#52 Ancestors #2: Antoinette Foglio

Hello again!  I am a few weeks behind on the #52 Ancestors challenge, but I have another bio ready and wanted to post it.  I hope you are all doing well.  Here is a little information about my husband's grandmother:  Antoinette Foglio.  Please let me know your thoughts!  Have a great rest of your week!  Melanie

            Antoinette Foglio was born in South Manchester, Hartford, Connecticut on 15 February 1918 to Giovanni (John) Foglio and his wife Theresa.  She was the youngest of four children and the only girl.  Her brothers’ names were:  Emilio, Salvatore, and Michael. 

            The story of Antoinette’s childhood is somewhat tragic.  When she was very little, her family’s house burned down.  Her father decided it was best that they go back to Italy.  Son Emilio hated Italy, so he came back to the States in 1927.  According to the ship manifest, he was accompanied by his parents who intended to return to Italy within six months.  They went to visit Giovanni’s brother Bartolomeo, who lived in South Manchester, Connecticut. 

            While living in Italy, Giovanni was murdered.  The family decided to stay in Italy.  However in 1933, the family decided to come back to America after learning that Salvatore, who was 18, would be drafted into the Italian Army.  Antoinette was only 15 years old.  Theresa came back first in order to secure a home and the three children arrived from Naples on 10 July 1933.  They moved to Newark, Essex, New Jersey, where their mom found a place to live.  At first Antoinette struggled as English was no longer her first language and her accent was very strong.   

            In the 1940 census, Antoinette was living in Newark, New Jersey with her mom and step-father.  She was working as an operator at a tailor shop.  Antoinette married William Anthony Tafaro, Sr., on 23 March 1941 at St. Rocco’s Church in Newark.  They had three sons:  Stephen, John and William Jr. (my father-in-law).  They stayed in New Jersey the rest of their lives – staying in the Newark area for a good portion of the time. According to his obituary, William Sr. was an artist for the U.S. Postal Service in Newark.  He was a gifted artist – his paintings hung on many of the walls in their West Orange home (and now one is proudly displayed in our home).  Antoinette worked for twenty-two years at a local tennis shop, retiring in 1998. 

            William passed away on 12 November 1978.  Antoinette passed away 24 June 2008 in Madison, New Jersey.  She and William are buried in Summit, New Jersey.