DePAMPHILIS FAMILY HISTORY
This is the history of the family of Luigi Alberto and Giovanna Rachele DePamphilis. Luigi was born on July 15, 1899, in a small paese called Bugnara near the town of Sulmona in the Abruzzo region. He was the son of Giovanni DePamphilis and Lucia Purracchio. He had eight brothers and sisters: Fiore, Gaetano, Antonio, Graziella, Rosina, Natalina, Raffaella, and Francesca. Luigi spent some of his youth working with his father as a painter doing frescos in churches and homes. He also worked for the Italian Railroad. At the age of seventeen he was called to fight in World War I. He did most of his service in Austria and Northern Italy. While in Northern Italy, he met a young girl named Giovanna Rachele Turri Zannoni (known as Rachele) from a small paese called Livemmo in the Pertica Alta region. They became sweethearts.
Luigi finished his military duty and left Italy for America in 1919. He arrived at Ellis Island in New York and left by train for Watertown, Massachusetts, to stay with an aunt who lived there named Pippenella Pasquali. Zia Pippenella's husband, Alberto Pasquali, arranged for a job for Luigi at the Hood Rubber Company. Once he was established, he wrote a letter to Rachele's father asking for her hand in marriage. Rachele's father gave his blessing on one condition -- that Luigi was to marry his daughter within twenty-four hours of her arrival in the United States. They married in New York City and returned to Massachusetts and rented a small apartment. After several months at the Hood Rubber Company, Luigi decided that he wanted to own his own business and started a painting company. L. DePamphilis Interior/Exterior Painting Company was very successful for over fifty years.
On October 15, 1924, the first of five children was born, a boy they named John Battista. On November 29, 1926, a second son was born and was named Riccardo Lucient. On July 26, 1930, a third son was born, and his name was Louis Albert. Finally, on May 7, 1932, a fourth son was born, and he was named Albert Ralph. Then, thirteen years later on July 26, 1945, Luigi and Rachele were blessed with a beautiful girl they named Lucia Anna Maria.
Luigi lived a long and happy life with his family. He died on April 19, 1985. Rachele followed several years later on March 13, 1988.
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