Settlers XXXV: The Italian Heritage of Bernice and Mildred


Main Street Bernice
Sullivan County, PA
Early Twentieth Century
From An Old Postcard
Contributed by Elaine Frey

The Sullivan County Genealogical Web Page is most grateful to Michael Dempsey for sharing this marvelous personal and local history of the Italian heritage of Sullivan County. We will add additional material and links as they become available.

Italian Heritage of Bernice and Mildred, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania: A First Generation of Americans

1st Edition, 30 October 2003

Copyright © 2003, Michael A. Dempsey
Reproduced for the Sullivan County Genelaogical Web Page
by permission of the author. All rights reserved.

Introduction

 

This story is about the families that emigrated from Italy to Mildred and Bernice in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. The family history described here is the result of research from these sources:

 

 

This effort was motivated by the contributions from Erma (Perozzi) Boll. She shared with me the immigration information for the Coloca, Calafati, and Tomeo families which was found by Ramona Kaauamo and her son Wayne Kaauamo.

 

Many of the details for the Calaman family of Bernardo Calafati and Mariantonia Coloca are thanks to the extensive work done by Joseph Calaman to produce his family’s genealogy.

 

Several variations and changes of surnames and given names apear in the records and family documents. Note that the same person is often referenced in different ways throughout this document.

 


Mildred, Pennsylvania
Source: Aerial Photograph Taken by Lyle Rockwell
June 25, 2010

The Families from San Costantino, Calabria, Italy: Coloca, Tomeo, Pirozzo, Calafati, Grasso, Barbuto

 

San Constantino Calabro is a small town in the province of Calabria at the tip of southern Italy. This town is the source for several families that settled in Bernice/Mildred, Pennsylvania at the turn of the 20th century.

 

 

 

 

01 June 1897:

 

The first arrivals are found on the ship Chateau Lafite sailing out of Naples in early summer 1897 with an arrival date of 01 June 1897. Adjacent entries on the manifest show the 38 year old Antonio Coloca (found as Colaco in the search) traveling with 16 year old Constantino Pirozzo.  Antonio Coloca (aka Columbo, aka Columbia) and Constantino Pirozzo (aka Perozzi) arrived in the USA together destined for Philadelphia and ultimately Bernice, PA.

 

In the years that followed, many others from San Costantino left their homeland and joined Antonio Coloca and Constantino Pirozzo in Bernice, PA.  I found no information about how or why they chose to settle in Bernice, PA . Were they the very first ones from their hometown to come to this undeveloped, rural area of Pennsylvania? Were they attracted to that area by the lure of good pay for work in the coal mines? Were they the ones sent forth to explore and find a place to settle and make a new life for the rest of their families and friends as a new century approached and the second century of the United States of America unfolded?

 

25 June 1901:

 

Bernardo Calafati and the family of five Tomeo women arrived together in the USA on June 25, 1901 sailing on the S.S. Trojan Prince.  Bernardo is already married to Mariantonia Tomeo at this time.  Mariangela Tomeo is the mother of the four Tomeo girls traveling with her and she is the wife of Antonio Coloca who arrived some four years earlier. The ship manifest shows our six travelers listed together on their journey to join Antonio Coloca and Constantino Pirozzo in Bernice, PA:

·        Bernardo Calafati, 25 years old

·        Mariangela Tomeo, 41 years old (husband of Antonio Coloca and mother of the Tomeo girls)

·        Mariantonia Tomeo, 20 years old (wife of Bernardo Calafati)

·        Maria Rosa Tomeo, 18 years old (she was known as Rosina and married Constantino Perozzi in the USA in 1905)

·        Maddelena Tomeo, 10 years old (she married Anthony Celi in the USA and died in childbirth in 1909)

·        Maria Tomeo, 15 years old (she married Salvatore Zangara in the USA in 1907)

 

17 April 1902:

 

Francesco Pirozzo, age 24, arrived on the S.S. Lombardia to join his brother, Constantino, in Bernice, PA.

 

12 May 1902:

 

Rocco Calafati, 30 years old, arrived in USA sailing from Genoa, Italy on the S.S. Leon XIII which departed on April 23, 1902. Rocco is the brother of Bernardo Calafati. The manifest shows he is destined for Bernice, PA to join his brother. 

 

Once in the USA, the Calafati name was changed to Calaman and the children of Rocco and Bernardo Calafati were named Calaman.

 

14 December 1902:

 

The S.S. Citta Di Napoli arrived December 14, 1902 with 3 more people from San Costantino heading to join or visit their families in Bernice, PA:

·        Rocco Grasso, age 18, to join brother-in-law Rocco Calafati

·        Rocco Soppa, age 18, to join cousin Rocco Calafati

·        Gregorio Pirozzo, age 14, to join brother Franceso Pirozzo

 

Rocco Grasso makes at least two more identifiable trips to the USA in 1912 and 1920. It appears that all of his trips were visits and that he did not settle permanently in the USA.

 

There is also no trace of Gregorio Pirozzo staying and settling in the USA. In fact, the obituary of brother Constantino Pirozzo (aka Perozzi) from November 29, 1958 indicates brother Gregorio of Italy survived Constantino.

 

08 May 1905:

 

Giuseppe Pirozzo, 26 years old, arrived in USA on the S.S. Italia to join his brother, Francesco, in Bernice, PA. Three Pirozzo brothers are in Bernice at this point: Constantino, Francesco, and Giuseppe. There is no trail of Francesco continuing to live in Bernice, PA or in the USA beyond this point in time.

 

24 January 1912:

 

The S.S. Ancona arrived from Naples carrying:

·        Rocco Grasso, age 27, for his second identifiable trip to visit cousin Bernardo Calafati. His wife Maria is listed as his closest relative at home in Italy.

·        Giuseppe Pirozzo, age 21, to visit cousin Giuseppe Pirozzo. His father, Francesco Pirozzo, is listed as his closest relative at home in Italy.

 

16 April 1912:

 

The S.S. Luisiana arrived from Naples carrying:

·        Isabella Roccella, age 23. Here father Giuseppe is listed as nearest relative in Italy. She is destined for “bridegroom Celio Antonio” (aka Anthoney Kelley)

·        Antonio Colloca (aka Coloca), age 50.

 

This trip occurred after the death of Maddelana (Coloca) Kelley who died in childbirth at age 18 in 1909. She was married to Anthoney Kelley (aka Celi).


Mildred, PA
Greeting Card
Early Twentieth Century
This type of promotional card would be issued by small towns such as Mildred to attract new residents.
The scene would have been familiar to Anthony Celi in 1910.
Photo by Carol Brotzman
Source: An eBay auction in December 2005

 

Maddelana's father, Antonio Coloca, travelled back to Italy and returned with Isabella Roccella. Anthony Kelley and Isabella Roccella then married and raised a large family of 6 boys and 5 girls in Mildred where they lived for the rest of their lives.

 

07 October 1913:

 

Domenico Coloca, age 27, traveled on the S.S. Niagara from Havre destined for brother Giuseppe Coloca at Bernice, PA. His wife Domenica Coloca is listed as his closest relative at home in Italy.

 

There is no specific record found of Giuseppe Coloca arriving in the USA from San Costantino. There are 4 travel records listed for the name Giuseppe Colloca, but it is not clear that any of these are the same person that was related to this particular Domenico Coloca.

 

19 December 1913:

 

Rocco Barbuto, age 29, traveled on the S.S. America from Naples destined to visit his friend Domenico Grasso in Mildred, PA.  His wife Marianna is listed as his closest relative at home in Italy.

 

02 November 1919:

 

The following people arrive on the S.S. Duga Degli Abruzzi from Naples:

·        Domenico Barbuto, age 40, destined for brother Rocco Barbuto

·        Marianna Pinerno, age 40, destined to join her husband, Rocco Barbuto

·        Marie, daughter of Marianna, age 5, traveling with her mother to join her father

 

25 March 1920:

 

The S.S. Ancona arrived from Naples carrying:

·        Rocco Grasso, age 35, for his third identifiable trip, this time to visit nephew Domenico Grasso.  His wife Maria is again listed as his closest relative at home in Italy.

 

30 December 1920:

 

The S.S. America arrived from Naples carrying the following people:

·        Fortunato Grasso, age 26, joining his uncle Rocco Barbuto

·        Giuseppe Grasso, age 29, joining his uncle Rocco Grasso

·        Maria Fresca, age 25, joining her father Rocco Fresca

 

All 3 travelers listed Box 3 Bernice, PA as the address for the people they were traveling to join.

 

10 August 1921:

 

Giuseppe Fresca, age 34, arrived on the S.S. Guglielmi Peirce to join his cousin Antonio Colloca. He listed his wife, Marianna Belvedere (or maybe Bolvodoro) as nearest relative at home.

 

14 October 1922:

 

Domenico Grasso, age 33, arrived on the S.S. Guglielmo Peirce out of Naples. He traveled to join his brother Fortunato Grasso in Bernice, PA and listed his wife, Maria Rosa Chiarollo as the closest relative at home in Italy.

 

The Families from Mistretta, Messina (Sicily), Italy: LaGanga, Zangara

 

Mistretta is a small mountain town in the province of Messina in north-eastern Sicily. There is no evidence that the LaGanga and Zangara families from Mistretta were known or related to any of the families that arrived from San Costantino until they became linked in the USA through the marriage of Salvatore Zangara to Maria (Tomeo) Coloca.

 

A window on life in Sicily is described in the lovely book,  “The Stone Boudoir, Travels Through the Hidden Villages of Sicily” by Theresa Maggio.

 

 

 

03 December 1901:

 

Antonino LaGanga traveled from Mistretta via the ship S.S. Sicilia and arrived in USA on December 3, 1901. He was 20 years old and appears to be the first of the LaGanga family members from Mistretta to arrive and settle in the USA.

 

09 April 1903:

 

Some 16 months later, the family of Antonino LaGanga left Sicily to join him in the USA. The S.S. Liguria left Naples on March 25, 1903 for arrival in New York on April 9, 1903.  The manifest shows these family members traveling together to reach Williamsport, PA:

·        Giuseppa Zangara, age 25, wife and mother

·        Natala Marianna LaGanga, age 6, daughter

·        Gaetano LaGanga, age 3, son

 

On the same ship, but listed on a different page of the manifest, is the brother-in-law of Antonino LaGanga:

·        Salvatore Zangara, age 18

 

In subsequent years, many other LaGanga family members from Mistretta came to the USA, but these have not been traced in detail to determine how they are all related:

·        1903: Michele (age 32), Vincenzo (age 53)

·        1905: Calogero (age 27), Vincenza (age 17)

·        1906: Benedetto (age 28), Benedetto (age 4), Gaetana (age 7), Liboria (age 2), Nunzia (age 13), Saveria (age 10)

·        1907: Sebastiano (age 22)

·        1910: Sebastiano (age 27), Nunzio (age 0)

·        1911: Lucio (age 32), Vincenzo (age 25)

·        1912: Liboria (age 48)

·        1914: Laveria Grazia (age 34), Vincenzo (age 0)

·        1916: Benedetto (age 15)

·        1919: Maria (age 60)

·        1921: Vincenso (age 46), Vincenzo (age 47)

 

 

21 November 1904:

 

Salvatore Zangara, now 20 years old, arrived back in USA from Mistretta, this time to stay for good. Salvatore must be the brother of Giuseppa (Josephine) Zangara who was the wife of Antonino (Tony) LaGanga, but the only support of this fact is the references by Salvatore to his brother-in-law Tony LaGanga. Salvatore does not explicitly make reference to having a sister and there are no known photos or family documents which show her or tell about her.

 

The ship manifest indicates Salvatore was married, but this must be wrong. Salvatore married in the USA in 1907 as will be clear shortly.

 

 

Coloca: Family of Antonio Coloca and Mariangela Tomeo

 

ANTHONY COLOCA was born 1861 in Italy, and died 1925 in Mildred, PA. He married

MARY ANGELINE TOMEO, daughter of VINCENT TOMI and MARY PEROZA. She was born

1861 in Italy, and died June 04, 1934 in Mildred, PA.

 

Anthony and Mariangela Coloca (aka Columbia)

 \

 

Children of ANTHONY COLOCA and MARY TOMEO are:

 

1. MARIE ANTIONETTE COLOCA

b. October 15, 1881, Italy

d. October 13, 1950, Westside Hospital, Scranton, PA

m. BERNARDO CALAFATI, May 26, 1900

b. November 09, 1877, Calabrasi, Italy

d. September 18, 1942, Mildred, PA

 

2. ROSINA COLOCA

b. August 28, 1883, Italy

d. February 12, 1957, Mildred, PA

m. CONSTANTINO PIROZZO, August 15, 1905, St. Francis of Assissi Church, Mildred, PA

b. 1881, San Constantino Calabro, Calabria, Italy

d. November 29, 1958, Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, PA.

 

3. MARIA CARMELLA COLOCA

b. March 12, 1886, Italy, S. Costantino Calabro

d. February 15, 1968

m. SALVATORE ZANGARA, February 12, 1907, Towanda, PA

b. March 05, 1884, Italy, Sicily, Mistretta

d. June 1968, Dushore, PA

 

4. MADELINE COLOCA

b. March 15, 1891, Italy

d. February 19, 1909, Mildred, PA

m. ANTHONEY KELLEY (aka CELI)

 

Maddelana (Coloca) and Anthoney Kelley (aka Celi)

 

The daughters of Antonio and Mariangela Coloca gave birth to a new first generation of Americans who grew up and raised their own families throughout the 20th century. America struggled, suffered, fought, grew, triumphed, invented, and persevered along with this new generation.

 

Left to right:

Marie Antionette (Coloca) Calaman

Rosina (Coloca) Perozzi

Maria (Coloca) Zangara

Calaman: Family of Bernardo Calafati and Mariantonia Coloca

 

BERNARDO CALAFATI was born November 09, 1877 in Calabrasi, Italy, and died September 18, 1942 in Mildred, PA. He married MARIE ANTIONETTE COLOCA May 26, 1900, daughter of ANTHONY COLOCA and MARY TOMEO. She was born October 15, 1881 in Italy, and died October 13, 1950 in Westside Hospital, Scranton, PA.

 

Bernard Calaman died suddenly within a half hour of learning about the death of his six year old niece, Lena Calaman, the daughter of Bernard’s brother, Rocco.  Lena took ill with an infection following a smallpox vaccine and tragically succumbed to tetanus. Two beloved family members were mourned and buried the same day in the St. Francis of Assissi Cemetery in Mildred, PA.

 

Children of BERNARDO CALAFATI and MARIE COLOCA are:

 

 

1. FRANK D CALAMAN

b. October 03, 1901

d. September 18, 1981

m. MARIE A VOLLERTSON

b. October 10, 1903

d. February 17, 1964

 

2. ANNA CALAMAN

b. December 19, 1902

d. December 27, 1999, Austin, TX

m. JOHN MARTINELLI, April 28, 1923

b. April 27, 1891

d. January 31, 1934

 

3. JOSEPHINE CALAMAN

b. December 17, 1903

d. March 15, 1972

m. JOSEPH BIANCHI, April 20, 1923

b. March 18, 1894

d. June 20, 1975

 

4. ANTHONY J CALAMAN

b. April 02, 1905

d. November 06, 1981

 

m. (1) MARY A BISESI

b. 1910

d. September 21, 1944

 

m. (2) ROSE KNOPP

b. May 24, 1907

d. May 25, 1988

 

5. EUGENE LEONARD CALAMAN

b. September 09, 1906

d. June 20, 1964

 

6. VINCENT CALAMAN

b. February 22, 1908

d. March 03, 1959

m. MARGARET PETROSKY

b. April 11, 1910

d. October 07, 1995

 

7. MADELYN CALAMAN

b. December 29, 1909

d. April 18, 1973

m. ANTHONY F BASCI

b. February 24, 1906

d. October 06, 1998.

 

 

8. MARGARET CALAMAN

b. March 19, 1911

d. February 21, 1968

m. LARRY CENCIARINI

b. April 19, 1894

d. March 30, 1969

 

9. MARY CALAMAN

b. February 16, 1913

d. January 26, 2001

 

10. ROY ALOYSIUS CALAMAN

b. May 05, 1914, Bernice, PA

d. June 18, 1981, Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, PA

m. HELEN MINARIK, July 01, 1939

b. July 30, 1913, Lopez, PA

d. October 06, 1993, Dar-Way Nursing Home, Estella.

 

11. ROSE CALAMAN

b. January 02, 1916

d. May 04, 1966

m. MICHAEL ARENDA

b. October 02, 1914

 

12. DOMINIC CALAMAN

b. October 11, 1917

d. October 29, 1997

m. MABEL DANIELS, August 10, 1940

b. June 26, 1918

 

13. VICTOR BERNARD CALAMAN

b. December 23, 1918

m. LORETTA DEMPSEY, December 27, 1943

b. July 11, 1919

 

14. JOSEPH CALAMAN

b. July 14, 1921

m. DORIS HARRIS, December 18, 1948

b. July 29, 1925

d. December 19, 1995

 

15. JOHN T CALAMAN

b. December 01, 1922

d. June 14, 1963

m. MARY EUGENIA GALLAGHER, November 25, 1948

b. August 14, 1925.

 


Source: The Sullivan Review, January 12, 2006
Click here for a larger view.

 

Perozzi: Family of Constantino Pirozzo and Rosina Coloca

 

CONSTANTINO PIROZZO was born 1881 in San Constantino Calabro,

Calabria, Italy, and died November 29, 1958 in Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, PA. He

married ROSINA COLOCA August 15, 1905 in St. Francis of Assissi Church, Mildred, PA,

daughter of ANTHONY COLOCA and MARY TOMEO. She was born August 28, 1883 in Italy, and died February 12, 1957 in Mildred, PA.

 

Constantino and Rosina Perozzi

 

 

Children of CONSTANTINO PIROZZO and ROSINA COLOCA are:

 

1. ERMINO PEROZZI

b. 1906

d. 1918

 

2. REGINA PEROZZI

b. September 27, 1907

 

m. (1) ANTHONY TAVERNA

 

m. (2) ROBERT BLY

 

3. ANNA PEROZZI

b. September 27, 1907

m. FRANK COCCI

 

4. LENA PEROZZI

b. April 17, 1909

d. November 15, 1993

 

m. (1) PASCHIL BONCI

 

m. (2) SEBASTIAN STORTINI

b. April 14, 1890

d. August 17, 1985

 

            5. DOMINIC FRANCIS PEROZZI

b. May 03, 1910, Mildred, PA

d. January 16, 1991, Memorial Hospital, Towanda, PA

m. RUTH DONOVAN, June 04, 1936

 

            6. ERNEST GREGORY PEROZZI

b. August 02, 1912

d. February 02, 1990

 

7. ERLAND LEONARD PEROZZI

b. October 12, 1913

d. October 25, 1994

 

m. (1) HELEN BAHANTKA

b. July 13, 1919

d. March 16, 1970

 

m. (2) LUCILLE  UNKNOWN

 

8. ERMA PEROZZI

b. November 09, 1919

m. FRANCIS JOHN BOLL

b. May 25, 1919

d. December 31, 2000

Perozzi Family Children

 

 

Taken on the day of Virginia Perozzi’s wedding

Men (left to right):

Erland

Dominic

Ernest

Women (left to right):

Erma

Anna

Virginia (Regina)

Lena

 

Calaman: Family of Rocco Calafati and Marianna (Unknown)

 

This family is included for reference, but has not been researched. The list of children was taken from the obituary for Rocco Calafati. Note obituary and funeral report for Joseph Calaman, his son.

 

ROCCO CALAFATI was born April 11, 1892 in Italy, and died January 01,

1947 in Veterans Hospital, Bath, NY. He married MARIANNA UNKNOWN. She was born

1896, and died 1976.

 

 Children of ROCCO CALAFATI and MARIANNA UNKNOWN are:

1. HELEN CALAMAN

2. VINCENT CALAMAN

3 ANNA CALAMAN

4. BERNARD CALAMAN

5. THEODORE CALAMAN

6. JOSEPH CALAMAN

7. MARY CALAMAN

8. PHOEBE CALAMAN

9. WARREN CALAMAN

10. ROSE CALAMAN

11. LENA CALAMAN

b. 1936

d. September 18, 1942, Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, PA.

Sullivan Review
Dushore, PA
May 17, 1951

SGT. CALAMAN'S BODY ARRIVES HOME

Sullivan County's First Casualty

The body of Sgt. FC Joseph J. Calaman, who was killed in Korea on October 12 [1950], arrived in this country aboard the SS Lynn Victory, docked at San Francisco carrying the bodies of 10 other Korean War dead.
His wife, Mrs. Marian Calaman of 533 West Hudson St., Elmira, had been notified that Sgt. Calamans remains arrived on May 4th.
Sgt. Calaman was a native of Mildred and the first of Sullivan Countys young men to make the supreme sacrifice in the present conflict. Mrs. Calaman is a former Towandiian. They were married only a short time before her husband went overseas.
The body will arrive here about 5 o'clock on Thursday May 17 accompanied by an honor guard. Legioniers of American Legion Post in Bernice, Lopez and Dushore will also act as honorary guards during the services.
Services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Church at Mildred, Pa. at 10:30 Saturday morning, Solemn High Mass of Requiem will be celebrated by Rev. Luke Hally, Pastor of church and Rev. Walz of St. John's Church in Elmira, N. Y.
Interment will be in St. Francis Cemetery in Mildred.

Sullivan Review
Dushore, PA
May 24, 1951

HERO'S FUNERAL IS ACCORDED TO SGT. JOSEPH. J. CALAMAN

Sullivan County's first casualty of the current war, Sergeant First Class Joseph J. Calaman of Mildred, was laid to his final resting place in the family plot in St. Francis cemetery, Saturday morning.
Accorded a hero's ceremony, Sergeant Calaman's rites were widely attended. Scores of veterans from the several posts and a contingent of Air Corps men from the air base participated in the military rites. McDermott Post, American Legion, had charge of these services.
A solemn high mass of requiem in St. Francis church at 10:30 was sung with the pastor Rev. Luke Hally as celebrant, the Rev. Walz of St. John's Church, Elmira, deacon, and the Rev. Michael A. Hally, Mildred, as sub-deacon. The Rev. Luke F. Hally pronounced the benediction at the grave.
Sergeant Calaman, killed in action in Korea on October 12 [1950], was returned to his family home for reburial on Thursday, from where the funeral was held.
He was a son of Mrs. Rocco Calaman and the late Mr. Calaman.

 

 

Barbuto: Family of Rocco Barbuto and Marianna Pinerno

 

This family is included for reference, but has not been researched. The travel records show that Rocco Barbuto came to the USA on December 19, 1913.  It was almost 6 years later on November 2, 1919 when his wife Marianna Pinerno and their daughter Marie joined him.

 

The 1920 United States Federal Census for Bernice precinct, Cherry Township, Sullivan county, Pennsylvania shows:

·        Head, Rocco Barbuto, age 35, born in Italy, arrived in USA 1913

·        Wife, Marianna, age 31, born in Italy, arrived in USA 1919

·        Daughter, Rosey, age 5, born in Italy, arrived in USA 1919

·        Brother, Dominick, age 40, born in Italy, arrived in USA 1919

The Barbuto family is shown immediately following the Perozzi family in this census.

 

The next information found is the 1930 census record for the 2nd ward of Scranton, Lackawanna county, PA. The street is N. Main Avenue. This census record lists Rocco Barbuto, age 45, as a boarder with occupation “laborer” in the industry “coal mines”. He is listed as “M” for married with an age at first marriage of 25. Year of immigration is listed as 1915.

 

What happened to the family? Where are Marianna and Rosey (Marie) and Dominick at this time?

 

The 1930 census shows one other Barbuto family in Scranton, PA:

 

LaGanga: Family of Antonino LaGanga and Guiseppa (aka Josephine) Zangara

 

The family of Antonino LaGanga lived in Williamsport, PA after they came to USA though it is not clear how they came to choose Williamsport as their first home in the USA. In 1910 and 1920, the LaGanga family lived in Towanda, PA (about 60 miles from Williamsport and about 25 miles from Bernice/Mildred, PA).

 

The Pennsylvania 1910 Census Miracode index for Towanda, Bradford county shows:

·        Head of household, Antonio Laganga, age 34, born in Italy

·        Wife, Josephine, age 30, born in Italy

·        Daughter, Mary, age 13, born in Italy

·        Son, Thomas, age 08, born in Italy

·        Daughter, Philippa, age 04, born in Pennsylvania

·        Daughter, Rose, age 03, born in Pennsylvania

 

The 1920 United States Federal Census for Towanda Borough, Bradford county, Pennsylvania shows:

·        Head, Antony, age 43

·        Wife, Josephina, age 40

·        Daughter, Mary, age 25 (but then it looks like this line is crossed out and most of the line is left blank. Perhaps she was married or otherwise living in another place at this time.)

·        Son, Thomas, age 19

·        Daughter, Philippina, age 15

·        Daughter, Rosa, age 12

·        Son, Antony, Jr, age 4

 

In 1930, the LaGanga family lived in Brooklyn, NY. The 1930 United States Federal Census for 16 Assembly District, Brooklyn, King county, New York shows 2 LaGanga families in sequence:

·        Head, Thomas, age 29, born Italy

·        Wife, Mary, age 28, born Italy

·        Son, Antony, age 9/12, born New York

·        Head, Antony, age 53, born Italy

·        Wife, Josephine, age 52, born Italy

 

Zangara: Family of Salvatore Zangara and Maria Coloca

 

SALVATORE ZANGARA was born March 05, 1884 in Italy, Sicily, Mistretta, and died June 29, 1968 in Dushore, PA. He married MARIA CARMELLA COLOCA February 12, 1907 in Towanda, PA, daughter of ANTHONY COLOCA and MARY TOMEO. She was born March 12, 1886 in Italy, S. Costantino Calabro, and died February 15, 1968.

 

Salvatore and Maria are my maternal great-grandparents (my mother’s mother’s parents).  Salvatore kept a handwritten list of major family events (mostly just births, deaths, and marriages) in a small book for Index of Victor Records. The story from my uncle, James Malonis, is that Salvatore kept this book in a drawer in his barber shop and would pull it out and write things down at times when he did not have customers.

 

Salvatore’s book tells that he arrived in the USA 17 April 1904, but the ship manifest shows 21 November 1904. In any case, upon his arrival in 1904, he went to Williamsport, PA to live with his brother-in-law (cognato) Tony LaGanga. It was there in Williamsport, PA. that Salvatore received his US citizenship in 1905. 

 

The family book specifically lists the deaths of brother-in-law Tony LaGanga from Brooklyn on April 12, 1940 and brother-in-law Bernardo Calafati on September 18, 1942. However, there is no mention at all of the presumed sister Josephine Zangara who was the wife of Tony LaGanga.

 

The Zangara family had relations in Brooklyn, NY for which photos document many visits. These relatives included 2 sisters, Rose and Philippine. Philippine married Tony Amendola and it is said that Philippine and Tony were also first cousins. The exact trail of full names and relationships is not known, but it is believed that Rose and Philippine are the daughters of Tony and Josephine LaGanga.

 

The marriage of Salvatore and Maria took place on 07 February 1907 in Towanda, PA and they then settled in Mildred, PA where they raised their family of first generation Americans and lived most of their lives for the next 60 years. In the last years of their lives they lived in Johnson City, NY at the home of their daughter, Philippina. It was there that they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They died 4 ½ months apart in 1968 and are buried together at Calvalry Cemetery in Johnson City, NY.

 

 

Salvatore and Maria Zangara

 

 

Children of SALVATORE ZANGARA and MARIA COLOCA are:

 

1. ANTHONY J. ZANGARA

b. April 27, 1909, Mildred, PA

d. November 10, 1990

m. SERAFINA BORROSCO, June 14, 1932

b. July 14, 1907

d. February 19, 1997

 

2. PHILIPPINA ZANGARA

b. January 21, 1911

d. December 1978, Binghamton, NY

m. MICHAEL PATRICK MALONIS, June 25, 1935

b. October 11, 1905

d. March 03, 1954, Johnson City, NY

 

3. JOSEPHINA ZANGARA

b. March 19, 1913, Mildred, PA

d. August 16, 1916, Mildred, PA

 

4. NUNZIO ZANGARA

b. October 04, 1914, Mildred, PA

d. October 04, 1914, Mildred, PA

 

5. NUNZIO ZANGARA

b. January 07, 1916, Mildred, PA

d. April 25, 1999, Elmira, NY

m. VERA RAYDO, June 29, 1946, St. Francis Church, Mildred, PA

b. September 26, 1922, Lopez, PA

 

6. JOSEPH JOHN ZANGARA

b. December 11, 1918, Mildred, PA

d. September 22, 2000, California

m. JOSEPHINE ANN LATINI

b. June 07, 1920

d. Abt. 2001, California

 

The Zangara Family

Taken circa 1923-1924

Left to right:

Salvatore (seated)

Maria

Anthony (oldest son, standing in back)

Joseph (youngest son)

Nunzio (in front of Anthony)

Philippina (seated on right)

Appendix: Ship Manifests

 

This table is a list of the original ship manifests that match the chronology described in this story. These manifests were found at http://www.ellisisland.org. The table lists the manifests in chronological order by arrival date, with ship name, passenger names, passenger ages, and the number of pages for each manifest that was located.

 

Index

Arrival date

Ship

Passengers

Ages

Number of pages
  1.  

01 June 1897

Chateau Lafite

Antonio Coloca

Constantino Pirozzo

38

16

1
  1.  

25 June 1901

Trojan Prince

Bernardo Calafati

Mariangela Tomeo

Mariantonia Tomeo

Maria Rosa Tomeo

Maddalena Tomeo

Maria Tomeo

25

41

20

18

10

15

1
  1.  

03 December 1901

Sicilia

Antonino LaGanga

20

Not found
  1.  

17 April 1902

Lombardia

Francesco Pirozzo

24

1
  1.  

12 May 1902

Leon XIII

Rocco Calafati

30

1
  1.  

14 December 1902

Citta Di Napoli

Rocco Grasso

Rocco Soppa

Gregorio Pirozzo

18

18

14

2
  1.  

09 April 1903

Liguria

Giuseppa Zangara

Natala Marianna LaGanga

Gaetano LaGanga

Salvatore Zangara

25

6

3

18

2
  1.  

21 November 1904

Nord America

Salvatore Zangara

20

1
  1.  

08 May 1905

Italia

Giuseppe Pirozzo

26

1
  1.  

24 January 1912

Ancona

Rocco Grasso

Giuseppe Pirozzo

27

21

2
  1.  

16 April 1912

Luisiana

Isabella Roccella

Antonio Colloca

23

50

2
  1.  

07 October 1913

Niagara

Domenico Coloca

27

2
  1.  

19 December 1913

America

Rocco Barbuto

29

2
  1.  

02 November 1919

Duga Degli Abruzzi

Domenico Barbuto

Marianna Pinerno

Marie (Barbuto)

40

40

5

2
  1.  

25 March 1920

Taorina

Rocco Grasso

35

2
  1.  

30 December 1920

America

Maria Fresca

Giuseppe Grasso
Fortunato Grasso

25

29

26

2
  1.  

10 August 1921

Guglielmo Peirce

Giuseppe Fresca

34

2
  1.  

14 October 1922

Guglielmo Peirce

Domenico Grasso

33

2

 

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