Month: April 2021

Alfredo Amici – A 1900s Girl Dad

(NOTE:  This is Part 2 of a 3-part story)

Part 1 of this saga discussed the tragic death of Francesco Corsaro.  We learned of his widow, Maria, who was now alone to raise 6 children.  Maria Corsaro and her children had just moved back to Clymer to be near family.   At the time of his death Francesco had three brothers who lived in and around Clymer – Dominic (a grocer), James and Joe (coal miners).  These three households consisted of over 22 people to lend support to Maria.

On to Part 2….

Alfredo “Alfred” Amici was born in Roccanolfi, Italy on January 16, 1884.  Yes – we have talked about Roccanolfi in previous posts – it is a tiny hilltop village next to and part of the commune (or municipality) of Preci in the Province of Perugia.    The population of Roccanolfi today is about 17 people.  In 1884 it was probably about 50 people.

Still single at 21 Alfredo followed his older brother, Lorenzo, to Pittsburgh in 1905 and joined the multitude of Italian men in the coal mines of western Pennsylvania.  At some point he returned to Italy and married. In 1912 he permanently moved to the USA with his new wife:  Teodora “Theodora” Montani – she was born in Roccanolfi in 1889.  They headed to Connellsville, PA.  In the early 1900s this tiny town was the king of coal in the USA.  Connellsville had at one time more millionaires per capita than any other place in the country and possibly the world.  The first members of the Sgriccia-clan all came through Connellsville (i.e. Enrico Arcangeli, Giusto, Cherubino, Mariano and Antonio Sgriccia.

In 1913 Alfredo and Teodora moved to Clymer, PA where they had three girls.  Their first daughter, Duesalina ”Sue” was born in 1913.  Elisena “Elizabeth was born in 1915 and Geraldine “Gerry” was born in 1917.

Alfredo’s working conditions had improved by early 1918 when he was promoted to a truck driver and Teamster for the coal company.  This allowed him to buy a house on Franklin Street in Clymer.

Excitement filled the household in June of 1918 when their first son was born – Alfanoro Amici.  The joy was short lived as the 1918 Pandemic Influenza travelled across the country and hit Clymer in October of 1918.  Both Alfanoro and his mother took ill.  Alfanoro died on October 25th at 6:20 am and Teodora died at 1:40 pm – yes – the same day.

They are buried together at the Saint Bernard’s cemetery in Indiana, PA.

BTW – I will pay $20 to the first person to visit this cemetery and get me better pictures of this gravestone.

Have you guessed where this story is heading….??

Sometime before January 1920, the widower Alfredo Amici met the widow Maria Joseffia Rocco-Corsaro.  They married and formed a “Brady Bunch” family in Clymer.  He with 3 girls and she with 4 boys and 2 girls.  They lived on Franklin Street almost next door to the Perri families and Dominic Bonarrigo.  The other Corsaro families lived on the other side of them.  The Sgriccia brothers and the Foresi brothers were less than a block away.

In July 1923 Alfredo and Maria had another girl – Lucy Teresa Amici. 

Then much of the Corsaro-Amici clan packed up and moved to Niagara Falls, NY.  We assume for better employment.  Alfredo’s household consisted of 11 people – they bought a house on 17th Street.  Maria’s brother-in-law (Francesco Corsaro’s brother), Giuseppe “Joe” Corsaro, bought a house on Ashland Ave at 15th Street.

Alfredo succeeded in the trucking industry.  He eventually owned a small fleet and delivered freight all over New York and the surrounding states.

Alfredo died in 1952 and Maria died on the 1st day of 1954.  They are both buried at the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Niagara Falls, NY.  Many of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren still live in the Niagara Falls area.

Alfredo Amici was a “girl dad”.  His four girls pictured here in 2006 – L to R:  Sue, Liz, Gerry, Lucy.

By now you are probably thinking that this story is a megillah – long and boring.  So, at this point we will start to explain…some of us are related to Gerry Amici’s children…yes, about a fourth cousin.  Which means we have the same great-great-great-grandfather in Italy.  But, how?  We shall explain in Part 3.

The “Black Hand” – In Clymer?

Francesco “Frank” Corsaro was born in 1879 in Catanzaro, Italy – near the “toe” of the “boot” – the region called Calabria.  His parents, Vincenzo and Giovanna, had nine children, all but the youngest emigrated to the USA over a number of years and settled in Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Frank arrived in the USA in 1896.  He and his brother Giuseppe “Joe” ventured into Indiana County PA as miners.

Frank married Maria Rocco in 1902 and moved to Clymer.  Between 1904 and 1910 the couple had 5 children all born in Clymer on Franklin Street.  It was about 1912 that Frank left the mines and opened his own barber shop in Clymer. 

Pasquale and Antonio Perri also lived on Franklin street and probably knew the Corsaro families.  The Sgriccia brothers did not move to Clymer until 1917 – the brothers never met Frank Corsaro but they would know many people in the Corsaro family in later years.

Our story begins on Thursday night November 13, 1913 in the Clymer police station.  At about 10:30 pm the Chief of Police, Matthew F. Leonard, received a telephone call that there was trouble at the “lower end of Clymer, one of the darkest and disagreeable sections of town” (according to The Indiana Gazette).   The newspaper story continues: “Leonard made haste to the alleged scene of trouble.  As he was passing a dark alley two foreigners rushed out of a house and threw their arms about the police officer, forcing him to the ground, and were punishing him cruelly…”.  The unnamed reporter stated: “The foreigners have rather unpronounceable names so they will be known as Mr. A, Mr. B, and Mr. C.

Frank Corsaro heard the brawl and ran to offer assistance to the policeman.  Meanwhile Leonard was able to reach down and withdraw his revolver – which he fired twice.  One bullet hit one of the assailants but the second hit Frank in the abdomen.  At this point confusion reigned and Leonard was able to clamp handcuffs on A and B.  He called for a doctor to help the innocent bystander Mr. C – Frank.

Corsaro was taken to the Dixonville Hospital where it was discovered that his injuries had permanently disabled him from the waist down.  After a few weeks he was able to return home.  Frank was awarded a gold medal and a monthly pension of $75 from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.  (Note:  Read more here.)

Unfortunately, Frank died from his injuries on March 4, 1914.  He was buried in St. Bernard’s cemetery in Indiana, PA.  He left behind his wife and five children, but to make matters more difficult she delivered their 6th child on April 19. 1914.

Even though Maria Rocco-Corsaro had many in-laws in the Clymer area, she decided to move her fatherless family to New York City where she had one brother.  Unfortunately, her brother was a busy Catholic priest.  He could not offer her much support because of his other duties.  Maria with her children in-tow returned to Clymer.

Meanwhile, closely following the death of Frank Corsaro, Policeman Matthew Leonard received a “Black Hand” letter threatening his life.  According to the newspaper: “It is said that Mr. Leonard, terrified by the contents of the last letter and by similar letters that he has received since the time of the shooting, has left town.  His present whereabouts are unknown”.

(Note: This is Part One of a 3-part story. To the best of our knowledge, we are not related to any of Frank Corsaro’s descendants though we are related to some others within the Corsaro clan. More on that later. As for “The Black Hand” – Google it.)