
c. 1915 -
This image shows four members
of the Lupo family and is a very early depiction of
Molfettesi children living in Hoboken, NJ. (Pictured
from left to right, Lena (Angelina), Paul (Pantaleo),
Fannie (Philomena) and Charles (Carmine). The
children's father was a carpenter named Vito Lupo who
emigrated to the U.S. in 1907, first arriving in Massachusetts
with his wife Giovanna Poli and sister Giovanna Lupo
and eventually landing in Hoboken to meet up with his
brother Giuseppe Lupo. The rest of the Lupo family arrived
in 1914, but their reunion would be short lived since
the patriarch of the family would fall to Tuberculosis
in Dec. 1916. (All Lupo images are the sole property
of Charles Lupo, for more information contact him at:
lupo_chuck@verizon.net)
Click
Here to see an Image of Vito Lupo c. 1897
Click
Here to see an image of Vito Lupo and his wife Maria
Giovanna (Jennie) Poli c. 1910
Click Here
to see Vito Lupo's Ellis Island
Manifest from 1907 (Line 7)
Click
Here to see the Lupo family Manifest from 1914 (Line
14)
Click
Here to see the Lupo family in the 1920 U.S. Census
LUPO
FAMILY TREE
|
My
Grandmother’s Voyage to America
By Alex Sallustio
c.
1920 - This is the story of
my Grandmother’s voyage to America with my mother,
her sister and two brothers.
It all began when my Grandfather,
Giovanni Sciancalepore, (Top Right in Photo)
arrived at Ellis Island, NY on March 23, 1912. It was
the custom in those days that a man, wishing to immigrate
to the United States, would first come here and work
to earn enough money to bring his family over, have
enough to begin their new life and not have to depend
on anyone. It was a time when dependency was not an
option.
So, he left Ellis Island
and went to 240 Willow Avenue, Hoboken, NJ to live with
his brother Michael (Top Left in Photo)
and worked for the Lackawanna Railroad.
After two years, he decided to make a trip back to visit
the family. While there, my Uncle Francesco was conceived
and with Giovanna, Corrado and Chiara, the children
totaled four.
He arrived back in Hoboken
to resume work. Ellis Island records show him entering
the US twice. When he felt he had earned enough money
to bring the family over and start their new life, he
sent the funds to my Grandmother(Maria Luica
de Gennaro, Bottom Right in Photo) with
instructions for the trip.
My Grandmother was not
happy. She was not keen to leave her mother and relatives
to go to this land, 3,500 miles away separated by
a huge ocean, where they spoke another language. She
decided not to go. Finally, my Great Grandmother said
to her simply, “Where the pants go, the skirt
must follow.” Although she knew she would never
see her mother again, she recognized the logic and
decided to go. She packed up their belongings and
the kids and took the train to Naples. Upon arriving
at the Naples seaport, she learned that she missed
the boat. It was a large boat and would have been
an easier trip with less rocking. Instead, she booked
passage on a smaller ship, the Regina d’Italia
(Queen of Italy).
Now, this was 1916.
World War I was on and the Atlantic was swarming with
German U-boats sinking Allied ships. Their route was
a zig-zag one hoping to avoid enemy contact. Back
in the US, my Grandfather, awaiting the arrival, finds
out that the ship the family was supposed to be on
was torpedoed and all were lost. Imagine finding out
that your whole family is wiped out. On September
16, 1916, The Regina d’Italia arrived. My Grandfather
received a telegram from Ellis Island informing him
that his family was here and he should come pick them
up. He thought it was either a cruel joke or a mistake.
What joy he must have felt when he first caught sight
of the family he thought was gone.
As children, we
used to tease my Grandmother with, “Gee Grandma,
if you weren’t so stubborn, we wouldn’t
be here.” And she would laugh and say, “That’s
true.”
(This image
is the sole property of Alex Sallustio, for more information
contact him at: alex3315@bspeedy.com)
|

c. 1950s-
This image from the late 1950s or early 1960s depicts
a typical wedding party and an extended family. The
people on the left side of the image are Cosmo Damiano
Magarelli, his wife, Pasqua Andreula,
his sister "Lena," and his son Peter Magarelli.
The wedding took place in Hoboken, NJ.
(This image is the sole property
of Peter Magarelli) |