The Balistreri/Balisteri Family
About the Balistreri/Balisteri Family
The name “Balistreri” means “archer” and originally came from Spain. The “ballistreros” or “archers” were sent to Sicily when the Spanish ruled the known world, and that’s how the “Balistreris” came to settle there.
Click on the names below to learn more about them.
Grandmother - Annette Balistreri (living)
1934
Annette was born on August 23 in Buffalo NY. She had 5 siblings – 3 sisters and two brothers.
When she was young, her mother left the 6 children and her father for a long time (for no particular reason other than she didn’t want to be tied down). Back then, children were not allowed to remain with the father. She and her siblings were split up and sent to different foster homes. For a long time, she and her sisters were placed at St. Vincent’s Orphanage for girls. Today, that building is occupied by Health Sciences Charter School in Buffalo, NY.
Later, she married Russell Sciabarrasi and they had 6 children, including my father, John.
She lived at 141 Vern Ln, Buffalo, 14227-1347.
Great-Grandmother – Antoinette Balisteri
1915
Antoinette Balisteri was born on August 30, 1915, in Buffalo, New York, to Marianna Bellanti, age 36, and Pietro Balistreri, age 46.
1930
Antoinette (14) lived at 100 Pennsylvania St. in Buffalo, New York, in 1930. Her sister, Lena, and husband, Sam, owned the house.
2005
Antoinette died on April 12, 2005, in Buffalo, New York, when she was 89 years old.
Great-Grandfather - Giovanino (Giovanni, John) Balistreri
1910
Giovanino (Giovanni, John) Balistreri was born on June 5, 1910, in Palermo, Italy.
1913
At age 3, Giovanino arrived in NY on August 11, 1913 at age 3.
1927
“Giovanni” (17) traveled to the U.S. with brother, Natale (15) from Palermo. Their occupation is listed as fishermen and their hometown is listed as Bagheria. They are traveling from Palermo to New York, New York.
1983
Giovanino (Giovanni, John) Balistreri died in 1983 in Buffalo, New York, when he was 73 years old.
2nd Great-Grandmother – Marianna Bellanti (great-grandmother's side)
1877
When Marianna Bellanti was born on June 10, 1877, her father, Girolamo, was 50, and her mother, Giuseppa, was 53. The ages of her parents are truly exceptional in this time period. Marianna was born in Palermo.
abt. 1896
About 1896, she married Pietro Balistreri.
1909
At age 31, Marianna Billanti (32) and her children, Giuseppa (9), Pietro (7), Lena? (4), Gelorno (3), and Salvatore (newborn) sailed the Batavia to New York. They were living in Sant’ Flavia, Sicily and were headed to Buffalo, NY.
1933
Marianna died on March 18, 1933 in Buffalo, NY when she was 55 years old.
2nd Great-Grandfather – Pietro Balistreri (great-grandmother's side)
1869
Pietro Balistreri was born on April 9, 1869, in Bagheria, Palermo, Italy, to Rosa M Tarantino, age 19, and Gaetano Balistreri, age 29. My Uncle Bob said, “Grandpa was crippled from polio when he was a young man. Never was able to walk again yet he was always smiling and joking around. A fine example of a human being.”
1894
He married Marianna Bellanti in 1894 when he was 25 years old and she was 16.
1898
Pietro immigrated from Italy to the U.S. He mainly spoke Italian.
1910
At age 40 he lived in Buffalo Ward 25 in Buffalo, NY. He is a laborer at a freight house.
1930
At age 60 he lived at 100 Pennsylvania with his wife, his daughter, his son-in-law, and their family. He was 25 when he married his wife; she was 16.
2nd Great-Grandfather - Francesco Balistreri (great-grandfather's side)
abt 1882
Francesco is born in Aspra, Sicily.
When Francesco Balistreri was born in 1882 in Palermo, Palermo, Italy, his father, Giovanni, was 33 and his mother, Rosalie, was 25. He had four sons with Antonia Brunetto between 1910 and 1916 (one of them was Giovanino (Giovanni, John) Balistreri born in 1910, my great-grandfather). He had one brother.
I have not been able to locate a death date or location, though I did spot a manifest with his name on it and his destination was Buffalo, NY.
2nd Great-Grandmother - Antonia Brunetto (great-grandfather's side)
about 1885
When Antonia Brunetto was born in 1885 in Palermo, Palermo, Italy, her father, Natale, was 26, and her mother, Maria, was 18. She had four sons with Francesco Balistreri between 1910 and 1916.
I don’t have much more information than I did spot a manifest with her heading to the U.S. with one of her sons. Her destination was Buffalo, NY.