Barbero Family History & Genealogy

My great grandfather, my bis-nonno as people say in Italy, Fernando Barbero, left a great legacy. Born in Piedmont, Italia, specifically near Montechiaro d'Asti, he came with his brother to California leaving his wife Carolina and daughter Edvigia temporarily in Italy. He worked as a brick mason and street paver in the Bay Area and saved money to buy 140 acres of virgin land bordered by the Consumnes River. He cleared the riparian forest himself because his brother died unexpectedly, and he built a house. Then, he brought his wife and child at the train station and walked many miles to the house which they found, on arrival, burnt to the ground. Who could have done this? He was one of the first Europeans in the area, so possible the Miwok who also inhabited this land though we don't really know. He built a second house near the river--it flooded. He built a third house on higher ground and it still stands: my Gramma, Caterina, was born in a room in that house, and more than 80 years later she passed away in the same room after she owned her own beauty shop with her sister Delfina, and then worked for Holiday Market for decades, still taking time to cook wonderful holiday meals, and raise my mother and my Uncle John. Fernando planted a grape vineyard in 1924, and years ago a wine was bottle called 1924 Zin that had pictures of my family, including my Uncle John, working in the vineyard. A fond memory of Grant, as we called our Bis Nonno Fernando using the Piemontais dialect (pronounced GRAHnt with a trilled R) was that he would always stuff money in our pockets when we visited the Ranch (titled so because of the presence of cattle as well as chickens, fruit trees, barn, windmill, stone bread oven, well, and more). He also would poke things around him with a stick to see what it was. My sister and I would bring blow up plastic animals with a hole in the middle to float in the river before we could swim, and Grant poked my sister's toy with his stick and popped it by accident. Kim cried of course, as most tiny kids would if their toy was destroyed. Thank you for everything, Fernando Barbero, whose name I have seen online as a signature when he arrived in Ellis Island so many moons ago. Your hard work and serious grit gave our family so much, and what you gave me genetically and by example is absolutely priceless. Love, your Great Granddaughter, Deb Caterina

Caterina Gledill, nee Barbero, gave me my heart and my soul. As a child she walked to the one room school house in Wilton, California with her older sisters Ed (short for Edvigia) and Del (short for Delfina). As a young woman she owned and operated her own beauty shop with Del. She married Louis Gledhill and had two children, Caroline, who without a college degree became the Vice President of Acme Auto in San Diego where she started as minimum wage bookkeeper and made investments that were lucrative enough to have one of the partners name her as VP on his passing, and John who became an Electrical Engineer who worked as an Administer for Caltrans in the traffic division. When I was a girl, she worked full time at Holiday Market in Sacramento and still found time to make us delicious holiday meals. When I graduated from UCLA I wanted to become a teacher; however, I was weary from the long hours and poverty associated with working my way through school. She convinced me to get my teaching credentials, saying, "The time will pass anyway--where do you want to be at the end of it?" Now I am retired from teaching after 30 years of service to the youth of California, levels preschool through university, in mostly public and some private venues helping 1000s of young people to become more literate, to become viable citizens and procure the work they like and that supports themselves and their families. When some of them thank me in person or via letters I often think, and sometimes say, thank my grandmother Caterina--I would not have become a teacher without her words of wisdom and the $200 a month she sent me during teaching school. Love you Grammy Whammy!

Anthony F Barbero of Pelham, Westchester County, NY was born on November 16, 1926, and died at age 80 years old on July 7, 2007.

Victorio Jose Barbero of Dallas, Dallas County, TX was born on February 25, 1930. Victorio Barbero was married to Isabel (Mendez) Barbero on April 2, 1966 in Dallas County, TX, and died at age 64 years old on March 17, 1994.

James B Barbero of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California was born on September 2, 1910, and died at age 66 years old in February 1977.

Ernani Barbero of Beacon, Dutchess County, NY was born on March 25, 1922, and died at age 83 years old on April 13, 2005.

Samuel F Barbero of Valley Cottage, Rockland County, NY was born on August 15, 1917, and died at age 82 years old on September 23, 1999.

John R Barbero of Tolland, Tolland County, CT was born on January 3, 1916, and died at age 89 years old on November 25, 2005.

Frank Barbero of Agawam, Hampden County, MA was born on January 12, 1917, and died at age 85 years old on November 25, 2002.

Emile S Barbero of Agawam, Hampden County, MA was born on March 16, 1911, and died at age 85 years old on July 19, 1996.

Anne M Barbero of Southington, Hartford County, CT was born on November 14, 1917, and died at age 77 years old on May 29, 1995.

Peter Barbero of Chicago, Cook County, IL was born on December 5, 1916, and died at age 81 years old on January 4, 1998.

Fred M Barbero of Portland, Multnomah County, OR was born on August 23, 1915, and died at age 71 years old on March 4, 1987. Fred Barbero was buried at Willamette National Cemetery Section COL-1 Row U Site 111 11800 Se Mt. Scott Boulevard, in Portland.

Louis Barbero of Brooklyn, Kings County, NY was born on February 1, 1919, and died at age 71 years old on May 29, 1990.

Louis F Barbero of Rochester, Monroe County, NY was born on July 25, 1922, and died at age 85 years old on December 20, 2007.

Joe Barbero of Wayne, Wayne County, Michigan was born on January 5, 1912 in Italy or San Marino, and died at age 75 years old in August 1987.

Thomas C Barbero of Ridge, Suffolk County, NY was born on June 13, 1919, and died at age 79 years old on May 19, 1999.

Ricardo J Barbero of Harris County, TX was born circa 1961. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ricardo J. Barbero.

Reyes Flario Barbero of Sparks, Washoe County, NV was born on November 30, 1921, and died at age 82 years old on September 6, 2004. Reyes Barbero was buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery Section 13 Site 855 501 North Guadalupe Street, in Santa Fe, Nm.

Mary Josephine Barbero of San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA was born on March 17, 1925, and died at age 71 years old on April 1, 1996. Mary Barbero was buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery Section H Site 2737-E 1300 Sneath Lane, in San Bruno.