My Grandfather James Landino, 125 years today

On this day 125 years ago, February 19, 1898, my maternal grandfather James Landino was born about 30 miles northeast of Naples, in the village of Faicchio. He Americanized his given name, Vincenzo, to James after arriving at Ellis Island in 1915 and was thereafter known as Jim. Despite only having a couple of years of schooling, Jim always managed to find jobs that did not require much formal education but allowed him to dress up and take full advantage of his gregarious personality: barber, liquor salesman, real estate agent. My brother Joe and I were his first two grandchildren, and he doted on us. He had a serious stroke when I was four, and died the following year, in March 1962, when I had just turned five. What passes for my memories of Grandpa Jim are an amalgamation of true memory, things my parents, especially my mother, told me, and photographs. I have, however, always had a very strong sense of how much he loved me and how that love remains a part of me to this day.

Classic James Landino, nattily dressed, visiting who else but his daughter Eleanor and her family. I love the confident pose! (Taken at 19th N. 10th Avenue in Mt. Vernon, the house my father grew up in from the age of six, and where I lived until I was three).


Another picture obviously from that same day. My brother Joe, me (is that a diaper peeking out from under my heavily starched party dress?), my Aunt Maria, and Grandpa.


Christmas 1957, back in the day when you didn’t know a camera strap was in a picture until after it was developed. I’m about 11 months old, and as usual, mom has me decked out in a fancy seasonal dress. I love the way my grandfather is looking at me.


Well, this made me cry. It’s the letter my grandfather wrote to my parents the day he learned I had been born (in Germany, when my dad was doing his two year stint in the Army, and the news arrived in New York via telegram). Carissimi figli --Dearest children, it reads, you cannot imagine our joy in receiving your telegram, that now you have a baby girl and all has gone well. He says he’s so happy he doesn’t know what to write, but sends a kiss to my brother, another to me, and one to my mother and her "husband Joe,” formally signing it “Your father James Landino.” Grandpa, I still have that kiss!