WELCOME TO THE TOBIA'S HOMEPAGE
Thank you for visiting our family's webpage of history and photographs. I will, of course, be expanding this page as we get more information. If you have any additions, please email them to me!
Better yet: leave notes, stories, and comments on the blog!!!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BLOG ENTRIES
I've tried to propose a few topics. Click the "Post Your Comment" link under the most appropriate one. Email me if you have any problems.
The above map is of the island of Sicily and the towns important in our history. South of Sicily is the island of Malta, famous during WWII. Coming up from the bottom-left is the country of Tunisia, in north Africa. On the right is the mainland of Italy. In the close-up map, Borgetto is a red dot. The purple dot is Monreale, and the green dot is San Cipirello .
The above photo of Borgetto was on a postcard, but coincidentally is the street--Via Sant'Antonio--where the Tobia house was located.
WHAT'S ON THIS SITE
ME
My name is Joseph Anthony Tobia (actually Joseph Tobia II, according to my birth cirtificate); my brother is John Anthony Tobia; and we are the sons of Antonino or Anthony J. Tobia (Uncle Tony to many of you) and Madeline Fallone. Since I am telling the story of the family on this site, I will use the words grandfather and grandmother to mean the grandparents of my generation. You cousins who are younger will have to add another "great" to the designation.
This is basically the history of the lives of the four sons of Giuseppe and Antonietta Tobia who arrived for the last time in New York City in the year 1921.
Antonino (Tony,or Toby) married Madeline Fallone and had 2 sons: Joseph and John. John married Sylvia Wharton and have one daughter, Madeline and a grandson Jason, who is 7 years old at this time.
Giuseppe (Joe) married Caterina (Kate) Pedula and had one adopted daughter, Carolyn, who married Steven Sangillo and have 2 sons and one daughter.
Vincenzo (Jim) married Anna Greco and had 2 sons and a daughter. Vincent Jr. married Carol ? and have 2 sons, Vincent and Davis.
Giovanni (John) married Louisa Patoka and had a son and a daughter. William (Bill married (?) and have ? children.At this time I'm researching names.
SONGS FOR A CHILD IN THE OLD SICILY
The following is a song in Sicilian that I learned as a child living with grandma Antonietta. I lived with her during the day while my mom went to work.
There are songs that children learn all over the world when they're young, in order for them to learn the nuances of the language. For example, almost everyone is familiar with "Alouette" of the French. This one is about a lost rooster. I'll give the words in Sicilian and then in English.
"L'aviti vistu cumpar' un adduzzu, l'aviti vistu passari di ca? Ero 'i me, ero 'i me, nu addu persu e nun saccio d'un n'e.
E si 'ddu trovu, ci stirru lu coddu, lu mett' a moddu e lu brodu mi fa; Ero 'i me, ero 'i me, nu addu persu e nun saccio d'un n'e.
Engish free translation: Oh have you seen, my friend, a rooster, have you seen one pass here? Indeed, it was mine, indeed it was mine...one rooster lost and I can't find it. And if I find him, I'll stretch his neck, put him in the pot and I'll make a nice soup. Indeed, it was mine, indeed it was mine...one rooster lost and I can't find it.
Non ce rosa senza spina. No rose comes without thorns.