Benita (McGinnis) McCormick – Page 8 – Many Branches, One Tree

Sentimental Sunday: If You Try Hard Enough, You Can Do Anything

Joan Joyce (Schiavon) Huesca 1928 – 1987 In her own words (Part Five) On June 24, 1987, a couple of months before she died of lung cancer, my mother, Joan Joyce (Schiavon) Huesca began writing the story of her life. Earlier, she described her earliest memories of life with her parents until the … Continue reading

Remembering Mary Jane and Elizabeth Gaffney

Joan Joyce (Schiavon) Huesca 1928 – 1987 In her own words (Part Two) On June 24, 1987, a couple of months before she died of lung cancer, my mother, Joan Joyce (Schiavon) Huesca began writing the story of her life. In this excerpt from her book, Joan Joyce Schiavon Huesca: … Continue reading

Born Going Up in the World

Joan Joyce (Schiavon) Huesca (1928 – 1987) 1928 was a year of prosperity, hope, and bravado. It was the middle of the Prohibition era, and Calvin Coolidge was president of the United States. The U.S., along with 14 other countries, signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, also known as the Pact of Paris, a treaty that condemned … Continue reading

Amanuensis Monday: A Grand Aunt

[Note: Amanuensis is an ancient word meaning one who performs the function of writing down or transcribing the words of another. Derived from the Latin root manu- manual, or hand, the word also has been used as a synonym for secretary or scribe.] Benita Elizabeth McGinnis (1889 – 1984) From my Grand Aunt Benita … Continue reading

Talented Tuesday: The Great Gene Sheebo

Francis Eugene McGinnis (1891 – 1961) Because both Irish immigrants and Irish-American were, in general, looked on with disdain during the late 19th century and even into the early 20th century, many are said to have taken to appearing in vaudeville as a way of gaining recognition and respect. It is said that by appearing … Continue reading

Thankful Thursday: The Wonders of Modern Medicine

Francis Eugene McGinnis (1891 – 1961) It was one of those trying weeks some years ago, the kind most families experience, when our three children, at the time preschoolers, came down with colds that developed into ear infections and strep throat. Between calling the doctor and flipping through parenting books to check symptoms, my … Continue reading

Ralph Schiavon – Part Two: Young Immigrant in a New World

Ralph Schiavon Young Immigrant in a New World Ralph Schiavon, Boston, about 1910 (Second in a four-part series) Like most newly-arrived ethnic groups during the turn of the century, Italian immigrants dreamed of becoming successful in America. This meant owning their own home. To the former peasants who for decades had endured … Continue reading