Fall Foliage at Nay Aug Park in Scranton – The David Wenzel Treehouse
Hello Cousins! October is just around the corner, and I can’t wait to see everyone.
Like me, many of you will be traveling to the reunion from out-of-state. If you are arriving early or staying an extra day after reunion weekend, there is much to explore! To help you play tourist, I’ve put together a handy PDF Guide of historical regional sites and local dining spots (including several suggestions for a healthy bite!).
You can find the link to our Sites and Dining Guide on the Reunion page or by clicking here. Feel free to download and print a copy to take with you.
Mark your calendars, cousins! The highly anticipated 2026 Genetti Family Reunion is officially set, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share the details with you all. It is time to reconnect, celebrate our shared heritage, and make new memories together.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our gracious host, Gus Genetti and family, for welcoming us to their Wilkes-Barre hotel.
Here is everything you need to know to start planning your trip!
When & Where
Dates: Friday, October 16th through Sunday, October 18th, 2026
The hotel is giving us a discounted room rate for family members! Rooms are available at $129 per night (based on double occupancy, with a $10 charge for each additional person).
To book your stay, please call the hotel directly at 570-823-6152 and be sure to ask for the Genetti Family Reunion room block to get our special rate.
Meals & Itinerary
Please print, complete and mail with payment the Meal Reservation Form to secure your dining spots. We have a wonderful weekend of food and fellowship planned:
Friday Evening (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM): Kick off the weekend with a Welcoming Cocktail Hour, compliments of Gus Genetti!
Saturday Morning: Start the day with a complimentary breakfast.
Saturday Lunch (12:00 Noon): Gather in the Genetti Ballroom for a delicious buffet-style lunch.
Saturday Afternoon: Join us for an engaging afternoon of Family Stories and Presentations. I am especially excited for this portion of the weekend! I will be sharing updates on the family history book documenting our Pennsylvania lineage and presenting some of my recent genealogical research. We will also be diving into a very special, family story about love, loss, intrigue and murder —exploring the fascinating details behind the Illinois mining murders!
Saturday Evening (6:00 PM): Return to the Genetti Ballroom for our main buffet-style dinner and a speaker.
Sunday Morning: Enjoy a final complimentary breakfast and say our warm farewells until next time.
Stay Tuned!
As more reunion information becomes available, we will continue to post updates right here on the website. Please reach out to the Genetti Best Western at 570-823-6152 for any specific questions regarding the venue or your booking.
We cannot wait to see everyone in Wilkes-Barre next October. Safe travels, and let the countdown begin!
I am publishing this short video to offer you a special visual and auditory sneak peek into the comprehensive family history book I am currently researching and writing about the Genetti Family of Pennsylvania.
The video provides a glimpse into our deep Tyrolean roots, starting in the year 1265 with our earliest known ancestor, Arimanne Giovanni (Johann) Magnagnini, who was part of an elite class of free Germanic warriors. It highlights our family’s fascinating journey through the centuries, touching upon the origins of our ancient “Wild Man” heraldry and the resilient spirit that eventually led our ancestors to risk everything for a new life across the sea in America.
I invite you to head over to YouTube to watch this brief introduction, and please stay tuned for more updates as I continue to research and write the story of the Pennsylvania Genetti family. You can also find a link to the video on the Genetti Family Genealogy Project website, located on the Gallery page under Videos.
Hope you enjoy the video. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and reviews. And if you so choose, give the video an enthusiastic “thumbs up” and say hello to your cousins in the comment section below the video.
As many living descendants of the Genetti family are second-, third-, and fourth-generation Americans who have moved from the original states where our forebearers settled, you may not know which branch of the family tree you belong to.
First, it is important to remember that the Genetti family traces its roots back to the village of Castelfondo, Italy, as early as 1265. Our first ancestors were a father named Giovanni (Johan in German) and his sons. According to the ancient text of the Codex Cles from 1307 and a later German journal, Neues Jahrbuch, published in 1899, the family was granted the title of “freeman” by the ruling Tyrolean Prince-Bishop. This established the family surname and the beginning of the Genetti tree. However, since official church documentation of births, marriages, and deaths was not part of Catholic practice until the last half of the 1400s, the Genetti family had 200 years of growth. As a result, the family split into several different branches. Today, there are at least four or five distinctly different Genetti family lines living in Italy, other European countries, the United States, and South America. Most of the Genetti family ancestors who immigrated to the United States belong to our specific branch of the larger ancient tree, which traces its first documented ancestor to Pietro Genetti of Melango, born sometime in the mid-1400s. (FYI: Melango is the ancient name for Castelfondo.)
The journey to the Americas began in 1867 with the arrival of Costantino (August) Genetti (1842–1914). Costantino was the first documented immigrant from our family tree to leave Castelfondo, settling and raising his family in Collinsville, Illinois. Other family members soon joined their older brother in Illinois, working in the miners or becoming farmers. During the following decades, Genetti cousins from different branches established their own families, businesses, and culture in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Wyoming, and Argentina.
The color-coded tree accompanying this blog post illustrates our original immigrant ancestors and the locations where they settled. Note the maps on the right side: the states colored in Turquoise represent Genetti families from other lineages, distantly related prior to the mid-1400s and therefore not on our specific tree. The states in Yellow (New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut) indicate a Genetti family not related to ours at all; their family originated in a different part of Italy and changed their surname from Genitti to Genetti upon arrival. You can read about them in my 2015 blog post, “A Case of Mistaken Identity!”.
Who were our first ancestors to settle in each state?
Pennsylvania:Cosma Damiano Genetti arrived in 1877 with two sisters, Angela Maddalena and Anna Maria. He married and began his family, returning to Castelfondo in 1888 where he and his growing family lived until he once again embarked for Pennsylvania in 1902. In 1887, Damiano’s parents, Leone and Cattarina, made the journey with their 20 year old son Angelo Raffaele. By 1906, Damiano brought over his entire family of four sons and five daughters, and established his family meat business in Hazleton. Over the years he traveled back and forth from Hazleton, PA to Castelfondo several times. On one shipboard trip he accompanied his youngest sister Erminia Enrica across the ocean in 1890. Eventually Damiano return in his later years to his beloved Alpine village while the rest of his family remained in Hazleton. He died there in 1944. Notable arrivals to Pennsylvania from other branches of the Genetti tree included brothers Fortunato Valentino (arrived 1898) and Narciso (arrived 1899), as well as Dionigio and Faustino Genetti, who settled in Nuremberg and Black Creek in the early 1920s.
Illinois:Costantino (August) Isidoro Francesco Genetti arrived in 1867. He was followed by brothers Nicolo Cipriano in 1872 and Vigilio (William) in 1888. Two sisters, Rachele Arcangela and Domenica Geltrude, also joined their brothers in Illinois. Nicolo Cipriano returned to Castelfondo after working several years in the mines. But brother Vigilio remained, married twice and raised a large blended family. Their father, Cipriano, eventually arrived shortly before his death in 1890. Many descendants of this family still reside in Collinsville, Illinois and neighboring communities.
Wyoming:Angelo Genetti first traveled to Rock Springs in 1887 to work the coal mines before returning to Tyrol in 1892. His four sons—Francesco (Frank), Enrico, Ermenegildo (Herman/Joe), and Dominico—later settled in Wyoming between 1910 and 1918. You can read an entertaining biography written by Ermenegildo (Herman) on our website about early life in southwestern Wyoming, entitled: Herman’s Howlings, click here. Distant cousins to the three earlier mentioned Genetti siblings, brothers Pietro (arrived 1900) and Lodovico Genetti (arrived 1905) traveled to Wyoming. They were actually cousins of the Michigan brothers, but decided Wyoming would be their home rather than Michigan. The brothers settled in Superior and Rock Springs where they both raised their families.
Michigan:Angelo Pietro Genetti settled in Bessemer in 1899, followed by brothers Camillo Gaetano Andrea (arrived 1907) and Gabriele Arcangelo (arrived 1909). By 1905 Enrico Giovanni Battista and his brother Germano Romedio, made Ironwood, Michigan their home. Enrico and Germano were 3rd cousins to Angelo, Camillo and Gabriele. Unfortunately Germano eventually decided to return to Castelfondo. Due to his young age, he was required to serve in the Austrian military forces and was immediately drafted into the army to fight in World War I. He lost his life somewhere on the Russian Front in 1917.
Today, descendants of these original Genetti ancestors are spread across the globe. Rather than just miners and farmers, they are now business owners, professionals, educators, artists, distinguished military personnel and leaders in their communities.
Conclusion
Though our ancestors left the Alpine shadows of Castelfondo over a century ago, the “freeman” spirit they carried remains the bedrock of our family today. Whether your branch took root in the coal mines of Pennsylvania, the prairies of Wyoming, or the farms of Illinois, we are all part of a 700-year-old story that continues to grow with every new generation. By documenting these names and dates, we ensure that while we may move far from our original settlements, we never lose the way back to our shared heritage.
Are you interested in having your own original Genetti Family Tree hanging on your wall? You can purchase a poster of this beautiful tree commissioned by Maria Genetti of Castelfondo in our online Genetti Family Shop, just click here. Please note: due to the small type and the many ancestors listed on the tree, we recommend to purchase the following sizes: Medium (31.2 in x 23.4 in) or Large (44.1 in x 33.1 in) as the text on smaller sized posters is unreadable.
**Commissions from the sale of items in the Genetti Family Shop support upkeep of this website and further genealogical research.
Danny William Genetti recently passed away on August 15th, 2025 and was a descendant of the large Genetti clan that settled in Missouri/Illinois. He was the son of David Genetti and Nellie Kesterson and the great-grandson of Costantino (also known as August) Genetti (1842-1914) and Rosina Kermeier (1842-1926). His great-grandfather was born in Castelfondo, Tyrol and was the first Genetti to come to America in 1867. Danny has a large extended family including eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, plus many cousins who still make their home in the Missouri/Illinois area.
We send our sympathies to Danny’s family for the loss of their father, brother, and grandfather.
We say goodbye to our cousin Conrad George Reich who passed away on April 9th. Conrad was the son of Lewis Joseph Reich (1908-2003) and Elizabeth Catherine Zambotti (1912-1995). He was the grandson of Pietro Zambotti (1881-1966) and Ottilia Genetti (1890-1985).
Conrad was a great friend of our family website, sharing many photos and interesting memorabilia. You can find his many contributions sprinkled throughout the pages of The Genetti Family Genealogy Project. Since the beginning of this website way back in 2014, Conrad emailed me every few months with a family tidbit he found amongst his files. It was always a surprise to open his emails. Sometimes I received a photo, occasionally it was some program or directory from a by-gone era. Last year I found in my mailbox a complete booklet for Mt. Carmel Church Centennial History 1905-2005. And sometimes Conrad just sent me a question. The last email I received from him was asking the street address for Casa Genetti in Castelfondo because he wanted to find the home on Google Maps streetview.
Farewell Cousin Conrad! I’m sure you will be missed by many.
From time to time, interesting pieces of memorabilia come my way such as family photos, newspaper articles or yellowed letters from a long gone ancestor. On my office shelves, I keep a small archive of Genetti remembrances and love to add to my collection of family keepsakes. Usually I wait until I have a group of items that require scanning as it takes some time to dust off my flatbed scanner, do the necessary image adjustments, create a PDF document and upload to our family website.
This past week I finally sat down to work on my latest group of ephemera. All three documents are now uploaded along with personal research to accompany each piece. You will find these current uploads in a new section entitled “Miscellaneous” under the Gallery section of our website.
Our first remembrance came from Conrad Reich, grandson of Tillie Genetti (1890-1985) and Peter Zambotti (1881-1966). It is a commemorative program for the Centennial Celebration of Mount Carmel Tyrolean Church. Containing a detailed history, this is a must-read for any Hazleton family who belonged to the first and only Tyrolean Catholic Church in the United States. Many thanks Conrad for preserving and sharing this piece of Tyrolean American history! Click here to read: Mt. Carmel Church Centennial 1905-2005.
Our second document is an interview with Stanley Genetti (1899-1988) published in 1936 in Meat Merchandising Magazine. This personable article offers a slice of history for the Genetti family businesses of Hazleton. I came across a copy of the vintage publication on eBay and purchased it for a few dollars. It was a pleasant surprise to receive the aging newsprint magazine and read Stanley’s account of how the family business was established and it’s current plans for growth – way back in 1936! Click here to read: 1936 Interview with Stanley Genetti
My last upload was found by accident when it was posted to a Facebook group about Hazleton. It is an advertising brochure for the Genetti markets and the Tyrolean Room to celebrate Hazleton’s Centennial in 1957. Nicole V. Cook, owner of a shop in Hal’s Antique Flea Market in Sybertsville, PA, had posted the image. I sent Nicole a message inquiring if the brochure was for sale. It was and a short time later it arrived in my mailbox. Many thanks to Nicole! She is now on the look-out for other Genetti items that may end up in her shop. Click here to read: Genetti 1957 Centennial Brochure
Sadly we bring you the news that another Genetti cousin has passed on. Margaret Joyce Young Lychock left this earth on January 19, 2024 after a long illness. She was the daughter of Rita Carmella Genetti (1915-1998) and Arthur Davis Young (1913-1947); and the granddaughter of Leon Genetti (1887-1962) and Angeline Marchetti (1893-1963).
Margaret grew up in Hazleton, Pennsylvania with her twin brother Arthur, but lived most of her adult life in Las Vegas, Nevada. She leaves behind a large family of three children, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
We extend our sympathies to the Lychock family and know that their mother and grandmother will be deeply missed.
If you would like to leave a memory, photo or tribute to Margaret, please send a message through our website contact page or private message me, and your memorial will be added to Margaret’s page.
Another Genetti cousin has passed on this month. John “Jack” Genetti was just shy of his 100th birthday!
Jack was the grandson of one of the original Genetti brothers who settled in Illinois. A second generation American, Jack was the son of John Baptiste Genetti (1890-1972) and Julia Freida Rolando (1900-1996). He was the grandson of Vigilio Genetti (1852-1932) and Domenica Maria Dolzadelli (1852-1907). Jack’s grandparents made their home in Collinsville, Illinois where many descendants from the Illinois Genetti branch still live today.
Jack had a long, interesting life and his obituary reflects his many interests and charitable endeavors. Our family genealogists will also miss Jack as he provided us on several occasions with valuable historical information about our ancestry. I am sure he will be greatly missed by his large extended family. We send our heartfelt sympathies to Jack’s sisters and many descendants.
Sadly another Genetti descendant has passed on. Louise Marie Forneris Fernandez, age 86, died on January 26th in Collinsville, Illinois. She was the daughter of Rosina Amelia Genetti and Giovanni Forneris. A descendant of the Illinois Genetti branch and a second generation American, Louise was the granddaughter of Vigilio Genetti (born in Castelfondo, Austria) and his second wife, Margaretha Mueller Kittstein (born in Alsace, France).
I found Louise’s obituary to be a little piece of family history, full of personal details and obviously radiating the love she had for her large family. You can read our memorial to Louise Fernandez on our website with her full obituary, just click here.
Over the years, I have completed extensive research into the Illinois Genetti family as they have an unusual history spanning several generations. I also correspond with many descendants of the four Genetti brothers who originally came to Illinois. Louise was no exception to this complicated family ancestry and she also had a confusing immediate family history.
After her grandfather’s first wife died, Vigilio Genetti married a young widow (Louise’s grandmother) who had two sons by her first marriage. The couple soon had a second family. Vigilio had three sons and a daughter with his first wife, Domenica Maria Dolzadelli. His four children were adults by the time he married Margaretha. Being older, Vigilio and his second wife immediately began a family and had twin girls in 1916 (Louise’s mother Rosina was one of the twins) and a son in 1918. It was a true blended family of siblings and half-siblings.
When Rosina married Giovanni “John” Forneris and they had their only child, Louise, she would grow up with four half-uncles, a half-aunt, an aunt who was a twin to her mother (Margarita Maria) and her Uncle Vernon Charles (her mother’s younger brother). There were many half-cousins and three full cousins in this extended family.
As this blended family wasn’t already confusing enough, it takes another twist through the Fernandez family. In 1942, Louise’s Uncle Vernon marries Geraldine Fernandez. Sometime in the 1950’s, Louise marries Geraldine’s brother, Angel Fernandez. This means that Louise’s four children and the three children of Vernon and Geraldine are double cousins, being related through both their maternal and paternal sides. The seven cousins are first cousins through Angel Fernandez and Geraldine Fernandez Genetti and first cousins, once removed through Louise Forneris Fernandez and her Uncle Vernon Genetti.
Yes, this was a real head-scratcher and took several hours to sort out, as well as another few hours updating our family tree to reflect the intermarriage between the Genetti/Forneris/Fernandez families! It can be quite complicated as you don’t want to enter descendants twice. You can browse our newly updated tree for the Illinois Genetti family at http://genettifamily.tribalpages.com. (You need to create a free account in order to login and access the tree.) After logging in, it’s easy to find Louise Forneris Fernandez by entering her name in the search box at the top of the home page. You can then trace her ancestry as well as her husband’s connection to the Genetti family by following the line of ancestors back in time. (Currently our Genetti Family Tree has 2067 ancestor/descendant listings).
To all of Louise’s family we extend our sincerest sympathies.
If you would like to drop by Louise’s memorial page and leave a memory or a condolence to the family, please click here.
Find our tribute page for Louise Marie Forneris Fernandez on the Genetti Memorial page by clicking here.
The Genetti Family Genealogy Project 