The Ieradi Family Home Site
Business card	A History of Nanny and Grandpop  As presented to his class in 2006 by Francis Anthony Ieradi II	Capturing the Stories and Heritage of the Ieradi Family
Front Wedding Invitation
Inside Wedding Invitation	Certificate of Marriage	Passport Cover
Front of Certificate of Immigration Francis
Back of Certificate of Immigration Francis	Birth Certificate	Passport Inside
Maria Certificate of Immigration		Passport Inside

Great Grand-pop did become a full United States Citizen and the first job he had in the United States was building trains for the Bolin Locomotive Company. By the way, have any of you seen the movie The Polar Express? If you have, my Great-grandfather built the type of train you saw in the movie. After becoming tired of building trains, Francis went back to making and repairing shoes as he did in Italy. Here are two pairs of the shoes that he made.  The larger pair, he made for my Poppop and the smaller pair was made for my dad when he was a baby.  Here are some of the tools he used in either the making or repairing of shoes. (show items) 

Soon after Francis’ arrival in 1914, he began to save and send money back to Italy, to his family so they could also buy passage to the United States. Francis was a sponsor for his brother Antonio Ieradi who worked as a shoemaker apprentice for my great grandfather. Antonio then helped bring over his wife and children. Six years after Great Grand-pop’s arrival in the United States, he married Maria Rocca in the year 1920. She was also from the same town in Italy, but they did not know each other. They were married in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had no known physical traits, but he did have pleasant personality. Late in life he wore glasses. 

Francis and Maria saved their money and they were able to buy a house and shoe repair shop in Chester, Pennsylvania.  There they raised five children and 18 grand children.  Great Grand-pop had a wonderful garden in the back yard of his Chester home that contained peach trees, fig trees, tomato plants, hot pepper plants, basil, and roses. It was here that my great Grandmother, Maria, always made fresh tomato sauce or gravy as they call it with Francis’ homegrown tomatoes and basil. In 1954 Francis won the Eastern Workmanship Ribbon in the Shoe Service Magazine National Silver Cup Competition. In 1958 Francis and Maria were able to return to Italy to visit with other family members. 

An interesting fact is, when Francis first arrived in the United States he lived with my grandmother Angie Ieradi’s Grandparents or my Great-Great Grand Parent’s Angelina Fusco and Dominic. Francis Ieradi was in the house when John, Angie's father and my Great Grand Father, was born. Also, here is a copy of a newspaper article that was written about Francis.  Thank you for listening about my great-grandfather, Francis Benjamin Ieradi.  By the way, his name is on a wall at Ellis Island.

Below is from Uncle Bob