This section is dedicated to the real people behind the story.

  • Francesco Ruggiero (b. 1859, San Salvatore Telesino Italy)
  • Maria Pacelli (b. 1859, San Salvatore Telesino Italy)
  • Nicolantonio Massa (b. 1892, Sant’Elia a Pianisi Italy)
  • Teresa Carideo (b. 1901, Italy)

With Italian civil and church records, family tree reconstructions, and immigration documents, I’ve traced their journeys from Italy to the United States—and imagined what might have happened if they had stayed.

👉 View historical maps, documents, and translated certificates
👉 Compare real and imagined timelines
👉 Learn about life in Campania and Molise in the 19th century