I interviewed my mother, Judy Susan Gallucci-Grow, to find out about my family’s roots on her side of the family. I found out that the Galluccio’s, as was their names before they came to the United States, were originally from the mountains on the Adriatic Sea side of Italy, and came to the U.S. for a better life and more money in 1910. My great-grandfather, Donato Galluccio, was the first to come, then settled on Long Island, NY, after being processed through Ellis Island. My great-grandmother, Teresa Marcovecio, was left in Italy with 2 other children, but came to the United States with 3 children. A few years later after arriving in New York, Donato sent away for Teresa with the money that he had earned and saved. He decided to change his last name from Galluccio to Gallucci because there was a man with the last name of Galluccio that participated in organized crime, and he did not want to be possibly known as that man’s relation. He continued to save money to support the family by owning a cement block company, brewing about 400 bottles of wine per year for personal use, gifts, and sometimes selling it, owning a Nanny goat for milk and cheese, and also growing their own vegetables in their garden. Teresa worked as a cook, and, as all cooks do, she never ate with the family, even on holidays. My grandfather, Edward T. Gallucci, played softball and was an unbelievable pitcher. He messed up both knees while playing semi-pro football. He was always a "wheeler and dealer," but never cheated. He also used to have huge gallon jars in which he kept his money. He earned this money by putting on shows in which his sisters and brothers would perform, and organizing boxing matches for his older brother, Nick, who was a semi-pro boxer. Edward loved to tease and would tell my mother, aunt and uncle that he used to have lots of money until he met their mother, Evelyn. When my grandfather suddenly died in 1965, Evelyn, along with many others, were extremely heartbroken. Evelyn died 8 years later in 1974. Unfortunately, very little is known about my father’s side of the family. I was born in Hopkinsville, KY, on November 1, 1983. I then moved to Houston, TX, with my family, Guy Montgomery Grow and Judy Susan Gallucci-Grow, who were married on August 21, 1982. Due to my father’s work, he was transferred to Port Neches. My mother and I followed him, and settled in Orange in May, 1993. He was then transferred back to Houston, but since both my mother and I had moved many times in the past, we decided to stay in Orange. We have been living here ever since. Even though my family has been through many "culture shocks," especially my mother, who was born and raised in New York, we still have kept our traditions and heritage strong. We do this when my mother cooks Italian food, and when we celebrate all holidays, including St. Patrick’s Day in honor of my great-great grandfather, Thomas M. Kennelly, who was originally from Ireland, with spirit and the way our ancestors did in the past. We also name our children in honor of other family members, and we raise them the same way our parents did us. My mother’s parents were Italian-Catholic and Irish-Catholic, so that makes me Italian-Irish-Catholic! We also grow the same foods in our gardens, including grapes and herbs. My heritage creates a background that uniquely distinguishes me from others, and helps me to know who my ancestors were, and what they were known for. |