A Ferncliff Cemetery Visit

A big thank you to my brother Frank Civitano and our 1st cousin Karen Nordone nee Oliveri for visiting Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum in Westchester County, N.Y. yesterday, where so many of our family members are laid to rest. As my brother wrote ‘for the blog sis’ and so for the blog it is.

My grandparents Francesco Civitano and Catherine Langellotti

Karen’s mother, my Aunt Colette (Nicoletta) is laid to rest by her parents along with her partner Joseph Puglia

Along with Frank and Catherine in the same row are 3 of Catherine’s siblings

Arthur Frank (Arturo Francesco) and his wife Teresa Venerose

Vincent James (Vincenzo Gregorio) and his wife Elizabeth Festa

Rita Lucy and her husband Steve Joseph (Stefano Giovanni Battista) Staluppi

Not at Ferncliff, but I wanted to include for this posting are Catherine’s three other siblings, Emily, Margaret and Anthony

Anthony Francis (Antonio) Langellotti 1909 – 1958 was married to Maria Visaggi – Anthony is at rest at St. Raymonds, Bronx. Maria later went on and remarried.

Margaret (Immacolata) Langellotti 1907 – 1983 married John Leone – They too are both at Ferncliff.

Emily (Erminia Maria) Langellotti and her husband Frank (Francesco) Tanzillo at St Raymonds Cemetery, Bronx

And I must include at St. Raymonds Cemetery the parents (in order of age oldest to youngest) Emily, Vincent, Margaret, Anthony, Catherine, Rita, & Arthur

Also at St Raymonds Cemetery is Joseph’s brother Angelo

Angelo Antonio & his wife Caterina Bocchio

Laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery, Woodside, Queens is Joseph and Angelo’s brother

Theodore Langellotti 1864 – 1934 and his wife Philomena 1868 – 1946

Before changing branches I need to add my father Vincent and my brother Vincent both laid to rest at St. Raymonds

Back at Ferncliff and the photo sent to me, off of the Vito Luigi Civitano branch, is Domenico (Dominic) Civitano and his wife Jenny (Giovanna) Maggio and two sons Onofrio and Michael.

Dominic and Jenny also have two other son’s laid to rest at Ferncliff in a different section.

Son Frank Joseph ( Francesco) 1915 – 1996 and his wife Jean (Vincenza) Cancellieri 1919 – 2011

Son James Vincent 1919 – 1970 and his wife Viola Marie Gioia 1918 – 2007

Daughter Angelina 1909 – 2003 is laid to rest at Eglington Cemetery in Clarksboro, N.J. along with her husband Carmine (Carmelo) Paglia 1905 – 2003

Son Louis James (Vito Luigi) 1911 – 1994 is laid to rest at Glendale Cemetery, Bloomfield, N.J. his wife was Madeline Mary (2nd) Lasorella 1917 – 2002 and she died in Dallas, Texas

The last son to mention was Dominick (Domenico) Civitano 1913 – 1991 and he is laid to rest in Long Island National Cemetery

Before I close this posting, I wanted to mention the parents of Filomena DeLellis married to Joseph Langellotti (seen above) – both her parents immigrated and are laid to rest here in the states. Her father Francesco Saverio DeLellis 1827 – 1908 was laid to rest in Johnston, Rhode Island and his wife Caterina Loffreda 1851 – 1918 is at St Raymond’s.

While this was originally meant to reflect those at Ferncliff adding all of the family felt most appropriate for this posting.

If there are other family members at Ferncliff that I have missed, I would love for you to share this information with me.

Maria Filomena Peragina and Rocco Tetro

Below are the photos of Maria Filomena Peragina and her husband Rocco Tetro. Recently I had received notification from MyHeritage for ‘discovery matches’. In the tree of I. Tetro, Italy, were the pictures of Maria and her husband.

• 

• 

Maria Filomena Peragina Rocco Tetro

And here is how they are connected to our family tree. (everyone was born in Grumo Appula, Bari, Italy

Vito Luigi Civitano (1803 – 1836) married Isabella Elisabetta D’ Amico (1806 – 1874) (they were my 3x great grandparents) they had daughter

Rosa Civitano ( 1828 – 1891) and she married Giuseppe Peragina ( 1825 – 1896) they had daughter

Maria Filomena who married Rocco Tetro making her my 1st cousin 3x removed and Rocco the husband of my 1c3xr.

According to one family researcher on Ancestry the birth and death years for Maria was 1866 – 1928 Rocco was 1863 and some time after 1829. (this is undocumented)

They were the parents of nine children

Giuseppe Luigi (Joseph) b. 1888 Grumo d. 1969, Westchester, N.Y.

Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx Giuseppe and his wife Anna Signorile

Chiara (Grace) b. 1891 Grumo d. 1920 Bronx, N.Y.

Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx. I do not know who this Rocco is.

Rosina b. 1893 Grumo d. unknown (Grumo)

Francesco b. 1895 Grumo d. 1927 Grumo

Vito Luigi b. 1897 Grumo d. 1919 N.Y.

Laura b. 1898 Grumo d. unknown

Pietro b. 1901 Grumo d. 1972 Grumo

Donato b. 1902 Grumo – 1990 Grumo

Giovanna Maria b. 1905 Grumo

Angela b. 1907 Grumo d. 1993 N.Y. She married Vito Cascione in Grumo and immigrated in 1960 and became a citizen in 1966.

A Fathers Day Remembrance

Vincent A. Civitano  April 24, 1934 – June 20, 1990 

Remembering and celebrating my father Vincent

Yesterday I lit a memorial candle on the anniversary for 30 years since he has past. In his memory I am sharing a few of my favorite photos of him.

With his older sister Nicoletta (Coletta)

My grandmother Katie (Langellotti), father Frank Civitano, and sister Coletta

Vincent with Coletta and his brother, my Uncle Joe

I never knew my birthfather yet it’s the most interesting feeling, as the years have gone by, as I have continued to blog and study his photos, as stories have been shared, visits with my brothers, my Uncle, my Aunt when still with us, boundless conversations with my Uncle, wonderful cousin reunions, Vincent has become so real to me. As if we had walked hand in hand and shared those special moments fathers and daughters often have.

Vincent with his mom and ?

With his parents Frank and Katie

Vincent and Katie

1953 Koren War

 

The 60’s ~ with his parents and Mary Mora, my brother Franks mother

 

Yesterday, on the anniversary of his passing, my brother Frank brought 4 red roses to our fathers grave for me. He placed one in honor of myself, his only daughter, one for his only grandchild, my daughter Marissa, and one for his two great grandchildren, Torance and Liam.

Vincent is buried along with my brother Vincent at

St. Raymonds Cemetery, Bronx, New York

 

 

Giuditta (Julia) Civitano ~ My Great Aunt

Julia was born today, June 18th, 1909. She was the sister to my grandfather Frank Civitano.

Today I remember and celebrate her birthday.

Both Julia and Frank were born in New York City to Vincenzo Civitano and Nicoletta Marvulli. Just 4 months after Julia was born, her father Vincenzo was murdered, stabbed in the streets of the city over what was believed a ‘ice route’ dispute.

Julia with her brother Frank 

In this photo Frank and Julia (late teens or very early 20’s) are attendants in a wedding party. If any family members knows who wedding this might have been, has a wedding photo to match Julia’s dress, we would love to hear from you.

 

Frank and Julia 

You can read more about Julia by clicking here 

 

Wordless Wednesday Photo Follow Up: Who Am I

For Wordless Wednesday I shared a picture with no markings or identification.

The photo was shared with me recently by my cousin Isabella. We share the same great grandmother Nicoletta Civitano nee Marvulli. Our first assumption was that this was Nicoletta. However I have started to wonder if perhaps this could be a picture of her sister, Angelina Civitano nee Marvulli. (These two sisters married brothers Vincenzo and Vito Luigi.) You may remember these sisters from the wonderful photo’s shared also recently with me by the Fraticelli Family. Their branch descend off of a third sister, Rita Caso nee Marvulli.

We have no known photo of Angelina younger to compare the photo too but I do for Nicoletta.

There is something in the shape of the nose that gives me cause to pause

After posting the photo I heard from another cousin, Rose who shared the woman looked very much like her mother, Mary Nappi nee Simone, granddaughter of Angelina. Below is the only photo of Mary that I have at this time to compare with. I too see a strong resemblance between the two and see what Rose saw in the photo.

It would not be out of the question to believe that a photo of Angelina or even Mary would be in the possession of Isabella, past to her from her grandmother Julia, to her mother Nicoletta on down to her. I don’t know if we will ever know for certain who this is in the photo, but it is another reminder for us to label. 

This is a shout out to all Civitano family branch members to please dig deep into your photo archives, label what you know, question who you don’t and reach out to members of your family to try and identify them. If you come across any photo’s of Angelina – or any you would like to share on the blog please contact me.

I would also love to read your thoughts on the photo’s above and what you think about the comparison’s that I shared. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Wordless Wednesday: Who Am I ?

Angelina ~ John ~ Nicoletta Marvulli

For Wordless Wednesday I shared this photo of three Marvulli siblings, Angelina (93), John (77)  and Nicoletta (75). The year was about 1952.

The photo was just one of a group of pictures that was graciously shared with me by the Fraticelli family. Featured in the above photo is Angelina Marvulli who married Louis (Vito Luigi) Civitano, brother John (Giovanni) Marvulli who’s name was more commonly  spelled Marvilli and Nicoletta Marvulli who married Louis’s brother Vincenzo Civitano (my great grandparents)

Angelina seems pretty intent to share something important

From Lt to Rt Vera (Marvulli) D’Attoma, John Marvulli, Michael Caso, Nicoletta, Angelina, Rosa Caso, unknown and Angelo D’Attoma. Photographing the evening was Anthony Fraticelli husband of Rita (Caso) daughter of Michael and Rosa (as seen above)

It was a family gathering and a special one at that, with all three of the siblings finally together. Nicoletta had recently returned (1949) from living the last 39 years in Grumo Appula, having returned to her home town (abt) 1910 after the murder of her husband Vincenzo in 1909. The only sibling missing was Joseph (Giuseppe) Marvulli who passed away in 1950. The time frame of these photo’s is estimated to be about 1952 based on the age of Toni Fraticelli at the time, sitting with the back of her head (with bow) visible. It was a warm evening and the air was thick with cigar smoke at times. Italian was being spoken non stop under the homemade 3 sided gazebo attached to the house. I am not sure of the exact location of the photos but Toni wrote her Aunt has shared that these were taken at John Marvilli’s home. John operated a small neighborhood grocery story and lived in the apartment above it. This gazebo was attached to the building. I did find a WWII draft registration card, 1944, for his son Thomas listing the address was 340 Stockton St. consistent with 1940 census for John. If there was no move since this could be the location

The evening was all about a good old fashioned belly full of laughter.

You might say John loved his beer with this bottle front and center but what I have  learned is that while that may actually be beer it could be just the bottle with home made wine in it, which might account for the smiles on these faces. In the photo below, I had the bottle removed, having posted it on the FB group ‘Genealogist Photo Restoration’ page. One of the members shared with me what the objects were on the table, taps for barrels when making ‘wine’ and then I heard from Toni who shared with me

“Something just didn’t sit right in my mind about that bottle of beer. If you look closely you can see bits or sediment clinging to the inside of the bottle. I showed the picture to my husband and he pointed out the wooden object on the table…it has a hole in the center…that other long thin piece of wood with the dark tip fits into that hole and acts as a turnkey. You put that in the hole of the wine barrel. When you want to pour out some wine from the barrel you insert that into the hole of the turnkey and pull it out and get some wine!”

Knowing this now does seem removing the bottle changes the integrity of this photo in a

way.  I do love the photo of these three siblings with out the battle too.

This has been quite a ‘gift’ to receive these photo’s from the Fraticelli’s, as no other known full photo of Angelina has yet to surface (I have a poor snippet head shot of her) She is the matriarch of a very large group of our Civitano’s and I know these photo’s will be so appreciated by her descendants and those to come.

Thank you for sharing them with us

 

Wordless Wednesday ~ Marvulli Siblings

 

Angelina Civitano (Marvulli), John Marvulli, Nicoletta Civitanon (Marvulli) ~ 1952

Remembering Vincent Civitano Jr.

 

Vincent (Vinny Daze) Civitano Jr.

7 July 1967 Bronx, N.Y. ~ 11 March 1996 Bronx, N.Y.

Today I remember my brother Vincent who passed away at the age of 28. Although I never met him, he passed before I met my birth family, I know him through the pictures and stories shared with me by my family.

I know him through his artistry as a sought after Tattoo Artist.

I know him through his art work.

I know him as a musician and member of the band Demolition Hammer.  I can feel his pulse and zest for life through the beat of his drums and through listening to their music on you tube.

I know him by the words and memories shared by his fans.

I know him through the sweetness of these photos.

I know him in the face of my daughter who’s resemblance to her Uncle is striking.

I know him in the mannerism’s and gestures of his brothers, my brothers.

I see him in their eyes reflected back at me.

I know him through his Mom who has anchored us together and accepted me as hers.

I know him through my Uncle who so willingly shares and reflects unconditionally.

Today I whisper ~ I love and miss you ~

May his memory be a blessing and a comfort to all who knew him.

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Korean War

 

Vincent Civitano & service buddy