It’s 1891. We’ve met Will Riley’s family. Josie Pensa is spending a lot of time in Sedalia. They’re an item.
They want to get married.
Continue reading213 – Will and Josie Get Together
St. Louis
212 – Eat, Drink, and Prosper
It’s 1890. Sedalia remained a railroad hub, although the cattle trailhead had moved on.
There were still seedy joints and houses of ill-repute, but they were now localized along West Main Street. Downtown Sedalia was safe and respectable.
Continue reading208 – William J Riley
After Antonio Pensa left for Italy in 1888, Josie spent a lot of time at her sister Kate Gardella’s in Sedalia. It’s there that she met Will Riley.
The Gardellas were well known in Sedalia. Andy Gardella had opened a small fruit and produce stand there in 1875.
Continue reading207 – Saloons and Yellow Journalism
It’s 1890. Josie Pensa has been staying at her sister Kate Gardella’s in Sedalia. She’s met William Riley, and they’re going to get married. We’ll meet Will and his family.
But we can’t leave St. Louis without a word about the Pensa saloons and the beginnings of “yellow journalism.”
Continue reading206 – St. Louis 1880s
In 1880, the Pensas and Gardellas had been in St. Louis for ten years. The population was 350,000, up from 310,000 in 1870. Irish and Eastern Europeans were the largest immigrant communities. The number of Italians had grown to thousands, and would increase dramatically in the next 20 years.
Here’s an amazing fact. In 1880, our Pensas, all the way from Roccatagliata, were the only Pensas in the United States.
205 – St. Louis 1870s
We’ve visited the home village of our Pensa and Gardella families in Italy. We’ve investigated the mystery of Josephine Pensa’s birth.
Now we’re back in New Orleans. The S.S. Paganini arrived at the docks March 1, 1869, having left Genoa three or four weeks earlier. The Pensa and Gardella families were among the 85 passengers, all Italians.
204 – Who is Josephine Pensa?
We’ve found the home village of our Pensa and Gardella families.
We’ve found citations for the marriage of Antonio Pensa and Rosa Gardella. We’ve even discovered their parents’ names.
But there’s one big mystery remaining. Who is Josephine Pensa?
Continue reading198 – Pensa Family to America
Kathleen Gallagher grew up in Sedalia, Missouri. She was born in Sedalia in 1923 to Tom Gallagher and Catherine Rose Riley.
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Family Nibbles 