Monday, July 20, 2009
Augustino and Dorina Lucca--where the Lucca family started
The Lucca family was first started with the union of Antonio and Dorinna Lucca. Great Grandma Dorina grew up in the northern region in Italy in a town named Rotzo. Rotzo is located in the Veneto region and is approximately 63 kilometers from Vicenza. In talking with my mother, she lived a hard life as a sheep herder.
Antonio Lucca, however grew up in the town of San Pietro Mussolinio which is a town also located in the Veneto region and is in the province of Vicenza.
When they were able to immigrate to America, only Antonio went at first to try to make a living in America and to live the American Dream. He worked hard and would send money to Dorina to save for her travels to America which took longer than expected because her brother Josh Pretto kept stealing the money.
Once in America, they started a life together in International Falls, Minnesota which was referred to by the Lucca Boys (Geno, Livio, and Tranquillo) as slabtown. They eventually opened up their own store called Lucca's Grocery and added on to the building where they would have their home. They sold any type of grocery item, jewelry, knitted items, penny candy, Italian sausage, and even home brewed wine and beer (even during the prohibition). They had four sons. Geno Lucca, Livio Lucca, Augustino Lucca, and Tranquillo Lucca.
Geno Lucca attended the seminary, however, but when he met my Grandmother Jennett Barnes, the priesthood would be exchanged for marriage and 15 children. He worked in the Boise Paper Mill, bought a house near Lucca's Grocery, and Grandma Jennett stayed home and raised the kids. Geno was stationed in Texas for a while when he enlisted in the army and had active duty status during WWII. Later when Antonio Lucca passed away, he would run Lucca's Grocery as well making sure that Great Grandmother Dorina was taken care of. All of Geno's children can tell you stories of either working in the store, stealing beer from the store, as well as staying over at Great Grandmother Dorina's each night. It was said that Great Grandma Lucca never spent a night alone and all of her grandkids took turns sleeping over night. One memory that I have of my Great Grandmother was that she loved to watch her soap operas, drink coca-cola in the glass bottles, and knit. In fact, every Christmas all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren would receive knitted mittens and all of her grandsons received wool knitted socks. Some memories that my mother Julie Lucca Earnest has of Grandma Lucca is how when she would get mad, she would shout in Italian, pinch their cheeks so hard that it actually hurt, and that if they stayed the night, they could go into the store and choose one treat of anything in the store.
Augustino Lucca was the second child of Antonio and Dorina Lucca and he gave up his marriage vows to be married to the church. When he became a priest, it was one of Great Grandmother's proudest moments considering she wanted all of her sons to be married to the church. He eventually lived in Texas and Dorina Lucca would spend time with him in the winter. I personally remember that when he was in town, we would have huge family Masses in Great Grandmother's back yard and a great Italian meal afterward.
Livio Lucca was the third child of Antonio and Dorina Lucca, and he too exchanged the priesthood for marriage and had 10 children. He entered the Marine Corps, but had to be fattened up before they would take him. Rumor has it that he ate bananas to fatten himself up. He received a bronze medal and a purple heart for his courage in WWII. He later took control of Lucca's Grocery and made sure that Great Grandmother Lucca had a house to live in. When he no longer ran the store, he passed it on to his son Tom who was still running the store until recently. Some of my memories of Livio was when he would come over and he and Geno would talk about the war, politics, and religion. The way they spoke was quite eloquent and passionate about their shared memories.
Tranquillo was the baby of the family, and although he wasn't married to the church, he had the fewest kids of the Lucca family. Tranquillo ended up having six. He was enlisted in the Navy and sometimes Livio and Tranquillo were stationed in Honolulu where they were able to spend time together. Livio has spoken of one time when Tranquillo was in the water and Livio was on the land during WWII and Tranquillo was shooting over their heads at the enemy. The joke is that Livio could have been killed by his brother in what they have coined as "friendly fire." Trank was also quite an entrepeneur through the years. When he was a young man he invested money in land, and sold some of that land to investors that would later build the Rainy River Community College.
The following blog entries parallels the lives of Antonio and Dorina, their children, and six generations. After reading and learning about my ancestry, I can honestly say that I am even prouder now to be Italian and a Lucca than I was even before. I hope you all enjoy this small, but priceless collection of our ancestry and history.
Antonio Lucca, however grew up in the town of San Pietro Mussolinio which is a town also located in the Veneto region and is in the province of Vicenza.
When they were able to immigrate to America, only Antonio went at first to try to make a living in America and to live the American Dream. He worked hard and would send money to Dorina to save for her travels to America which took longer than expected because her brother Josh Pretto kept stealing the money.
Once in America, they started a life together in International Falls, Minnesota which was referred to by the Lucca Boys (Geno, Livio, and Tranquillo) as slabtown. They eventually opened up their own store called Lucca's Grocery and added on to the building where they would have their home. They sold any type of grocery item, jewelry, knitted items, penny candy, Italian sausage, and even home brewed wine and beer (even during the prohibition). They had four sons. Geno Lucca, Livio Lucca, Augustino Lucca, and Tranquillo Lucca.
Geno Lucca attended the seminary, however, but when he met my Grandmother Jennett Barnes, the priesthood would be exchanged for marriage and 15 children. He worked in the Boise Paper Mill, bought a house near Lucca's Grocery, and Grandma Jennett stayed home and raised the kids. Geno was stationed in Texas for a while when he enlisted in the army and had active duty status during WWII. Later when Antonio Lucca passed away, he would run Lucca's Grocery as well making sure that Great Grandmother Dorina was taken care of. All of Geno's children can tell you stories of either working in the store, stealing beer from the store, as well as staying over at Great Grandmother Dorina's each night. It was said that Great Grandma Lucca never spent a night alone and all of her grandkids took turns sleeping over night. One memory that I have of my Great Grandmother was that she loved to watch her soap operas, drink coca-cola in the glass bottles, and knit. In fact, every Christmas all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren would receive knitted mittens and all of her grandsons received wool knitted socks. Some memories that my mother Julie Lucca Earnest has of Grandma Lucca is how when she would get mad, she would shout in Italian, pinch their cheeks so hard that it actually hurt, and that if they stayed the night, they could go into the store and choose one treat of anything in the store.
Augustino Lucca was the second child of Antonio and Dorina Lucca and he gave up his marriage vows to be married to the church. When he became a priest, it was one of Great Grandmother's proudest moments considering she wanted all of her sons to be married to the church. He eventually lived in Texas and Dorina Lucca would spend time with him in the winter. I personally remember that when he was in town, we would have huge family Masses in Great Grandmother's back yard and a great Italian meal afterward.
Livio Lucca was the third child of Antonio and Dorina Lucca, and he too exchanged the priesthood for marriage and had 10 children. He entered the Marine Corps, but had to be fattened up before they would take him. Rumor has it that he ate bananas to fatten himself up. He received a bronze medal and a purple heart for his courage in WWII. He later took control of Lucca's Grocery and made sure that Great Grandmother Lucca had a house to live in. When he no longer ran the store, he passed it on to his son Tom who was still running the store until recently. Some of my memories of Livio was when he would come over and he and Geno would talk about the war, politics, and religion. The way they spoke was quite eloquent and passionate about their shared memories.
Tranquillo was the baby of the family, and although he wasn't married to the church, he had the fewest kids of the Lucca family. Tranquillo ended up having six. He was enlisted in the Navy and sometimes Livio and Tranquillo were stationed in Honolulu where they were able to spend time together. Livio has spoken of one time when Tranquillo was in the water and Livio was on the land during WWII and Tranquillo was shooting over their heads at the enemy. The joke is that Livio could have been killed by his brother in what they have coined as "friendly fire." Trank was also quite an entrepeneur through the years. When he was a young man he invested money in land, and sold some of that land to investors that would later build the Rainy River Community College.
The following blog entries parallels the lives of Antonio and Dorina, their children, and six generations. After reading and learning about my ancestry, I can honestly say that I am even prouder now to be Italian and a Lucca than I was even before. I hope you all enjoy this small, but priceless collection of our ancestry and history.
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