Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Calabrese, Elizabeth Erti
- Abstract:
- This is a photograph collection was created by Elizabeth Erti Calabrese who documented her family and their lives in Geneva from the 1930s through 1980s.
- Extent:
- Three Boxes
- Language:
- English
Background
- Scope and Content:
This collection starts in 1934 and goes through 1987. It shows Erti family members at events, weddings, and includes playful photos of friends and families. Views of 1930s and 1940s Geneva feature prominently in Box Two. Photos were removed in order but separated by paper according to the labels identifying the event. There are a few sets of negatives with no matching photos and a few sets of photos with no matching negatives, but these are not noted in this finding aid or in the collection.
- Biographical / Historical:
The creator of this photograph collection is Elizabeth Erti Calabrese who was the daughter of Angelo and Venera Erti. Her parents and oldest daughter Jennie were born in Italy (according to census records) before immigrating to Geneva. Angelo was born in 1884 and served in World War 1 for the United States; he worked in the Catchpole Boiler Works and at the Seneca Foundry. The family lived at 67 North Exchange Street.
Elizabeth was born August 1, 1918 and died at age 87 on September 24, 2005; she had several siblings, many of whom appear in this collection. According to the 1930 census, the sibling order was Jennie, Orlando, Justiano/Gustiano, Elizabeth, Valia, Virgino, and Florence. By the time this photo album begins in 1934, their mother had passed away on January 12 of that year at age 44 after a short illness.
Elizabeth married James Thomas Calabrese in 1946, after he left the Army having served in World War 2 and received the Purple Heart. He appears in uniform several times in this collection. After leaving her father’s household, Elizabeth was a maid for a private family and then worked at the Sampson Naval Station as a tailor.
Elizabeth and James stayed in Geneva for most of their lives and both are buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. (James died November 12, 2003)
- Acquisition information:
- This collection came to us from Florence Erti, Elizabeth’s sister, in 2021 in the form of 5 binders (4 photos, 1 negatives). The photos and negatives were rehoused into archivally safe photo sheets but were kept in chronological order.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Indexed Terms
- Names:
- Calabrese
Erti - Places:
- Geneva (N.Y.)
Access
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
- CONTACT:
-
315-789-5151archivist@historicgeneva.org