Francesco (Frank) Palombo
2 November 1906 - 26 June 1991
A Short History of Frank Palombo
as told to Lynn Malkinson in April 1991
Frank Palombo was born November 2, 1906, in the small town of Vicalvi in the heel of the boot of Italy. In 1914, his father Pete (Pietro) emigrated to America taking with him Frank, age 8, and his brother Floyd, age 6. Pete had made two previous trips to Colorado before bringing his family, but still his wife Josephine (Giuseppa) Maola, chose not to come at this time because she didn't want to leave her parents, extended family and friends. Frank's memories of Italy include the earthquake of 1914. which damaged the three story stone house his family lived in. When Frank visited Vicalvi fifteen years ago, he took pictures of this house and the town, which was much as he remembered it. "This was wine growing country with small farms where people supported themselves off the land and sold some grapes," he said.
Pete, his sons and their babysitter joined other Italian immigrants in North Denver, Colorado and Pete worked for the Union Pacific Railroad cleaning the coaches when they returned to the Denver station. He worked hard and saved money. Eventually, after "squeezing the nickels 'til the Buffalo roared," he bought seven acres of land in Irondale, near what is now Commerce City, and started a truck farm of his own. Pete built a dugout and lined it with railroad ties to serve as the family's living quarters. It was partitioned into one bedroom, a living room and a kitchen approximately 20 feet by 8 feet, and had a dirt floor. "We hauled water half a mile for drinking and washing," Frank recalls. "There was no toilet, but Dad finally built an outhouse after we lived there awhile. "It was a paradise for mice," he said. "At night. they would crawl in bed with us." The family lived in the dugout for three years, and then rented a house with a barn and a well for water.
Frank and Floyd went to Irondale school when they could. They worked in the fields through the Fall harrvest, went to school from November to February or March, and.stayed home again in the spring when it was time to plant. When the vegetables were ready to market in the summer, Pete's work day began at five AM with a horse and wagon trip to Denver's market place on 13th and Stout, where he sold to Denver's food stores and to Jewish street vendors. The rest of the £amily tended the garden and prepared for the next day's market. On most days, the work didn't end until midnight or later.
Farnk's mother joined her family after a seven year separation. Frank's brother Sam was born in 1921. Louise was born two and a half years later and Jim came along in 1924. Since the adults worked in the fields, it was Frank's job to care for his younger brothers and sister. He therefore missed many days of school and stopped going after the fourth grade. In these days, school was secondary to survivial. During this time, Frank developed an illness that was leter attributed to his kidneys. He spent a great deal of time in and out of hospitals and underwent major surgery for kidney stones when he was seventeen. Frank's parents evidently thought that they might lose him and had a family protrait taken just before his hopsitalization. This beautiful picture, set in an oval wooden frame, is now hanging on the wall of Frank's house in Longmont. In their late teens, Frank and a friend, Nero, ventured out to seek employment. They first went to Oklahoma to work on a section crew laying railroad track and then took a bus to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to work in the mines.
|
Frank and Nellie in Derby about 1935 |
After three years, Frank returned home to help his Dad with the farm. He contracted tetanus, or lockjaw, when he was twenty-nine and went to Colorado General for treatment. There he met and fell "head over heels in love" with a nurse named Nellie Arcelia Stanley from North Dakota. Nellie was born October 15, 1906, and took her nurse's training at the Boulder Sanitarium. After a two week courtship, the couple married, lived with Frank's parents for a while but soon decided to strike out on their own. At first, Frank worked as an orderly at St. Joseph's Hospital. Then they moved to the mountains where he helped build the dam at Kremling and worked in mines in Gillman, a town near Leaderville. Nellie worked as a nurse at the hospital, which was small and looked like a large house. "We lived a short distance from the hospital, and the day Nellie was to deliver, she walked there and Francie was born on February 13, 1941. |
|
After World War II broke out, the family moved back to Commerce City, bought some land next to Frank's father's farm for $2,000, built a house and tried truck farming. During this time, Nellie and Frank wanted another child, so they adopted Rocky, who was about two years old. Rocky was born August 16, 1942, and they received him in May 1946. Since Nellie had no experience with vegetable farming, it was difficult to make a go of that line of work so they bought chickens. That didn't work out either. Then they invested in two hundred turkeys. "One day there was a large hail storm." Frank recalls. "Turkey's don't; deal very well with storms and they all huddled together, one on top of the other, and suffocated. About a third of them died that day." Frank told Nellie that was the end of the poultry business. |
Nellie about 1935 |
"But Nellie knew cows from her days growing up on a dairy farm in N. Dakota," Frank. said, "She even milked her way through nursing school." So Frank bought a family cow, which they called a "three-quarter tit cow," and milked her for home use. They received a lot of milk from this cow, started selling the extra milk, and bought more cows. At this time, Frank got a paying job at the loading docks of P.I.E., a trucking company. This was a successful combination with cash coming in from steady work and Nellie at home raising their two children and tending the cows, the couple was in control of their lives.
In the early 19505, Frank's father sold his twenty-two acres of land to developers for $25,000. I had an offer :for my land. but I wouldn't sell," Frank said. But in 1954, he sold his eighteen acres for $50,000. "Nellie told them the price she wanted and by golly she got it," Frank said. With this money, they immediately bought a. bigger farm east of Del Camino, near Longmont. ($45,000 for the farm. a herd of 50 to 60 dairy cows, machinery and milking equipment. They also invested $5,000 in a machine shed.) They worked this dairy farm together until they sold it in 1964 for $145,000. Frank says that he and Nellie milked cows every day of the year at five AM and five PM. "Heck, Nellie could milk about thirty cows herself, he recalls. Later, they built a milk parlour for about $18,000, which allowed them to machine milk about fifty cows an hour. "It was the most outstanding milking parlour in the county. People from all over came to see it," he said.
Frank had many o:ffers for his farm but couldn't decide how much he should sell it for. Then Nellie decided on $145,000 in 1964, so they sold the farm and moved to 1229 Juniper in Longmont.
Frank went to work for Eventide Nursing Home as an orderly, and Nellie worked at the hospital. She developed cancer and died in 1965
Frank remained single for fi£teen years until he met Phyllis McFarland, who came from Johnson City, New York, to visit her aunt. They met at a bowling alley, went together :for a year, and married on September 1, 1979
Frank worked for Eventide five years. Then he worked for a computer company Amphenol until December 1976. He was seventy years old. He then was asked to work at Sherwood Enterprise, another computer factory, where he stayed untll he retired for the last time in 1984. Frank says he tried retiring once before but soon got tired of fishing.
Frank has always liked to dance and fish, but bowling was his favorite, and he participated in numerous leagues. Frank enjoyed his friends, and since retirement has enjoyed gardenng and cooking. His specialty was spaghetti. He cooked for a couple of weddings and got an offer to cook for a celebration at the First Christian Church. He grew his own tomatoes and canned his own sauce.
Frank has six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
"For a person who did not get a chance to attend school regularly and left be:fore graduating, he made good for himself," a family member observed. "He worked hard and always worked his way out of hard times," his daughter Francie said.
"If I could do it, so can anyone else," Farnk added.
Frank Palombo
Frank Palombo of Longmont died on Wednesday, June 26, 1991, at his home. He was 84.
Born on Nov. 2, 1906 in Vicalvi, Italy, be was the son of Peter Palombo and Josephine Maolo Palombo. In 1914 he moved to Colorado, near Commerce City, with his family. In 1934 he and Nellie Stanley were married in Derby. It was then that Mr. Palombo began farming on his own. While farming he also worked at P.I.E. on the docks. From 1955 until 1964 they lived on a farm east of Longmont. In 1964 Mr. Palombo retired from farming but until age 78 he continued working at Eventide, Amphenol, and later at Sherwood Enterprises until 1984. Mrs. Palombo preceded her husband in death on Dec. 24, 1965.
On Sept. 1, 1979, in Longmont, he and Phyllis McFarland were married.
Mr. Palombo's favorite sport was bowllng. He also enjoyed fishing. He was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. He was also preceded in death by one brother, Floyd Palombo; and one sister, Louise Palombo.
Mr. Palombo is survived by his wife of Longmont; one son, Rocco Palombo and wife, Leona, of Longmmont; one daughter, Francie A. Graham and husband, Robert, of Platteville, two brothers, Sam Palombo and wife, Helen, of Commerce City, and Jim Palombo of Thornton; one sister-in-law, Sylvia Palombo; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and five step-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be 1 to 8 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday at Lewellen Longmont Memorial Chapel, 503 Terry St.
A vigil service will be 7 PM on Sunday at Lewellen Longmont Memorial Chapel. Mass of the Resurrection will be 1 p.m. on Monday, July 1, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with the Rev. James Fox of that same church officiating. Burial will be in Foothills Gardens of Memory.
Link to Vicalvi, Italy Page