York County 1885

Young Harry Edward Givan came to Toronto in 1921 to make his fortune and founded the Pierce Arrow automobile dealership before marrying A.F.B. Burt's daughter Frances Cecil Burt in Waterbury, Connecticut and bringing her to live in Toronto in 1929. The next three generations were to be raised in Toronto (surnames Givan, Colucci, Franke).  Only child, Kathleen Givan, met Albert Colucci when visiting New York, and he moved to Toronto when they married in 1955. Their three children were born and raised in Toronto.

Antonio Valenti came to Canada from San Filippo del Mela, Italy in 1912 at age 19, first working on the Welland Canal and then settling in Toronto.  His wife to be, 18 year old Anna Di Paola, arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia from Italy on May 6, 1925 en route to Toronto.  Their daughter, Rosy Valenti, was born and raised in Toronto where she met Wolfgang Franke in 1954.  He had arrived from Bremerhaven, Germany in 1951.  Wolfgang and Rose lived in various towns but returned with their family to Toronto where their 3rd child, Norman Franke met and married Carolyn Colucci.



Interesting Links:

1) The Pierce Arrow Society web page. http://www.serve.com/pas/
 

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Site maintained by Norman Franke. Last modified May 19, 2005