Welcome to the Franke, Valenti, Di Paola, Coluccio, Givan, Burt et al.
Family Genealogy Archive
This website is designed to present a synopsis of my genealogical research on our families. I first started compiling information in 1996 but the growth has been exponential in the last few years, thanks largely to the ease of communication on the Internet. In mortal fear of losing my research in a computer meltdown, I started the website to provide a backup while allowing kindred souls to review the data. Of course, I have many other materials, documents, photos, etc. not in digital form but I've tried to include all the vital facts in the computer database presented in these web pages. The sources are named for most data and I'm much obliged to several long-lost distant cousins whose lines of ancestry crossed ours, thus filling in whole branches at a time.
Although the Franke and Colucci lines are the starting points of this project, there are numerous family branchings along maternal lines which have often led to surprising areas over the years. The correlation of the family tree to the geographical regions involved and the concurrent histories of each era is what makes this such a fascinating and exciting activity. Individuals spanning a diverse range, such as Ulster Scot physicians, English ministers, apothecaries, surgeons, Pennsylvania "Dutch", Sicilian farmers, Calabrese butchers, German mayors, bakers, coopers, sheep farmers, weavers, soldiers and the like, make a fascinating cross section of times and lifestyles.
The section on "Regions of our Ancestors" provides maps and context to the family tree. Clicking on the various flags brings one to pages with further information on the places of origin of our forebears.
The "News" section will feature family events and new family research, inviting comments and input.
One
can navigate
through the various Family
cards.
Clicking on people's names calls up more detail on a Person card.
Clicking on the little camera icons ( 
) will call up photos when available.
As any amateur genealogist will attest, this is a highly addictive hobby! Whenever on the scent of a new lead, there is nothing we'd rather do than follow the trail with the persistence of the hounds in a fox hunt, often to the detriment of other necessary lifestyle activities. However, as far as vices go, this is one of the most constructive so I'll happily carry on 'til I drop!
Finally, a request: Please, if you have any data to contribute, or corrections to suggest, or want to compare notes on family history and sources, feel free to e-mail me. The more the merrier!
Norman
A. Franke
Toronto, Ontario
2004
Site maintained by Norman Franke. Last modified on May 6, 2007