I am the twentieth grandchild of Arthur Clement Dale, a man I never knew.
Growing up in the 1960s and ’70s was pretty special. Our family was large and Italian (we were told), though I didn’t quite fit the typical image – I was tall, light-haired, and not as touchy-feely as the other Italian kids at school. Learning much later in life that grand-paw being from Sicily is much different than if he were from the northern Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
Life at home was straightforward. My mom and dad (Maestri & Lois Dale) had six children, also around the corner Uncle Lenny & Aunt Betty they also had six children. My dad’s oldest brother Uncle Arthur Dale II owned the property between the two homes. “The trail” was a path that cut through the weeds and a short journey to our Sandlot – Michael Maestri Dale’s Wonder Years.
In most families ancestry finds ordinary people living simple, ordinary lives. Their stories may not make it into textbooks or newspapers, but are part of a family’s collective heritage, reminding us of the value of simplicity, humility, and the beauty found in the everyday life.
When you explore the Maestri Dale family tree, it’s like flipping through a recipe book, but instead of ingredients, you discover a diverse array of quirky characters, much like the spices in a Creole gumbo.
On a crisp New Year’s Day in 1970, as firecrackers echoed in the yard, my world was shaken by the news of my grandmother’s passing. Jenny Maestri Dale, a pillar of strength who raised five children single-handedly and amassed wealth through real estate, had departed. Little did I know, this event would unravel mysteries buried within the family tomb at Metairie Cemetery, secrets Written in Stone.
Michael Maestri Dale
My exploration of Who Am I, unearthed some remarkable stories. Join me in these discoveries, if you’re descended from the Maestri-Dale families, your ancestors were true trailblazers, shaping the landscape of New France, northern Italy and beyond.
Here you will learn about Dorothée Mechipoueoua, for instance. Born in 1686 in the Louisiana Territory, she hailed from the Kaskaskia Tribe, her lineage tracing back to Indian chiefs. Then there’s Hugo Krebs, a visionary who crafted a cotton seed removal device on his Mississippi plantation years before Eli Whitney made his mark.
And we can’t overlook Robert Maestri, the wealthiest man in New Orleans in 1928 and Governor Huey P. Long’s top financial supporter. Despite quitting school after the third grade to work in the family business, Maestri became known as “Red Light Bob” because his properties in and around Storyville that were rented by the hour, not by the month.
In the Maestri Dale family, the extra-ordinary seems to be… well, very ordinary.