New Blog

In researching my family history, I realized that I have come up with a lot of information from Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy.  My grandfather, John Ciccolella, was born in Pettorano.  I even got to visit the town in the summer of 2009.  Anyway, I decided that I need to post the additional information for others to use in their research.  So, a new blog was born!!  I started Pettorano Family.  You can visit or sign up at http://www.pettorano.blogspot.com/.  I hope that something I post will help a fellow genealogist.  Thanks, I look forward to your comments.

Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy research

I am in the process of reviewing documents from Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy, 1810-1865.  I spent three hours yesterday at the LDS Church looking through microfilm.  Please let me know if I can assist anyone who is need of similar information.  I spent two weeks this summer in Pettorano.  It was a short visit but I loved the town and hope to return soon.

My First Wordless Wednesday

Andrea Ciccolella

My grandfather John Ciccolella had two brothers and two sisters, all four the children of Panfilo Antonio Ciccolella and Marghertia Ferrelli Ciccolella.  John's brothers were Guiseppe (Joe) and Andrea (Andrew).  His sisters were Carmela and Maria.   Doing my research I have found a great deal on Joe Ciccolella and Carmela Ciccolella Cocco, however, very little is known about Andrea and Maria.  I recently ran across this passenger list.  Andrea Ciccolella left Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy landing in Halifax, Canada on the ship America on May 13, 1924 - at the tender age of 25.  A laborer, he had $45 bucks on him, he was listed as married to - Nunziata, and was traveling with his friend Giuseppe Zuffa.  He landed in Fort William, Canada.  I am hopeful this will lead to more research opportunities.

Who was Regina Santucci?

In 1912 my grandfather John "Chico" Ciccolella came to America.  He was a teenager at the time.  It took him a few years, however, about 1919 he married Regina Santucci.  Born May 2, 1902 in Italy, she was the daughter of Luigi Santucci and Filomena Federico.  Her father Luigi was born in Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy, so I assume Regina was also born there.  This is also the city John Ciccolella was born and raised before leaving to the US.  Regina was the first child of the couple who had another son Daniel and a daughter Mary.  This may be news to some family members, because we all think of John Ciccolella being wed to Christina Lamonica, which he was, but let's get back to the story.  The young couple (John and Regina) were living in Steubenville, Ohio and on July 20, 1920 welcomed Margaret Ciccolella.  Not a lot is known about the next few years, we assume the family was doing well thriving in the early 1920s with lots of other Italians from the Abruzzi area.  Unfortunately, Regina santucci Ciccolella died on December 3, 1925.  She died in Steubenville, Ohio and was buried at Mt. Calvary.  A photo of her tomb stone accompanies this blog.  Some say that she died in child birth but I have not found a tomb stone for a child in the same cemetery.  The couples only child - Aunt Margaret went on to move to Baltimore, Maryland, marry Tony Trotta, and well the rest is history.  Her father John went on to marry my grandmother Christina Lamonica a few years later in 1934 and thus, started the second branch of our family tree. 

Cousin Dominic A. Gallo

With a family the size of ours', there are many cousins, in addition, our family has several who have served their country over the years.  We have family which served in World War I and II.  Our own Mike Lamonica was a member of the Royal Italian Army.

One of those military family members was Dominic A. Gallo, son of Vito Gallo and Grace Lamonica Gallo.  Like many of our family members, Dominic was born and raised in Steubenville, Ohio.  He worked in the local steel mills and then spent time serving our country.  The photo included in this blog is from Mirecourt, France.  A note from the Weirton Steel newsletter states that he was a Captain in the Army serving with the Signal Corps.  Later in life, Dominic moved to California with other Gallo family.  He died in 2001in Upland, California.