Frank (Francesco) & Julia(Giuditta) Civitano ~ brother & Sister

There is so much and so many family members to write about. In my last post I shared the unknown photo of a young woman that turned out to be identified as Nicoletta, my great grandmother. What a fantastic discovery for me. I have gone ahead and am having the photo enlarged for framing to hang in my home. Today I wanted to write a little bit more about my grandfather Frank and his sister Julia, the children of Nicoletta and Vincenzo.

If you remember their father Vincenzo was murdered in NYC on Oct 12, 1909. The family belief is that this was a work dispute of some kind. Vincenzo was buried in a paupers grave at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens NY. (currently, myself and cousin Peter Marino are working on trying to solve the ‘who’ of who murdered Vincenzo Civitano. We are so close and yet so far away. Peter has spent a considerable amount of time combing through records at the NY Municipal Archives. We have been in communication with Mr. Rossi Mendez, working at the archives, who has been very helpful in directing us on what and how to locate the information, which isn’t easy since we have the complete opposite information we need to locate the records easily – darn it) After testifying at the trial, Nicoletta left NY and returned to Grumo Appula, Italy with her 2 young children. There she remarried a man name Nicholas Gisondi. (I have been talking with my cousin Ann Elmendorf, who desends off of Julia, trying to round out the story of Julia’s life through the memories and pictures kept by her mother, Rose, Julia’s daughter) We believe that Nicholas may have had a daughter, a step sister to Frank and Julia. Memories and stories by family members confirms this was not a happy marriage for Nicoletta but I have found nothing to link to this Gisondi family.

Frank returned from Grumo on June 7, 1923 at age 15. His goal was to avenge his fathers death but was talked out of it by his Uncle and very close friend, his name sake, Frank (Francesco) Civitano.

Uncle Frank (Francesco) Civitano 

Julia returned 2 years following Frank on May 2, 1925 at the age of 16. Below is a picture of Julia and her brother Frank, my grandfather. According to Ann, this photo may be of Julia at 16, as a bridesmaid. It appears as if Frank is a groomsman as well for a wedding we are still unable to identify.

 

Both Frank and Julia, lived with their Uncle Frank, his wife Rose and their children upon their return. The June 1925 census listed the address as 160 9th Ave NYC.  Frank was 42 and his  occupation was listed as – owner store.  My grandfather Frank (18) was working as a factory porter and sister Julia was in school. They joined the children of Rose and Frank as follows: Anna (16) Mary (15) Louis (13) Helen (10) Dominick (5) and John (4) (youngest Julia – Peter’s grandmother had not been born yet.) I can’t even imagine an apt large enough to hold this family of 8 plus 2 in the building photo below which is where they lived. Remaining in Italy, was their mother Nicoletta who would not return to New York until the death of her 2nd husband, Nicholas, sometime in the 40’s.

160 9th Ave – the white stone building 

Between 1925 and 1930 the family of Frank and Rose made the move from Manhattan to the Bronx, renting at 1129 Croes Ave. Franks occupation was listed as proprietor – ice. Still living at home at the Croes address were children Louis, Helen, Dominick, John, and now Julia along with their married daughter Angelina (Lena) and husband Salvatore (Sam) and daughter Mary married to Anthony Gentile with grandson Luke. 2 post back I shared a photo with this extended family. Sometime between 1925 and 1929 prior to marring in September Frank moved to the Bronx, met and fell in love with Catherine Langellotti b. June 7, 1912 in NYC. Catherine was the daughter of Joseph (Giuseppe) Langellotti and Filomena DeLellis.

Catherine’s engagement photo

 

 

Just a few doors away from Frank, Rose and family at 1141 Croes Ave in the 1930c was my grandfather Frank and his new bride Catherine Langellotti, married on the 14th of September 1929. I have their gorgeous wedding photo but would like to continue trying to ID everyone before I post it. This looks like an after the wedding photo to me.

Things were certainly changing. The ice and coal businesses within the family was in full swing. 1st generation children were marring, in fact Franks sister Julia wed just 6 months after brother Frank to Nicholas Forese on March 30th, 1930. Babies were being born and families were growing spreading there wings and moving in different directions.

Another fabulous family gathering

Little boy with finger in mouth, my Uncle Joseph held by his Aunt Rita Langellotti to his right, flower in hair is Mena Tanzillo

 

I have spent way to much time looking through pictures today while working on this post. I will pick up where I have left off in my next post. But before I say Ciao I wanted to say hello to another new cousin that I have met along the way. While we have been unable to determine just how and through who we are connected she descends off of the Langellotti line. Welcome Lisa to our family blog. Lisa joins the family through a close DNA match with myself, my daughter Marissa and brother Frank. She also matches with all the Langellotti side cousin’s that have tested their DNA with Ancestry. Unfortunately Lisa is another with an adoptee’s story looking for her roots ….we may not know how you are connected but we do know your roots run deep into the heart of an Italian family. If the last name of Romasco rings a bell please let me know.