On this day Great-grandfather Giovanni Battista born in Arnara, Frosinone, Italy.
He emigrated to Williamsport, PA in 1914 and found work as a fireman at the Keystone Glue Factory, a subsidiary of the United States Leather Company ... um, you do the math. Back then glue was manufactured just the way we remember from watching Saturday morning cartoons: with animal hides.
It sounds like a horrible job but like most immigrants he was probably grateful to have it.
FYI
Hunky: The Immigrant Experience
This book isn't about Italians, but I'm from Pittsburgh and I know Hunky.
What? You don't know what a Hunky is?
Merchants, Midwives, and Laboring Women: ITALIAN MIGRANTS IN URBAN AMERICA (Statue of Liberty Ellis Island)
Again, going off topic a bit, but not too much. My grandfather told me many people from Arnara migrated to the company town of Endicott, NY to work in the shoe factory. Turns out the factory was staffed with mostly women immigrants.
