Vincenza Furfaro and Family

In 1949 Annunziato and Vincenza Furfaro were living with their large family in the poor agricultural region of southern Italy, Calabria. They lived in the town of San Giorgio Margeto where they had been born and married and were now raising four children, Domeninco born in 1931, Annunziata, born in 1933, Stella born in 193(?) and Angelo born in 1938. The lack of work in San Giorgio forced Annunziato to move his family to Acquaro, a small village in the general region where he earned a meager monthly stipend mainlining the road that passed through it. In Acquaro, four more children were born. Rocco 1941, Antonio 1943, Vincenzo 1947 and Michele 1949.

Annunziato and Vincenza realized that the employment opportunities for their two girls and six boys were limited in the devasted economy of post war Italy and made the decision to emigrate to Canada. Choosing to come to Canada made the most sense given that both had family already living in the country. Annunziato had a sister living in Guelph, Ontario and a brother in Chicago, Vincenza had uncle and cousins living in Toronto and Guelph.

The cost of the trip for ten people was too prohibitive so Annunziato, with the financial help from his brother in Chicago, elected to emigrate with his eldest son Domenico. The plan was to find work and save enough money to pay for the voyage for the rest of the family members.

On Saturday September 24, 1949 Annunziato and Domenico embargoed at Naples on the Vulcania and arrived in New York on Tuesday October 4, 1949.They then proceeded to Canada Via Niagara Falls and settled in Guelph. The separation was difficult for everyone but there was little that anyone could do other then wait and hope.

On Thursday June 28,1951 the eldest daughter Annunziata boarded the Saturnia in Naples and arrived in Halifax on Sunday July 8,1951. She came to Guelph to keep house for father and brother and to work.

By the following year, the three family members living in Guelph had accumulated enough savings to cover the cost of the trip for the rest of the family. So with great anticipation on Thursday January 3, 1952, Vincenza with her daughter Stella and five boys, Angelo, Rocco, Antonio, Vincenzo and Michele boarded the Saturnia in Naples and reached Halifax eleven days later on Monday January 14,1952. After a long train ride of nearly two days they arrived in Guelph on January 16.

The family of Annunziato and Vincenza Furfaro which had been separated for over two years was finally reunited, so the members gathered for the first family meal in Canada; the feelings of joy, gratitude and celebration were unforgettable.

Annunziato and Vincenza had three more children in Canada, Immacolata (Mary) 1953, George 1957 and Annunziato Jr. (Ned) 1959, for a total of eleven children. All the children have remained in Canada and have become proud Canadian citizens. Through hard work and education they have prospered and have raised their own families.

Thank you Canada for the opportunities.

Written by Antonio Furfaro who arrived at Pier 21 Jan 14, 1952.