The Family Tree.
The photos below are of my great-grandparents and some of their children.

The paternal grandparents of my father, Johnny.
"The Brai Family of Palermo (PA) Sicily (circa 1890)."

The Brai Family of Palermo.

Margherita, Margherita, Melchiorra and Paolo were taken by the Angels before they had a chance to experience what life was all about. The first Margherita had died in 1875 (an infant) and the second Margherita died in 1884 (age 6). It is an Italian custom to name their children after the grandparents. Since the first Margherita was named after a grandmother (Margherita Taormina) and died in infancy, custom required that the next girl born would be named Margherita. When the second Margherita died (age 6), they did not use the name Margherita again.

Giuseppe died around 1957 (age about 81). Emmanule died in 1939 (age 62), Melchiorra died in 1881 (age 1), Paolo died in 1884 (age 1), Giovannina died in 1970 (age 78).  I can't explain why some of the children aren't in the picture. I know that Giovannina wasn't born yet.  Giuseppe and Emanule were teenagers, that could explain their absence (teenagers!).  All children except four had died before I was born in 1950. I only had the chance to meet Salvatore, my grandfather's older brother. If I had arrived a little sooner to Palermo, I could have met Giovannina and Giuseppe.

The child sitting in the lap of my great-grandmother is my grandfather Francesco Brai. My grandfather was born in 1889 in Palermo, Sicily and he died in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1943, 93 years after his father had been born. I remember when I was seven years old, we would go to the home of Aunt Bessie and Uncle Sam (Salvatore) in New Orleans. I didn't understand who Uncle Sam was at the that time. Many years later I understood that Sam was the older brother of my grandfather. That was the good old days of 1957.

Note: Granduncle Sam has one living daughter, Anna Mary Brai-Plucienski and 2 grandsons, John and Robert and 1 great-grandson. My grandfather Francesco has 2 living children, Uncle Joe and Aunt Sarah and lots of grand and great and great-great-grandchildren, all living in New Orleans area.

The maternal grandparents of my father, Johnny Brai.
"The Falco Family of Highbank, Texas (circa 1920)."
The Falco Family of Highbank, Texas.
Standing
Tony Falco
Jack Falco
Louis Falco
Sitting
Antonino Lupo Falco
Jasper Falco
Maria Corpora-Falco
My great-grandfather and my step-great-grandmother and their children.
Antonino was 53 years old when Jasper was born - Mama Mia!


The paternal grandparents of my mother, Rosalie.
   "The Saverino Family of Altavilla Milicia, Sicily (circa 1875)."
The Savarino Family of Altavilla Milicia, Sicily.
 Picture from a painting.

Angela Macchiarella-Savarino (circa 1930-34)
Antonino Savarino and Angela Macchiarella-Savarino.
My great-grandparents Antonino and Angela arrived in New Orleans sometime around the late 1890s. They had 5 children; 4 children traveled with them while the oldest, Maria stayed behind in Altavilla Milicia, Sicily. Maria was married to Francesco Abbate.  Antonino died sometime around the early 1900s in New Orleans from an accident.  Angela lived with her daughter Giuseppina and Giuseppina's husband Antonino Sachitano until her death on October 26, 1934 in New Orleans.

For the picture of:
The maternal grandparents of my mother, Rosalie Savarino-Brai.
I have been searching for a photo of my mother's maternal grandparents, Maria Rosa Maggiore and Gaetano "Tom" Favaloro of Westwego, Louisiana. They arrived in New Orleans after the American Civil War in 1867. They had 2 children with them and another 9 were born in New Orleans. Tom, like most Italian immigrants, was a farmer. Great-grandpa passed away on August 8, 1910 at age 72. Maria lived the remainder of her life in Westwego, Louisiana until her death on July 13, 1925.


This place reserved for
Antonino Favaloro (1729-1820), Ustica
Husband of Maria Bertucci (1737-1820)
My 5th great-grandparents.

Antonino Favaloro (1809-1864) Ustica
Son of Giuseppe and Rosalia Russo
Grandson of Antonino and Maria Bertucci
Husband of Rosa Di Bartolo (1816-1864)
Father of 7 children and of
Ercole Favaloro (1853-1933) Ustica-New Orleans
My first cousin, 5 times removed.
The children of Maria Rosa Maggiore and Gaetano "Tom" Favaloro.
Thomas Favalora
Rosalia Favalora-Sparcino and Mary Favalora-Macagnoni
Catherine Favalora/Savarino
Thomas Favalora
 Rosalia Favalora-Sparacino &
Maria Favalora-Macagnoni
Catherine Favaloro-Savarino
Born May 1863 in Ustica, Sicily
 Born Sept. 12, 1879
December 16, 1874
Born May 21, 1889
Husband  of:
Maria Palmisano
Annie Fallo
Francica J. Verducci		 Wife of Vito Sparacino
Wife of Antonino Macagnoni
Wife of Francesco Savarino
My grandmother Katie
Died November  11, 1950
in New Orleans
 Died Dec. 28, 1943 in New Orleans
Died  June 22, 1950 in New Orleans
Died February 01, 1952
in New Orleans.
 
Left: Felix Favalora   Right: Salvadore "Sam" Favaloro

Center: Angelina Favaloro

 Felix, Sam and Angelina Favalora  
Name
 Birth
Death
Spouse
Felix Favalora Born March 25,1892 Died November 1973 Katherine Palmisano
Sam Favalora Born January 1885 Died August 26,1961 Not married
Angelina Favalora Born March 1882 Died before 1961 Not married
- No photograph available for -
Name
Birth
Death
Spouse
John Favalora Born about 1866 Died January 1930 Rosalia Manfre
Joseph Favalora Born March 1869 Died unknown Never married
Carolina Favalora Born 1871 Died about 1923 1.) Anthony Bernardo
2.) Michele Lofaso
Anthony Favalora Born 1878 Died March 27, 1920 Josephina Pittari

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This page last updated on Oct 22, 2005