My grandmother was the first one in her family born in America. The story goes like this: My great-grandfather, Dante, came to the U.S.A. with his family days before the stock market crash in 1929. A year later, my nonna, Elia, was born. The depression was terrible, the girls dropped out of school to work, boarders stayed at their house, but Dante stayed employed with tile and stone masonry. Life moves on, my grandfather met young Elia before he left for service in WWII, then returned safely, they married and had my father. My parents met in New Jersey, married and had me. The simple twists of fate align, but one part of it began here–in the mountains of Northern Italy–Poffabro.
This is the main square. My grandmother had this as a painting in her living room above the fireplace.
The inside of the church was clean and pious.
I walked around and checked out the cute little village of only 200 inhabitants. This was the only cafè that was open on a Sunday afternoon. They were friendly and happy to help me.
I had a local lunch at the only restaurant. It was tagliatelle ragù, and second was polenta, white beans and local venison, with a tasty German beer. I met some bikers who were enjoying a mid-ride lunch and we all chatted and made broken English and Italian jokes over espresso.
These geese were not happy I took a post-lunch stroll through their garden!
I finished off the visit in the forest, accidentally soaking my feet by slipping off the moss covered rocks and bringing home some of the mountain dirt caked to my sneakers.
Last is Via Colussi: my family name and probably the street where they lived. This house was occupied by my ancestors in the early 20th century before they departed for a better life. It’s hard to imagine leaving this hillside village for the bustle of 1930’s Philadelphia.
A bit of a dream come true to stand in the square of the painting that hung on my grandma’s wall for so long and I used to stare at it and imagine what it was like there. Now I know.
E.A.T. 
My two kids and I are going to Italy and Poffabro mid-July. We are all Colussy ‘s, currently living in Madison, Wi. I grew up in Bridgeville, PA. I f you would be willing to talk with me my number is 608-222-2708. Thank you very much. Connie Colussy
Hi Connie. My grandma’s name was Colussi, and her family was from Poffabro. There’s not much to the little town, maybe a hotel and a coffee shop. What are you looking to do there?
Hi Will, I am so sorry I just saw your reply. We did make it to Poffabro which is at the base of the Dolomite mountains. We had to walk from the neighboring town since there was no bus service on Sunday when we were there. It was well into the 90’s in mid-July. Poffabro and the surrounding area is stunningly beautiful. The church is in the middle of town, built from dolomite. It is where my grandfather was baptized; I have the record. Right around the corner is Via Colussi on which several houses are built, some of them connected to each other. I couldn’t tell if you had been there but for me it was a very moving experience. My grandfather’s father and three brothers left Poffabro when he was very young and they settled in Bridgeville, PA. That is where I was born. I grew up knowing him. The Colussi family is huge and they changed the spelling of the name to end in y because of the prejudice Italians faced at the time. They were primarily brick masons but my grandfather chose to farm instead. There is so much more but that is a pretty good summary. We are probably cousins somewhere connected in this long line of Colussi’s. My kids changed their names back to the Italian spelling years ago and I am in the process. Warm wishes from your cousin, I think 😊. Connie Colussi
Bonjour, ma grand-mère s’appelait Maria Colussi, son frère Dante Colussi de poffabro, Dante est allé à Philadelphie, et mes grands-parents Maria Colussi son époux et leurs enfants sont eux allés en France où je vis, je ne suis jamais allée à Poffabro.
I am so sorry I don’t speak French.
Bonjour Connie, j’ai laissé le précédent message sans préciser que je me prénomme
Marie-Thérèse, mon père est certainement le cousin de votre grand-mère Elia de vos grands-tantes Vilma, Emilia ainsi que votre grand-oncle Elio, mon nom de famille est Colussi car mon grand-père s’appelait également Colussi comme ma grand-mère, je connais ces personnes que par photos. Cordialement. M-T.
I am so sorry I do not speak French.
Hello, Connie. I am Elaine (Colussi) Valenti. With four years of high school French, I can help you translate the conversation from Marie-Therese Colussi. Her first comment says: “Hello, my grandmother was Maria Colussi, and her brother was Dante Colussi, from Poffabro. Dante went to Philadelphia, and my grandparents Maria Colussi and her husband and their children went to France, where I live. I have never been to Poffabro.”
(Accidentally, hit “post comment,” but I’ll finish, here.) You corresponded with Will. His father, Bill, is my first cousin. Will’s grandmother (my cousin Bill’s mother), Elia, is my father’s sister. My father, Elio, and his older sisters (Emilia and Vilma) all came to America right before the Great Depression, of 1929. Will’s grandmother, Elia, (Emilia, Vilma and Elio’s youngest sister) was born in America. My father, and two aunts (Emilia and Vilma) are referenced in Marie-Therese’s second post, which translates as follows: “Hello Connie, I left the previous message without specifying that my name is Marie-Therese, my father is certainly the cousin of your grandmother, Elia, of your great aunts Emilia and Vilma, as well as your great uncle Elio, my family name is Colussi because my grandfather was Colussi like my grandmother. I know the people in the photo. Sincerely, M.T. (Marie-Therese) … I think her second response was more related to Will post, though, not sure.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yvSpixxgYRZQYkoF9
Voici les photos que Dante le frère de ma grand-mère Maria Colussi lui avait envoyées…
Marie-Thérèse Colussi
Marie-Therese … ah, merci! Les photos sont de mon pere diplôme d’études collégiales … et sa famille. Mon pere est allé travailler toute la journée, puis est allé à l’école du soir pendant 18 ans, pour recevoir ses diplômes de licence et de maîtrise en génie électronique … tout en élevant six enfants. C’était un bon père, un bon mari, et un grand homme. C’était un homme très intelligent et bien connu dans son domaine.
Avez-vous d’autres photos, de mon père et de ses sœurs, quand ils étaient très jeunes, ou de quand ils vivaient en italie … ou des photos de mon grand-père, Dante et sa femme Lucia, ma grand-mère … ou de ta mère et ta soeur? l’une des filles de vilma a rassemblé une grande histoire familiale. Elle a fait un travail incroyable et a fait une copie pour tous les cousins. J’aimerais vous ajouter vous et votre famille à cet album. De plus, j’aimerais communiquer davantage avec vous, si vous êtes intéressé. Voici mon adresse e-mail : Elaine4231@gmail.com Je suis ravi que vous ayez répondu à ce site. J’aimerais en savoir plus sur ma famille et mes proches.
Chère Marie-Thérèse,
Je suis le frère d’Elaine, Joe. Je suis très heureux de vous rencontrer et je suis heureux que vous ayez vu la note d’Elaine.
Je fais des recherches sur notre arbre généalogique depuis quelques années maintenant. Oui, Nonu Dante avait 2 soeurs qui sont allées en France – ta mère Maria et sa soeur Catterina Angela, qui je crois a épousé un Roman di Catterina. Le frère de Nonu Dante, Giuseppe, est allé en Allemagne. Je ne sais pas où vivait son frère Giovanni.
Vous avez mentionné que votre père est aussi un Colussi. De quelle famille Colussi était-il ?
Merci d’avoir publié les superbes photos de mon père!
Veuillez m’envoyer un e-mail à jmcolussi@gmail.com, et nous pourrons continuer notre conversation.
Veuillez excuser la traduction de Google en français !
Bundi gno cusin,
Joe