Viti Family History & Genealogy

The year is 1864 and a seven year old boy is being prepared to take a long journey. He will not be traveling with his parents, but with cousins, leaving Italy, the land of his birth to a far off place called America. He is the only son, carrying his father's name with him, being removed from the dangers of an anticipated war within his homeland.

His family owns a grist mill in Abruzzi, Italy and it looks like his father may have to fight to protect the family livlihood. He does not know how long this conflict will last but is surely anticipating returning home when it is over. In the meantime, he will remain safe with his relatives who live in a city called Philadelphia.

In those days traveling by ship had to have been a long and grueling process. For a seven year old it must have been, at least at times, a frightening experience as well. I am sure that for a child, there were times of excitement and the feeling of adventure on such a trip. The awe of the huge ocean, maybe observing wild life at sea, cloud formations passing by and watching the crew going about their daily activities all must have captured his imagination. He had to have had lively conversations with his older cousins, imagining what the new country they were going to would be like.


But there also had to have times of lonliness, missing his parents and fear of the unknown experiences yet to take place.

His name was Antonio Carlos Pasquale Viti, and he was my great grandfather.

I wonder, Antonio, on this long voyage, being just seven years old, did you ever cry yourself to sleep? Did you ever become afraid of storms during your trip? Did you experience sea sickness or did you get your sea legs right away? Did you miss your parents and wonder if you would see them again?

At the tender age of seven, when most children are involved in childish activities, here is a child being found to grow up before his time. I wonder if a strong, courageous spirit was being formed from this experience.

His later life would surely testify to this being the case, as he grew to be a productive, strong adult.

How about the parents of this child being forced to send their child so far away at such a young age? They had to have faced anxieties of their own over his safety and well being. In those days communications were almost non existant and so there would have been no phone calls, email messages, and the other modern ways that we now keep in touch. Letters would have taken a long time to arrive, being sent by ship as there was no air mail then.

So far I have not been able to find the ship you sailed on, Antonio, although I am still searching. I know that at the time there was only one Viti family in Philadelphia who were merchants and they had there own ships which carried cargo back and forth from Italy to Philadelphia. Perhaps you sailed on one of those. I am also still searching to see who is was you stayed with when you arrived and who cared for you while you were a child. Did you attend school at all? I know that you became a stone mason, started your own business and did a lot of stone work for the catholic church, trained apprentices and were quite successful. I know that you married Mary Joyce and had three daughters, Margaretta, Hannah, and Mary. I know that Mary died and before she did, pleaded with her sister Bridget, to take care of the girls. Bridget did so by marrying Antonio and they went on to have and raise ten more children, including 2 sets of twins of which my grandfather, Patrick Stephen was one.

I know that you had a home at 140 Ritner St. in South Philadelphia, that your mother, Magdelena immigrated in 1888, and that in 1889 you and she bought the farm in Franklinville, New Jersey which consisted of three hundred acres. I know and have photos of the farm and the family and that you farmed the land, raised animals and your three story home also served as a bed and breakfast for those traveling to the New Jersey beaches.

I have come to understand that you forged a trail and overcome many hardships and have left an incredible legacy for your descendants. I am hoping to fill in the gaps of your early life so that I may better understand how you did all that you did and pass it on to my children and grandchildren.