THE HISTORY

Mason is a fairly common surname in the province of Padua and the research activity was mainly concentrated in areas of Piombino Dese , Torreselle , levada , Resana , Castelminio .

Mason is a surname that you meet often associated with people of Anglo-Saxon ethnicity .

We all know the famous Perry Mason , successful American television series , and there are several American actors who carry the surname Mason .

If the origin of the surname is Italian or Anglosaxon, is not the task of this research establish it , it is certain that there has been a massive emigration from the countries of the area north of Padua in the late 1800s and early 1900s to the ' Australia, Brazil and Argentina , mainly . People emigrate in search of better living conditions in the hope of being able to give a future to their children .

In the late 1800s , in Torreselle , the main occupation was " farmer " and mainly farmer sharecropper. The Venetian nobles owned land , were cultivated by the families so they could support themselves yielding to master the overwhelming majority of crops and holding a meager portion for himself . Within the municipality of Torreselle and Levada , the noble landowners were Count Marcello , Cornaro , Carisi .

The Venetian nobles extended by municipalities around the Venetian hinterland to the borders with Treviso , Padua and Vicenza .

TORRESELLE

Torreselle , in 1740 , had about 800 inhabitants , was a fraction of Piombino Dese ( which housed the town hall and all municipal offices ) and had the appearance of a village where life revolved close to the archpriest church of SS . Simon and Jude ( 1750-1753 ) . The area was marshy and it is said that is why the main street of Torreselle has been raised . This fact is , moreover , evident if you drive Fossetta Road from  Castelminio towards the center of Torreselle and observe the difference in level between the road and the very old houses .

In that way it seems there were the famous " torricelle " ( little towers over the river Sile that in Casacorba has his sources ) from which the village takes its name . The road that runs along the cemetery Torreselle ( opposite the church ) , led , at the end of the road, to a large house in which lived a family nucleus whose family name was BAREN , also called Barisei . Romano Mason , son of Amedeo and Virginia ,  worked for several years in his youth . Uncle Amedeo reports that  is still living a nonagenarian woman who took care of him during those years .

Among the families that, from the middle of 1800 lived in Torreselle , we remember the" Vanzetto" , the "Baesso" , the "Pivato" , the "Mason" , the "Ventura" , the "Callegarin" , the "Baren" , the "Volpato" , the "Zorzi" , the "Trevisan" etc.It is said that, starting from the church and going east , in the direction called in dialect "in Cao de a " , all those lands were of Mason .In the other direction , then going west from the church , also known as "in Cao de quà " instead , they say they were all sharecroppers except Vanzettoni , the Callegarin and the Ventura (detail reported by Amedeo Mason )It is estimated that  at least 20% of the people in Torreselle named Mason .In that area , a bit ' like other Venetian areas where the same name is present and widespread ( just think of the " Boscolo " in Chioggia ) , along with the Entry was used to add  a local dialect nickname that differentiate the various families .The Mason of Torreselle area  used to be called :

1. Masoni " grandi " (big group of families)

2. Masoni " cei " (not big group of families

3. Masoni " a do" ( families group who lived to south direction,)

4. Masoni " in su ' (families group who lived to north direction)

5. Masoni "in su ea " ( families group who lived in the east direction)

Note that the centre of the village was always the church and then the direction " east" , for example ,means " east from the church"The difference between the Masoni " grandi " and " cei " seems to depend on the fact that the first all lived in the house in Fossetta road wich collected many family groups and the latter lived in small groups .The Masoni " a do" were the strain that lives in south of Torreselle , in the direction of Piombino Dese / Resana .The Masoni " in su " were the ones who lived in Via Montegrappa ( Amedeo , Carlo ) .The Masoni " in su ea" were that group that lived in "Brusaporco" (now Castelminio ) .The Mason , generated many children , generally , at least about 10 for family with peaks of 14 or even more. Bear in mind, in this regard ,the living conditions at that time where the children were the resources that were used to carry out the work in the fields, only sustenance to those years .
More children meant more manpower and better possibility to work the land of the owner / grantor. It also takes account of white deaths due to poor sanitation and the resulting infection or to childhood diseases which , at that time , did not let escape or, unfortunately , to maternal deaths . One of the diseases that mostly affected our community was tuberculosis , a disease which at the time gave no escape and "pellagra" ( a diesase caused by an alimentary diet based only with corn ).

Sometimes , unfortunately , there were death of childrens born dead or died in the first few years of life . The births took place at home in the parent's bedroom with the help of the " midwife " , with  elementary sanitary  instruments . In case of  complications during childbirth , the doctor was called to the rescue even if , in the event of serious situations , unfortunately , there was no time to reach a hospital (the closest was Castelfranco or Camposampiero ) and child died (sometimes even the mother) .

Although the living conditions were miserable , hunger was not very painful at that time because the land gave the livelihood in subsistence : the children had to take up the work in the fields and women to grow the many children as well as to carry out housework and daily maintenance of the stables and chicken coops . It was a hard life , of work and  many privations . The big house in Fossetta road, doubled as a nursery : the older women along with those too young to work , took care to manage the children of all , while mothers were responsible for helping their husbands in the fields or to collaborate in the management of life home . The children were so numerous that sometimes the elderly grandparents asked to children to who they were sons as it was so difficult to recognize them...

Sometimes women served as nurses in place of mothers who could not breastfeed . The house of Mason , then , was a small autonomous community . The Torreselle's Mason lived in the big house called " Casera " which housed about 10 families for a total of about 80 people . That house is still visible and inhabited , although in some parts only, and is located in via Fossetta, the road from Torreselle to Castelminio . His picture is on the front page of this site. The family organization of those years was patriarchal and the patriarch , in the early 1900s is said to be Sante who then occupied to manage agricultural activities exercised brothers ( someone do report that the patriarch was Domenico , the future mayor of Piombino ) .

Sante or Domenico had a small studio with a wooden desk and took into account the management of the family business and everyone had to respect him . Every morning , Sante took care of the children at school age , and carry them in his carriage pulled by a white horse to school dl country. This particular  was referred me by Aunt Pinetta verbally first and then in one of his manuscripts ticket. The writing is unsteady due to a supervening blindness. Pinetta wrote that ticket with an extraordinary willpower and closed eyes during the last months of life in May 2015: will die in Viedma (Argentina ) 27 February 2016. ( image of the ticket is in the italian version " la storia" )

Everyone had a role in the big house : men were in charge of working the land and rearing of animals of the barn and women , as well as assistance in the fields had to take care of childrens , housework and cooking . Eaten food was totally produced by them and with the the sale of agricultural products and animals , were bought mainly those things that could not be produced .

The mason's produced hemp for textile use (The Uncle Amedeo reports that Virginia grandmother took care of weaving hemp and was skilled in this art), they were cultivated silkworms who were fed with tender mulberry leaves (morer). The cocoons, once freed butterfly, were resold to the silky industries in the area. The breeding of cows and farmyard animals allowed a constant daily production of products (milk, butter, eggs, meat). The beef was sold. Women, were allowed to sell to the market the chicken eggs .  The money were used for the needs of children or  for a women needs. The diet was pretty miserable: every day "polenta" ( a corn cake) , vegetables and sometimes meat of farm animals (chickens, rabbits, guinea fowl, turkeys, etc.). The bread was made at home in large loaves that lasted several days. The meals were very poor because they were many mouths to feed but was given everyone a sufficient quantity.

As in all peasant land , vine was cultivated and a red wine was produced  in two variants : the Grinto / clinto , red light and sweet and Grinton / clinton , very sour and dark . Every now and then, a barley was drank instead of coffee and sometimes " corrected " with wine. It was also produced in small amounts a very strong artisanal "grappa" ( a hand made  alcoholic liquor that gave some warmth) .

In the evening , after the modest dinner , the adults gathered in the barn ( in winter ) or on the porch of the house in the summer and it was " filò " ( people were talking of the events that happened during the day but before , every night , they recited the rosary. This was the only moment of confrontation with families in the community .

Friday at 15 pm , at the touch of bells , they stopped  any activity ust to pray  God.

Those who were not fit to work in the fields and were reported by the pastor or teacher as gifted in the studies,  became , at times , priests or nuns . This had a dual purpose : to enable promising children educational opportunities that otherwise would have been very difficult and take off a mouth to feed the meager family budget . The pastor of Torreselle , in the period from 1909 to 1961 was Don Luigi Vardanega and there was therefore a very close link between the parish priest , as an authority , and the family heads . Don Luigi Vardanega was in favor of large families and it is said he was not in favour with those who had not children or  those who had a few (there was an average of more than 9 childrens in  each  family ) . Some men , widowed 'cause of tuberculosis that in those years made ​​many victims , were favored by the pastor to marry again and then have more children.

Those who were not married , were almost marginalized and women who did not marry , sometimes through the intercession of the priest , were sent as maids in the most affluent families of Padua , or even , they moved to Rome in the homes of the clergy as servants or involved in menial jobs

THE WORK

Work in the fields was dependent on the seasons.

Crops, mainly corn, wheat, medical herb , sorghum, soybean, sunflower, tobacco, were made from spring to late summer, consistent with weather conditions.

There were no motorized farm machinery and everything was done with oxen.

Alongside the crops, it deals with breeding of farm animals and of burden (horses, oxen, cows, pigs), as well as chickens, rabbits, turkeys, gooses etc.

The plumage of the birds was used to line blankets and quilts.

The birth of a calf or a pig generated happiness in the community because it added to the barn and eating possibilities of all.

The cows gave the daily milk that was sold, and whose surplus was consumed by the family, mainly by children.

When they were slaughtered, the meat was sold. Hardly they used the meat to feed the family since they were deemed "valuable" and sellable. The entrails and offal, were instead used to enrich the poor diet of the family.

An exception were done for new mother that for 40 days after the birth had the best of food for them ( first choice meat and no job for them)

The pigs were reared and slaughtered every year in winter.

One of the most skilled butchers who helped the Mason in the killing operations of the pig and its meat preparations, said to be Giordano  Gumiero, husband of Clelia Mason daughter of Sante.

Meat and by-products (bacon, sausages etc) were sold and the surplus, if there had been, was consumed in the family.

The first pair from which part of our research , is formed and ANGELA and ANDREA MASON . Nothing is known about Angela's surname  . Date of birth  is presumed to still be in the twenty-year period from 1740 to 1760 . Obviously , no image is available since the photography will be invented later in Europe in 1839 . It is assumed they came from both Torreselle that , in those days , was little more than a village . They married and had a son, Domenico .

He, as reported by the Register of Piombino Dese , married 22 July 1807 in Torreselle , ANGELA BELLINATO (Torreselle born June 7 , 1789) . From their union were born five children: VALENTINO,ANDREA,NICOLO', MARIA, ANTONIO .

About 100 years after the birth of Andrea , the founder of our research , the situation of the Mason family was as follows :

VALENTINO married ANGELA PERIN : they had 4 sons:

• TERESA LUIGIA b 5/10/1835
• CATERINA PAOLA b 4/10/1838
• EUGENIA b 25/3/1841
• LUIGI 27/3/1848

ANDREAmarried DOMENICA BAESSO : they had 9 sons:

• LUIGIA b 23/9/1843
• ROSA b 9/2/1845
• ANGELO b 22/3/1847
• DOMENICO b 14/2/1849
• CIOMARIA b 1851
• ELENA b 4/9/1853 d 15/8/1854
• GIUSEPPE (BEPO) b 31/1/1856 d 14/1/1940
• SANTE b 24/8/1858
• GIOVANNI b 22/7/1860

NICOLO' married DE GRANDIS LUCIA : they had 9 sons:

• MARIA MADDALENA
• SIMONE TADDEO
• PIETRO GIOVANNI
• MARIA
• PIETRO
• TERESA VIRGINIA
• MICHELE ARCANGELO
• EUGENIA CAROLINA
• VALENTINA FIORINA

We will consider from now  , only that class relative to ANDREA MASON AND DOMENICA BAESSO representing the 3rd generation .

ANDREA MASON AND DOMENICA BAESSO

Andrea Mason was born in Torreselle April 23 , 1815 : peasant like his father . He married Domenica Baesso from Torreselle and had 9 children:

• LUIGIA b 23/9/1843
• ROSA b 9/2/1845
• ANGELO b 22/3/1847
• DOMENICO b 14/2/1849
• CIOMARIA (GIANMARIA) b 1851
• ELENA b 4/9/1853
• GIUSEPPE b 31/1/1856
• SANTE b 24/8/1858
• GIOVANNI b 27/7/1860

In relation to this family , the news are few and fragmentary then some , linked to legends that are reflected , however, in the memories of some living seniors that they had heard from their grandparents .

ANGELO

Angelo was born in Torreselle March 22, 1847 and on 1 February 1872, married Giovanna Ventura (born in Torreselle 19 August 1853). From their union, June 23, 1873 was born a daughter, SCOLASTICA EUGENIA. Some seniors report that Angelo bought the famous Coffè Pedrocchi in Padua which who was the most famous and important cafè of Padua (www.caffepedrocchi.it). In this regard, a legend say that Angelo appeared at the entrance of the Pedrocchi cafe with not perfectly clean clothes and muddy boots and a servant stopped him right away because he believed it was a poor man. Angelo, it is said very quietly, rebuked him and invited him to go out immediately to give water to his horse with which he had arrived. It is unknown if Angelo or someone of Mason really bought the coffee Pedrocchi as through official sources provided by the current owner of the Pedrocchi, appears no Mason if you look down the list of who has owned over the years that enterprise.

Is it possible, however, that Angelo had participated in the management of the coffee for a given period as, at the turn of those years this really happened. 

 Wikipedia refers in this regard: 

... "Antonio Pedrocchi died January 22, 1852. Inspired by the desire to leave the management of his coffee to a person of trust, had adopted Cappellato Domenico, the son of his servant, that when his father died putative he engaged in give continuity to the company inherited it, while giving management in the various sections of the plant "...

CIOMARIA (GIANMARIA)

Ciomaria born in Torreselle in 1851. There has not given  to know the exact day of his birth and his death which is then assumed to be the case in an unfamiliar place. It is not known if he was married, but his profession, for those years, suggests he was not married. Perhaps for this reason, not having fathered children, his estate was run by older siblings It is said that Ciomaria did the spice merchant and that, with the help of boats, was running the world for his business. Some seniors report that he was a "pirate" and that over the years, he had amassed a fortune with his trade and he had invested the proceeds in the purchase of the only affordable well then, that is the land of about  500 fields. On Ciomaria and origin of the accumulated fortune there are not many objective evidence and you must rely on the memories of  old people, some unfortunately already deceased. It is certain that from that time onwards, the Mason  are known  as wealthy landowner. It is said that in the big house on Via Fossetta once a week, on  Sunday, was set up a table for the poor men to whom was given a free meal (news reported by many and even by my father). The administrator of the goods, as mentioned, was Sante which was considered a benefactor as well as reads the epitaph on the headstone is still visible in the cemetery of Torreselle close to the inner wall of the inlet house: "...zelante fabbiciere con i poveri benefico" ... (... benefactor with poor people)

(photo of the headstone is visible in the italian translation "la storia"

DOMENICO

Domenico was born in Torreselle February 14 , Valentines Day , 1849 . He married IRENE Gumiero born in Torreselle 13 July 1852. He died on November 7 , 1925 at age 73 . Domenico and Irene will have 8 children:

• Federico
• Arcangelo
• Narciso
• Maria
• Vittoria
• Maria (Bia)
• Veronica
• Amelia

Domenico , respectable and honorable person , choose to actively engage in the management of the country , and was elected mayor of Piombino Dese for about 15 years. The headstone of Irene , his wife is still visible on the inner wall of the Torreselle cemetery, close to that of Sante while that of Domenico disappeared . ... " The glory of the righteous welcome Gumiero MASON IRENE lived 73 years in the silence , in the sacrifice for God and the holy family from the pain died November 7, 1925 As a token of gratitude the children put

It happened a fact that changed the fate of the Mason's. It is said that , perhaps because of a guarantee given by a Mason to cover then apparently went bad a bargain ( perhaps a commitment relating to crops or crops destroyed by the weather, famine or theft ) , the accumulated capital , was affected in important measure , and so inexorably fatal . Since that time , the family , while maintaining a privileged status , no longer a landed fortune that had characterized some years earlier. Meanwhile , the generations follow each other doing much children who share capital was further gradually reducing properties .

GIUSEPPE

, is the 7th of 9 children . Nicknamed " Bepo " , Giuseppe was born in Torreselle January 31 , 1856 . He married Fabbian Giuseppina with whom he had four children:

• Virginio ( 1886)
• Martino ( 1888)
• Ester
• Colomba

Virginio will have 5 sons:

• CESARE
• VIRGILIO also called GINESIO
• LUIGI
• UGO
• LINO

Martino married Giovanna Prior and will have 8 sons:

• UBALDO
• SIMONE
• EGIDIO
• BATTISTA
• SERGIO
• ELVIRA
• GEMMA
• VERONICA

Cesare will marry Ines Sartori (1909-1994) and will have six children: Lidia, Silvano , Mario , Dino , Marcello and Silvana .

Cesare unfortunately will die young and some years after his death , Ines marry the brother of Caesar Virgilio . From this union , however, will not be born children .

Egidio ( Olindo ) brides Bolpato  Pierina (called Briti ) and will have 7 children:

 RomanO , Luigina , Bernardo , Gemma , Vittorio , Ernesta and Luciano

Josephine, mother of Martin and Virginio , died young of tuberculosis and , after a few years , Giuseppe married his second wife , Gumiero Ernesta with whom he had two other children:

• Agapito
• Francesco ( also called Chechi)

Agabito goes to Milan and will have 5 sons:

• FIDELMA
• ILARIO
• GINA
• SEVERINO
• GIOVANNI

Francesco will have 10 sons:

• MALVINA
• MARIA
• LAVINIO
• UMBERTO
• ANELIE
• LUIGINA
• EGIDIO
• BATTISTA
• NARCISA
• ESTER

SANTE MASON

Sante Mason was born in Torreselle August 24 , 1858 and died in Torreselle on December 11, 1929 . He was a robust young and not very high but particularly clever stature, it is said . Bridess Torreselle Teresa Pivato born in 1860 . From this union will be born nine children:

• GIUSEPPINA
• DOMENICO
• CARLO
• ANTONIO
• AMADIO
• GIOVANNI bridess RITA MASON
• CLELIA bridess GIORDANO DOMENICO GUMIERO
• RITA (maiden )
• ALODIA (nun, died in Tripoli -Libya)

Rita , never married though he was in love with a young man named Alexander . It is said that he had contracted a mild form of tuberculosis and Rita's father , Sante , convinced the pastor not to marry . Rita , very sensitive strong and determined girl , was hit for this from a form of depression from which she never put most , she refused to accept the court of any other suitor and remained unmarried. His brother Amedeo , welcomed her into his home where she remained throughout his life .

GIUSEPPINA , never married and died on 1 April 1924, only 30 years due to an incurable disease . Little over 40 days later , on May 23 , 1924 , unfortunately died at just 64 years of Tuberculosis also his mother Teresa Pivato . The agony is huge . At the behest of Sante , will be buried together at the foot of the main facade of the cemetery and on the headstone , still visible although eroded by time, will be placed the following inscription :

" A life of pain and clasped merits on earth MASON GIUSEPPINA dead to 30 years on 1 April 1924 white flower of purity and simplicity and her beloved mother died TERESA MASON insidious evil May 23, 1924 . To put them togetrher in the same place signifying their union in the glory of heaven "

GIOVANNI

Born in  Torreselle  July 2nd  1860 and married with  Rita Mason:  6  sons:

1. FERRUCCIO born  1926  married with  Lina Muffetta  from  Castelminio. 2 sons.
   
2. IMELDE born  1928 married with  Fasinato
3. ORFEO born  1930 priest  ( Padri Cavanis Equador).  Died in  Quito (Equador)  10/2/2014
4. OFELIA  married with a man from  Silvelle
5. RINO (called  GIOVANNI  in remembrance of his  father ) . Married in  Varese.  2 daughters. He was at school with uncle Amedeo and  Laura Squizzato ( Vettore's wife)
6. SILVANO born  1936 , rpriest ( Padri Cavanis Venezia) 

DOMENICO ( Neno )

He moved in search of work and better living conditions , to Milan area . Bridess Clelia ANTONELLO , his fellow villager . There has been no news of this family

CARLO

bridess Giustina Mason ( friendly called "mora" ) . he will move with his brother Amedeo on the house in Montegrappa road (in the past called Zero road) . From their union were born 8 childrens:

• ANGELO bridess Di Done' Amalia 1939 and goes to the city of St. Marco
• BERNARDINA MASON (FIRMIA - PINUCCIA) brides Bettin Ignazio and goes to Piemonte region
• ELSA bridess Domenico Michielan (Mogliano V.to cemetery)
• ALBINO bridess first wedding Maccatrozzo Elvira . After her's death he will marry Rita Bortolotto (Campigo cemetery)
• ELIO
• ELDA bridess Disegna Valentino
• CECILIA (SILVIA) bridess Luigi Pierotti
• ELISEA bridess Ferruccio Fasinato from Scorzè ( close to Venice)

ANTONIO

Brides 1st wedding IDA MASON died prematurely and 2nd wedding VITTORIA ZANINI ( also called Marconi 1893 1985)

From the 2nd wife he will have 4 sons:

• MALVINO
• LIDIA
• LINA born in 1925,nun in PISA and great friend of Pinetta Mason daughter of Amedeo
• TERESA bridess Mr. Caon from Resana

AMEDEO ( AMADIO ) Brides 1st wedding in 1911 CECILIA FAVARO ( also called BINATI) from Zero Branco with whom he had two children:

• ALBERTO died in 2nd world war
• GINO.

Cecilia , unfortunately died young at age 22 because of an insidious evil , probably tobercolosis.

After a few years , Amadio brides 2nd marriage VIRGINIA CAODURO ( born in 1895 ) from Loreggia which is also a widow with no children . Her first hausband 's name was NICODEMO MONTIN , ( son of a respectable family of Resana ) , who died after a few months of marriage for tubercolosis . It is said that Amedeo had seen Virginia while going for business to Camposampiero . She was doing lunch in the garden and he fells in love. The surname CAODURO , probably comes from the province of Vicenza, although the people involved in this research were all residents in Loreggia ( PD ) . VIRGINIA , daughter of Pietro , was a beautiful girl, young , tall and of good family, the youngest of eight brothers : AMALIA , MARIA , CLEMENTINA , GIUSTINA , GIUSEPPINA , ETTORE , CARLO , VIRGINIA . 

We don't know exaclty the birth date of all the brothers and sisters but only 3:

1. ETTORE born in 1875 ( emigrated to Argentina in the early 1900s along with two cousins)

2. CARLO born in 1885

3. VIRGINIA born in 1895

VIRGINIA lived in Loreggia city in a house along the Via del Santo where still lives LUCIANO CAODURO, son of CARLO (brother of Virginia).

The father of VIRGINIA, PIETRO, (born in Loreggia May 30, 1851), was the Provincial roadworker , also called "cantoniere". This family job have been passed from generation to generation. Pietro was in charge of the " Strada del Santo" (the road from Castelfranco to Padova).

He was responsible of the part from Resana to Loreggia.

PIETRO, in turn, was the son of Domenico CAODURO and CALLEGARO BARTOLOMEA.

Domenico and Bartolomea, had at least two sons: PIETRO and ANGELO.

Angelo Caoduro, had at least three sons:

1. ANTONIO (07/31/1887)

2. VITTORIO (01/09/1893)

3. GIUSEPPE (04/14/1896)

CARLO , broche of VIRGINIA , ( also called BUSOLIN from his mother's last name ) and his wife ROSA PERON had 8 childrens:

• GIOVANNI,
• GIUDITTA,
• ASSUNTA ( suora) nata 1913,
• GIULIA nata 1915,
• PIETRO nato 1920 ,
• GIULIO nato 1922,
• ANTONIETTA nata 1925 ,
• DINA nata 1927.
  (Some images of this family are in the " photos " section of this site ) .

llustrious connections Caoduro family:

Miss Italy  2002 ELEONORA PEDRON (daughter of Adriano Pedron and Daniela Caoduro) .Eleonora's grandfather was first cousin to my grandmother Virginia Caoduro, (which Eleonora is so great-grandson).He had 10 children the eldest of whom is Daniela, the Eleonora mother.

AMADIO e VIRGINIA, will have 10 sons:

• LUIGIA
• ANGELA
• AMEDEO
• GIUSEPPINA
• SANTE
• NICODEMO
• GUIDO
• ROMANO
• VETTORE
• ELENA

Amadio and Virginia were my paternal grandparents beloved .

Right behind the house Amadio and Virginia was obtained a small house in which were housed MENATO MARIO and his wife MARIA with their son ANTONIO.

They were a very wealthy family who , to escape the raids of the Germans in Padova (city where they lived and where they had in Piazza Garibaldi a sporting goods store ) moved for some years to Torreselle . The Menato's had  a photocamera ( very expensive equipment at the time) and were made with that  camera, all photographs in front of the home of the grandparents ( details reported by Mario Mason grandson of Carlo Mason ) . In the section " fotografie" , under "zia Elena"  there is a picture of Antonio Menato child with Elena .