My maternal 2nd gt grandfather Giovanni Domenico Mariani was born in Milan, Italy on May 27, 1805 a son of a silk merchant. At a young age he wished to learn and become a musician and his father gave him his blessings, he studied and became a violin/viola/guitar player at La Scala from 1824-1844 and at that time he was second to none at playing the viola. In 1844 he spoke out at a meeting of patriots against the occupation of Northern Italy by the Austrians at which spies were present, an arrest was issued for him and he then left Italy dressed as a peasant to England. He teamed up with other fellow musician countryman and was engaged to play in Havana, Cuba for the Havana Opera Company for four years. It was there that he met Antonio Meucci and his wife Esther and became life long friends when both immigrated to New York City in 1850, he had lived together with the Meucci's and with Gen. Giuseppe Garibaldi when all shared a house on Staten Island, N.Y. from 1850-53 helping the Italian colony in New York City at the time which was about 4,000 made up of exiles and planned the future of their beloved home land. Known by Domenico Mariani he performed with Italian Opera companies in New York, accompanied famed opera singer Jenny Lind on her debut performance in New York's Castle Garden (The Battery) in Sep 1850 which was produced by P.T. Barnum. He was invited to join and become a Drum Major for Patrick S. Gilmours Brass Band in Boston, MA. and in the 42nd Mass Infantry band during the Civil War and as Drum Major for James "Jim" Fisk 9th N.Y. Regiment 1869-1872. he continued as violin/viola player for James Mapleson Italian Opera Company performing at the first Academy of Music on 14th street in New York from 1872-1885, he had witness his friend Antonio Meucci's inventions such as his proto-type of the telephone in the 1870s way before Alexander Graham Bell got his patent, he became a witness on behalf of his good friend Antonio Meucci at the trial against Bell Company in 1885. G. Domenico Mariani died a poor man in 1894 and was buried at Holy Cross Cem. Brooklyn, New York with family. (Mariani-131)
