Brigandi
They came from Alsace, Austria, Ireland, Scotland, Sicily, and Sweden — carrying different names, different languages, and different dreams. Old World New Roots is a living archive tracing the journeys of the Brigandi, Ferruccio, Kivlin, Kustad, Lantau, Schneider, Scott, and Scobee families: the people who crossed oceans, left everything behind, and built something new.
Part family history, part detective story — this is my love letter to the people who made us possible, told through the documents, photographs, and stories they left behind.
Click the arrows or the dots on the map to follow the voyage
The tools have changed from typewriter ribbon to digital databases, but the mission remains: documenting facts and bringing them to life. I invite you to check back regularly as I continue to dig through the archives and share the newest treasures I've found.
My current research centers on the Schneider family—a lineage shaped by the shifting border of Alsace-Lorraine, where an ancestor could appear as French in one record and German in the next. I am tracing their path from the contested European borderlands to their arrival in America, piecing together the parish, civil, and immigration records that finally anchor our history to a specific place. Read all about the history in The Accidental Germans.
To celebrate the luck of the Irish this March, we are looking back at the life of Mary Agnes Jane Kivlin Schneider—known affectionately to her family as Mamie. Born in the Bronx on November 4, 1891, she was part of the first generation of her family born in America to James and Mary Kivlin. While her documents record the dates and places, this photo records her spirit and reminds us all to enjoy the journey making every moment count.
Look good and look around!
~Mary Ann Brigandi
Ain't you gonna feed your husband?
~Frances Brigandi
Dolls! You're all dolls!
~Otto Brigandi
...go out with the ugly ones. If they dump you who cares?
~Anonymous Uncle
I love him but I don't like him.
~Ann Lantau Kustad
I couldn't do this alone! This site is powered by TNG and Genealogy Web Templates, with creative help from Gemini & ChatGPT (AI) and Dreamstime. Most importantly, it features research gifted by my relatives. If you see an error, please contact me—we’re all human and friends!
These are the families that form the heart of our story. Click any name to explore their unique branch of our tree.
Research Disclaimer: This site is an active work in progress, and some facts may be unverified as new records are uncovered. I welcome your help in making our family history as accurate as possible! If you have corrections, documents, or photos to share, please Contact Me.
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