Mrs. Hovan’s Family History

My Nationalities: ½ Polish ¼ Italian ¼ Lebanese

My great-grandfather, Vincenzo “James” Buffone came over from Acri, Italy in My great-grandmother, Schiavania “Mary/Maria” Coshignano came over from Acri, Italy in Maria came to America because she wanted to make more money and there was a rumor she came for an eligible bachelor who was looking for a wife (James). My Italian Heritage: My mother’s father and his family

Nuch and Nana Wisteria Street, Worcester, MA

My Nuch

My great-grandfather, James, came over from Italy with his step-brother “Cosmo”. They were separated at Ellis Island and didn’t get in contact again. It is unknown if the separation was supposed to be temporary or intentional. My great-grandmother, Maria, was sponsored to come over to America by her mother’s cousins. My Italian Heritage: My mother’s father and his family

James and Maria originally lived in Connecticut and moved to Worcester, MA after James got a job offer working for the Boston+Albany railroad company. James and Maria had 14 children in total. Two of the children died when they were babies. My Nuch (grandfather), George, was the fourth youngest (the 11th baby born). My Italian Heritage: My mother’s father and his family

My great-grandfather was Siad Kawkabany and my great- grandmother was Martha Ferris. They were married in an arrange marriage in Beirut, London in the early 1900’s. Siad was 17 years older than Maria. It is not known when they came over to America or where they settled before coming to the Worcester area of Massachusetts. My Lebanese Heritage: My mother’s mother and her family

Siad and Martha had 7 children, 2 of them died when they were very young. My Nana (grandmother), Elizabeth (Betty), was born in When my Nana was 3, Siad died and Martha died just before my mom was born in My Nana and most of her sisters changed their name from Kowkabany to Kawcab to sound more “American”. My Lebanese Heritage: My mother’s mother and her family

My great-grandfather John Lizewski came from Poland with my great-grandmother (Her name is unknown as my dad has forgotten and never met her since she died before he was born.) Where they lived in Poland and when they came over to America is unknown. My grandfather, Edward, was born in 1924 and was one of 3 children. Edward died before I was born. My Polish Heritage: My father’s father and his family

My great-grandfather, Boleslaw, and great-grandmother, Saturnina Pogorzelski were both from Poland. When they came over to America is unknown. My Babci (grandmother), Helen, was born in 1923, the fifth out of eight children. My Polish Heritage: My father’s mother and her family