I was born near Chicago, Illinois, USA and lived there until college. Since then I have lived near Orlando, Florida where I work in the technology field for a large company.

I've been interested in genealogy as long as I can remember. A couple of my earliest memories are:

1. a school assignment (probably in the late 1980s) where we filled out a simple tree with our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents basic information. All four of my grandparents were living so I knew who they were, but I wasn't as familiar with my great-grandparents.
2. my grandfather John Rizzo kept a folded up piece of paper in the drawer next to his bed which listed his father, his aunts, and uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents. It was interesting to me to see how some of the same last names were found multiple times in the family. This is scanned and can be seen here.

I am researching all parts of my family. My mother's side is half Sicilian from Altavilla Milicia, Palermo, Sicily and half Assyrian from Urmia, Persia and they came to the USA in the early 1900s. My father's side arrived in the USA and colonies earlier. My Kessel line specifically came from Mittelwihr which is in present day France in Alsace.... I have another line that came from Niederlinxweiler, Germany and other lines that came from the UK and France and elsewhere as I look back even further.

I have kept most of my info in Family Tree Maker for a long time so send me a message if you see something in my tree to see if i have more info that isn't on Geni.com. You might be able to view my ancestry.com profile at http://connect.ancestry.com/Profile/001daaa7-0001-0000-0000-0000000... and you might be able to view my ancestry.com tree at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/73116874/family

My ancestors that immigrated to North America are:

• Joseph Romano - Born in Altavilla, Province of Palermo, Kingdom of Italy on September 27, 1864. The details of his arrival in the USA are unknown, but it seems he arrived between the beginning of 1891 and April 1898 when his wife and daughter arrived in the USA.
• Vincenzo Rizzo - Born in Altavilla, Province of Palermo, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies on February 04, 1856. The details of his arrival in the USA are unknown, but he is believed to have arrived between Fall 1896 and May 1899 when his son Salvatore arrived.
• Carmella Rizzo - Born in Altavilla, Province of Palermo, Kingdom of Italy on March 19, 1889. She sailed from Naples with her mother on the SS Neustria and arrived in New York on April 22, 1898 and traveled to Chicago to join her father.
• Caterina Lo Cascio - Born in Altavilla, Province of Palermo, Kingdom of Italy on December 15, 1869. She sailed from Naples with her only living daughter on the SS Neustria and arrived in New York on April 22, 1898 and traveled to Chicago to join her husband.
• Salvatore "Sam" Rizzo - Born in Altavilla, Province of Palermo, Kingdom of Italy on March 13, 1882. He sailed from Naples and arrived in New York on May 1, 1899 and traveled to Chicago to join his father Vincenzo.
• Francesca Rizzo - Born in Altavilla, Province of Palermo, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies on May 31, 1860. Arrived in New York on June 11, 1900 on the SS Neustria. She sailed with her son and three daughters and she planned to join her husband Vincenzo in Chicago.
• Nvia Shomon - Arrived in New York on October 21, 1905
• Rahkey Shomon - Arrived in Boston on July 14, 1910 on the Saxonia sailing from Liverpool on July 5, 1910
• Suria Shlemon - Arrived in Boston on July 14, 1910 on the Saxonia sailing from Liverpool on July 5, 1910
• Saul Shlemon - Believed to have traveled to Chicago before returning home to Persia
• Judith Shlemon - Arrived in New York on December 14, 1912 on the SS Mauretania from Liverpool on December 7th 1912
• John Shlemon - Arrived in New York on January 27, 1917 on the SS Hellig Olav from Christiana (Oslo, Norway) on January 16, 1917.