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Message 94: Re: Fante (Fanto) in Durango, Colorado



   Posted by Dan/Donato Aspromonte on 01/28/04 at 11:12 PM

Subject:   Re: Fante (Fanto) in Durango, Colorado


Message Posted

In Reply to: Re: Fante (Fanto) in Durango, Colorado posted by Maria Sargent on 01/28/04 at 11:10 PM:

Maria,
I had an opportunity to call Dominic Aspromonte, aka Romeo to family members. I mentioned our conversation. Somehow I missed your connection to the Fanto's in Durango. I know you are researching Luigi, aka Louie, Fanto, but I'm uncertain of your connection to him. In any case, let me try to recreate the details Romeo gave me over the phone.

First of all, there was Joe, aka Giuseppe, Fanto and Louie, aka Luigi Fanto. Joe's wife was indeed Rose. Romeo can't remember Louie's wife's name because he said he always called her Mrs. Fanto. She spoke Italian, but he wasn't sure if she was Torricellana or not. Joe's wife was a redhead, and he wasn't sure she was Italian. They are the ones that operated the bar on Main Street. The park is simply named Fanto park. Apparently, Joe's wife was a very generous person, and she helped a lot of the down and out people that floated through their bar. This is why they named the park after her. Joe and Rose had a son, Benny, and a daughter. He believes the daughter had a son named Jimmy.

Louie and his wife were next door neighbors to Romeo when he was a kid. So, he knew them very well. He believes they had 2 boys and 2 daughters. The son of one of the boys is named Anthony; he lives in Farmington, New Mexico. He is the one who confirmed to Romeo a few years back that the original name was not Fanto, but Fante. Louie's other son ended up working for the government in White Sands in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He doesn't recall Louie being a farmer. He said he was an incredible vegetable gardener and wine maker. He said he made the tastiest winter carrots and celery. Romeo also knows quite a bit about the tragic end of Louie's life. I believe Romeo's parents, Camillo Aspromonte, aka Charlie, and Graziella Di Pietrantonio, aka Grace, were instrumental in helping Louie and his wife during those difficult times. In any case, you get can a hold of Romeo for more details.

Romeo said there is not one Fanto left in Durango. I think he checked his phone book as well. I have a phone book from 2000-2001 of Durango and vicinity. I show Anthony P. Fanto in Bayfield, not far outside of Durango. Romeo thought he was in Farmington, New Mexico. He may have moved in the interim.
Dan



  

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