 and Paul, born August 12, 1916.

Change in Plans

In 1904, Andrea, with the advice and encouragement of Gustav Thorne, whom he knew in Brooklyn, purchased a house that was quite well kept with two stories with ten rooms on 165 acres in West Hartland, Connecticut. Throughout the years, he allowed various relatives to live there including his brother Carmine, wife, and seven children, who had emigrated from Italy.

During the summer of 1917, Andrea and Rosina planned a two-week vacation in West Hartland, Connecticut.  When they arrived, Rosina was shocked to see the disrepair and shambles.  The whole house was filthy, open windows with no screens, and flies swarming all over. The two families who were living there acted as if Andrea and his family were an intrusion. 

Rosina took action, and in no time managed to get the two families leave. So began a new life in the country, unlike anything she had ever experienced. Resigned, she accepted the challenge with much courage and determination to make this house their own. Their home was called the “Old Homestead of the Pasquariello family” on Mill Street until 2016.

The Spanish Flu

In 1918, the Spanish Flu ravaged the nation, and New York city recorded 20,000 deaths. Rosina’s sister, Teresa, married with three young children, became a young widow when her husband contracted the virus and died suddenly.  Now as the sole support of herself and three children, Teresa worked as a seamstress during the week in Brooklyn.  Her children lived with Rosina and Andrea and family in West Hartland with Teresa visiting on weekends.

Life in Connecticut

Rosina and Andrea had two more children, born at home in West Hartland: Anna on August 8, 1919; and their last child, Edith, on August 24, 1921. Andrea continued his business in Brooklyn, shuttling back and forth whenever possible and spending winter months with the family and slowly renovating his home.  In 1923, Andrea dissolved his business, sold the Brooklyn house, and returned permanently to West Hartland, working as a mason in many neighboring towns.

One can only imagine how completely different this new lifestyle was for Rosina. The city girl who brought the trunks of beautiful linens and dreamed of a comfortable new life was confronted with a new reality, living in a farmhouse with few amenities, a husband traveling back and forth, and six children. Of course, there were nine children most of the time when Teresa worked in New York.

Meanwhile, Andrea slowly repaired the house and, within a few years, the rooms were plastered, the floors replaced and chimneys rebuilt. Electricity did not come until 1935, so kerosene lamps were used for lighting.  There were no in-door bathroom facilities. Water came first from a nearby well.  Indoor plumbing also came in 1935 as well as an electric hot water heater. In 1951 an oil-burning furnace was installed.

The Great Depression and World War II

It must have been quite challenging for Rosina during the Great Depression and World War II with the stark reality of food shortages and rationing regulations.  Of course, her most important role was that of mother, feeding and nurturing her growing family. Just as critical was her role as a farmer, which included tending to the chickens, cows, and large gardens.  She grew and harvested the food, canning and preserving as she went along.  Not only did she feed her six children but often provided for Teresa’s children, Camille, Mary, and Philomena.  Adding to the mix were many homeless, hungry people who often appeared at her doorstep begging for food during those desperate times. 

Peggy’s paternal grandparents, Rosina and Andrea Pasquariello with their first two children, Amelia and Anthony, Peggy’s father. Brooklyn, NY, circa 1913.

Educating her children

For the next several years, Rosina’s attention focused on insuring that her children received the best education, one that was denied her.  They attended a one-room school house down the street and later the Gilbert School, for high school in Winsted, Connecticut.  Being a strict disciplinarian, she made sure that homework was done and deemed as important as chores on the farm.  Her goal was realized when both her sons, Anthony and Paul, both high ranking students from grammar school throughout their college years, graduated from Yale University.  Anthony obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1933, and Paul in 1937. Paul went on to Yale Law School, graduating in 1940. Both sons received full tuition, room, and board scholarships to this prestigious Ivy League school. Her four daughters graduated from high school and had successful business careers as secretaries and administrative assistants.

Final Years

Rosina proudly became a United States citizen in 1930, pleased to be in a country that afforded her family all the opportunities sadly not available in Italy.  Although Rosina’s health declined in her later years, she did live to see and enjoy four grandchildren:  Rose Marie, Alice, Anthony, and Margaret, all Anthony’s children.  She passed away on August 4, 1951, at age 69. 

Lessons from Rosina

Rosina’s life did not exactly turn out the way she imagined when she arrived in New York.  She was a planner and loved all things beautiful, including the excitement of city life.  Instead, she found herself and her children living in the countryside, in a house in disrepair.  Her original dream did not work out, but she created a new focus, educating her children so that they would realize their dreams. 

Her story is that of many other immigrants who paved the way for future generations; education would unlock the doors so often closed to them. It was the critical foundation for their children’s success in this new country.

Her lesson bears a simple and powerful truth.  When one dream is not attainable, make a new one.  Always expect the unexpected and learn from that experience.  Most important of all, stay focused on the goal and take the necessary steps to achieve your dreams.

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Mary McCleary (1913-2005)

Early years

There are many questions about my mother’s early years that may never be answered, and there are few photos or documents associated with her.  What is known is that she was born on December 5, 1913 in Manhattan to Irish immigrants Hugh McCleary and Mary Anne Harte.

Her family moved frequently, sometimes only a few blocks away.  There is no record of her father, Hugh, after the 1920 census.  In the next year, in March 1923, her four-year-old brother Joseph was killed by a commercial truck in the street outside his apartment building.

Mary’s mother suffered the deaths of five of her seven children and the death of her husband by the time she was only 42 years old, the emotional effect on on her must have been devastating.

Mary McCleary, 14, with her mother Mary Ann circa 1927 in Union Vale, Dutchess County, NY. Mary Ann returned to Ireland for seven years to care for her ill parents. Her daughter, Mary, never spoke of this long absence.

In 1924, at 10 years old, Mary was enrolled as a boarding student in the Ursuline Academy in Middletown, New York, almost 100 miles from Manhattan. She remained a boarding student there until 1932, spending summers and school vacations with her mother and Aunt Alice in Union Vale, Dutchess County, New York.  Alice lived with her husband Patrick Quinlan on his farm there. It must have been overwhelming for a young girl in those early years to experience such tragic events, and then be asked to start a new life at a distant school without family or friends nearby.  Her mother returned to Ireland in 1930 when Mary was 17, remaining there until 1936.  My mother never spoke of this time in her life.

Mary McCleary with her Aunt Alice (circa 1940) with four of the Gackstatter siblings that came to live on the farm in 1932 in Union Vale, Dutchess County, N.Y.

Mary’s mother certainly was in no financial position to afford the expenses of tuition, room, and board at such a school as the Ursuline Academy.  It is likely that her admission and subsequent expenses of attending were sponsored by the sibling sisters Pauline Corwin Hartford and Louise Corwin McKelvy.  The Corwin sisters were members of a prominent Middletown family.  Mary’s Aunt Alice served for over 10 years as Family Nurse to Louise Corwin McKelvy’s two children at their home in Easton, Pennsylvania.  Pauline Corwin Hartford lived with her sister’s family throughout this period.  During those years, Alice became more like a family member than an employee.  In tribute to their affection for Alice, perhaps the sisters Corwin became the benefactors of Alice’s niece, my mother Mary, throughout her years at the Ursuline Academy. 

Faith in God

During her formative years, my mother developed a deep faith in God as a practicing Catholic, which she maintained throughout her life. No doubt the Ursuline sisters had a huge influence on her beliefs. She always had a rosary in hand at Mass on Sundays.  Her special devotion was to the Infant of Prague, which offered a divine promise: “The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you.”  This deep faith would be her anchor in the years to come.

Mary MCleary, age 22 with her dog, Pal, in Union Vale, Dutchess County, NY, 1935.

A Romance and a Wedding

In 1938, Mary began working at the Harlem Valley State Hospital in Wingdale, New York, driving herself to work each day in her Ford V-8 sedan. She was living with her mother and now widowed aunt on Alice’s farm.  She loved the animals and belonging to an extended family, which included five foster children, all siblings, who had come to live with Alice from New York City in 1932.

During this time a new road, which she took daily to work, was under construction. Often, she would pause and speak to the young man who was an engineer on the project.  Being a natural extrovert, she looked forward to the conversations and bantering with Tony Pasquariello.  These interactions led to a romance, courtship, and marriage on November 21, 1940.

Young and in love: Peggy’s mother and father, Mary and Tony Pasquariello, circa 1940. Union Vale, Dutchess County, NY.

Life in the Navy

After a brief northern wedding trip, Tony reported for active duty as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy. He was assigned a position in Crane, Indiana and Mary moved for the first time out of state to join her husband. World War II had begun and this munitions base was a growing and important part of the war effort.

Mary McCleary married Anthony Pasquariello on November 21, 1940 in Sylvan Lake, New York. After the ceremony, 50 guests attended a wedding breakfast at Hotel Campbell. The sweet and simple prewar bride wore a white satin gown made princess style with a full length veil that attached to a coronet. She carried a bouquet of calla lilies.

While they were in Indiana, Mary and Tony started their family. They had two girls: Rose Marie, born June 5, 1941; and Alice Ann, born November 29, 1942. Again, lots of change and new demands were placed on my mother, including a new husband, a new home, a new state, and two children, born a mere eighteen months apart. Alice, her second daughter, was born with a congenital heart condition.  At that time there had not been enough successful research to discover a solution. So, uncertainty again shadowed Mary’s life in those early married years.

Mother and Grandmother

After my father’s assignment was completed, they moved back to Connecticut and settled in Torrington.  Two more children arrived again in quick succession: Anthony Andrew, born October 26, 1945; and Margaret (me), born August 19, 1947.

My mother’s world was now consumed with four children, as her husband established his own construction equipment company in Torrington. She was a homemaker of the 1950s, making her family her first priority and never working outside the home.  She was loving, fun, caring, and optimistic.  Never having the mothering that she needed as a child, she somehow intuitively knew how to love unconditionally.  She loved parties and punctuated all our milestones (birthdays, graduations, showers, and weddings) with celebrations. My sisters, brother and I loved her deeply.

As her children grew up, married, and began their families, she welcomed each new grandchild into the world. She had 10 grandchildren: Margot and Kathryn Zaharek; Shawn and Heather Abetz; Lisa, Tony, and Amy Pasquariello; and Marc, Michael, and Elizabeth Holtman. These grandchildren adored her as well.

Tony, her husband, died at age 70 in 1981 and Mary lived another 24 years.  Being a grandmother was her finest role and she relished every minute spent with her family.  Mary died, surrounded by her loving children, in 2005 at age 91.

Lessons from my Mother

My mother endured many hardships and adversities throughout her life.  She taught us how important it is to have faith and to believe that with God’s guidance, we will survive.  This foundation of faith created a spirit of optimism.  She was genuinely happy, and despite her fractured family life as a child, she created a family with much love and affection. She died surrounded by her loving family.  Her motto “where there is a will, there is a way,” which she said often, tells us that we can choose to be happy despite life’s setbacks and that we are never alone when we believe that God is with us always.

Mary Ann Harte McCleary (1880-1963)

l to r: Mary Ann Harte with Husband, Hugh and sister Alice Harte, NYC (c. 1907)

My maternal grandmother was born on October 4, 1880 in Kilcosey, Dromahaire, County Leitrim, Ireland, to Farmers John Harte and Alice McGolric. Mary married Hugh McCleary on a date unknown and had two sons, John in 1903 and Hugh in 1907 while living in County Leitrim.  Husband Hugh emigrated to New York City two months before his namesake son was born.  Mary, John, and infant Hugh later emigrated to join her husband in Manhattan, arriving there on October 11, 1907.

While America offered the promise of optimism and opportunity, these notions eluded my grandmother. Two months after arriving, John, four years old, died in Manhattan. What transpired in the next three years seems unfathomable in today’s world.  Mary bore and lost three children:

• Elizabeth, born 25 September (1908) and died nine days later

• Agnes, born 27 November (1909) and died the same day

• Joseph, born 25 December (1911) and succumbed two hours later

It is unclear why four-year-old John died shortly after his arrival. Did he contract an illness on the voyage to America, or die as a result of the flu and tuberculosis, which were the leading causes of death at that time? Giving birth was also a dangerous process during this period. Many women gave birth at home with midwives or practitioners who possessed little medical knowledge. Severe bacterial infections led to most of the deaths. More than 150 out of every 1,000 children under the age of one died each year in the United States. Broader health issues, unsafe drinking water, contaminated food, and poor nutrition accounted for the short lives of these children.

As if these deaths weren’t enough to bear, more tragedy followed.  Her next son, whom she again named Joseph, born after my mother, Mary (born in 1913), was killed while crossing 8th Avenue in 1923. Born in 1919, he was a mere 4 years old.  At this time, cars contributed to many deaths with inexperienced drivers who had to share the road with horses, trolleys, and pedestrians. In this case, it was a commercial truck that killed the youngster. The New Daily News on April 21, 1923, noted that “Because there was no park near his home at Twenty-fourth Street and Eighth Avenue, Joseph McCleary, four, sought adventure in the street.”

After arriving in Manhattan, Mary had lost five of her seven children before they reached the age of five. More tragic is the fact that after the 1920 census, there is no mention of Hugh. There are two family narratives regarding his absence.  The first is that he died in a train accident at work; the second is that he abandoned his family.  In either case, Mary was left with two children and no apparent income.

In 1924, Mary Harte (44) married a much younger man, Daniel Emerick (19). After marrying in Manhattan, she moved next door to her sister Alice and Patrick Quinlan in Dover, Dutchess County, with her daughter, Mary. The marriage was short-lived and Mary soon returned alone to the farm in County Leitrim.  At this time, son Hugh was 23 and living in New York City.  Daughter Mary became a resident student at the Ursuline Academy in Middletown, New York, most likely living with her aunt Alice during the summers.

 With her parents passing, John Harte (76) and Alice Harte (85), Mary Sr. returned to Dover in 1936.  She lived in a small cottage, which she called the bungalow, prefabricated and purchased from the Sears Roebuck Catalog. She remained there until her death in 1963. 

Much of my grandmother’s life is a mystery to me.  I always thought that my mother had two brothers, the older Hugh and the younger Joseph.  I never knew of the second marriage and was always puzzled as to why my grandmother would leave her two living children in America and return to Ireland.

My memories of my grandmother are sketchy, as well.  She had a thick Irish brogue, drank strong tea, and smoked.  She appeared cantankerous to me and did not have much to say.  As a child, she was difficult to warm up to.  Now with the wisdom that comes with age and the knowledge of her life’s context, I have a different take.  Mary Harte endured and endured.  She did not talk about the past. I am not sure what kept her going.  Perhaps her faith.  Her motto, if she had one, might be “better left unsaid.”

The benefits of ancestry research today unveiled a tragic story for me, a story about my grandmother, Mary Ann Harte McCleary, that changed my perspective to a most empathetic point of view.

What can we learn from this petite 5-foot-3 woman, barely 100 lbs. who mentally and physically experienced some of life’s most crushing events?  Perhaps this: “When walking through Hell, keep walking.”

The baby in the picture is me, held by my godmother. We’re standing in front of Mary Sr.’s “bungalow” in Union Vale, Dutchess County, N.Y., September 1947. The house was built from a mail order kit, circa 1937. Sears sold about 70,000 homes from 1908-1940 and offered 370 house designs in their catalog. Many other companies sold these kit houses on a national level during this time. The name “Sears Kit Home” became a generic label for these kit homes.

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Alice Elizabeth Harte (1883-1966)

My maternal aunt, Alice Elizabeth Harte, has been an inspiration throughout my adult life. Her story is personal to me, but I believe it is an example of the never-give-up attitude that is characteristic of so many immigrants who came to America and became part of the country's fabric. 

Like so many others from around the world, during the last part of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th century over four million Irish immigrated to the United States seeking a better life. One of them was Alice Elizabeth Harte. On October 5, 1904, Alice, 21 years old with five dollars in her pocket and one suitcase, arrived in New York City. The ship's manifest noted Alice's occupation as "Servant," but for the US District Attorney of New York, Henry Wise and family, she was deemed a "nurse" to the family children.

On October 5, 1904, 21-year-old Alice Elizabeth Harte arrived New York City with five dollars in her pocket and one suitcase. Like so many other young female Irish immigrants, she became a “nurse” (nanny) to many wealthy families. She is pictured here with the McKelvy children in Easton, PA.

Alice the “Nurse,” AKA Beloved Nanny

By 1920, Alice was working for the Frank McKelvy family in Easton, Pennsylvania. Frank McKelvy was the First Vice President of the Alpha Portland Cement Company. Alice was beloved by the McKelvy family, especially by their daughter Louise, known as "Weedie." 

By 1927, Alice had moved to Union Vale in Dutchess County, New York, to be closer to her sister, and my grandmother, Mary Harte McCleary. In October 1927 Alice married a widowed farmer, Patrick Quinlan. Patrick had been married to Margaret McGolric Stanton, a second cousin of Alice and Mary Harte and who came from their same village in Ireland. Alice was back to living a farmer's life.

Aunt Alice (circa 1940) with four of the five Gackstatter siblings that came to live on the Union Vale, Dutchess County N.Y. farm in 1932. Also pictured is Peggy’s mother, Mary McCleary.

Alice the Foster Mother

Never having children of her own, she and Patrick became foster parents to five siblings whose father and mother had abandoned them in a New York City apartment. This was the Depression Era, and sometimes people committed cruel and drastic acts in order to survive. Others did what they could to help those who were disadvantaged. Alice worked with the Catholic Charities organization to ensure these city children could remain together as brothers and sisters. 

Sadly, in 1937 Patrick Quinlan died tragically in an accident on the farm. Their marriage had lasted a brief ten years. After Patrick's passing, Alice continued to live on the farm. She eventually worked as a seamstress at the Harlem Valley State Hospital nearby.

Alice the Networker

Alice was always willing and eager to help others. My favorite story of Aunt Alice is how she helped my father start his business. Anthony Pasquariello started his own company, Cesco Steel, in Torrington, Connecticut in 1947, the year I was born. This was a steel distribution and construction company and to get started properly, my father needed some supply companies with whom to establish a continuing relationship. At that time, the largest and most impressive company was the Bethlehem Steel Company in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. How could Alice Harte possibly help my father? 

It turns out that her former McKelvy charge, Louise "Weedie" McKelvy, was now the wife of James Walker, the CFO of Bethlehem Steel. An introduction from Alice to Walker opened the door to a long relationship where Cesco Steel provided customers a wide range of steel products from Bethlehem Steel for many years. Alice knew a thing or two about networking before there was a name for it!

Lessons from my Great Aunt Alice

Alice Harte died in 1966 at 83 years old, in Duchess County, New York. She left a small inheritance to my mother. Alice's legacy and life lesson is to never give up—to adapt to whatever obstacle appears. Her grit and grace are the gifts she left me and my family, and generations to come.

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Hugh McCleary (1873- )

The Family Mystery

Hugh McCleary was my maternal grandfather. I only have one photograph and a few items that document his life, which include a manifest document for his arrival in America and his World War I draft registration card, as well as a few census documents.

What I do know is that Hugh McAlarey (later McCleary) was born in 1873, in Ireland, and married my grandmother, Mary Ann Harte on New Year’s Eve, 1902 in Glasgow, Scotland. He and my grandmother were living in Scotland at the time with his occupation listed as a Locomotive Stoker while Mary Ann identified as a Collar Dresser.  The marriage document also lists his parents as Hugh McAlarey, a Coachman, and Elizabeth McLister McAlarey and Mary Ann’s parents as John Hart, Farmer, and Alice McGoldbrick Hart. 

Their first child, John, was born in Glasgow, Scotland on September 24, 1903.  A second son, Hugh was born in Ireland in 1907.

Hugh Sr. emigrated alone to the United States, arriving in New York City on November 7, 1906. His intended destination was to the address of Mary’s sister, Alice Harte, at 510 West 21 Street, Manhattan. Mary, John, and Hugh Jr. followed to the same Manhattan address almost a year later, arriving in New York on 29 September 1907.

Tragedy Hits

During the next several years, there was constant change and disruption. Records show that Mary and Hugh moved frequently, often just a few blocks. They suffered the loss of their four-year-old, who died two months after his family’s arrival, and later, three additional infants died shortly after their birth. My mother, Mary, must have been a great joy when she was born on December 5, 1913. Another strong baby, Joseph, was born in 1919, only to be killed in the street by a commercial truck in 1923. Of Hugh and Mary’s seven children, only two survived past four years old, and they lived into their 80’s and 90’s.

Hugh, handsome with dark hair and gray eyes, was 5’10, considered tall for a man at that time. For many years, he worked as a “Stationary Fireman” for the New York Central Railroad, 30th Street Yard, NYCRR, an important freight train facility which was later known and Hudson Yards.

While he registered for the draft at age 38 in September of 1918, he never served, since World War I ended in November of that same year. After the census of 1920, there are no more traces of Hugh.  Family members have different stories, one that he died at work due to a train accident; others have said he abandoned his family.  I have never been able to locate his death certificate.

Whatever the reason, one fact remains clear: There now was no father figure in the McCleary household, leaving his wife with three children and no income.

Lessons from Hugh

What can we learn from a life with little information and one photograph?  I believe Hugh was an immigrant who sought a better life for his family in America. He was steadily employed in a job at the railroad during a time when wages were low and unemployment high.  Dutifully, he registered for the draft. 

But stories do not always have a happy or defined ending. Dreams do not always come true.  Hugh never saw his children grow up and become parents. Sadly, he never lived to meet his eight grandchildren.   The dream had to be postponed; it was realized in the next generation when Hugh’s grandchildren grew up healthy, received an education, became loving parents, and finally, inheritors of the American dream.

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