Anna and Tony Comperchio were the parents of nine children, eight surviving to adulthood, and the grandparents of fifteen grandchildren.  It was impossible to leave their house hungry or without two dollars in your pocket.  Pasta with 'gravy' was a staple (she knew she was starting a future runner off on her path) and learning how to play caaahds (badly) was wicked normal at four years old.

Anthony (Antonio, according to his baptismal record) Joseph Compierchio was born in 1909 to Pasquale and Philomena (DiVito) Compierchio.  In the 1920s, the family name was changed to Comperchio.  Natives of the mountain village of Guardia Lombardi, Italy still spell it the original way, as do our cousins who live in Michigan.  'Tony' was one of ten children who are referred to as the Original Ten by current day Bostonian Comperchios because they were the first generation to be born in the US.  If you are a descendant of the first nine children of Pasquale or Philomena, you are eligible for dual Italian/American citizenship because Pasquale became a naturalized American citizen after the first seven of his children were of the age of majority (18 in Massachusetts) and Philomena naturalized after the eighth child turned 18.  The descendants of the ninth child are eligible under their maternal line.  We're still working on records for the 10th!  All of the grave markers of the Original Ten are found on Find-A-Grave.  Leslie set out on a mission to connect them all, with the exception of Lena who currently lives in West Roxbury, MA.

Anna Josephine Costanza was born in 1911 to Maria (Mary) Josepha Silva/Ferreira and Enrico (Henry) Costanza.  In 1925, her father passed away from complications of tuberculosis only a week before Christmas.  It's difficult to determine Mary's true surname since her vital records are conflicting.  What we do know is that her mother was married for what appears to be the first time when Maria was 13 and Mary's first marital record (she married three times) originally states that her father was unknown only to be later scratched out and written over.  Her record with the City of Boston states that her father was named Joseph Ferreira, but her record with the Catholic Church names him as Joseph da Silva.  Listed as 'unknown' at the time of her first marriage, this information was struck out when she was married for the second time and populated with the name of Jose da Silva.  Her mother's name was Anna Maria Emilia Silva.

In 1935, Anna and Tony were married and the City of Boston named February 24th "Anthony and Anna Comperchio Day" in celebration of 50 years of their marriage in 1985.  They lived in Roslindale, MA until Tony passed in 1996 and Anna in 2000.  Their favorite grandchildren came from their youngest son, Frankie.  Just sayin.'