Tony & Elsie Liccardo

The Gismond family’s connection to Leonia goes back to 1850, when 13 year old Emanuel arrived in America from Genoa, Italy. He left a large, wealthy family, but was so impressed with our country that he refused to go back to Italy. He eventually married the local blacksmith’s daughter, Louise Schor, and they had 9 children. He built a Queen Anne Victorian home on Grand Avenue near Schor Avenue, which was razed last year. He served in both the Civil War and the Jersey Blues. Their first child, Lorenzo, served on Leonia’s first Council and was the third Mayor. Their second child, Rebecca, became the town schoolteacher. One of his sons was Emanuel (Jr.), who built his home on Gladwin Avenue in Leonia. He and his wife, Grace, had 3 children, one of whom was Elsie. Elsie married Anthony (Tony) Liccardo, and they raised their 7 children in the family homestead. Tony served as a volunteer firefighter in town for many years, and was the Fire Chief in 1973-1974. Their daughter, Susan Shanno, is the only one still living in Leonia, and followed in Rebecca’s footsteps, serving as a teacher of Spanish in Leonia High School for 30 years. The other 6 siblings and their families live in Bergen County, and number 33. We are proud of our family’s history and the part it played in the development of our beloved hometown.

***Names of the people in the family photo:

Emanuel G. Gismond, Jr., Anthony Liccardo, Cynthia (Gismond) Klingner, Elsie Gismond

Liccardo, Grace Goodwin Gismond