Falco, Patsy

Had a door to door fruit and vegetable route. On April 23, 1893 Patsy Falco was born in Tufino, near Naples, Italy. He migrated to America about 1912 and worked at the Loft's Candy factory in Brooklyn. There he met his wife, Annie who was also from Italy (born in l903.) They married in l917. A few months later, Patsy was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Yaphank, L.I. and then to France.

After the war, Patsy started selling bananas from a horse and wagon on the streets of Brooklyn. Annie who was having trouble trying to bring children into this bustling environment, so about l921 they decided to move out to Central Park and settled in the northwest corner of Burkhardt Avenue, at 601 Stewart Avenue.

Knowing how to handle horses got Patsy a job driving a team of horses for Jerry Robinson's Sand & Gravel Co. on Haypath Road. In l923 he went into business for himself. Patsy was able to acquire some horses and a wagon and started a fresh produce route throughout Central Park. This was the life of Patsy and Annie for 15 years, except for a short while when Patsy had to work for the W.P.A. to make ends meet.

Christine Falco was born in l932 after Annie had a few more mishaps with childbirth. She tells how her father would leave at 2 A.M. and travel to "Wallabout" produce market in Brooklyn, twice every week. At daylight Annie would leave with a fresh horse and went to meet Patsy in Jamaica. She would ride bareback and side saddle while racing the train to Hicksville. The reason she would meet him with a fresh horse was that Patsy felt it was too much for one horse to pull a full load for such a long distance. Quotes Christine, "My father was a very good horseman. He loved his animals." During the mid '30s Patsy had a pacer horse & sulky. He used to meet other horsemen and race on Sundays at the site later occupied by Grumman Aerospace Corporation's Building #1. Some time later, Patsy and his horses had to part ways to make things better and easier. Christine says, "about 1938 or 1939 I remember going with my dad to buy a truck (1929 Model A Ford) The dealer was in Hicksville and Patsy paid $35.00 for it. He had balloon tires installed so it would ride softer and not bounce the produce too hard. He kept that truck until l953.' Patsy then bought a new l953 Chevy truck and continued selling until he retired in l960 at age 67.

Patsy and Annie eventually had four children: Florence, Christine, Patricia and Anthony. Annie died in l969 at the age of 66. Patsy Falco lived until February 11, 1974, when he died at age 81.