1923 family letter

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Debid76
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1923 family letter

Post by Debid76 »

Hi,

I would like to have this letter translated, please. It is from 1923. I think it is to my great-grandfather or his parents from a family member in Sicily.

Thank you very much for your time.

Debby



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elba
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by elba »

Debby,
I would willingly do this, but until Thursday I'm afraid I just don't have the time.

So - if there is some other kind person who can do it for you that would be nice...if not, it's Thursday - OK?

Sorry :(
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by Debid76 »

Elba,

No hurry. I do not think anyone is axiously awaiting my reply to this letter. :wink:

Whenever you have the time, be it thursday or later, would be great.

Thank you!

Debby :)
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by elba »

Sorry this is 'late' Debby, it was ready yesterday, but I couldn't access IG at all in the evening. But here it is.

There are three words which I am not sure about. Also the almost total lack of punctuation does need a little patience to understand the precise meaning sometimes....sorry!

Page 1

Chicago. June 7th 1923
Dearest mother I reply urgently to your longed for letter to which I, together with my family are comforted to hear that you find yourself a little better and so I can assure you do I together with my family.

In the meanwhile dearest mother you will have understood the opposite (?) from the letter I sent you before this one, it was my brother Loreto……



Pages 2 & 3

….who wanted this letter sent separately from mine, you write that only I want to be written to but that is not true, and now I have received my letter I believe that he has received his means that each one will write for himself afterwards. Dearest mother you recommend that I take (give) my wife some flowers, but what can she do with flowers, while I am alive I replace them always, and yes I would like to do more but I can’t , I will let you know that because of the effects of illness I have suffered with my heart and for more than two years I have not worked and for this subject that god has given me I can not work any more with this illness today then tomorrow I don’t know this is the first time I let you know the state of health I’m in, therefore I am complaining with the xxxxxx of my apartment building about this. I cannot bear it any more and with this money I support even her so for that reason I am sending $5 xxxxx dearest mother for the one service my brother can do and to you I xxxxxxxxx the position of my house in Italy
(N.B. there seem to be some more words at the bottom of these two pages that may clarify this statement)

Page 4
….and yes you can sell my garden and to you I can give some other small help and that’s all no more.
Best wishes to brothers and families from me together with my wife and children we kiss your hands and no more will I say forever.
Your loving son
Lombardo Salvatore.

Mr. Salvatore Lombardo
453 Woak St
Chicago
Ill.
America

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Sirena
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by Sirena »

p1 The opposite (?) is correct - vice versa - meanse switched around, the opposite.
p 2-3 I think he is complaining to the workmen (superintendent ) of his building and he is giving the title to his portion of the land.

The $5 senti - may be $5 centi - $500. or he could be confusing the English word and using cents for dollars. I don't know whether he would send just $5 but in those days it would have certainly been worth more.
I think I'd go with the five dollars.
What do you think, Elba?
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by elba »

Sirena wrote:p1 The opposite (?) is correct - vice versa - meanse switched around, the opposite.
p 2-3 I think he is complaining to the workmen (superintendent ) of his building and he is giving the title to his portion of the land.

The $5 senti - may be $5 centi - $500. or he could be confusing the English word and using cents for dollars. I don't know whether he would send just $5 but in those days it would have certainly been worth more.
I think I'd go with the five dollars.
What do you think, Elba?

1. Yes, vice versa I know... it just didn't seem right (in context).

2/3. Well he was certainly complaining but he word was confusing - it looked like laremnità - he uses two words together throughout the letter, so this should maybe read la remnità(?) - but I could still not relate to the word. I thought it might be his landlord/lady.

With regard to the $5 - I think that would be an acceptable sum from a man who has not worked for two years, but the word 'scuti' may be dialect for money from the old word 'scudi' which were Italian coins used until the 19th century..
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by Sirena »

Yes, Elba, I see what you mean. He does put two words together a lot. It does look like la remnita but I can't find such a word. I did get the same sense as you did that he was talking about the owner or superintendent.....the person who collects the rent and fixes things. I think you are correct that he is referring to scudi. I thought at first that it was "senti" because I saw a few words with the s and c interchanged.
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by Debid76 »

Hi Elba and Sirena,

Thank you!

It seems as though Salvatore's portion of the land was sold to his brother pretty quickly after recieving this letter, that is if she recieved this letter since it was still in chicago 80+ years later. Curious.

http://italiangenealogy.tardio.com/Foru ... =9515.html

Thanks again!! :D I honestly appreciate your kindness!!

Deb
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by Sirena »

You're welcome. Maybe you have his draft........but that is fast June 7 - July 11th! I didn't think the mail moved that fast in those days unless he gave it to someone who was going to vist.
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by suanj »

pag 3/4 in italian:
da 2 anni che non lavoro più e per questo soggetto( causa) che mi ha dato non posso più lavorare con questa malattia, oggi ci sono domani non lo so.
Questa è la prima volta che ci farà ( che ci fa) capire in quale condizione si trova la mia salute, quindi io mi lamento con l'eremita(? la rimessa?? canone di locazione?) del mio palazzo e in questa moneta ( di questo passo, a questa condizione) sopporto pure lei e quindi ci rimetto( ci perdo) $5; senti cara madre per il buon servizio mio fratello pitrino(Pietrino=Pietro) che presta a lei ( Pietro aiuta la madre) io lo ricompenso con la porzione della casa mia in Altavilla e si ( eh sì) lei può vendere il mio giardino e a lei ci posso dare qualche altro poco di aiuto e basta non altro. Salutiamo fratelli e famiglie io unito ( unito a /Anita first name?) mia moglie ci baciamo le mani, non altro, mi dico( mi firmo) per sempre il suo affezionatissimo figlio
Salvatore etc...

maybe so someone can translate more easy...
Lei= and not tu (you)= the mother as in use in south Italy
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by elba »

suanj wrote:pag 3/4 in italian:
da 2 anni che non lavoro più e per questo soggetto( causa) che mi ha dato non posso più lavorare con questa malattia, oggi ci sono domani non lo so.
Questa è la prima volta che ci farà ( che ci fa) capire in quale condizione si trova la mia salute, quindi io mi lamento con l'eremita(? la rimessa?? canone di locazione?) del mio palazzo e in questa moneta ( di questo passo, a questa condizione) sopporto pure lei e quindi ci rimetto( ci perdo) $5; senti cara madre per il buon servizio mio fratello pitrino(Pietrino=Pietro) che presta a lei ( Pietro aiuta la madre) io lo ricompenso con la porzione della casa mia in Altavilla e si ( eh sì) lei può vendere il mio giardino e a lei ci posso dare qualche altro poco di aiuto e basta non altro. Salutiamo fratelli e famiglie io unito ( unito a /Anita first name?) mia moglie ci baciamo le mani, non altro, mi dico( mi firmo) per sempre il suo affezionatissimo figlio
Salvatore etc...

maybe so someone can translate more easy...
Lei= and not tu (you)= the mother as in use in south Italy
Thank you so much for this suanj - it clarifies those points which I did find difficult to deal with due to the manner in which some words were written.

Here below I have translated suanj's transcription for you Debby


Pages 3/4
....for more that two years that I don't work any more for this reason that he gave me I can't work with this illness, today I'm here tomorrow I don't know.
This is the first time that I (will) make you understand in what state I find my health, therefore I complain to the hermit(? the remittance; (transfer) room rent) of my apartment block and in this money (in this way, on this condition) I can support even you*** and so we hand over (we lose)
$5; listen dearest mother for the good service that my brother (Pietrino=Pietro) is giving to you(Pietro helps his mother) I will repay himwith a portion of my house in Altavilla and yes (and so that) he (you) can sell my garden and give him a little more help and no more. Best wishes to brothers and families from me together (together with/Anita first name?) with my wife and children we kiss your hands, I will say no more (I sign) for ever you affectionate son Salvatore etc

*** This is what suanj says on the use of Lei
"Lei= and not tu (you)= the mother as in use in south Italy"
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by suanj »

Thanks Elba, the writing is very hard of to read, but this is what I understood, and abt " Best wishes to brothers and families from me together (together with/Anita first name?) " now I'm sure that the word is "unito=unitamente" and not anita name... thank you, regards, suanj
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Re: 1923 family letter

Post by Debid76 »

Suanj and Elba,

Thank you. Sorry it was difficult to translate.

Debby
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