Andrew left the "old country" as he called Italy, and sailed for America and better opportunities when he was 18 years old. Can you imagine leaving your country at 18 and not knowing when you would see your family again? Some people that left never did see their parents again. He was only 6 years older than you, Piper, Spencer and Connor! I think he was very brave, don't you?
He came into New York but settled in Montclair, New Jersey the first few years and worked in the grocery business as a fruitier with some brothers and cousins. (Cousins were very important to people back then, just like now.) A fruitier is a person that sells fruit and vegetables. Grampa Andrew always loved fruit and vegetables, he had about the best garden in the whole wide world when he was an older man.
He married your great great grandmother, Marguerite Franchini, on February 24, 1924 in New York City, NY. She was also Italian and from the same Province in Italy. She was born in San Colombano, Genoa, Italy. They had one daughter, Gloria Marie born in Monleone, Italy in 1926. She is your great grandmother and you are so lucky you know her personally. I did not even get to know 3 of my 4 grandparents and not a single one of my great grandparents. I am glad your Grampa shared his grandparents with me.
Even though I didn't know my ancestors that died before I was born, I still love them because I have been doing my genealogy and finding out more about them every day. The Prophet Joseph Smith wanted us to do this work and so does President Monson. Elder Bednar talked about even young people doing their genealogy in our General Conference just a few weeks ago. The Young Men and Women of the church are to get started helping in this great work. Piper and Spencer, you may have heard about this already! When you are ready to help with this just let us know. It's easy to find things about them online. It would be a fun family project, we could all work on it together!
Your Grampa Andrew was the sweetest man and I enjoying thinking of him as my Grampa too. He liked it also because he didn't have any granddaughters until me! He was a gentle man in every sense of the word. He adored his grandsons and was a good father and husband. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. He was humble and so kind. He treated me so well, always making sure I was comfortable and happy. One time I remember I was not feeling well while at their house. He insisted I lie down on the couch while he brought me a blanket and some herb tea. For Grampa a little herbal tea fixed everything.
He loved people and he cared for others all the time. He was a grocery store owner here in California when I met him. The entire neighborhood loved him. He had a big wooden barrel of penny candy and he always gave a piece to the children in the neighborhood when they came to his store. We still have that barrel, it is the waste paper basket in our guest room. Some people think of things they receive for their family of previous generations as heirlooms. We have a barrel! This is not the usual kind of heirloom people have, but to us it is one!
The customers knew him as Andy, we knew him as Grampa Andrew, but his real name was Antonio. When he left Tasso, Italy and came to America, his name was changed to Andrew. We found this typed on the back of his naturalization papers. He has a great-grandson, Uncle Chris, who carries his name and his great great-grandson, (that would be you, Rossie) does too. Both of their middle names are Andrew. Both of them have brought honor to Andrew's fine name. It is a nice tradition to name a baby after a beloved ancestor.
Uncle Chris when he was a baby with his Great Grampa Andrew. 
This photo was taken in Tasso, Italy in December of 2010, and is what remains of the old homestead where your great great grandfather was born! It was built by either his father, Giovanni or his Grandfather Guiseppi Ferrera, we are not sure. But the house was in the family for generations and then fell into disrepair another few years and it will be gone forever. The American version of the name Giovanni is John and the American version of Guiseppi is Joseph. If Grampa Andrew had kept his Italian name he might have been called Grampa Anthony or Grampa Tony here in America. I am glad he is Grampa Andrew, aren't you?
Grandpa Andrew painted everything this color of green that you see on the doors to the house in the picture above. This is where he lived when he was your age. Years later Grampa would mix the paint himself to get just this color. We have called it
"Grampa Green" since before your parents were even born."
When we went to Italy it was a shock to see where he got the idea! Every time he painted that color on something it reminded him of home and family he left behind and it make him feel a little closer to the Old Country. Families are important to almost everyone, that is for sure.
I will put more about your ancestors in this blog from time to time. Grampa and I know how much Grampa Andrew would have loved each one of you. He would be very pleased with how you are living your lives. You would have been crazy about him too. Someday we will all meet again and be one big happy family forever. Jesus gave us this most precious gift through his atonement. I hope you will remember to thank Him for this in your prayers tonight.
Here is a neat link to a video that our friend sent me for you. His name is Brother Ehat and he is helping all of us find our ancestors. You'll be very grateful one day for the help he has given our family.
If you do not have access to YouTube please ask Mom or Dad to help you view this. Love, Gramma and Grampa
