Learn about and take inspiration from fascinating research projects from San Cassiano and Bagni di Lucca through real stories taking place locally or internationally.
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Following the footsteps of a San Cassiano emigrant: Montreal, Canada (Part 2)
War Troubles In June 1940, Arcangelo’s life took an unexpected turn. At the time, Montreal’s thriving Italian community centred around Casa d’Italia in what is now known as Petite Italie (Little Italy). In the mid-to-late 1930s, Casa d’Italia had become a political hub for right-wing Italian activists, hosting fundraisers, speeches, and social events[1]. Arcangelo and Adele were regular attendees, even participating…
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Following the footsteps of a San Cassiano emigrant: Montreal, Canada (Part 1)
The Origins The story of Bernardi & Nieri began as a one-man venture by Lorenzo Nieri (known as “Laurent” in French-speaking Montreal). The first record of the one-man business appears in Lovell’s Montreal Business Directory in 1925–26 [1]. Lorenzo had emigrated from San Cassiano to Montreal in 1906 [2], likely working for other Italian-led figure-making businesses in the city while laying…
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Solving a San Cassiano family mystery with DNA: Part 2
I’m Getting Overwhelmed—But Then, a Breakthrough! Two years into the project and I felt overwhelmed. I had clear genetic evidence linking Ghilardo Illidi to the Buonamici line, likely a descendant of Leopoldo and Maria Anna Buonamici, who had settled in San Cassiano in the 1860s. Yet, I lacked definitive proof. Given the complex web of…
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Solving a San Cassiano family mystery with DNA: Part 1
Since I was little, I’ve often been asked about the origin of my Illidi surname. Whenever I asked my dad, he would respond with the same line: “It’s a made-up name because my bisnonno [great grandfather] was adopted.” As a child, I accepted this as the full story: I had an ancestor with unknown parents…