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December 1998 - May 1999
| Send comments to Rick Mollica |
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This page contains questions, comments, stories, and miscellanea which ought to be of interest to at least some of us Mollicas. I also put genealogy information here that also finds its way to the Unlinked Mollica Family Trees part of the genealogy section of this web site.
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999
From: Denise Vrana
Hi Rick--------
First I would like to say thank you for giving my family the opportunity to locate relatives. Thru your website we found Donna Mollica Mazzonna, a cousin.
My grandfather was Andrew Mollica, son of Anthony (Antonio) Mollica and Mary Kaseyak Novak Mollica.
Right now I am writing in response to a letter in the Mollica Menagerie from Elizabeth Forkins. She was wondering if the Antonio that Donna Mollica Mazzonna wrote about could be her grandfather Stephen's father. I'm pretty sure the answer is no, Antonio was born in Lipari in 1882. I do not know the names of his parents. (Stephen was born in 1893) I think there's a chance we're related but not in the way she mentions. I actually think my great grandfather Anthony (Antonio) might be a brother of her grandfather Stephen. I have no hard evidence at this time to prove it, but, a lot of her information is similar to and intermingles with my family history.
I'll try to explain, I don't have a lot of facts, just family stories. As I mentioned my great grandfather was Anthony (Antonio) Mollica. He was married twice. With his first wife, Marghertia Schillizzi, he had a son Anthony "Bob" (born Antonio Palmerio) born in 1906. Bob is Donna Mollica Mazzonna's grandfather. After Marghertia died, he married Mary Kaseyak Novak, together they had Andrew born in 1915. My grandfather.
Anyway, that much is fact, everything before that is fuzzy. What we do know is that Anthony (Antonio) had at least 2 brothers and 1 sister. We are unsure of their first names. (We are trying to search thru old papers and letters in hope of getting the names.) Back to Anthony's siblings, We know that one brother was a doctor in Detroit, and his other brother owned a newspaper in Kansas City. This brother had a son Anthony. (sound familiar Elizabeth) The son Anthony is the person my grandparents, Andrew and Mary (Tesky) use to correspond with. (the letters and cards I'm hoping to locate) The one sister that I know about, had the married name of AIELLO. She lived in the Bronx, New York and had 3 children. A son and 2 daughters, Tony, Anna and name unknown.
Another bit of family legend is that Guy Lombardo was a cousin of ours. Not exactly sure how we were related but I've been told we are. (My grandmother seems to remember Guy's brother being at the Liello's a lot.)
I know this letter doesn't answer Elizabeth Forkins questions, in fact it probably leaves her asking even more questions. But I couldn't resist writing after reading how her family history seems so similar to my family history. Who knows it could all be a big coincidence!! If I am ever able to confirm my suspicions I'll write back. Once again thank you so much for the opportunities you have given my family.
Denise Vrana
Subject: Dr. Stephen Mollica's tree
From: Elizabeth Forkins
Date: Mon, 17 May 1999
Rick, what a fabulous website! Thank you for going to the work to put this together. Your information is great - and here's some more from our family which might be of interest.
Our maternal grandfather was Stephen Mollica, born in 1893 on the Isle of Lipari. A copy of his baptismal information was obtained at the Family History Library, compiled by the Mormons, and accessible through their churches (although I got it directly from the Salt Lake City facility, which was helpful as they had translators available!). In case anyone else is interested in these documents, they were microfilmed by Mormon volunteers on June 30, 1984 and have the records for the Lipari Cattedrale 1829 thru 1895. It was so exciting to not only get a printout of the record (handwritten of course - it was July 19, 1893) but to find out who my grandfather's godparents were.
Anyway, Stephen was born to Antonino Mollica and Angela Fennick (or Fench as your emails from Thomas Francesco Casaceli noted - must be a cousin of ours), but Angela died giving birth to him. INTERESTING NOTE WAS THAT GUY LOMBARDO'S MOM WAS A FENNICK. The Lombardo's moved to London, then Windsor, Ontario, where they hosted many new arrivals from Lipari (including my paternal great grandfather Marchese). Also, the Fennick's were from Alsace-Lorraine. I wonder how she & Antonino met?
Antonino remarried, but I don't have the name of his second wife - could it be Mary Kaseyak Novak?? from Donna Mollica-Mazzonna's e-mail?
Stephen had several older siblings:
Angelo, who was sent to the US, became a tailor in Albion, Michigan. When my great-grandfather was dying, early 1900's, he sent for Angelo to come get my grandfather & one of his sisters (we never heard anything more about her - any help would be very welcome). Angelo raised Stephen, who was much younger than he was, along with his own children. Note that Angelo divorced? his Albion wife and moved to Medeira (sp?) in the Fresno area of California where he started a second family. I think Patricia (from your site's emails) must have been a part of that family, which could explain why there was not much information about the Mollica history. Looks like Lee Mollica is a cousin of ours as well!
Bartolomeo (sp?) emigrated to the Kansas City area, where he was involved with the Italian language newspaper there. He was also active in local politics. My grandfather was in touch with him, but grandpa's been gone since the mid-1950's. Note that Bart also had a family, including a son Tony, back in Lipari. When his first wife died, Bart finally was able to marry his KC love. I assume there were some children - does anyone have information about this? Could your e-mail from Vincent Mollica in KC, MO (son of Anthony) be a grandson of Bart?
John emigrated to Cicero, Illlinois, where he was a tailor. He had one son, John, who moved to Niles, IL. We live so close, but don't have any other information.
Frank emigrated to New York. All we know is that he was a police officer. I saw several branches from NY on your site, Rick. Does this information ring any bells with anyone there? Two sisters, whose names I don't know, then Stephen.
Stephen learned to speak English from a languages professor at Albion College in exchange for teaching prof. the Lipari dialect. Stephen became a doctor, practicing in Detroit. He served in WW I and after the war & before returning home was able to get back to Lipari for visit with his older sister and younger half-siblings. At that time, he received from them some jewelry of his late mother's, which is still worn by brides in our family today! Anyway, he married Sarah Fern Allmand, of Ann Arbor, MI. They had two children - my mother Mary Margaret and a still born son, Stephen. After the Depression began, he left his private practice & went to work for the VA, where he was stationed variously in Detroit, St. Louis, and Muskogee. They retired to Kansas City, where his widow, my grandmother, lived until the mid-70's when my mother brought her to the Chicago area were we live. She passed away in the 80's, and much of our knowledge of the family is from her great interest in geneology. A side note - she traced her family back to the original voyage of the Mayflower, and was an official member of the "Daughters of the Mayflower."
My mother and father were fixed up by Grandpa Stephen Mollica and my dad's Uncle, Anthony "Neen" Marchese, who attended law school with one of Stephen's nephews of the Angelo (Albion, MI) clan. Neen & Stephen became friends as both were professionals in Detroit and were both of Lipari. (fyi Neen's father Anthony Marchese, Sr. - who also emigrated from Lipari, was the first honorary consul-general of Italy in Detroit). My father is James Marchese Forkins, Sr., now a retired law professor and matrimonial lawyer living in Chicago with his second wife, Sandy Weber Forkins. James & Mary Margaret had five children:
Mary Patricia (Forkins) Callaghan. First husband was Dan Callaghan, Sr. - there are three grown children (Dan, Jr., Kerry, & Erin). Patti now lives in El Paso, TX. She notes that in New Mexico, there was a Sheriff named Mollica back in the old west...
Theresa Ann (Forkins) Janovsky. Married to Dr. Charles Janovsky & living in Michigan City, Indiana. They have three children (Sarah (Janovsky) Foster, Andrew, and Kathryn).
James Marchese Forkins, Jr. "Marc" is an attorney in the western suburbs of Chicago, where he lives in Glen Ellyn with wife Deb (Gregori) Forkins & three children: Kyna, James III, and Greg.
Stephen Mollica Forkins is a licensed clinincal social worker in San Francisco, where he lives with his wife Valerie & step-sons Dan & Matthew. Obviously, he was named for this side of the family!
Elizabeth Forkins Harano is me. I'm married to Ross Harano, and have three grown step-children (Michelle Kolak, Michael, & Mark) & several step-grandchildren.
One last note - my mom, Terrie & I tried to get to Lipari in October 1997 to see where Stephen was born & raised. We got as far as Milazzo, but the ferries couldn't run the days we were there, so we had to turn back. We are planning to go again next year (after all, Mom is 76 now), so if anyone has any information that they think would be helpful, we'd really appreciate it. Perhaps we could check on a few things while we're there? (altho my Italian is VERY sketchy, and very Northern in dialect...)
I hope this information is helpful. It was such a blast to go through the "Mollica Menagerie" & see emails from people who are clearly related to us! Thanks again for doing this for us!!
Elizabeth Forkins Harano
Director State Relations, DeVry Inc.
eharano@keller.edu
[I built a "working genealogy file" by combining info received from Molly Mollica, Lee Mollica, Thomas Casaceli and Elizabeth - what great information and observations Elizabeth provided to us all! - Rick]
Subject: I have a little info on my family
Date: Tue, 11 May 1999
From: Kristen Mollica
Rick,
This is Kristen Mollica and after talking to my grandfather from New York I found a little information of my relatives, and he is looking up some more for me.
My Great-Great Grandfather: Joseph Mollica (Italy)
My Great-Great Grandmother: Frances Mollica (Italy) They both had a son together named Steven Mollica is Syracuse, New York in 1901.
My Great-Grandfather: Steven Mollica (Syracuse, Ny) then married Josephine Mollica and had 3 children (Joseph, Stephanie and Joanne) Joseph and Stephanie reside in Liverpool, New York. Stephanie married a man with the surname "Bill" and had 2 children Steve and Robert who both reside in Syracuse, New York. Joanne resides in Pennsylvania (more information coming)
My grandfather: Joseph Mollica born 1930's in Syracuse, New York married Frances Travato in the 1952 and had two children John (1961) and Steven (1958). Both John and Steven born in Syracuse, New York. Steven Mollica married Kathi Mollica in 1981 and had 3 children (Stacie 17, Kristen 17 and Steven 12) they now reside in Seaford, Virginia.
Thank You. If you can include this in the site I would be eternally grateful.
Lots of Love,
Kristen
"Don't frown because you never know who is falling in love with your smile"
Subject: mollica
Date: Sun, 9 May 1999
From: Rachealleigh Mollica
Rick,
Hello. My name is Rachealleigh Mollica. I am from Sloatsburg, NY. I am the daughter of the Gary Mollica of Ramsey, NJ, niece of Philip and Sandy Mollica also of Ramsey and granddaughter of Philip Mollica. If you give me a few days I can get you all the information on my families history and other members. My email is dharma26@hotmail.com. Looking foward to hearing from you.
rachealleigh
Subject: HI, its Donna from NJ
Date: Wed, 5 May 1999
From: Donna Mollica-Mazzonna
Hi Rick, its Donna Mollica- Mazzonna from the New Jersey end of this family! First and the most important thing is I have to say THANK-YOU, because of you and your web page of our family name and allowing me to put together a page of my own with the information that I had, I have found my 2nd cousins, well actually they found me through the web page. My grandfather Antonios' brother Andrew's children have found me and we have been corresponding and finding out alot of information that I didn't have. My Aunt Mary is 83 and still alive. Is there a way that I could add to the web page to update it with the current information that i have received?
I found out that its not 'Isle of Libra" that my great-grandfather came from but the "Isle of Lipari". Antonio Mollica's 2nd wife was Mary Kaseyak Novak and it was from that marriage that they produced Andrew. Andrew was my grandfather Antonio Palmerio half brother. Andrew was born in 1915. My great-grandfather's second wife Mary was from Hungary. He (my great-grandfather) died in 1931 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, in the Deville/Novak family plot.
Andrew Mollica married Mary Tesky in 1935 they had 5 children:
Andrew ("Bobby") now lives in Orlando, FL
Maryanne (O'Connor Le Guilou) aka "Cookie" now lives in Mohegan Lake, NY
Peter now lives in Irving, TX
Anthony now lives in Boca Raton, FL
Linda (Wagner) now lives in Bellerose, NY
Andrew Mollica died in 1985 and his wife Mary is still living at the ripe old age of 83. I have been talking to Linda and Aunt Mary and Cookies's 2 daughters Denise and Christine too It has been so exciting and I'm awestruck that I finally have cousins I can't begin to thank-you again. So far I know only 2 of Cookies's children and they are Denise and Christine like I said before.
I know that:
Christine(Mollica) Hayward is 35 and has 3 children Jennifer 15, Debra 14, and Thomas 12.
Linda (Mollica) Wagner is 43 and has 3 children Scott, 16 , Jessica 12, and Kelly, 10
Andrew (as I know right now ) has a son Frank and Anthony (as I know right now) has 2 sons- Ryan and Derek
I will try to get husbands and wives names and other childrens names if there are any to add to our page.
Again thank-you soooooooo much. Hi to your son Joey and I hope everyone there has a Happy Mothers day (Women Only LOL).
Yours truly, Donna
Subject: another Mollica
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1999
From: "Robynoro.com"
Hi family, i am Gian Battista Mollica i am born (03.08.1977) in Zurich-Switzerland to Antonio + Giovanna (Pagliarulo). Now i live in Italy. My dad, Antonio Mollica, comes from Maschito (Potenza) and my mother's Pagliarulo family comes from Vallata (Avellino, near Napoli). I wrote casually my family name [in a search engine] and i have found your website...great!- i was very happy when i saw your photos. Now i live in Maschito-italy and i translate in german the Astrological World of Robynoro, when you read italian or german visit us... www.Robynoro.net + italian www.Robynoro.com + german in the german sites it haves also a little bit of english scripts...i hope the astrology is interesting to you. I make music and lyrics...that's my life. i am a rapper...but i love also other music, i must visit the website of Noe Mollica. i am happy when you can tell me where you come from in Italy - and it is no problem to visit me, i am very happy when i can meet my Family.
The story of my family and Maschito is very interesting. The people from Maschito (and the familia) are descendants from the Albanian Kinghouse, before the war of Ottoman Empire ca.550 years ago. These Albanian people came as refugees to Southern Italy and gave their powers to the King in the battles against the Borbones.
For this, the Albanians received Maschito (Maschito = Maschio= Man) from the city of Venosa (Venusia = Venus = Woman), and a lot of respect from the King...the King nominated these valorous families to cavalliers (= Sir) and free for taxes FOREVER in the generations...but, when the Politic is born and the Kingdom is died, this privilege is be annuled. The peoples of Maschito raged against the politicians... Maschito was the first and only independent, anarchistic republic of Italy at the end of World War 2. This little town have make Revolution against the Fascist- and Nazi-system. I hope this information is interesting for you... peace +l ove to the family. Sorry 4 my bad English, but i hope U understand me.
Subject: a new mollica for you
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999
From: Lisa Mollica
I was using the internet for a school project when I came across your website. I was very surprised considering I never thought I'd ever know of anybody who had my name. I'm Lisa Mollica, my father is Bruno Mollica my grandfather is Frank Mollica and my great grandfather is Bruno Mollica. My branch of the Mollica family is originally from Bovalino Italy (around Reggio) but now we live in Toronto Ontario. If you'd like to add our branch to your website please contact myself or my father. I'm sure my whole family would love some info on our ancestors.
Subject: Capodimonte Porcelain
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999
From: Frank Nowaks
Rick, I came across this during
a search for porcelain art. It is called Capodimonte and is produce in Naples
by a firm called Capodimonte Fullin Mollica. Very delicate and a valued form of Italian artistic pottery.
I was wondering if any of the family has background on this form of art?
I hope you and your branch of the family is fine.
Regards,
Frank Nowak (McKees Rocks Branch)
William Austin Barnes in Australia has several Mollicas among his descendants. You can see the Mollica section of a very nice genealogy page here.
Subject: Ciao Rick
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999
From: Emanuele Mollica
Hello Rick, My name is Emanuele Mollica. I was surfing the net the other day and I came along your site, the one of the 'Mollica Geneology'. I was very surprised but very interested, I've always been curious of my roots. I was born in Montreal (Canada) but my dad, Michele Mollica was born in Italy. To be more precise, Ripi from Lazio. I just wanted to know if you had any information on the Mollica's from Lazio. If so please send me some. I would very much appreciate it. Thanks.
Subject: Mollica's in PA
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999
From: Nina Mollica
Dear Rick,
I've enjoyed visiting your website. I am wondering if our branch of Mollica's here in Reading, PA is connected to any of the Mollica's you know. My mother and father were third cousins so I am a Mollica on both sides. My father Joseph was born in 1906 - he died 17 years ago. My mother Josephine was born in 1908 and will be celebrating her 91st birthday at the end of this month (2/28/99). They were both from the province of Messina, Sicily.
I am an only child so I would love learning if I have some "cousins" out there to connect with. Thanks for making so much information available in such an interesting way!
Antonina Mollica (I go by Nina) stratseek@aol.com
Subject: News
Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999
From: Giuseppe & Jeannette
Hi Rick! Back from a long business trip in the US I have read only now the news you launched on 25th Jan reading : " Did you know that there is a drug cartel run by a Mollica family in Milan, Italy? "
I want to reassure all of you that I'm not involved: my job is in the crude oil biz, which could be considered as polluting at some extent, but not that much!
Regards. Giuseppe (Joe) Mollica - Milan
[Glad to hear the reassurance, Joe. And for newcomers to this website who haven't "met" Joe and his family, click here. Rick]
Here's an interesting history of the Church of the Madonna of Carmine in Cosenza, Italy. In the year 1567, Bernadino Mollica granted land to Pope Pius V for the church and monastery. Italian and English versions.
Laura Marie Youker, whose grandmother was Natalie Mollica, called me in November 1998 asking if I could find out more about her ancestry on the Mollica side. She provided quite a bit of information - take a look - can you help Laura find out more?
Have you every heard of The Saint Joseph's Table? Please read this article to learn about a great Italian tradition and to find an interesting perspective on "Mollica."
Subj: Hi!
From: Lauren Mollica
Date: Dec 2, 1998
hey, i'm a mollica. my name's lauren. if you want you should check out my page at www.carlislesports.com i'm a snowboarder.
[I offered to build a web page for Lauren on my site, and she responded...]
... the web site thing sounds kinda cool. i'll try to put together some stuff for you, i can scan you over my portfolio of my pictures from magazines and interviews and stuff as soon as the scanner at school is fixed. i go to school in maine, it's a boarding school for skiers and snowboarders who travel all the time and it's cool because during the winter when we're bouncing around to all the contests we can just bring our work with us and stuff. it's a really neat place, we go to three classes a day and we train the rest of the day. we live at the bottom of a mountain. i love it. it's my last year here, i'm a senior. i wish they made colleges like this. no colleges have a snowboard program. hopefully soon, the sport is progressing really quickly. i think from the olympics people are recognizing that it is actually a serious sport. i don't know. i gotta go do my homework, but it's nice to hear from you. where are you from anyway? i never knew there were so many Mollicas. i was checkin out that web site, i thought all the Mollicas were in Jersey. talk to you soon, lauren
Subject: Season Greetings
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998
From: Giuseppe&Jeannette
Dear Rick,
My family and I wish to all the Mollicas wherever in the World a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Giuseppe (Joe) Mollica - Milan (Italy)
[Thank you Joe! Same to you and yours. Rick]
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