I posted some information about my Italian side of my family on my blog. Let’s talk about my English side. I am lucky to have found some old census records on Ancestory.com. I was able to find a great deal of family members. Here are some and their pictures that my family has kept all these years.
How does this connect with me? My mom is part English and part Italian. I feel a little more Italian than anything since I look like her, she looks like Grandpa Leo, and he is full Italian. I do have thin straight English hair and get cavities easy with what I call my English teeth. LOL Dang English side. My Grandma Alice whose real name is Florence Alice Cross Lucchesi was English.
This is going to be a long blog entry. I have worked hard to collect pictures and info from my family members. Here is some of what I have. I hope you enjoy not only getting to know me and my family, but to spend a little time learning some history.
Florence Eliza King Cross as a child.
(My Great grandmother, born in 1892)
Alice Amy Winterbottom Cross
(My Great Great Grandmother on my mom's, mother's dad's side. Ummm I may have lost you on that one. She was born in 1851.)
Here is William Cross, wife Florence Eliza King Cross, and baby Phyllis Rosena Cross.
Here is some info on Phyllis:
Not much is know of Phyllis. She died in a house fire as a young girl (4 years, 6 months) in Cape Breton, Sidney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was told that she saved Florence Alice Cross Lucchesi, her baby sister by taking her out of the house, and ran back into the house to try to put out the fire.
William and Florence lived in Canada, but went back to England to have Phyllis so she would be an English citizen.
I just found this picture of William and Florence on their wedding day this summer. It was hidden behind another picture. No one remembers ever seing it before. It was an amazing find.
Let me share some information about William
William was born in England. (It was said he was 1 of 16 children) He moved to Sidney Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. He Married Florence Eliza King (Cross), in Cape Breton Sidney Mines on November 29th, 1914. They had two children, but Phyllis, their first child was burned to death in a house when she was 4 years and 6 month old.
When WWI broke out, William joined up. He was in the “Ladies from Hell Regiment” and they wore Kilts. After the war he was in the hospital for a while. Then William and wife Florence Eliza King (Cross) along with second daughter Florence Alice Cross Lucchesi (Alice as she was called) moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan when Alice was 2 years old. They then moved to California in 1926 and lived on the east side of Los Angeles. He worked for White King Soap Company until 2 months before he died.
Some information about Florence
Florence lived in Bristol, England with her 2 brothers and 2 sisters until she was 21 years old. She went to work in a box factory when she was 14 years old. She moved to Canada with her oldest sister and her family when she was 21. She lived in Sidney Mines, where she met William Cross and married when she was 22. Phyllis, her first child was burned to death when she was 4 years and 6 month old.
Then William and Florence Eliza King (Cross) along with second daughter Florence Alice Cross Lucchesi (Alice as she was called) moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan when Alice was 2 years old. They then moved to California in 1926 and lived on the east side of Los Angeles. Florence Eliza King Cross worked in a box factory until she retired at age 65.
Everyone called her “Flo” and she was a very social lady. She and her husband, Will, belonged to the to the Canadian Legion, Los Angeles California branch; along with many other Canadians that served in WWI. They enjoyed all the social events the Legion had and she served as president of the branch during 1949. Even after the death of her husband she continued to be evolved with the Legion and all the friends she had made. She would put on “Garden Parties” at her home in San Gabriel, California. A garden party has evolved into what we now usually call a BBQ get together. They would have card and dice games and often would get a group together and have sing alongs usually old English songs. The Canadian Legion would often entertain the sailors in the port fonm Canadian and England. Flo often would let them stay with her and heard from one sailor by mail till her death.
I have Williams dog tag and love it. I have a few things that I love dearly. All my family photos and info, and an old picture and frame of Artiemo Lucchesi in his Army uniform.
I would love to collect everything I could about my family. It means so much to me.
Williams Black Watch badge.
Rose Ellen Berry King
Rose Ellen Berry married Edwin Isaac King on December 24th, 1882. Edwin King was a gay blade and he took off and left rose Ellen to raise 5 small children on her own. Lilly, the youngest was about one year old. Maud was raided by her grandmother, and the rest with their mother Rose Ellen. They never did see their father again. Their mother, Rose Ellen died during WWII. The two boys lived in Canada and the three girls lived in the USA.
My wonderful Grandmother "Alice"
Florence Alice Cross Lucchesi.
Married to Leone (Leo) Bruno Lucchesi May 21, 1937 @ El Monte Methodist Episcopal Church.
Florence ( Everyone called her Alice) move to Ann Arbor, Michigan from Canada with her family when she was about 2 years old. At about age 6, the then moved to Los Angeles area. Alice was quite a tomboy as a child and in the 11th grade she started working at a box factory. When she was in high school she loved to dance and eventually met her future husband, Leo at a dance called The Midwick. Leo and Alice were married 5/21/37 and lived on Brooklyn Avenue in East Los Angeles with Leo’s parents. Alice left high school to be married. She later went to night school to get her high school diploma. Alice later worked as a saleslady at J.C. penny and then as a telephone operator with Los Angeles Country from which she retired at age 62.
Alice as a child.
Leo and Alice on their wedding day.
Info on Leo:
Leone (or Leo) moved to Los Angeles from Colorado when he was about 6 months old with his family Aritemo and Severina Lucchesi. He started working in his father’s business at age 12 after school and learned the statue trade. After leaving high school, he worked for Lasky Studios in Hollywood as a pattern maker for picture sets. When the Depression hit in the early 1930’s he worked in the millinery trade and when WWII started (He was married with 1 child) he worked in a paint manufacturing for the army and navy. He remained in the paint mfg. Trade and retired after 27 years at age 65 years of age. In his youth, he loved to hunt and fish. He liked all kinds of sports, his favorite being boxing and baseball. After Leo’s father died in 1938, his mother (Nonie: Severian Lucchesi) continued to live with Leo and Alice on Brooklyn Ave. and then at 816 N. Hendricks St., Montebello, California until she died in 1979. Leo was always a very healthy man who looked very good for his age. At about 84, Leo developed blood clots in his leg and had to have it amputated. He moved to a convalescent home after his surgery. When he was there his granddaughter Lisa Michelle (Harsen) Hanshaw went to visit him. He had a bruise on his face. She asked him how it happened and he said he got into a fight with someone. Once her jaw hit the floor he laughed and said it was from moving him around. He liked to make little jokes like that. He was well known for his stubbornness and opinionated views. He may have been a grouch now and then, but he loved his family. It was told that he used to make wine and sell it during prohibition. He loved to work in the garage building things. He made a decorative mini piano, violin, and stagecoach. He was very handy. He also loved to play cards. Most of his friends (life long friends from childhood) would play cards. Later in life he would go out almost every night to play cards. He liked poker. He used to ride his bicycle to the local doughnut shop every morning up to the time he lost his leg. At that point he was in a rehabilitation center until his death due to a lung disease.
I have taken some time off from my family history, but plan to work on it more soon. I still would like to make a book about everyone to hand out to family members.
I hope that you have had a good time learning a little about my family.
xoxoxoxo
Lisa
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