For my DeLellis and Langellotti family members I wanted to bring something you might find interesting to your attention.
The Johnston SunRise newspaper is beginning a weekly series looking into the history of the many (over 100) historic cemeteries in Johnston, Rhode Island. Over the years I have been following the town of Johnston on their facebook page and this is where I found the first of the series published. You can access the article at the link below in red.
In the first of the series, writer Rory Schuler shares some valuable information on gravestones and then goes into telling the story about Johnston’s only native son to become governor of Rhode Island, Samuel Ward King, as told to him by Steve Merolla, Vice President of the JHS.
My connection to Johnston is through my 2x great grandparents Francesco Saverio DeLellis and his wife Caterina DeLellis nee Loffreda.
Just briefly, Francesco (76) and Caterina (61), along with their youngest son, Umberto (14) arrived 30 April, 1904 from San Gregorio, Caserta, Italy to Ellis Island going to Francesco, oldest son of Vincenzo DeLellis who had arrived prior in 1885. Vincenzo was the son of Francesco and 1st wife Anna Maddelena LNU. Vincenzo had made his home in Johnston and by 1900 I found hm living on Peck Hill Ave. with his wife Marie and six children.
Francesco and Caterina had three children together, my great grandmother Filomena, Luigi and Umberto.
Filomena (1877) born in San Gregorio, married Giuseppe Luigi (Joseph) Langellotti also of San Gregorio, on 6 Sept, 1900. They had both arrived by 1904 and made their home in the Bronx. They had seven children, Catherine (Katie) Langellotti, my grandmother who married Frank Civitano.
Son Luigi DeLellis married Annunziata Cordini, in Italy. He arrived 11 July, 1902 according to his naturalization papers and made his home in Johnston. Annunziata followed with first born Antonetta and went on to have eight more children, making Johnston their home.
Umberto married the 2nd April, 1911 to Michelina Mastangelo in New York City. The best I have been able to discover is that they had returned to Italy and may have remained permanently. I have a passenger list record for Umberto, leaving wife Michelina in Italy and returning to the NY for what appears to be a visit in 1913.
Francesco DeLellis passed away on 28th March, 1908, in Johnston. I have not been able to locate where he is buried which is what led me to the Johnston historical society originally, hoping to find some record of his burial. His place of burial remains a mystery to me.
Branches On Our Civitano Family Tree 
i do love reading your stories sis about the family history .
On Mon, Jul 12, 2021 at 4:02 PM Branches On Our Civitano Family Tree wrote:
> Sharon posted: ” For my DeLellis and Langellotti family members I wanted > to bring something you might find interesting to your attention. The > Johnston SunRise newspaper is beginning a weekly series looking into the > history of the many (over 100) historic cemeteries i” >
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Thank you brother 🙂 I am so glad you’re following along!
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I wonder what took hm to Johnston. Maybe he died there but didn’t live there so was buried where he lived?
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I believe there was a large Italian community in Providence and surrounding area. There was lots of works in the fabric mills. He was living there and I suspect he was most likely buried in an unmarked paupers grave. With over 100 of these cemeteries, many with no paper trail, not sure I’ll be able to track this but I have an idea writing this out to you 🙂
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