I originally posted about the name & date stone in the building at 311 Colorado Avenue in April of 2017. It is a memorial to a 9-year-old boy who was killed on the East Side of Lorain in the 1924 Sandusky- Lorain tornado, the deadliest tornado in Ohio history. Thanks to Giuseppino’s family and local genealogical researchers who made it possible to tell his story here.
Lorain 365 is honored to help keep Giuseppino’s memory alive.
[Photos from 2017]
My original search had ended with one Lorain connection,
a deceased 9-year-old child named Giuseppino Garbo.
No relatives were listed.
Update 4/29/17:
Reader and contributor Rick Kurish picked up the search:
“You are on the right track in the research of this building. The nine-year-old child, Giuseppino Garbo, who is buried in Calvary Cemetery, is associated with the building. Giuseppino (English version Joseph) Garbo lived at 311 Colorado Avenue and was killed in the Lorain Tornado of June 28, 1924. He was buried in the children’s section of Calvary Cemetery on July 1, 1924. While the grave marker lists the Italian version of his name, the cemetery records list him as Joseph Garbo. The marker also indicates that he was killed in the tornado. He is also listed in the Official Souvenir and Memorial Book of the Lorain Tornado, under the heading “Killed in Lorain Tornado”, as Joseph Garbo, 9, 311 Colorado Avenue.”
A family member reached out:
“That building was built by my Grandfather, Sam Garbo.
It was constructed with salvaged bricks after the tornado.
That stone, in fact, does say Giuseppino and is the child you reference.
His parents were Sam and Josephine Garbo, My Grandparents.
-Susan Garbo”
Here is a copy of 9-year-old Joseph’s death certificate, with his cause of death being ‘accidental – struck by falling building in storm’.
Guiseppino had been gone about 11 months when his brother was born. Years ago, it was quite common to re-use the names of deceased children. The new baby was named Joseph. He went on serve his country in the US Navy and US Army and became a schoolteacher in Cleveland. I wonder if the second Joseph thought it was an honor or a burden to carry his deceased brother’s first name for 76 years.
LORAIN 365 