Joan (Schiavon) Huesca – Page 5 – Many Branches, One Tree

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: “This is the Wish of their Mother”

[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- , meaning manual or hand, the word also has been used as a synonym for secretary or scribe.] Inside cover of my mother’s baby book, as inscribed by her mother, Alice (McGinnis) Schiavon ca. July … Continue reading

Sentimental Sunday: Not Just Another Name on a Family Tree

My Mother, Joan Joyce Schiavon (1928 – 1987) Far from being “just another name on the family tree,” my mother was the reason for my passion for our family history and traditions. She came from a long line of storytellers and entertained us with her tales of not only her own family but my … Continue reading

My Wonderful Mother

Joan Joyce Schiavon (1928 – 1987) My mother, Joan Joyce Schiavon Age 26 Chicago, 1954 “So when are you going to write about my Grandmother?” A few evenings ago, my son, Michael, asked the question I have avoided for far too long. I told him I was trying to work toward … 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

Ralph Schiavon – Part Three: Halcyon Days

Ralph Schiavon Halcyon Days (Third of a four-part series about my maternal great-grandfather) A self-made man, my grandfather, Ralph Schiavon, was not afraid of anyone. Not even “Scarface” Al Capone. In the late 1920s, Ralph was working as a supervisor for the Internal Revenue Service and lived on the South Side of Chicago with his … Continue reading