Andrea Quattrin and Emilia Petris
Husband: Andrea Quattrin
Birth: 21 Oct 1894, Zoppola, Italy
Father: Giovanni Batista Quattrin
Mother: Elisabetta De Paoli
Death: 6 Jan 1958, San Francisco, CA
Birth: 21 Oct 1894, Zoppola, Italy
Father: Giovanni Batista Quattrin
Mother: Elisabetta De Paoli
Death: 6 Jan 1958, San Francisco, CA
Wife: Emilia Petris
Birth: 10 Nov 1904, Zoppola, Italy
Father: Giovanni Batista Petri
Mother: Rosa Taiariol
Death: 12 Mar 1978, Pacifica, CA
Marriage: 24 Feb 1927, Church of San Martino Vescovo, Zoppola, Italy
Children: Giovanni (John) Battista (1928-2003)
Daniel Andrew (1946-)
Birth: 10 Nov 1904, Zoppola, Italy
Father: Giovanni Batista Petri
Mother: Rosa Taiariol
Death: 12 Mar 1978, Pacifica, CA
Marriage: 24 Feb 1927, Church of San Martino Vescovo, Zoppola, Italy
Children: Giovanni (John) Battista (1928-2003)
Daniel Andrew (1946-)
Andrea was born on October 21, 1894, in the town of Zoppola, Friuli, Italy. He was the second child and eldest son of Giovanni Battista (Tita) Quattrin of Zoppola and Elisabetta De Paoli of Pescincanna. Andrea was named after his grandfather Andrea “Perbacco” Quattrin, who the American branch of the family had been told was “the Mayor of Zoppola.” He never actually held the position. The actual mayor was Count Camillo Panciera, but apparently, as a nobleman, he did not speak with commoners. Perbacco was a town councilman and the sensàr (advisor and intermediary) between the Count and the people. The towns people may have considered Perbacco the de facto mayor, though.
At 5’ 8”, Andrea would not have been considered tall now, but, since his father and brothers were all under 5’6”, he was a giant then. Photos show him towering over his brothers. Better nutrition in America helped him grow to 5’10”. Andrea had chestnut-colored hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion. The one word everyone used when talking about Andrea, though, was “quiet.” His daughter-in-law Dolores modified this description slightly, though. She said, “No, my father was quiet. Andrea was silent!” In the five years she had known him, she only remembered him talking to her once. After she complimented the wine he had made, and he said, “Thank you, but I know it is not good.” That was it. When a word on his discharge papers was mistakenly translated as “reticent,” no one batted an eye. Reticent fit Andrea perfectly. Andrea was sometimes referred to as the Great Stone Face, like the statues on Easter Island.
Andrea had a fairly typical peasant upbringing. When Andrea was born, the town of Zoppola was much like the farming town it had been for 700 years, but it had been much improved during the previous generation. The population was about 4500 people, 90% of which were farmers or farm laborers. The open-field farming system—wherein tenant-farmers lived in town and farmed strips of land owned by the Panciera family or the Church—had been in place since the Middle Ages but, in the 19th century, farmers began to buy their own plots of land. The roads were unpaved and there was often dirt kicked up into the air and breathed in. Life was physically hard but enlivened by the tight-knit family community.
Family and social cohesion was reinforced by the evening gatherings referred to as the filò. An essential part of peasant life, the filò combined work and conversation in a communal setting. The gathering often occurred in the stable during the winter because that was the warmest place in the house—saving on firewood by taking advantage of the body heat of the animals. The women typically engaged in hand-spinning wool, flax, or hemp, mending clothes, or other manual tasks. This is the literal origin of the word filò which derived from the verb filare, meaning "to spin". Men worked on repairing tools.
It was a vital social event for the family community, a time for conversation, sharing news, and strengthening social bonds. Elders would pass down local folklore, stories, tales, and songs to the children and adults, serving as a library of sorts for the community and preserving their cultural heritage.
Like many houses in Zoppola, Casa Quattrin was a multi-generational household. First, there was Andrea’s grandfather Perbacco who was still alive and would not pass until 1923. Perbacco’s wife Rosa had died six years before their grandson was born, but Perbacco had married a woman named Marianna Boschian a year after Rosa died. Second, there were Andrea’s parents. Third, there were Andrea and his siblings.
From his parents and grandparents, Andrea learned many lessons that he would pass on to his sons. He learned to keep his eyes and ears open and his mouth shut. The Quattrin name meant something, so never embarrass the family name. He was taught to value of a formal education, though his education was limited. He learned to work as hard or harder than everyone else, but to work smart as well. Have a long-range plan and have alternatives when the plan inevitably broke down. That was how Perbacco had improved the family’s social and financial standing, by working hard but making wise and flexible use of opportunities that came his way. That was how the old man had become the first landowner in the family.
Farm life was difficult and grueling, with little rest from labor and constant fear that crops would fail. But the municipal government—of which Perbacco had been an active member as a town councilman and of Zoppola and a go-between for the Counts Panciera —had done quite a bit in the previous two to three decades to improve the lives of the townspeople. Water which was readily available from artisan wells began to be brought directly into the courtyards of most homes. Effective, well-trained doctors and midwives were available in town. Trained teachers were hired in the school, and compulsory elementary education for students ages six through nine sought to establish an expected level of literacy and numeracy.
Andrea began his formal schooling in 1900, at the beginning of a new century. School took place in two rooms in the new town hall, which had opened in 1898. There were two classes, separated by ability. There was only one teacher, so school was held from 9:00 am to noon for one class and 1:00 to 4:00 for the other. The school year went from late-November to early May. (In 1912, the school year would be extended from November 18th to July 14th.) Turnover among teachers was rapid, and Andrea had a new teacher each year. In 1900-01, Gemma Cepparo (born in 1878 in Orcenico Superiore to Giacomo and Maddalena) was the teacher. She left at the end of the year and was replaced by Elisa Valdevit, who also left at the end of the year. In 1902-03, the teacher was Serafina De Giusti (nee Stati), who was older and had been born in 1865. She remained as the teacher until 1919, then she resigned when she was deprived of the accommodation intended for teachers to give it to the baker.
While Andrea’s schooling ended in 1903, his learning did not. At home, he continued to learn about animal husbandry and about the farming cycle. The cycle began in March with plowing and preparing the fields for the planting of corn and/or wheat. Spring was also the time for working in vineyards and vegetable gardens. June through August was a time of intense labor, weeding the crops and harvesting hay for the livestock. The first harvest of grain occurred during the summer months. Autumn (September through November) was the main harvest season, known for the vendemmia (grape harvest) and the harvesting of corn. This was a critical time for gathering produce for winter, including fruits and vegetables, which were sometimes sold at the local markets. Winter saw the agricultural work slow, but this was the time to process the harvest, press the grapes, maintain the tools, care for the livestock, and for preparing for the beginning of the cycle all over again. The lifestyle was deeply connected to the land and focused on self-sufficiency and survival.
Like the rest of his family, Andrea worked in the fields most days from an early age and learned all the skills needed to become a farmer and winemaker like all his ancestors. He went to Mass every Sunday and participated in all the Feast Days and town rituals. Though he was quiet, he did have friends. Geremia Petris, his future brother-in-law, was one of them.
At the age of 18, Andrea was sent to America to earn additional money to send back home to the family. Geremia had gone a year earlier. They both went to work at the Italian Swiss Colony Winery in Lemoore, California, where Andrea’s cousin Antonio Colussi was the manager.
Andrea arrived in Philadelphia on the SS America on May 27, 1913. The SS America was 477ft. by 56 ft. and 8,996 gross tons. She had two funnels, two masts, and a twin screw. She was built by Cantieri Navale Riuniti, Muggiano (the engines were from Wallsend Slipway Co) and launched on November 1, 1908. Purchased by Navigazione Generale Italiana, she started her first Genoa – Naples – New York – Philadelphia voyage on April 23rd, 1912. She was capable of a speed of 16 knots, making the trip from Naples to New York in about five days. She had berths for 30 first-class, 220 second-class, and 2400 third-class passengers. Needless to say, Andrea traveled 3rd class. With the train trip from Pordenone to Genoa, the ship’s stops at Naples and New York, and the train trip from Philadelphia to Lemoore, Andrea’s trip probably took about two weeks.
At 5’ 8”, Andrea would not have been considered tall now, but, since his father and brothers were all under 5’6”, he was a giant then. Photos show him towering over his brothers. Better nutrition in America helped him grow to 5’10”. Andrea had chestnut-colored hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion. The one word everyone used when talking about Andrea, though, was “quiet.” His daughter-in-law Dolores modified this description slightly, though. She said, “No, my father was quiet. Andrea was silent!” In the five years she had known him, she only remembered him talking to her once. After she complimented the wine he had made, and he said, “Thank you, but I know it is not good.” That was it. When a word on his discharge papers was mistakenly translated as “reticent,” no one batted an eye. Reticent fit Andrea perfectly. Andrea was sometimes referred to as the Great Stone Face, like the statues on Easter Island.
Andrea had a fairly typical peasant upbringing. When Andrea was born, the town of Zoppola was much like the farming town it had been for 700 years, but it had been much improved during the previous generation. The population was about 4500 people, 90% of which were farmers or farm laborers. The open-field farming system—wherein tenant-farmers lived in town and farmed strips of land owned by the Panciera family or the Church—had been in place since the Middle Ages but, in the 19th century, farmers began to buy their own plots of land. The roads were unpaved and there was often dirt kicked up into the air and breathed in. Life was physically hard but enlivened by the tight-knit family community.
Family and social cohesion was reinforced by the evening gatherings referred to as the filò. An essential part of peasant life, the filò combined work and conversation in a communal setting. The gathering often occurred in the stable during the winter because that was the warmest place in the house—saving on firewood by taking advantage of the body heat of the animals. The women typically engaged in hand-spinning wool, flax, or hemp, mending clothes, or other manual tasks. This is the literal origin of the word filò which derived from the verb filare, meaning "to spin". Men worked on repairing tools.
It was a vital social event for the family community, a time for conversation, sharing news, and strengthening social bonds. Elders would pass down local folklore, stories, tales, and songs to the children and adults, serving as a library of sorts for the community and preserving their cultural heritage.
Like many houses in Zoppola, Casa Quattrin was a multi-generational household. First, there was Andrea’s grandfather Perbacco who was still alive and would not pass until 1923. Perbacco’s wife Rosa had died six years before their grandson was born, but Perbacco had married a woman named Marianna Boschian a year after Rosa died. Second, there were Andrea’s parents. Third, there were Andrea and his siblings.
From his parents and grandparents, Andrea learned many lessons that he would pass on to his sons. He learned to keep his eyes and ears open and his mouth shut. The Quattrin name meant something, so never embarrass the family name. He was taught to value of a formal education, though his education was limited. He learned to work as hard or harder than everyone else, but to work smart as well. Have a long-range plan and have alternatives when the plan inevitably broke down. That was how Perbacco had improved the family’s social and financial standing, by working hard but making wise and flexible use of opportunities that came his way. That was how the old man had become the first landowner in the family.
Farm life was difficult and grueling, with little rest from labor and constant fear that crops would fail. But the municipal government—of which Perbacco had been an active member as a town councilman and of Zoppola and a go-between for the Counts Panciera —had done quite a bit in the previous two to three decades to improve the lives of the townspeople. Water which was readily available from artisan wells began to be brought directly into the courtyards of most homes. Effective, well-trained doctors and midwives were available in town. Trained teachers were hired in the school, and compulsory elementary education for students ages six through nine sought to establish an expected level of literacy and numeracy.
Andrea began his formal schooling in 1900, at the beginning of a new century. School took place in two rooms in the new town hall, which had opened in 1898. There were two classes, separated by ability. There was only one teacher, so school was held from 9:00 am to noon for one class and 1:00 to 4:00 for the other. The school year went from late-November to early May. (In 1912, the school year would be extended from November 18th to July 14th.) Turnover among teachers was rapid, and Andrea had a new teacher each year. In 1900-01, Gemma Cepparo (born in 1878 in Orcenico Superiore to Giacomo and Maddalena) was the teacher. She left at the end of the year and was replaced by Elisa Valdevit, who also left at the end of the year. In 1902-03, the teacher was Serafina De Giusti (nee Stati), who was older and had been born in 1865. She remained as the teacher until 1919, then she resigned when she was deprived of the accommodation intended for teachers to give it to the baker.
While Andrea’s schooling ended in 1903, his learning did not. At home, he continued to learn about animal husbandry and about the farming cycle. The cycle began in March with plowing and preparing the fields for the planting of corn and/or wheat. Spring was also the time for working in vineyards and vegetable gardens. June through August was a time of intense labor, weeding the crops and harvesting hay for the livestock. The first harvest of grain occurred during the summer months. Autumn (September through November) was the main harvest season, known for the vendemmia (grape harvest) and the harvesting of corn. This was a critical time for gathering produce for winter, including fruits and vegetables, which were sometimes sold at the local markets. Winter saw the agricultural work slow, but this was the time to process the harvest, press the grapes, maintain the tools, care for the livestock, and for preparing for the beginning of the cycle all over again. The lifestyle was deeply connected to the land and focused on self-sufficiency and survival.
Like the rest of his family, Andrea worked in the fields most days from an early age and learned all the skills needed to become a farmer and winemaker like all his ancestors. He went to Mass every Sunday and participated in all the Feast Days and town rituals. Though he was quiet, he did have friends. Geremia Petris, his future brother-in-law, was one of them.
At the age of 18, Andrea was sent to America to earn additional money to send back home to the family. Geremia had gone a year earlier. They both went to work at the Italian Swiss Colony Winery in Lemoore, California, where Andrea’s cousin Antonio Colussi was the manager.
Andrea arrived in Philadelphia on the SS America on May 27, 1913. The SS America was 477ft. by 56 ft. and 8,996 gross tons. She had two funnels, two masts, and a twin screw. She was built by Cantieri Navale Riuniti, Muggiano (the engines were from Wallsend Slipway Co) and launched on November 1, 1908. Purchased by Navigazione Generale Italiana, she started her first Genoa – Naples – New York – Philadelphia voyage on April 23rd, 1912. She was capable of a speed of 16 knots, making the trip from Naples to New York in about five days. She had berths for 30 first-class, 220 second-class, and 2400 third-class passengers. Needless to say, Andrea traveled 3rd class. With the train trip from Pordenone to Genoa, the ship’s stops at Naples and New York, and the train trip from Philadelphia to Lemoore, Andrea’s trip probably took about two weeks.
According to the ship’s manifest, Andrea was headed to Lemoore to work for his cousin Antonio Colussi. (Andrea was actually more closely related to Antonio’s wife, Regina Cassini. Regina was Andrea’s first cousin, and her mother had been Maria Quattrin, one of Perbacco’s daughters.) Andrea was described as 5’ 8”, with a rosy complexion and chestnut hair. He had $0.25 in his pocket.
The Italian Swiss Colony corporation had been the brainchild of Andrea Sbarboro, who founded an agricultural community in Sonoma County in 1882, which he named Asti after the Piedmontese town in Italy from which he had come. The founding of the community may have been, in part, a reaction to the Chinese Exclusion Act, as Chinese immigrants had been widely used in agriculture and warehousing prior to the Act. Sbarboro, along with Charles Kohler, Paolo de Vecchi, and Pietro Rossi, recruited Italian and Swiss farmers by offering the high salary of $30-40 per month, plus “room, board and as much wine as a man could decently drink.” There was even a program to set aside some monthly income so the individuals could buy their own farms. Most workers opted out of this program, though. The company foundered with the economic downturn in 1886. The financial plan assumed grapes would sell at $30 per ton, but the price dropped to $8. The company decided to go into wine production rather than just agriculture.
By the early 1900s, Italian Swiss Colony owned over 5000 acres of farmland in California, much of it in Sonoma, but 1500 acres in the Central Valley at Madera, Kingsburg, and Lemoore. The company built the winery on Lemoore Avenue in 1902. Kingsburg and Lemoore each had 1,000,000-gallon capacity plants, while Madera could handle 3,000,000 gallons.
The Italian Swiss Colony corporation had been the brainchild of Andrea Sbarboro, who founded an agricultural community in Sonoma County in 1882, which he named Asti after the Piedmontese town in Italy from which he had come. The founding of the community may have been, in part, a reaction to the Chinese Exclusion Act, as Chinese immigrants had been widely used in agriculture and warehousing prior to the Act. Sbarboro, along with Charles Kohler, Paolo de Vecchi, and Pietro Rossi, recruited Italian and Swiss farmers by offering the high salary of $30-40 per month, plus “room, board and as much wine as a man could decently drink.” There was even a program to set aside some monthly income so the individuals could buy their own farms. Most workers opted out of this program, though. The company foundered with the economic downturn in 1886. The financial plan assumed grapes would sell at $30 per ton, but the price dropped to $8. The company decided to go into wine production rather than just agriculture.
By the early 1900s, Italian Swiss Colony owned over 5000 acres of farmland in California, much of it in Sonoma, but 1500 acres in the Central Valley at Madera, Kingsburg, and Lemoore. The company built the winery on Lemoore Avenue in 1902. Kingsburg and Lemoore each had 1,000,000-gallon capacity plants, while Madera could handle 3,000,000 gallons.
Named for Dr. Lovern Lee Moore, a Frenchman who settled there in 1871, the town of Lemoore was formed as a center for scores of individual small farms. Grangeville was the nearest town in 1871, and it was six miles. Dr. Moore secured a post office and developed a business center for the farms. The area was very fertile due to the artesian wells and the silt left by the receding of Lake Tulare. The town was incorporated in 1900, and the Kings County Development Company began opening up the region further after that.
In the 1880s, the company had decided to follow the Canadian and Argentinian coal mining companies’ marketing plans by sending pamphlets throughout Northern Italy to encourage immigration. They also contracted with the steamship lines for discount passage. Many families must have seen this as an opportunity to earn money abroad that could be wired back to the family. By 1907, they were relying on more personal connections. In 1906, they had hired Antonio Colussi to be manage the 650 acre-vineyard and empowered him to hire workers. The next year, he sent back home for Angelo Querin to be his foreman, and Angelo brought members of the Lenarduzzi, Fabrio, Rigoli and Bortolussi families to work. They all lived in a bunkhouse on the farm Tony rented from the company.
As noted above, Andrea’s future brother-in-law and childhood friend Geremia Petris came over in 1912. Geremia went missing after 1913, possibly moving to Canada. The last reference to Geremia found thus far noted that on board the SS Europa were Domenico and Giovanni Tajariol, and the ship’s manifest listed their final destination as Lemoore and their local contact as Domenico’s nephew, Geremia Petris. Domenico and Giovanni Tajariol also went to work for Tony Colussi and Italian Swiss Colony.
In Lemoore, Andrea went to work for Antonio Colussi. Tony was the superintendent for the Italian Swiss Colony Winery in Kingsburg and rented a farm in Lemoore that was owned by the company. Andrea became a laborer on the farm. Besides the normal farm labor, he received an additional $1 per week for grooming the horses, a perk due to his being the boss’s cousin. He specifically sent money home for the family to buy another cow. Unfortunately, when he came home in 1916, he found no cow. He asked his brother Gianni where the cow was. Gianni pointed at their father and did a “bent-arm curl,” indicating that Tita had spent the money drinking.
In the 1880s, the company had decided to follow the Canadian and Argentinian coal mining companies’ marketing plans by sending pamphlets throughout Northern Italy to encourage immigration. They also contracted with the steamship lines for discount passage. Many families must have seen this as an opportunity to earn money abroad that could be wired back to the family. By 1907, they were relying on more personal connections. In 1906, they had hired Antonio Colussi to be manage the 650 acre-vineyard and empowered him to hire workers. The next year, he sent back home for Angelo Querin to be his foreman, and Angelo brought members of the Lenarduzzi, Fabrio, Rigoli and Bortolussi families to work. They all lived in a bunkhouse on the farm Tony rented from the company.
As noted above, Andrea’s future brother-in-law and childhood friend Geremia Petris came over in 1912. Geremia went missing after 1913, possibly moving to Canada. The last reference to Geremia found thus far noted that on board the SS Europa were Domenico and Giovanni Tajariol, and the ship’s manifest listed their final destination as Lemoore and their local contact as Domenico’s nephew, Geremia Petris. Domenico and Giovanni Tajariol also went to work for Tony Colussi and Italian Swiss Colony.
In Lemoore, Andrea went to work for Antonio Colussi. Tony was the superintendent for the Italian Swiss Colony Winery in Kingsburg and rented a farm in Lemoore that was owned by the company. Andrea became a laborer on the farm. Besides the normal farm labor, he received an additional $1 per week for grooming the horses, a perk due to his being the boss’s cousin. He specifically sent money home for the family to buy another cow. Unfortunately, when he came home in 1916, he found no cow. He asked his brother Gianni where the cow was. Gianni pointed at their father and did a “bent-arm curl,” indicating that Tita had spent the money drinking.
When World War I broke, Italy initially remained neutral. The people wanted to stay out of the War, the military wanted to ally with Germany and Austria, and the politicos wanted to join England and France, hoping to gain control of Trieste and Dalmatia. Andrea should have been drafted in 1914, as part of the class of 1894, but he was in America and did not receive the notice. When Italy finally entered the war against Austria in May 1915, Andrea was classified as renitente (not reticente), a draft dodger. He probably would have been under a death sentence as a deserter if he did not return and serve. According to his sons, Andrea had the option of going home to fight for Italy or getting naturalized here, which probably would have led to him being drafted to fight for America. He opted to go back home, where he volunteered. He enlisted in Pordenone on February 15, 1916, and was assigned to the 2nd Reggimento Artiglieria da Montagna (2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment). He would have been sent immediately to the Front somewhere along the Isonzo River.
The fighting on the Isonzo Front was very difficult. Because of the delay to enter the War, the Austrians were able to establish themselves in the high ground well before the Italian Army arrived. The Supreme Commander, General Luigi Cadorna, was of the old school and, like the British and French generals, believed that artillery barrages and direct assaults were the best tactics. Unfortunately, this meant uphill charges into barbed wire and machine gun fire. Artillery in the mountains was particularly dangerous to both sides as shells hitting granite threw off much more shrapnel than shells hitting soft earth as they did in France. Artillery barrages also caused avalanches, killing many more Italians than Austrians. There were 11 battles along the Isonzo Front over the next two years and almost no movement of the line. The good news for Andrea was that, because of racial bias against the Southern Italians, he was put in the artillery instead of the infantry, so he himself did not have to “charge the guns.”
As the Italian Army was preparing for their 12th Battle of Isonzo, the Austrians, supported by fresh German troops transferred from the now-quiet Russian Front, launched a preemptive strike on October 24, 1917. The Battle of Caporetto, as it came to be known, is considered to be the greatest disaster in Italian military history. The whole front collapsed and the Tedeschi (what the Friulani called the Austrians and Germans) pushed all the way to the Piave River on the west edge of Friuli. Only lack of supplies and a strong defense on November 4th at, of all places, Mount Grappa, stopped the Germans. Zoppola was now behind enemy lines. In all, 40,000 soldiers were killed or wounded and 265,000 were captured. Andrea was one of those captured.
The fighting on the Isonzo Front was very difficult. Because of the delay to enter the War, the Austrians were able to establish themselves in the high ground well before the Italian Army arrived. The Supreme Commander, General Luigi Cadorna, was of the old school and, like the British and French generals, believed that artillery barrages and direct assaults were the best tactics. Unfortunately, this meant uphill charges into barbed wire and machine gun fire. Artillery in the mountains was particularly dangerous to both sides as shells hitting granite threw off much more shrapnel than shells hitting soft earth as they did in France. Artillery barrages also caused avalanches, killing many more Italians than Austrians. There were 11 battles along the Isonzo Front over the next two years and almost no movement of the line. The good news for Andrea was that, because of racial bias against the Southern Italians, he was put in the artillery instead of the infantry, so he himself did not have to “charge the guns.”
As the Italian Army was preparing for their 12th Battle of Isonzo, the Austrians, supported by fresh German troops transferred from the now-quiet Russian Front, launched a preemptive strike on October 24, 1917. The Battle of Caporetto, as it came to be known, is considered to be the greatest disaster in Italian military history. The whole front collapsed and the Tedeschi (what the Friulani called the Austrians and Germans) pushed all the way to the Piave River on the west edge of Friuli. Only lack of supplies and a strong defense on November 4th at, of all places, Mount Grappa, stopped the Germans. Zoppola was now behind enemy lines. In all, 40,000 soldiers were killed or wounded and 265,000 were captured. Andrea was one of those captured.
Many of the Italian captives were forced-marched to the other end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At Milowitz, Poland, two-thirds died in the first four months. Only 7% of the deaths were the results of battle wounds. Andrea was a little more fortunate in that he was sent to Scutira (Shkodra) in Albania. There he would have been used for forced labor. The provisions of the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conferences (precursors to the Geneva Convention) established that the host countries would ensure, at their own expense, that the captured soldiers received treatment equivalent to that accorded to their own troops. As the number of prisoners gradually increased and the European blockade continued, the Central Powers had great difficulty in providing this level of care. Starvation was the primary measurement of passing time in the prison camps. Where the Hague Conference envisioned food providing 3,300 calories per day for prisoners, internees usually only received 1,000. France, England, Belgium, and the US intervened by organizing wagonloads of food, medicine, and clothing, which was funded by the Entente Allied governments. Italy’s Foreign Minister, Sidney Sonnino, however, ordered reductions of aid to prisoners in Austria and banned any relief sent to prisoners in Germany after the Battle of Caporetto because of the Italian soldiers’ failure in battle. Aid was not resumed until the summer of 1918.
It is unknown how long Andrea was a prisoner in Albania. Like so much else in his life, Andrea never talked about his experiences in the army or in Albania. According to his son Danny, his luck changed when someone in Rome saw his name on a list for potential prisoner exchange, and he was sent home. He was emaciated when he got back. After the Armistice in November, 1918, Italian soldiers who had survived the hardships suffered in the prison camps were sometimes temporarily interned in specific camps as being "traitors" or "subversives." Here they were kept in quarantine and subjected to interrogation and possible prosecution. It is unknown if this happened to Andrea. He was ultimately transferred to the 1st Mountain Artillery, 3rd Battery. He would not be mustered out for several months because of his late enlistment. He was finally released from the Army in August of 1919. The War had cost almost three quarters of a million soldiers’ lives. By comparison, the three wars that led to the unification of Italy only cost 10,000 lives.
It is unknown how long Andrea was a prisoner in Albania. Like so much else in his life, Andrea never talked about his experiences in the army or in Albania. According to his son Danny, his luck changed when someone in Rome saw his name on a list for potential prisoner exchange, and he was sent home. He was emaciated when he got back. After the Armistice in November, 1918, Italian soldiers who had survived the hardships suffered in the prison camps were sometimes temporarily interned in specific camps as being "traitors" or "subversives." Here they were kept in quarantine and subjected to interrogation and possible prosecution. It is unknown if this happened to Andrea. He was ultimately transferred to the 1st Mountain Artillery, 3rd Battery. He would not be mustered out for several months because of his late enlistment. He was finally released from the Army in August of 1919. The War had cost almost three quarters of a million soldiers’ lives. By comparison, the three wars that led to the unification of Italy only cost 10,000 lives.
In 1924, a War Memorial was erected in the town square in front of the Church of San Martino commemorating the lives of those Zoppolani who that were sacrificed in the Great War. There were many familiar names on the list. It was removed in the 1940s to recover metal for the new War effort. The plaque with the names was saved, and, in 1981, a new memorial was made with the names of the fallen of the 2nd World War included.
After spending some time at home with the family, Andrea learned that Italian Swiss Colony was selling off their vineyard in Lemoore because of Prohibition. Antonio Colussi, who was now living in Kingsburg, thought they should go in together and buy some of the property. Andrea decided to return to America to try to reestablish himself as a farmer and fruit-rancher. This time he sailed on the SS Pannonia out of Naples and entered Ellis Island on April 5, 1920. No other Zoppolani were on the ship with him, but, at the end of the year, his brother Poldi arrived on the Ferdinando Palasciano with Assunta Zilli Petris. On November 19, 1923, their brother Gianni arrived on the SS America-- the same ship Andrea had sailed on in 1913—with Guiseppe Moretto and Cesare Bortolussi. Andrea’s future brothers-in-law, Giacomo (Jack) and Giorgio (Lolli) Petris arrived with two dozen other Zoppolani in 1922 and 1923 respectively. This was the height of the Zoppolani migration to California, which would fall off over the next few years and resurge in the 1950s.
When Andrea returned, he went back to work with Tony Colussi, but many things had changed. The cousins went into partnership on a farm at the worst possible time. With the advent of Prohibition, the Kingsburg Winery was closed and demand for grapes fell off drastically. Many vineyards in the area tore out their vines and planted peach, plum, and apricot orchards. Others went to walnuts and almonds. A few, like Wente, Martini, and Beaulieu had connections with the Church and did well making sacramental wine and selling the excess to bootleggers.
The dynamic between Tony and Andrea had changed as well. Tony was still 13 years older and married with four children, but Andrea had gone to War and survived an Albanian prison camp. It is unknown the exact nature of their partnership and each may not have been viewed it the same as the other did.
Through the early 1920s, the farm struggled. Tension grew between the cousins over finances and the survival of the farm. Andrea probably felt supported by the presence of his brothers, but, in 1926, Poldi married and moved to Nichols, near Port Chicago, and went to work for General Chemical in Pittsburg, California. Johnny also moved to Contra Costa County, where he went to work as a machine operator for C&H Sugar in Crockett. Finally, when Tony accused Andrea of spending too much money on tobacco, Andrea had had enough. According to Lil, who had the story from her father Poldi, Andrea just walked away in the middle of the night one night.
On May 19, 1928, Tony died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was only 45 years old. His obituary states that his “remarkable business ability was soon recognized by the Bank of Italy, and for many years he acted in the capacity of Farm Manager for that famous corporation, having under his supervision more than three hundred thousand acres of valuable land.”
Being at loose ends, Andrea decided to go home. Either before he decided to go or when he got to Zoppola, his mother had the solution for him. He was going to marry Emilia Petris.
After spending some time at home with the family, Andrea learned that Italian Swiss Colony was selling off their vineyard in Lemoore because of Prohibition. Antonio Colussi, who was now living in Kingsburg, thought they should go in together and buy some of the property. Andrea decided to return to America to try to reestablish himself as a farmer and fruit-rancher. This time he sailed on the SS Pannonia out of Naples and entered Ellis Island on April 5, 1920. No other Zoppolani were on the ship with him, but, at the end of the year, his brother Poldi arrived on the Ferdinando Palasciano with Assunta Zilli Petris. On November 19, 1923, their brother Gianni arrived on the SS America-- the same ship Andrea had sailed on in 1913—with Guiseppe Moretto and Cesare Bortolussi. Andrea’s future brothers-in-law, Giacomo (Jack) and Giorgio (Lolli) Petris arrived with two dozen other Zoppolani in 1922 and 1923 respectively. This was the height of the Zoppolani migration to California, which would fall off over the next few years and resurge in the 1950s.
When Andrea returned, he went back to work with Tony Colussi, but many things had changed. The cousins went into partnership on a farm at the worst possible time. With the advent of Prohibition, the Kingsburg Winery was closed and demand for grapes fell off drastically. Many vineyards in the area tore out their vines and planted peach, plum, and apricot orchards. Others went to walnuts and almonds. A few, like Wente, Martini, and Beaulieu had connections with the Church and did well making sacramental wine and selling the excess to bootleggers.
The dynamic between Tony and Andrea had changed as well. Tony was still 13 years older and married with four children, but Andrea had gone to War and survived an Albanian prison camp. It is unknown the exact nature of their partnership and each may not have been viewed it the same as the other did.
Through the early 1920s, the farm struggled. Tension grew between the cousins over finances and the survival of the farm. Andrea probably felt supported by the presence of his brothers, but, in 1926, Poldi married and moved to Nichols, near Port Chicago, and went to work for General Chemical in Pittsburg, California. Johnny also moved to Contra Costa County, where he went to work as a machine operator for C&H Sugar in Crockett. Finally, when Tony accused Andrea of spending too much money on tobacco, Andrea had had enough. According to Lil, who had the story from her father Poldi, Andrea just walked away in the middle of the night one night.
On May 19, 1928, Tony died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was only 45 years old. His obituary states that his “remarkable business ability was soon recognized by the Bank of Italy, and for many years he acted in the capacity of Farm Manager for that famous corporation, having under his supervision more than three hundred thousand acres of valuable land.”
Being at loose ends, Andrea decided to go home. Either before he decided to go or when he got to Zoppola, his mother had the solution for him. He was going to marry Emilia Petris.
Emilia Petris was the seventh of nine children born to Giobatta Petris and Rosa Taiariol. She was actually the second Emilia Petris born to them. The other was their first child, who was born and died in 1892. Andrea’s Emilia was born on November 10, 1904, in Zoppola, and baptized at San Martino Vescovo Church. Later in life, she would be described as 5’3”, 160 lbs., with brown hair, brown eyes, and a ruddy complexion. She had a 6th grade education.
Emilia was not a particularly feminine person. She had a strong personality, and she smoked and drank with the men. In fact, she learned to smoke at the age of 13 hanging out with the Tedeschi soldiers. She had high expectations and was someone from whom it was hard to get approval. When her young grandson expressed interest in the priesthood, she said, “Don’t settle for being a priest. Be the POPE!”
At 22, her mother Rosa was concerned that Emilia was “over the hill” and/or had scared off any prospective suitors in town. To be certain, between the War and immigration, there were not many eligible bachelors left in Zoppola by the mid-1920s. Rosa confided her concerns with her friend Elisabetta Quattrin, who told her not to worry. When her son Andrea came home next time, he would marry Emilia. Their son John only remembered Andrea giving him one piece of fatherly advice, and that was to not marry too young. Andrea was 33 when he married Emilia, and he said he married ten years too soon.
Emilia was not a particularly feminine person. She had a strong personality, and she smoked and drank with the men. In fact, she learned to smoke at the age of 13 hanging out with the Tedeschi soldiers. She had high expectations and was someone from whom it was hard to get approval. When her young grandson expressed interest in the priesthood, she said, “Don’t settle for being a priest. Be the POPE!”
At 22, her mother Rosa was concerned that Emilia was “over the hill” and/or had scared off any prospective suitors in town. To be certain, between the War and immigration, there were not many eligible bachelors left in Zoppola by the mid-1920s. Rosa confided her concerns with her friend Elisabetta Quattrin, who told her not to worry. When her son Andrea came home next time, he would marry Emilia. Their son John only remembered Andrea giving him one piece of fatherly advice, and that was to not marry too young. Andrea was 33 when he married Emilia, and he said he married ten years too soon.
Andrea and Emilia were married on February 24, 1927, at the Church of San Martino Vescovo. Andrea built a house on one of the properties Perbacco had left to Tita. It was on the corner of Via Manzoni and Via Macello, directly across the road from the gates of the Castello di Zoppola, and was reputedly the first house in town to have indoor plumbing. His son John said Andrea had “acquired a taste for American standards.” Emilia quickly became pregnant, and their first son, Giovanni Battista (John or Battista) was born in that house. Andrea did not want to raise their family in a Fascist Italy run by Mussolini, especially with Andrea on the Ruolo 71B di Sacile, the registry of callable discharged soldiers for the Friuli military district. So, with Emilia four months along, Andrea returned to America to establish a new home in San Francisco.
Andrea arrived in New York for the third time on September 15, 1927, on the SS Guiseppe Verde, then boarded the train again for the five-day trip to the City. He was traveling with Felice Biancolin, and they would live at 858a Lombard Street with Mario and Olivia Gravano. Gravano was a janitor in North Beach. Andrea knew him from his time in Lemoore and Kingsburg. Mario most likely helped Andrea get his first job, which was burning garbage on the waterfront. His son, John—Giovanni Battista, named after both his grandfathers—was born on February 12, 1928, while Andrea was in America. They would not meet for two and a half years. Once Andrea’s employment stabilized and he earned enough money for passage, he returned to Zoppola to bring Emilia and John to San Francisco. They arrived in New York City on the SS Conte Grande on December 30, 1930. Andrea would never see Zoppola again.
The year 1931 saw them in their new home at 2349 – 19th Street, between Potrero Avenue and San Bruno Avenue. Potrero Hill had been a primarily Irish neighborhood earlier in the century, but, by the 1930s, it had become a multi-ethnic neighborhood. Italians, Slovenes, Serbians, and Russians had moved in as the next generation of the Irish moved out. There were Italian Men’s Clubs, as well as the Slovenian Hall on Mariposa and Vermont Streets and the Molkin Church on Carolina Street. There were Bombens and Zillis in the neighborhood, and more Zoppolani moved in over the years. According to the City Directories, Andrea was a janitor and a watchman, though in some years he was listed as an ironworker and foundry worker. He became a member of the Building Services Employees Union, Local 87. The 1940 US Census shows him as a watchman for a canning factory.
Emilia settled in to keeping house, something at which she excelled. She cleaned every day, and her house was spotless. She cleaned, darned, and repaired all the family’s clothes. She crocheted new socks, gloves, and sweaters. She was an excellent cook. Her grandsons remembered the family dinners of stewfato (chicken stew) over polenta, fungi (sautéed mushrooms), and musette (a rich pork sausage). She made an excellent navy-bean minestrone, gnocchi, and tripe. This last was an acquired taste. Best of all, she and Maria Bomben would get together and make trays of lasagna for everyone. They made the noodles from scratch, with spinach that gave the lasagna a distinctive green color. The noodles could be found draped over all the furniture as they dried. Homemade spaghetti sauce and three kinds of cheese went inside, and the top was covered with a white sauce made of butter, cream, and a little flour for texture. It was an all-day production that included cooking, gossip, and wine.
On September 13, 1937, Andrea finally became a naturalized American citizen. He was very proud. His neighbors Amelio and Pietro Paone served as witnesses to his character. Emilia would be naturalized on April 9, 1943. She had been classified as an enemy alien in 1942, and they decided to avoid possible problems with the government. Juliette Sbragia and Evelyn Ferronata were her witnesses.
Another change occurred in 1937 when construction began on the ten-lane James Lick Freeway. It cut right through the middle of the neighborhood, and many houses were bought at below-market prices under eminent domain. Their home at 2349 - 19th Street had been in the middle of the block, but the construction made it the last house on a dead-end, adjacent to a cliff. Nine-year-old John fell down that cliff into the construction site and broke his arm. He was lucky he did not land on his head. Of course, Emilia used to say you could not hurt a Quattrin by hitting him on the head, as they were testa dura, hard-heads.
Andrea arrived in New York for the third time on September 15, 1927, on the SS Guiseppe Verde, then boarded the train again for the five-day trip to the City. He was traveling with Felice Biancolin, and they would live at 858a Lombard Street with Mario and Olivia Gravano. Gravano was a janitor in North Beach. Andrea knew him from his time in Lemoore and Kingsburg. Mario most likely helped Andrea get his first job, which was burning garbage on the waterfront. His son, John—Giovanni Battista, named after both his grandfathers—was born on February 12, 1928, while Andrea was in America. They would not meet for two and a half years. Once Andrea’s employment stabilized and he earned enough money for passage, he returned to Zoppola to bring Emilia and John to San Francisco. They arrived in New York City on the SS Conte Grande on December 30, 1930. Andrea would never see Zoppola again.
The year 1931 saw them in their new home at 2349 – 19th Street, between Potrero Avenue and San Bruno Avenue. Potrero Hill had been a primarily Irish neighborhood earlier in the century, but, by the 1930s, it had become a multi-ethnic neighborhood. Italians, Slovenes, Serbians, and Russians had moved in as the next generation of the Irish moved out. There were Italian Men’s Clubs, as well as the Slovenian Hall on Mariposa and Vermont Streets and the Molkin Church on Carolina Street. There were Bombens and Zillis in the neighborhood, and more Zoppolani moved in over the years. According to the City Directories, Andrea was a janitor and a watchman, though in some years he was listed as an ironworker and foundry worker. He became a member of the Building Services Employees Union, Local 87. The 1940 US Census shows him as a watchman for a canning factory.
Emilia settled in to keeping house, something at which she excelled. She cleaned every day, and her house was spotless. She cleaned, darned, and repaired all the family’s clothes. She crocheted new socks, gloves, and sweaters. She was an excellent cook. Her grandsons remembered the family dinners of stewfato (chicken stew) over polenta, fungi (sautéed mushrooms), and musette (a rich pork sausage). She made an excellent navy-bean minestrone, gnocchi, and tripe. This last was an acquired taste. Best of all, she and Maria Bomben would get together and make trays of lasagna for everyone. They made the noodles from scratch, with spinach that gave the lasagna a distinctive green color. The noodles could be found draped over all the furniture as they dried. Homemade spaghetti sauce and three kinds of cheese went inside, and the top was covered with a white sauce made of butter, cream, and a little flour for texture. It was an all-day production that included cooking, gossip, and wine.
On September 13, 1937, Andrea finally became a naturalized American citizen. He was very proud. His neighbors Amelio and Pietro Paone served as witnesses to his character. Emilia would be naturalized on April 9, 1943. She had been classified as an enemy alien in 1942, and they decided to avoid possible problems with the government. Juliette Sbragia and Evelyn Ferronata were her witnesses.
Another change occurred in 1937 when construction began on the ten-lane James Lick Freeway. It cut right through the middle of the neighborhood, and many houses were bought at below-market prices under eminent domain. Their home at 2349 - 19th Street had been in the middle of the block, but the construction made it the last house on a dead-end, adjacent to a cliff. Nine-year-old John fell down that cliff into the construction site and broke his arm. He was lucky he did not land on his head. Of course, Emilia used to say you could not hurt a Quattrin by hitting him on the head, as they were testa dura, hard-heads.
By 1938, Andrea and Emilia were ready to take the next step on the path of the American Dream. They bought the house at 2415 – 18th Street. It was a pre-Earthquake, Victorian two-flat, a block north of where they had been and on the other side of the new freeway. (It was not purple back then!) Maria Zilli lived around the corner on Utah, and Maria Bomben lived across the freeway on Vermont. Up a steep flight of 20 steps, the front door opened to a hallway with maroon brocade wallpaper. To the left was the living room with a 10-foot-high, coped ceiling that had a plaster medallion around the light fixture. There was wooden wainscot, a bay window, and a fireplace. Opposite the living room was John’s bedroom. It became Emilia’s later in life. At the end of the hallway was a formal dining room with double doors that opened into the kitchen. Stairs in the corner of the dining room led to two bedrooms under the peaked roof. One bedroom was Andrea and Emilia’s, and the other was a guest room that would, later, become Danny’s room. The one bathroom was off the kitchen, and there was a porch out back with a utility sink and the ringer washing machine, as well as the table and two wooden chairs. The back porch was not just for laundry. Andrea would sit at the table after dinner (on one of the wooden chairs that his great-grandsons now have), drink his jug of wine, and smoke until time for his night job.
There was a yard out back that Andrea planned out. There was a concrete section for John to play on. Along the side was a vegetable garden with a peach tree. There was a two-room building at the back that Andrea raised up six feet to form basement/root-cellar where he kept his wine press and wooden casks for making wine. (After he died, Zio Jack cut up the press for firewood.) Later, when Rudy Querin boarded with Emilia, he turned one of the rooms upstairs into a workshop for his cabinet business.
In order to pay for the house, Andrea worked three jobs. He was a janitor for the California Building Maintenance Company on Alabama (later on Mission Street), a watchman for the Odd Fellows Club on 7th Street, and a janitor at Carmen Barrano manikin factory on Market. With John in school, Emilia also joined the work force and worked for the California Card Manufacturing Company a block away on Potrero and Mariposa. Letters and packages sent back to the family in Zoppola were considered a joy. Andrea’s niece AnnaMaria said that the “brothers in La Merica were considered to be like gods in Zoppola.”
The early 1940s brought grief and concerns for the family back home. In 1941, Emilia’s father died, followed by Andrea’s mother the next year. Italy was at war again and Andrea’s brother Angelo was in the Italian Army. Through most of the war, Friuli was not a theatre of battle as it had been in the First World War, but the economic situation was in shambles again. In mid-1944, Hitler resettled his volunteer Cossack army in Friuli in an attempt to keep Northern Italy from surrendering to the Allies as the South had done. A nine-month reign of terror ensued until the Cossacks withdrew to fight the Russians invading Germany. Tita passed away in early 1945 without seeing them withdraw.
The Post-War brought some economic relief to the family. John got a job at JC Penney while in high school and during his first semester in college. Then he joined the Army in order to get the benefits of the GI Bill. Most of his pay went to his parents. Late 1945 held a big surprise for Andrea and Emilia. After 18 years, Emilia was pregnant again and had to quit work. Their second son, Daniel Andrew, was born on April 22, 1946. Emilia was embarrassed to have a child so late in life, so she would tell people John had gotten some girl pregnant and left the child with her to raise while he was away in the Army. But she would lose her temper if anyone assumed that she was the grandmother.
One of the first things John did when he returned from the Army was buy a car. Neither Andrea nor Emilia drove. They took the bus or walked everywhere, so they rarely got to visit their siblings out in Contra Costa County. Occasionally, Jack would drive them out to visit, and John’s car made it possible to see Poldi, Johnny, and Lolli once or twice a month. Andrea’s niece Lil Riley remembered that when Andrea and her father Poldi—another quiet man—got together, they would sit at the table with cigarettes and wine glasses in hand, listening to the radio and not talking. Maria (Poldi’s wife), Zita (Lolli’s wife), and Emilia would hang out in the kitchen, cooking and gossiping.
In 1951, John got the job at Eureka Federal Savings and Loan, and Andrea was able to cut back to one job. He dropped the Odd Fellows and Carmen Barrango jobs. In 1954, John got married and had the only grandchild Andrea would live to see. David Michael (who Emilia called “da-VEE-day”) was born on November 6, 1954. Emilia was a grandmother for real, but Andrea did not get much of a chance to be a Nonno.
In 1957, Andrea started having trouble swallowing. He was diagnosed with throat cancer and spent much of the next year in and out of the hospital. Andrea died on January 6, 1958. He was 64 years old. There was a rosary at Valenti-Marini, followed the next day by a funeral mass was at St Charles Borromeo Church and Danny remembered that it was packed, because there was a large contingency from Zoppola living in the area, and Andrea was one of the first to pass away. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery (section 4, row 15, grave 9).
There was a yard out back that Andrea planned out. There was a concrete section for John to play on. Along the side was a vegetable garden with a peach tree. There was a two-room building at the back that Andrea raised up six feet to form basement/root-cellar where he kept his wine press and wooden casks for making wine. (After he died, Zio Jack cut up the press for firewood.) Later, when Rudy Querin boarded with Emilia, he turned one of the rooms upstairs into a workshop for his cabinet business.
In order to pay for the house, Andrea worked three jobs. He was a janitor for the California Building Maintenance Company on Alabama (later on Mission Street), a watchman for the Odd Fellows Club on 7th Street, and a janitor at Carmen Barrano manikin factory on Market. With John in school, Emilia also joined the work force and worked for the California Card Manufacturing Company a block away on Potrero and Mariposa. Letters and packages sent back to the family in Zoppola were considered a joy. Andrea’s niece AnnaMaria said that the “brothers in La Merica were considered to be like gods in Zoppola.”
The early 1940s brought grief and concerns for the family back home. In 1941, Emilia’s father died, followed by Andrea’s mother the next year. Italy was at war again and Andrea’s brother Angelo was in the Italian Army. Through most of the war, Friuli was not a theatre of battle as it had been in the First World War, but the economic situation was in shambles again. In mid-1944, Hitler resettled his volunteer Cossack army in Friuli in an attempt to keep Northern Italy from surrendering to the Allies as the South had done. A nine-month reign of terror ensued until the Cossacks withdrew to fight the Russians invading Germany. Tita passed away in early 1945 without seeing them withdraw.
The Post-War brought some economic relief to the family. John got a job at JC Penney while in high school and during his first semester in college. Then he joined the Army in order to get the benefits of the GI Bill. Most of his pay went to his parents. Late 1945 held a big surprise for Andrea and Emilia. After 18 years, Emilia was pregnant again and had to quit work. Their second son, Daniel Andrew, was born on April 22, 1946. Emilia was embarrassed to have a child so late in life, so she would tell people John had gotten some girl pregnant and left the child with her to raise while he was away in the Army. But she would lose her temper if anyone assumed that she was the grandmother.
One of the first things John did when he returned from the Army was buy a car. Neither Andrea nor Emilia drove. They took the bus or walked everywhere, so they rarely got to visit their siblings out in Contra Costa County. Occasionally, Jack would drive them out to visit, and John’s car made it possible to see Poldi, Johnny, and Lolli once or twice a month. Andrea’s niece Lil Riley remembered that when Andrea and her father Poldi—another quiet man—got together, they would sit at the table with cigarettes and wine glasses in hand, listening to the radio and not talking. Maria (Poldi’s wife), Zita (Lolli’s wife), and Emilia would hang out in the kitchen, cooking and gossiping.
In 1951, John got the job at Eureka Federal Savings and Loan, and Andrea was able to cut back to one job. He dropped the Odd Fellows and Carmen Barrango jobs. In 1954, John got married and had the only grandchild Andrea would live to see. David Michael (who Emilia called “da-VEE-day”) was born on November 6, 1954. Emilia was a grandmother for real, but Andrea did not get much of a chance to be a Nonno.
In 1957, Andrea started having trouble swallowing. He was diagnosed with throat cancer and spent much of the next year in and out of the hospital. Andrea died on January 6, 1958. He was 64 years old. There was a rosary at Valenti-Marini, followed the next day by a funeral mass was at St Charles Borromeo Church and Danny remembered that it was packed, because there was a large contingency from Zoppola living in the area, and Andrea was one of the first to pass away. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery (section 4, row 15, grave 9).
Emilia was back in tougher financial straits. She had the rent from the lower flat (about $75 a month) and Andrea’s Social Security survivor’s benefits. There may have been a Union insurance policy, but there were hospital bills and a young boy to raise. In his last year, Andrea had (through John) written to Pietro Lenarduzzi, the lawyer in Zoppola who had handled Tita’s estate. There a small amount of cash in the bank and some land which his brother Angelo was farming. He wanted to sell the land. He gave Angelo first right of refusal, and Angelo bought the land, but the cash from the sale was slow in coming. Emilia decided to visit Zoppola to see her beloved sister Mora and to straighten things out with Angelo. As usual, Emilia achieved her goals.
While Emilia went back to Zoppola, Danny stayed with John. He said he had a blast. John’s block had several young families with sons Danny’s age. He ran around outside with Jimmy Tannis, the Rado brothers, and others, playing tag, baseball and having pickle wars (capture the flag while throwing ice-plant at each other). IJimmy Tannis had sisters who were cute and liked to through dance parties in their family room. That did not hurt.
Back at home, life went on. Emilia’s house became the place where various Zoppolani from out of town would stay. Her grandson Dave referred to it as “Hotel Nonna.” Jean Pighin came down from Canada to go to dental school. Rudy Querin came up from Kingsburg. Tony Quattrin came from Ferne, British Columbia, and Catherine Finos came from Toronto. Being much more of an extrovert than Andrea, Emilia enjoyed all the interactions, dinners, and gatherings. And, of course, there was cooking lasagna with Maria Bomben and crustoli with Zia Assunta (Zilli Petris), who had moved to the neighborhood after her husband had died in Kingsburg. Emilia also enjoyed watching afternoon soap operas.
Throughout the 1960s, there were always funerals. Emilia and Andrea had both come from large families and the other San Francisco Zoppolani were usually cousins at some level. They were mostly of an age and seemed to die one after the other. There were also many weddings as the next generation grew up. In 1972 and 1973, John put on what was called The Friulano Ball, at the Slovenian Hall on Mariposa and Vermont. There were probably 200 people there from all over Northern California. It was a strong community that provided support to Emilia.
Emilia went to Mass every Sunday her whole life, but she was never really an active member of the congregation. She had been raised to believe that women were supposed to go to Mass to pray for their men who did not go. Early on in Zoppola, she had had a conflict with the priest over the girls in town dancing. It gave her a lasting resentment of priests.
Emilia had her grandsons stay overnight sometimes. She taught them to play Briscola and to drink wine (watered down and with sugar to get them used to it.) Her daughter-in-law was not happy about that. She herself would usually have a cup of coffee in the evening spiked with red wine. She had trouble saying Kevin’s name, and it usually came out as Ce Vin (“kay-veeng”— “What wine!”).
Emilia could be tough. As Danny put it, “She had a funny way of expressing her affection.” Her polenta stick could become an instrument of discipline, and, if she could not reach you, she was deadly accurate throwing her cork-heeled shoes. But she could be very protective. The renter in the lower flat had an aunt, Rosa, staying with them who was single and to whom Emilia took a liking. Rosa came home one night from a date and went to Emilia upset because the boy had been a little aggressive. Emilia took off down the stairs and chased him down the street to read him the riot act.
In 1977, Emilia had a stroke. The paramedics resuscitated her, but her left side was paralyzed. Since she could not take care for herself, John and Dan had to put her in a convalescent hospital in Pacifica. She was there for over a year. She finally passed away on March 12, 1978. After a rosary at Valenti-Marini and Mass at the Church of the Epiphany, she was laid to rest in Holy Cross with Andrea.
A year after Emilia’s death, their final grandchild was born. Danny named him Andrew, after his father and great-grandfather.
While Emilia went back to Zoppola, Danny stayed with John. He said he had a blast. John’s block had several young families with sons Danny’s age. He ran around outside with Jimmy Tannis, the Rado brothers, and others, playing tag, baseball and having pickle wars (capture the flag while throwing ice-plant at each other). IJimmy Tannis had sisters who were cute and liked to through dance parties in their family room. That did not hurt.
Back at home, life went on. Emilia’s house became the place where various Zoppolani from out of town would stay. Her grandson Dave referred to it as “Hotel Nonna.” Jean Pighin came down from Canada to go to dental school. Rudy Querin came up from Kingsburg. Tony Quattrin came from Ferne, British Columbia, and Catherine Finos came from Toronto. Being much more of an extrovert than Andrea, Emilia enjoyed all the interactions, dinners, and gatherings. And, of course, there was cooking lasagna with Maria Bomben and crustoli with Zia Assunta (Zilli Petris), who had moved to the neighborhood after her husband had died in Kingsburg. Emilia also enjoyed watching afternoon soap operas.
Throughout the 1960s, there were always funerals. Emilia and Andrea had both come from large families and the other San Francisco Zoppolani were usually cousins at some level. They were mostly of an age and seemed to die one after the other. There were also many weddings as the next generation grew up. In 1972 and 1973, John put on what was called The Friulano Ball, at the Slovenian Hall on Mariposa and Vermont. There were probably 200 people there from all over Northern California. It was a strong community that provided support to Emilia.
Emilia went to Mass every Sunday her whole life, but she was never really an active member of the congregation. She had been raised to believe that women were supposed to go to Mass to pray for their men who did not go. Early on in Zoppola, she had had a conflict with the priest over the girls in town dancing. It gave her a lasting resentment of priests.
Emilia had her grandsons stay overnight sometimes. She taught them to play Briscola and to drink wine (watered down and with sugar to get them used to it.) Her daughter-in-law was not happy about that. She herself would usually have a cup of coffee in the evening spiked with red wine. She had trouble saying Kevin’s name, and it usually came out as Ce Vin (“kay-veeng”— “What wine!”).
Emilia could be tough. As Danny put it, “She had a funny way of expressing her affection.” Her polenta stick could become an instrument of discipline, and, if she could not reach you, she was deadly accurate throwing her cork-heeled shoes. But she could be very protective. The renter in the lower flat had an aunt, Rosa, staying with them who was single and to whom Emilia took a liking. Rosa came home one night from a date and went to Emilia upset because the boy had been a little aggressive. Emilia took off down the stairs and chased him down the street to read him the riot act.
In 1977, Emilia had a stroke. The paramedics resuscitated her, but her left side was paralyzed. Since she could not take care for herself, John and Dan had to put her in a convalescent hospital in Pacifica. She was there for over a year. She finally passed away on March 12, 1978. After a rosary at Valenti-Marini and Mass at the Church of the Epiphany, she was laid to rest in Holy Cross with Andrea.
A year after Emilia’s death, their final grandchild was born. Danny named him Andrew, after his father and great-grandfather.
Like many immigrant stories, the first half of Andrea’s life reads like an adventure story. There was traveling great distances, going off to war, facing physical and economic hardships. It was a hero’s story. The post-adventure part of his life was a different kind of hero’s story. The day-to-day grind of providing for and raising one’s children takes a different kind of stamina and strength. Many men cannot handle either of these tests of strength. Andrea handled both.
The second half of his life was also a love story of sorts. An arranged marriage is hardly indicative of a love story, but Andrea and Emilia were married for over 30 years, and she did not look to get remarried after he was gone. Though arranged, their partnership served them well because their personalities were complementary. Where he was quiet and serious, she was social and outgoing. They were comfortable in their Old-World gender roles as breadwinner and homemaker. Their relationship provided a solid foundation for their sons, who were then able to build upon that and achieve the American Dream at the next level. This is a success story.
The second half of his life was also a love story of sorts. An arranged marriage is hardly indicative of a love story, but Andrea and Emilia were married for over 30 years, and she did not look to get remarried after he was gone. Though arranged, their partnership served them well because their personalities were complementary. Where he was quiet and serious, she was social and outgoing. They were comfortable in their Old-World gender roles as breadwinner and homemaker. Their relationship provided a solid foundation for their sons, who were then able to build upon that and achieve the American Dream at the next level. This is a success story.
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The Quattrin Brothers (1939) The Quattrin Men (1984)