Cipollo Family Part II: The Journey to America

 Last updated Aug 5, 2018.

THE FIRST WAVE
On May 19, 1893 Rosamaria Crusco (nee Cipolla) arrived in the United States with her husband of eight months, Vincenzo Crusco and her younger brother Felice Cipolla (soon to be known as Felix Cipollo). They traveled aboard the S.S. Alesia, a ship of the Fabre Line, that sailed under a French flag. This was the first time a child of Luigi Cipolla and Maria Vincenza Cipolla (nee Trotta) set foot on American soil. Reaching the shores of the United States was no doubt an adventure and story of its own.  

Familiar waters 
The 1893 trip on the S.S. Alesia was not the first time Vincenzo boarded the Alesia in Naples for a journey to America. On February 22, 1888 the Alesia arrived in New York with Vincenzo Crusco and 497 other Italian passengers onboard. The next day the passengers passed through immigration. This trip was identified by Vincenzo in his 1917 Petition for Naturalization papers.

A walk through the 1888 passenger list for the Alesia appears to capture his arrival, possibly with his father Michel. The document is weathered and the ink is faded, but it is appears passengers 355 (age 41) and 356 (age 16), represent Michel and Vincenzo. The author of the document appears to have captured passenger 356 as "Figlio Vincenzo", meaning "son Vincenzo." This would be consistent with passenger 355 being his father, Michel Crusco (Note: Many names are abbreviated in the passenger log). Records indicate that entry into the US for Michel and Crusco was through New York's Castle Garden Emigration Center, which preceded Ellis Island (opened in 1892). The remains of Castle Garden can be visited today.  

February 23, 1888 Passenger List for the Alesia

Castle Garden Emigration Center & Statue of Liberty
Source: Library of Congress

More research is needed to discover where Vincenzo spent time during his first trip to the United States, but we can be confident he got his first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty! Unfortunately, almost the entire 1890 US Census record collection was destroyed in a fire making it hard to identify his whereabouts. It isn't hard to imagine that Vincenzo spent time in Philadelphia and that his time there inspired dreams of a bright future with a family of his own. Maybe he returned to Muro Lucano to marry Rosamaria and convince her to make the journey to America five years later. 

Felice Cipolla and his voyage to America
On April 24, 1893 the Alesia left Naples, Italy for New York. Felice and his family made their departure from Naples, the closest major port to Muro Lucano and an exit point for many thousands of Italians emigrating to new regions of the world. A newspaper reports that the Alesia stopped at multiple Italian ports and finally passed Gibraltar to cross the Atlantic on April 29. They wouldn't see the shores of America until May 14 and records suggest they did not pass through immigration before May 19 due to some unusual circumstances.   

Vincenzo, Rosamaria and Felice had a lot of company for the journey. The journey was shared with 983 other passengers, nearly twice what Vincenzo sailed with on the same ship in the winter of 1888. Spring was a more popular travel period and immigration from southern Italy was picking up steam. The Alesia could accommodate 12 first class and 1,000 third class passengers within its 328 foot length (about the size of a football field). We can be sure there wasn't an abundance of space for the passengers. 

There were 18 other members of the Muro Lucano community captured on the passenger list. Rosamaria was one of only two females in the group. Six from their group (males Giovanni Magro, age 33; Guiseppe Lombardo, age 31; Felice Fasciglione, age 31 plus a married couple and an in-law with the Cravaglia surname) identified Philadelphia as their final destination. Everyone else identified New York. Maybe the Philadelphia-bound group traveled as a unit. Maybe they had contacts in Philadelphia they could reconnect with, including Vincenzo's father. More research is needed. 

Vincenzo Crusco (Row 357), Rosa Crusco (Row 358) - listed as "moglie Rosa" for "wife Rosa", and Felice Cipolla (Row 359) on the May 1883 passenger list for the S.S. Alesia

It might seems striking that so many from a small town like Muro Lucano were emigrating at once. In fact, Basilicata was hit especially hard by emigration and was the only region in Italy where the population actually fell between 1881-1901. (See Women Who Remained Behind, 1880-1914). Consistent with the small sample of Alesia's passenger list, 80% of those who emigrated were male. Often times those emigrating were married, but this passenger list does not disclose their marital status. Married men would make this journey alone sometimes seeking seasonal or temporary work and intending to return home. However, more than any other region, Basilicata saw entire families emigrate and so it is interesting to see Rosamaria traveling with her new husband and brother. 


While there were many benefits from emigration events for towns like Muro Lucano, including an infusion of money returned to the local economy back home and a return of new modern ideas about education from those "birds of passage" who returned, negative impacts were also evident. Francesco Saverio Nitti, born 1868 in Melfi, Basilicata, and Prime Minister of Italy between 1919 and 1920, commented on the loss of population in various towns of the region, saying “I represent one of the towns most devastated by emigration, the area of Muro Lucano; in it emigration…has become morbid. The population is reduced in some municipalities by half or at least half: Sanfele, Balvano, Ruoti, Ruvo, perhaps all the towns in my area are decimated by emigration.” 

It isn't hard to imagine the impacts on towns where the youngest and strongest left. This is especially true of a region that was especially agrarian and capable field workers were vital. No doubt it wasn't an easy decision for Rosamaria and the rest of the Italian passengers on the Alesia to leave loved ones, friends and communities behind, even if temporarily. They were also leaving behind a beautiful rural landscape for city conditions that would be far from ideal. Many challenges were ahead of them. 

Conditions on the Alesia
The Crusco-Cipolla family brought one piece of luggage when them for the journey.  It looks like they were quartered in the forward section of the ship, possibly not all together. The conditions of the ship were rough. Three passengers wouldn't survive the journey.

Arrival
We don't know too many details specific to the arrival of the Alesia in New York on Sunday, May 14, 1893 but it was filled with drama. Small pox caused the ship to be held in quarantine for several days before the passengers were processed through immigration. The record of the Health Officer and an article from The World give us a window into unhealthy conditions aboard the Alesia. For those who were able to make it on deck or off the ship, they likely found overcast skies and even some rain. By May19 the passengers were being processed by immigration and sunny skies and mild temperatures prevailed to lighten the load. The journey to Philadelphia was now in front of them. 

Source: The World, May 15, 1893

Cipollo Family History Part I: Italy

About this post
This is a living document started in 2012 and last updated April 14, 2018. Special thanks to Rob Petrone who has helped translate several Italian documents, yielding new insights that were otherwise locked away. Also, note that some related documents and photos can be found on flickr. 

FINDING FAMILY ROOTS IN MURO LUCANO ITALY 

As I started my family history research, my first significant discovery concerned my great grandfather, Felix Cipollo. I learned that Felix Cipollo wasn't his birth name. The first hint of that came from an 1893 passenger ship passenger list that identified him as Felice Cipolla from Muro Lucano, not Felix Cipollo as his decedents had come to know him. At first I questioned whether or not there was a mistake in the documentation. My family was clear that the surname Cipollo was ours, not Cipolla. It turned out we knew very little detail about Felix and his heritage pre-America and the beautiful town he came from. It was eye-opening to discover where we came from and that our family name had been changed. Discovering Felice Cipolla was just the beginning.
    
Felix Cipollo was born as Felice Cipolla on April 26, 1877 in Muro Lucano, Italy. The beautiful town in Italy's Apennines is perched over a steep ravine 2,000 ft above sea level. It is part of Mezzogiorno, the southern section of mainland Italy. 

Panorama of Muro Lucano 

The town sits within the province of Potenza, in the region of Basilicata, which makes up the arch of the "boot” of Italy. This is a land of natural beauty. It is about fifty geographic miles from Naples. The name "Muro" is the Italian word for “wall”, a reference to the historical walls that protected the town in ancient times. The word “Lucano” is a nod to the historical designation of region dubbed “Lucania” by the ancient Greeks and Romans who once ruled over the area. 

Historic Map of Muro Lucano

Felice (Felix) was born to Luigi Cipolla and Maria Vincenza Trotta, who were married in January 1871. Maria Vincenza was born on November 8, 1853 in Muro Lucano. Maria was the daughter of Pasquale Trotta and Maria Teresa DiCanio. Her birth record was annotated (not shown below) in 1871 to mention that she married Luigi Cipolla. 

Maria Vincenza Trotta's Birth Record from November 8, 1853

Maria's marriage record to Luigi Cipolla contains an intriguing detail.  Her parents are listed, consistent with her birth record, but his are identified as "uncertain." So, who is Luigi Cipolla and where did he come from?

FINDING LUIGI
A new foundling 

On May 2, 1842 a newborn child was abandoned in Muro Lucano, which at the time was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Italy as we know it today, did not yet exist. Muro Lucano boasted a population of about 8,000 in those days.  

The abandoned child, known as a “foundling”, would come to be known as Luigi Cipolla. The specific circumstances leading to his abandonment in the town will likely never be known, but his situation was not uncommon. The extreme poverty that plagued Mezzogiorno and the severe social stigma attached to families of unwed mothers fostered significant abandonment. Investigations thus far indicate that there were at least eleven newborn children identified by Muro Lucano civil authorities as having two unknown parents in the year of Luigi's birth. The year prior, there were twenty-eight.

While we know Luigi was abandoned in Muro Lucano, we have to leave open the possibility that his parents were not from the town. The social stigma for families of unwed mothers had the effect that some children were not abandoned in the town of their mother, but rather at another nearby. So, it is possible that Luigi’s mother and father came from Muro Lucano or from one of the towns that bound it including Balvano, Bella, Castelgrande, Colliano, Laviano, Ricigliano, San Gregorio Magno and San Fele.

Muro Lucano is the birthplace of St. Gerard Majella, patron saint of the region and venerated as a protector of pregnant mothers and children. And so it might be that newborn Luigi was blessed to be found in Muro Lucano. For certain, the people of the town made sure he was baptized. We have a record that he was baptized on May 3, 1842 by a priest from the parish of San Nicola (Saint Nicolas Cathedral).

Luigi Cipolla's May 3, 1842 Baptism Record

A given name

Luigi's birth record (see page 1 and page 2) confirms that Luigi's parents were "uncertain". Knowing that he was an abandoned child immediately raises questions about the root of his name. The surname Cipolla is widespread throughout Italy, but not widely associated with Basilicata during that time. The name, meaning “onion,” attached to a newly abandoned male child in Muro Lucano could have come about in a number of ways. 

Those responsible for the rescue of abandoned children assigned surnames to the “foundlings.” So, it could have been a midwife, a wet nurse, catholic clergy, nun or civil authority that presented Luigi Cipolla with his name. 

Why name him after an onion? When you look at the civil records of other abandoned children in and around Luigi’s birth year you find names that are descriptive and colorful. This includes names like, Allegro (“cheerful”), Brunetta (“brunette”), Belfrutto (“nice fruit”), Luppolo (“hop”), Boccaperta (“mouth”), Radice (“root”), Salnitro (“saltpetre”), and Biancospino (“hawthorn”). Clearly there was an interest in names that captured natural qualities and mother nature generally. Maybe baby Luigi was abandoned with an onion or was found next to an onion garden. Maybe he just reminded someone of an onion. We’ll never know the true source of the name.

His given first name, Luigi, might have had special meaning to those who named him. It appears to be the most popular first name attached to the abandoned male children of his era in Muro Lucano. This might be because San Luigi Gonzaga was a popular saint. In fact a statute of him can be found in the church where Luigi Cipolla was married.  Whatever the inspiration, generations to come would be impacted. His descendants would assume the name Luigi and later Louis, no doubt tracing back to the decision of an unknown person or persons back in 1842.  

There would be no confusing Luigi Cipolla with members of a local family or another abandoned child, as his surname stands alone in the Muro Lucano records of that time. No doubt this would place a mark upon the child as abandoned. That would likely present its own challenges in later years.

There would have been official means for Luigi’s parents to claim him and reconcile the records, but that was not commonly done and it does not appear to have transpired for Luigi Cipolla. 

Surviving abandonment

It is unclear how Luigi was raised in Muro Lucano, but new clues emerged in 2018. At the time of Luigi's birth there was an orphanage and hospital in Muro Lucano's San Bernardino neighborhood that supported the poor, sick and abandoned. It was financed by a lay association known as the confraternity of the Most Holy Sacrament. It is reasonable to think this association was the primary source of support for baby Luigi. The accommodations would have been modest (straw bed, crowded conditions, meager rations.).   

But how did Luigi even get to such a place? There were practices in southern Italy more generally that might give us a window into the experience of baby Luigi. At the time of Luigi’s birth, a struggling Italian mother or midwife might place an abandoned child on a "wheel" (la ruota) located in the outside wall of a building known to care for newborns. The wheel typically included a cradle of sorts allowing someone on the outside to place the baby in it anonymously while it was turned to the interior for someone to receive the baby.

One research paper indicates that there were about 1,200 wheels in Italy by the mid-nineteenth century, and that they were especially popular in southern Italy. We don't yet know if such a thing existed in Muro Lucano. It is also possible that as Lugi grew older he was placed with a foster family who would receive a monthly stipend for years. We don't yet know if this was the experience for Luigi Cipolla. 

Clearly someone cared for the infant Luigi Cipolla and he proved to be a survivor when the odds were tough. With newly abandoned children being found each year, it had to be a strain on the resources of the community. Preliminary research suggests that the year prior to his birth almost 30% of those newly abandoned (28 identified so far) did not survive the year in Muro Lucano. It might be good fortune for Luigi and his descendants that he wasn’t born a year earlier. The odds improved dramatically when there were fewer mouths to feed. All eleven abandoned children of 1842 appear to have made it through the year.

Growing up as Luigi Cipolla

As Luigi grew up he would have gazed upon the castle that occupies the top of the Murese hill overlooking the Ripe chasm and steep cliffs that at one time protected the town from attack. He may have heard the infamous tale of the 1382 murder of the Giovanna I of Angio (Queen Joan), queen of the Kingdom of Naples inside the castle walls. He would have seen the tower that was build as a lookout for the territory. Maybe he wondered if King Ferdinand II, the reigning King of the Two Sicilies (1830-1859), would visit Muro Lucano’s castle. Possibly he found himself intrigued by tales of the legendary Numistro where the Roman forces of Marcus Claudius Marcellus battled the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal in 210 BC. 

The Roman Catholic Church would have held a lot of influence and visibility in the life of young Luigi. The magnificent Cathedral of St. Nicholas Camera (originally built in 1009 and known in Italian as La cattedrale di San Nicola ) adjoined the Castle and held amazing frescoes and other famed artistic works on the interior. It stood tall then as it does today in the landscape. A diocesan seminary and a residence for bishops for nine centuries were both prominent as well. While these structures stand today, a 1980 earthquake damaged them and forever altered the architectural landscape of the entire town. Earthquakes have a long history in the region.

In fact, the earth literally shook beneath 15-year old Luigi at around 10:00 AM on December 16, 1857 when an estimated 7.0 magnitude earthquake,known as the Great Neapolitan Earthquake,rocked the Potenza region's 124,000 inhabitants killing and injuring an estimated 10,000 (some suggest triple that) across numerous villages. The earth rolled for an estimated 25 seconds on that date. In subsequent days more deadly events followed. In the town of Montemurro, just 50 miles away, 5,000 inhabitants (70% of the population) perished.

Mercifully, Muro Lucano and nearby neighbors were spared the worst direct effects and no deaths were recorded, though some “fissures” were visible in Muro Lucano even from a distance. We know this because the magnitude of this seismic activity attracted the engineer Robert Mallet from England who was accompanied by Alphonse Bernoud, a French photographer. They extensively documented their travels and research throughout the region in a book. Alphonse Bernoud took a picture of the town from a distance in 1858. Luigi’s world was caught on film! You can see the photo (apparently enhanced for the book) immediately below and a second that appears untouched.  

Luigi Cipolla marries Maria Vincenza Trotta

In January 1871, in the heart of winter, Lugi Cipolla married Maria Vincenza Trotta. They were the second couple reported to marry in Muro Lucano that year. A snippet of their marriage record is captured below.

As previously established, the complete record lets us know that Maria Vincenza was the daughter of Pasquale Trotta and Maria Teresa DiCanio and that Luig's parent's were uncertain. This record also gives us a window into their lives. We find that Maria was a "filatrice" which is Italian for "spinner." This seems like an occupation that might have had a connection with Luigi's occupation at the time. He was a shepherd. Maybe she was spinning wool material from the animals Luigi tended! 

FIRST FAMILY: CIPOLLA'S IN MURO LUCANO

Records thus far indicate that it took four years for Lugi and Maria Vincenza to welcome their first child. Rosamaria arrived first (June 7, 1874) followed by Felice (April 26, 1877). Pasquale appears to have arrived next (about 1880).  Curiously, no official record for Pasquale's birth has been found, despite combing through birth records multiple times. We only know of him from his death record. Michele (Michael) was the third son when he arrived March 28,1883. A second daughter, and their last child, Lucia, was born in 1889. 

Rosamaria Cipolla (later Rosa Crusco) was born June 7, 1874

Felice Cipolla (later Felix Cipollo) was born April 26, 1877

Michele Cipolla (later Michael Cipollo) was born March 28, 1883

Birth records can yield interesting clues. The one for Michele, for instance, tells us that Strada Castello (Castle Street) was his home. The house number has not yet been deciphered! There is a Via Castello today that seems likely to be the same road.

Life was not easy for the Cipolla family. The hilltop town is beautifully situated in the mountains, but the region was not known for its prosperity in the 1800s. For sure there were wealthy landowners, but artisans, farmers and peasants generally would have populated the town during the days of Luigi. Any farming would have required a substantial effort as workable land for the residents of a town like Muro Lucano would have involved a substantial physical commitment. Winters in the mountains were cold (yes, it snows in Muro Lucano!) and summers could be hot.  

Political and economic instability

At the time of Felice's birth, a modern day united Italy was still in its infancy. Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia, was proclaimed the first King of Italy in 1861, just a little more than a decade earlier. The annexation of Venetia in 1866 and papal Rome in 1870 marked the complete unification of Italy during a period know, Risorgimento, just a few years prior to the birth of Felice Cipolla.

The unification of Italy had many challenges. Italy was not homogenous economically, culturally or even linguistically (most spoke local dialects). There were unintended and  disastrous impacts on southern Italian regions like Basilicata and towns like Muro Lucano. Southern peasants shouldered an increased tax burden and the towns faced a changing market for their goods and services. These burdens compounded existing problems such as generally poor soil and high rates of illiteracy. As a result, unification did not go smoothly. One consequence was that a time of heightened brigandage by outlaw bandits took hold in Basilicata, some violently opposing government troops while simultaneously threatening local populations (though many welcomed them).  

In the late 1800s the artisans, sharecroppers and farm laborers who comprised much of the population of southern Italian towns like Muro Lucano began to emigrate to other parts of Europe, the United States, South America, Australia and elsewhere, in significant numbers. 

The loss of family 

On 5 May 1889, the youngest child, thirteen month old Lucia Cipolla died. The documents reports that she died at Via Raia Superiore, number 13. Her parents are identified as farmers/peasants. 

The family suffered a major loss just 10 months after Lucia's death, when the family patron, Luigi Cipolla died. His death at age 48 on 7 July 1890 must have been devastating to his wife Maria Vincenza and their children. She was now responsible for raising Rosamaria (about age 15), Felice (age 13), Pasquale (about age 10) and Michele (age 7). 

Luigi Cipolla's death certificate pictured below yields new insight into his life. Most notably his profession is listed as a "vaccaro", which is Italian for cowboy. It also tells us that he lived at 19 Strada Torrine (19 Torrine Street). Unfortunately, houses in that area were destroyed in a 1980 earthquake. The document also provides contradictory information about his age, but we know from his birth certificate that he was 48, not 45 as reflected here. It seems understandable that an abandoned child and his family might not have been clear on his birthday. 

A local resident and historian for Muro Lucano has kindly shared that Luigi was a member of Sant’Andrea Apostolo (St. Andrew the Apostle), at the time of his death. The church, built in 1420, is regarded as the second most significant church in Muro Lucano after the cathedral and is still active today. 

A NEW BEGINNING 
The first of Luigi's children gets married and travels to America
A little more than two years after the death of her father, Rosamaria started an important new chapter for the family. On September 11, 1892, in the Muro Lucano municipal office before Lord Mayor Farenza Vincenzo, Esq, Rosamaria Cipolla, age 18, was united in matrimony with Vincenzo Crusco, age 21. They were both identified as peasants. Vincenzo was the son of Michele Crusco and Mariantiona Angelicchio.  

Within eight months of her marriage, Rosamaria Cipolla Crusco found herself standing on American soil with her new husband Vincenzo Crusco and her younger brother, Felice Cipolla. Their adventure would include more family coming from Muro Lucano in the years ahead. It would involve new triumphs and tragedies. That is the subject of two other blog posts that cover the journey to America and life in America. It is where Felice Cipolla becomes Felix Cipollo. 

Cipollo Family History Part III: America

Last updated: March 14, 2021

Felix, Michael and Rosa emigrate to the United States

On May 19, 1893 Felice Cipolla, soon to be known as Felix Cipollo, arrived in New York on board the S.S. Alesia from Naples, Italy at age 16 by my calculations (15 according to the manifest).  He didn't journey alone.  Felix traveled with his sister Rosa (age 19) and her husband Vincenzo Crusco (age 21). The ship's records captured her has "Rosa Moglie." Moglie is Italian for "wife." 

A copper-hued Statue of Liberty, then just six years old, would have greeted the 983 passengers of the S.S. Alesia as they arrived in New York harbor in 1893. Ellis Island, having opened just 17 months prior, would have been the first stop for them. The Ellis Island structures that greeted Felix, Rosa and Vincenzo predate the now familiar red brick buildings that welcomed millions of immigrants in the 1900s. In 1893 the main immigration building was a wooden structure built of Georgia Pine and covered with a slate roof. The main building was a two story building that measured about 400 feet long and 150 feet wide. The registry room, measuring 200 feet by 100 feet was the largest and most impressive with a fifty-six foot vaulted ceiling. According to one researcher, "Twelve narrow aisles, divided by iron bars, channeled new arrivals to be examined by doctors at the front of the room." This structure would burn down in June 1897 and be replaced by the structure that stands today. Sadly, many records were lost in the fire.  

While we will never know exactly what compelled Felix, Rosa and Vincenzo to depart Italy to start a new life in America, it is likely that they, like other Italians of that era, were fleeing the poor and uncertain economic and political environment of Italy (Read about Italian immigration to Pennsylvania) Each was labeled as a "peasant" on the ship's manifest. However, from an economic opportunity perspective, the timing of emigration from Italy to the United States could have been better. Just weeks after their arrival, the Panic of 1893 struck.  The United States entered a severe and unprecedented economic depression that would last until 1898. President Grover Cleveland, in office starting March 1893, two months prior two Felix's arrival, was not able to prevent thousands of businesses from closing, leaving millions unemployed. 

According to the immigration records for the Alesia, neither Felix, Rosa nor Vincenzo had the ability to read or write when then arrived. The task in front of them must have appeared daunting.  Fortunately, they would find communal support and help build Philadelphia's own "Little Italy".  The Alesia's manifest even indicates that they weren't the sole immigrants from Muro Lucano that were headed to Philadelphia. It is quite possible that they had family and friends with roots established in Philadelphia when they arrived.  

On November 18, 1898, almost five years after Felix and Rosa arrived in the United States, their brother Michele Cipolla (later known as Michael Cipollo) arrived on board the Alsatia. He was 15 years old and reportedly could read and write.  He listed his occupation as "carpenter." Michael carried $4 with him and indicated that he was going to visit his brother "Felice" in Philadelphia. There is no indication on the manifest that he traveled with anyone else, but given his age, that seems like a possibility.

Felix marries Domenica 

The 1900s ushered in a new era for Felix Cipollo. On Monday, April 28, 1902 Felix Cipollo married Domenica D'Agrosa  at Our Lady of Good Council at 8th and Christian Streets in Philadelphia. (Note: The parish closed in 1932). Father Angelo Caruso presided as 25 year-old Felix married 20 year-old Domenica.  There is a photo of a young Domenica that I believe could be from this time period.  On the marriage license she is identified as "Lagroso".  For reasons that are unclear (and will probably remain shrouded in mystery) the D'Agrosa family surname transformed over time.  You will sometimes find Domemica's family referred to as Lagrossa, Lagrosa, De Grossa, and Dagrosa.  

We can say definitively that Domenica, who was known to many as "Minnie", was born in Marisco Nuovo, Italy, on May 28, 1881 to Francesco Savario D'Agrosa (Born 30 August 1836) and Annuziata Votta, also known as "Nunziah" and "Nunziata" (Born 23 Nov 1845).  Her father is often identified as Saverio even those "Franceso" part of his given name in official Italian records. He was the son of Rosa Pasquarelli  and Donato D'Agrosa. They were a farming family. 

Domenica had at least three sisters: Peppina (also found as Giuseppina, Josephenia and finally Josephine) (Born 21 May 1876), Agostina (also found as Augustina and Augustine) (Born ~1875) and Carmela (also found as Millie) (Born 25 Aug 1887).  Domenica also had two brothers, Donato (Born 23 May 1868) and Gianurio (Born 22 Jan 1871). All three sisters are known to have moved to Philadelphia. Only Carmela did not marry. To date, nothing has been found to indicate Domenica's brothers moved here.  In the 1900 census Nunziah says that she has five living children. 

Dates surrounding the D'Agrosa (Lagrossa) family emigration to the United States are muddled. To date only one official emigration document has been found.  It references Francesco Saverio D'Agroso arriving on 13 January 1898, on the California and headed for Philadelphia from Naples.  This must be one of at least two trips he made from Italy to the US since he is also found living in Philadelphia in an 1890 almanac under the name "Saverio De Grossa" which I'm confident is him given the address and name. 

One unsourced family document (probably derived from oral family tradition) says Domenica arrived when she was 9, which would mean 1890. According to the 1900 census Domenica and her parents arrived in the United States in 1882, eleven years before the Cipollo family and before Ellis Island was opened. If true, that date didn't apply to the entire family because we know the youngest child, Carmela, was born in Italy in 1887. Other census documents suggest they could have arrived in 1888 or 1892.  In her May 1892 her naturalization papers her sister Agostina (by then known as Augustina Fortunato) recorded 4 June 1887 as her arrival date in this country. 

It is unclear what accounts for all the different dates. Maybe it is a reflection of multiple trips to and from Italy and the family coming in small waves. That was not an entirely uncommon practice for Italian-American immigrants as many did not intend to stay here permanently as they hoped circumstances at home would improve. Of course it could simply be errors by census takers or poor communication by the family. There is ample evidence that they lacked formal education and had little if any literacy. Further research is needed before we can reach any firm conclusions. If we take the earliest possible arrival date as true, Domenica would have been no more than a year old when she arrived in the United States.

Oddly enough, Millie, the youngest member of the family does not appear on the 1900 census for the family. Where was she? Depending on the immigration dates for the family, it is possible that she had not yet arrived in the United States from Italy or she was part of some back-n-forth movement and was possibly in Italy with family.  

Making a home in Philadelphia 

Like Italian immigrants in other urban centers, the Italians in Philadelphia formed their own "Little Italies" throughout the city.  The 1890 census, which took place three years before Felix arrived, counted the Italian-born population of Philadelphia at 6,799.  The official Italian-born population grew to 17,830 by 1900 and to 45,308 by 1910.  However, when you include Americans born of Italian parentage, the population was about 77,000 by 1910.  The largest concentration of Italians was in South Philadelphia, an area centered around 8th & Christian, near the now-famous Italian Market on 9th Street. 

We don't know exactly where Felix lived when he arrived in Philadelphia. No 1900 census has been found and no Philadelphia city directories list him or his sister Rosa Crusco and her husband Vincenzo (with whom Felix might have lived early on).  

However, Felix's future wife Domenica was definitely living within South Philadelphia's "Little Italy" at 833 Montrose Street with her parents in 1900. This address is right around the corner from the Italian Market.  Domenica's father, Saverio, was employed as a "laborer" and Domenica was a "tailor" at that time. 

Three other Italian families also resided in the building.  Among them were members of the DiGrossa family (sometimes referred to as the DeGrossa or DaGrossa family). This is where things get really confusing. This family was one that Domenica's sister Agostina married into. Agostina (age 25) was living with her husband of 10 years, Donata DiGrossa (age 40) and their four Pennsylvania-born children, Mary (age 7), Josie (spelling?) (age 5), Tony (age 3), and Angelina (less than a year old). Given what we know about Agostina's original surname (d'Agrosa) and the surname of her husband "DiGrossa" and factoring in the likely roots of that family, it seems like their might have been a family connection going back to Italy. This nuance needs to be researched further. 

1900 Census with the d'Agrosa (AKA LaGrossa) family at 833 Montrose in Philadelphia

When Felix and Domenica applied for their marriage license in 1902, Felix indicated that he was living at 829 Montrose Street, just a few doors down from his future in-laws. This same residence is captured on Felix's Petition for Naturalization papers in 1903. Thus, the first place Felix and Domenica called home together was 829 Montrose Street (Note: It does not appear as though there is a home at this address today).  

The world they lived in
What was the world around Felix and Domenica like when then they married in 1902?  By some accounts, the Italian Market, an area that anchors the modern image of the South Philadelphia, began to take shape in the mid-to-late 1880s, just a few years before Felix arrived. However, some researchers have found that the real transformation of 9th street didn't start to take hold until 1900 with the introduction of pushcarts by Sicilians along the once purely residential street. Felix and Domenica might have found themselves shopping for food and dry goods at those very pushcarts or possibly among the Italian grocery shops along Seventh and Eighth streets from Fitzwater to Christian. Regardless, they were a part of a changing landscape, one that saw an expansion of Italian influence in South Philadelphia.

Like other Italian immigrants to America, Felix and Domenica were not walled-off from other ethnic communities. The city itself was ethnically diverse in 1902. Even Philadelphia's "Little Italy" wasn't purely Italian. The area was formerly known as "Irish Town" and you can see evidence of the Irish legacy in the census reports. Italians only began to outnumber the Irish in the area starting in the 1890s. While no Irish neighbors are found on Felix and Domenica's block of Montrose Street near the time of their marriage (ethnic Italians dominated), the same can't be said for members of their family.  Census records show both Irish neighbors and German neighbors living in close proximity to the extended family who lived just a few blocks away from Felix and Domenica. In 1910 Felix and Domenica's neighbors on Kauffman Street were largely "Russo-Yiddish" speakers, illustrating that they were indeed part of an ethnic melting pot. We can only imagine the sounds of the conversations between them. 
The setting for Felix and Domenica's first year together as husband and wife in South Philadelphia is the bigger stage of Philadelphia and even the United States in 1902. At the time of their marriage, Theodore Roosevelt dominated the national scene. He assumed the Presidency a year prior following the assassination of President McKinley. Things that drew President Roosevelt's attention included plans for the Panama Canal, unfolding tensions in the Philippines (the US took control of the islands from Spain following 1898 Spanish-American War) and a coal strike in Eastern Pennsylvania that threatened home heating fuel supplies for cities like Philadelphia.

Within the city of Philadelphia, things looked a lot different than the do today.  The newly constructed City Hall (completed in 1901) stood as the world’s tallest habitable building in 1902.  That prestige seems fitting given the city’s position as the country’s 3rd largest city with 1.3 million residents at the time.  Plans for another iconic structure in the city, today’s popular Philadelphia Museum of Art, wouldn’t be submitted for several more years.  In its place at Fairmount was a reservoir fed by the still standing Fairmount Waterworks.     

Many of the daily challenges of city dwellers were similar to those encountered today, yet different in notable ways. For example, current day city living concerns regarding automobile traffic would have been alien. Cars were practically nonexistent (only about 8,000 in the country in 1900).  Instead, city streets would have been crowed with the 50,000 plus resident horses (plus those stabled outside the city and traveled-in) that moved freight, provided emergency services and public transport (horse-drawn trolleys).  Smells of manure would have been present, not smells truck diesel and car fumes.  Of course that scene would change over time, and within 6 years of their marriage Felix and Domenica had the opportunity to take advantage Philadelphia's first subway and elevated train line, the Frankford-Market line (seen here under construction). Today's city dwellers still travel those rails.

It is fun to think that maybe Felix and Domenica were taken with modern Philadelphia's baseball obsession. The Philadelphia Athletics of 1902 drew over 400,000 fans as they took first place in the upstart American League from their home at Columbia Park in North Philadelphia. The Phillies didn't fair as well, finishing seventh in the more established National League where they played from the Baker Bowl on North Broad Street.  Oddly enough there were also two National Football League Teams in Philadelphia (it was a 3 team league) who battled each other for the hearts and dollars of the citizens. They were also known as the Philadelphia Athletics and Philadelphia Phillies!

I'm not sure how often Felix and Domenica were able to relax and enjoy the city and surrounding countryside. There is one photo of them in their bathing suits in their younger years that suggests that made a trip to the beach, lake or pool to have some fun at some point.  Today's Philadelphian's can surely relate to the call of cool water in the summer.  Thankfully, bathing suit styles have changed dramatically in the last 100+ years.   


We'll never know the daily things that consumed their time and thoughts, but can try understand their times.  More research is needed to paint a better picture.          

The American dream

The marriage license for Felix and Domenica captures their occupations at 1902.  Domenica worked as a "tailoress" and Felix as a "news dealer." Gopsill's 1902 Philadelphia City Directory indicates that the "news dealer" business was based at 945 Ridge Avenue (Note: Joseph Gillelaud, the person who served as a witness for Felix's Petitition of Naturalization was a resident of 911 Ridge Ave.) Today, 945 Ridge Ave. is near the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Back in 1902, the bridge wasn't part of the landscape. Construction began almost two decades later in 1919 (and was completed in 1926).  Domenica's occupation was typical for Italian women at that time. By 1910 half of the women working in the clothing industry in Philadelphia were Italian.

According to information found in city directories and census documents, the extended family of Felix and Domenica held a variety of jobs such as "presser" (likely a job involving pressing fabric), "laborer," "music," "bartender" and more in the early 1900s.  Savario LaGrossa, Felix's father-in-law, is found to be engaged in the "Liquor" business in 1902.  "Saveri", as the directory calls him, appears to have been working at 1211 S. 8th Street, just around the corner from the now-famous Pat's and Geno's cheesesteak establishments (of course those would be years away from taking root).  It seems possible that Saverio's experience in the liquor business would prove beneficial to Felix in a later business venture.  By 1904 Felix was involved in the "liquor" business too, according to a city directory.  Felix would grow this business at 811 Passyunk Avenue and regularly identify himself as a "saloon keeper" at this address in various documents.  Other extended family members might have played a role in his saloon enterprise.  For example, Charles Cianciarulo, brother of his brother-in-law Domenick Ciancurlo (Domenica's sister Josephine's husband) is sometimes found as a "bartender" or otherwise engaged in the liquor business on Passyunk Ave.  No house number is given, but could this have been Felix's business? 

By 1910 Felix and Domenica moved to 526 Kauffman Street, just around the corner from his saloon business on Passyunk Avenue. From this address their family would begin to grow. Eventually they would move the family to Passyunk Avenue. By the 1930 census Felix owned the properties at 801 - 807 Passyunk Ave. (valued at $60k in the census, the equivalent of $817k in 2012).  

No doubt there were many challenges being a "saloon keeper," but probably none bigger than the passing of the 18th Amendment.  That amendment to the US Constitution prohibited the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcohol. The prohibition era stretched from 1919 to 1933. The effects of this on Felix's enterprises can be seen in city directories and census documents.  In 1923, for example, the city directory records Felix engaging in the sale of "soft drinks" (not liquor!) at 801 Passynunk Ave.  The 1930 census indicates that Felix and members of his family were involved in a restaurant and "chicken store," likely on the property he owned on Passyunk Ave.  There are photos of Felix that might capture him in the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s. 

The first generation is born in Philadelphia 

Vincenzo and Rosa Crusco 

Felix's sister, Rosa likely gave birth to the first Italian-American grandson of Maria Vincenza Cipolla and Luigi Cipolla. Louis Crusco (sometimes known as Lewis) was born to her and Vincenzo Crusco around 1901. The name Louis may have been a nod to Rosa's grandfather, Luigi.  Louis would be the only child born to Vincenzo and Rosa. 

Felix & Domenica 

The first generation of American-born Cipollos began with the arrival of Felix and Domenica's daughter Mary (likely a grandmother's namesake) Cipollo on January 25, 1903.  Their family grew quickly during the first decade of the 20th Century.  Mary's arrival would be followed by the first Cipollo son, Luigi Cipollo (grandfather's namesake) on August 4, 1904, Samuel Cipollo (possibly an adaptation of Saverio) in 1907, Nancy Cipollo (a likely nod to "Nuziah") on October 12, 1908 and Theresa "Tessie" (a possible nod to her great grandmother) Cipollo (born August 25, 1910).  Six more children would arrive in the next decade, many sharing names with aunts and uncles: Rose Cipollo (born November 13, 1912), Susanne Cipollo (born July 15 1915), Josephine Cipollo (born August 20, 1917), Michael Cipollo (August 20, 1919), Louis Cipollo (born June 11, 1922) and Rita Cipollo (born March 12, 1925).   

Family losses

Luigi Cipollo, son of Felix and Domenica Cipollo
Unfortunately, amidst this growth in their family Felix and Domenica suffered the loss of their first born son, Luigi, on November 3, 1919.  Oral family tradition suggests he might have had a life-long heart ailment and his death certificate (where he is listed as Louis) indicates that he died from Dilatation of the Heart at Presbyterian Hospital.  He was 15 years, 3 months and 1 day old when he died. It is worth noting that this time period marked the Great Pandemic in which an especially virulent influenza virus struck, killing an estimated 675,000 Americans, and up to 50 million globally.  Over 15,000 Philadelphians were dead from influenza by October 25, 1919.  However, nothing in Luigi's death certificate identifies that influenza was a contributing factor in his death.

Luigi was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon following a mass at St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi church at 8th and Montrose. This parish was set-up in 1852 to serve the Italian immigrant population. It seems likely that the loss of Luigi influenced Felix and Domenica to name the first son born to them after Luigi's death, "Louis." It is curious to see that Luigi was actually referred to as "Louis" in his Philadelphia Inquirer death notice.  

Michael Cipollo, brother of Felix Cipollo

No records have been found thus far to indicate where Felix and Rosa's youngest brother Michael was living and working during the first decade of the 1900s. However, it is known that Michael Cipollo married Margaret DeVico. According to the 1910 census, Margaret was was born in Pennsylvania to Italian immigrants. They were married about 1906 when she was about 17 and he was about 22.  In 1910 they lived at 1340 9th Street, Philadelphia. This is the same address of his sister Rosa and Vincenzo Crusco for that period.  Michael worked as a carpenter according to census records and there are even solicitations for work by him in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Michael and Margaret eventually moved to Collingswood, New Jersey where sadly Michael would die at age 38 on June 9, 1921. Michael and Margaret did not have any children. He was buried at the same cemetery as his nephew Luigi, who died less than two years earlier.

Maria Vincenza Cipollo, mother of Felix Cipollo
On March 20, 1935 the mother of Felix Cipollo, Michael Cipollo and Rosa Cipollo Crusco passed away in Philadelphia.  She was daughter of Pasqualle Trotto and Marria Teresa Di Canio.  It is thought that her husband Luigi likely passed away in Muro Lucano, Italy prior to her arrival in the United States. She was 77 years old.  She was laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon. 

Saverio LaGrossa and Annunizata LaGrossa
Saverio LaGrossa, the father of Domenica LaGrossa and father-in-law of Felix Cipollo passed away on December 22, 1923.  He was 72 years, 4 months and 18 days old.  His wife, Annuziata ("Nunziah") would survive him by more than twelve years, passing away in April 1935,  just a month after the passing of Maria Vincenza Cipollo.  Both Saverio and Annuziata resided at 1304 Federal Street in Philadelphia when they passed.  It appears Angelo Cianciarulo, Annuziata's grandson and the informant of her death on record, was living with her at the time. Saverio and Nunziah are buried in Holy Cross Cemetery with other members of their family. You can see a photo of Nunziah in her later years alongside her daughter Domenica.

Felix Cipollo
A string of family losses hit hard on April 9, 1936 when Felix Cipollo fell victim to heart problems and passed away.  He was 59 years old.  This was just a year after his mother and mother-in-law had passed.  This had to be emotionally devasting to Domenica LaGrossa, his spouse of about 32 years, and their children.  The family was not only reeling from the loss of loved ones, but likely the negative economic impact of The Great Depression on family fortunes.  The combined economic impact of this may be seen in the 1940 Census where it is evident that the family lost properties (they now rented 807 Passyunk instead of owning 801-807).  By 1940 there is no sign that the family still owned any businesses, and instead two older children, Josephine and Michael are working in department stores as sales clerks.

Felix was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania alongside family and friends. 

Vincenzo Crusco and Rosamarie (Rosa) Cipolla Crusco
Rosa, the only known sister of Felix and Michael Cipollo outlived her siblings by more than twenty years.  On March 18, 1957 at the age of 77 Rosa passed away.  At that time she was a resident of 1031 Morris St. in Philadelphia.  By that time she was the grandmother of 7 and great-grandmother of 9.  All her grandchildren descended through her only son Lewis (also known as Louis).  Following a mass at St. Nicolas Church she was laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, PA.  Her husband Vincenzo Crusco outlived her by a almost three years, passing away at age 91 in November 1960.  Today he is buried alongside Rosa, his son Lewis and other members of his family.

Domenica "Minni" LaGrossa CipolloThe wife of Felix Cipollo lived until April 21, 1972, having outlived her husband by 36 years, passing away at age 90.  Like many members of her extended family she was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery.  Today, many families three and four generations later trace their roots back to Domenica and Felix.  Many of those families took began to blossom well before she passed away.  She saw family go off to war, get married and raise their own families.  Her longevity allowed her to embrace many grandchildren and grandchildren. 

The first generation marries, has children
There was no shortage of heartache from the loss of loved ones in the first third of the 20th Century, but there also joy.  The next chapter of Cipollo family history look more closely at the first generation born in the United States.