Genealogy Pursuit
Discover the Brigandi, Ferruccio, Kivlin and Schnieder Families on
Discover and treasure our family history
Get ready to dive into the fun family tree of the Brigandi, Ferruccio, Kivlin, and Schneider clans along with some relatives they dragged along the way!
Fresh from the blog
The informality of family life is a blessed condition that allows us all to become our best while looking our worst.
Spotlight on Joseph Santo Brigandi
Joseph served with the 325th Army Infantry Company C as a mechanic from 1917-1919. Scroll down to watch a video of the 325th Division's first offensive
Click the button for facts about Joseph's life.
After Joseph's passing, President Jimmy Carter commended his service with this letter.
Click below to view the full image and more letters awarded to our family.
In the fall of 1917, Joseph trained at Camp Gordon, Georgia before deploying to France.
For more on Camp Gordon click below to view on Wikipedia.
Joseph is pictured second from the left with members of his battalion.
For more information on the 325th Infantry involvement in WWI, click below.
The St. Mihiel Drive
The Battle of Saint-Mihiel (September 12–15, 1918) was the first major U.S.-led offensive in WWI, with American and French forces attacking the German-held Saint-Mihiel salient. General John J. Pershing planned a pincer movement, but the Germans had already begun retreating, making the attack more successful than expected.
Key Results:
•Allied victory: 15,000 German POWs, 450 guns captured.
•U.S. strength: 216,000 troops, 144 tanks, 1,481 aircraft.
•Challenges: Heavy rain, muddy roads, and supply issues.
•Impact: Boosted U.S. Army’s reputation and set the stage for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Information courtesy of Wikipedia. To read the full article CLICK HERE.
Mystery Photos
Photography has gone from a rare treasure to an everyday magic trick—just a tap, and poof! another photo vanishes into the depths of your phone. Our ancestors, however, had no such luxury. Each photo required effort, patience, and a bit of alchemy to develop, making every snapshot a cherished gem.
But alas, many of these old photos have lost their stories, leaving us to wonder—who are these mysterious faces? What grand occasions were captured? Let’s dust off these forgotten memories and fill in the blanks. If you have any clues, drop them below!