Sebastiana LaTona was born 14 Jan 1883 in Bagheria, Sicilia, the youngest known child of Giovanni LaTona and Domenica Bartolone.
She was married in Bagheria to Antonio Fricano.
Antonio Fricano came to America on the SS Gera, leaving from Genoa and Naples and arriving in New York on 10 Apr 1903. Antonio is listed on line 8, age 28. He is traveling with Sebastiana's brother, Salvatore LaTona, 32. Both are listed as born in Bagheria, can read and write, going to Milwaukee to join brother-in-law Salvatore Crivcelo at 309 Jackson Street.
Daughter Rosa was born 18 Dec 1905 in Bagheria.
1907 Milwaukee City Directory has Antonio working as a laborer, living at 146 1/2 Buffalo.
In 1908 Sebastiana and Rosa joined Antonio. They left Palermo on 23 Sep 1908 aboard the SS Re D'Italia, arriving in New York on 8 Oct 1908.
Sebastiana is passenger #75 line 16, age 24, joining husband Fricano, Antonio, 148 Buffalo St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, nearest relative in Italy is brother-in-law, Diego Fricano of Bagheria. She is described as fair with brown hair and grei [grey?] eyes. Rosa is 3, joining her father.
Sebastiana and Rosa then took a train to Chicago where Antonio meet them.
Picture of Antonio, Sebastiana and Rosa taken in Milwaukee around 1908-1909.
Daughter Dominica was born 10 Oct 1909 in Milwaukee, the first of the children to be born there.
Photo of Rosa taken around 1910.
The 1910 Federal Census finds the family living at 241 Jackson Street, Antonio is 30, born in Italy, married 5 years, came to US in 1903, works odd jobs; wife Sebastiana is 26, born in Italy, married 5 years, 2 children born, 2 children living, came to US in 1908; daughter Rosa is 4, born in Italy, daughter Dominica is 6/12, born in Wisconsin.
Antonio's petition for naturalization says he first came to the US 25 March 1903, but that passenger list has not yet been located. He applied to become a citizen on 16 Feb 1911 and took the oath on 20 Sep 1911.
Son Isidoro was born 6 Jun 1911. Sadly both baby Isidoro, aged 8 months and Dominica, aged 2 1/2 died on the same day in 1912 from either measles or scarlet fever.
Daughter Dominica [called May] was born 1 May 1913,
Ever the match maker, Sebastiana tells her friend, widow Maria Concetta Catalano LoSchiavo, "I have a man for you" and introduces Maria to Sebastiana's older brother Francis LaTona. The couple married in 1915.
Antonio and Sebastiana have two more children, Charles on 14 Jan 1915 and Concetta on 31 Mar 1918.
On 12 Sep 1918 Antonio (Anthony) registered for the WWI draft. Residing at 203 Jefferson he states he is employed as a garbage collector for the city. He is of medium height and build, brown eyes, black hair. Gives wife's name as Bastiana.
By the 1920 Federal Census the family is living at 203 Jefferson. Family consists of Tony, head, 46, to US 1902, naturalized citizen in 1909, born Italy, wagon driver at city garbage plant; Bessie, wife, 36, to US 1908, naturalized citizen, born Italy; Rose, 15, daughter, born Italy, candy maker at candy factory; May, 6, daughter, born Wisconsin; Charles, 4 11/12, son, born Wisconsin; Congetta, 1 8/12, daughter, born Wisconsin.
The children would have attended Detroit Street School.
The family attended Blessed Virgin of Pompeii Church. From 1919 to 1923, in addition to his regular job, Antonio was caretaker for the church, receiving free rent in a house located south of the church. In 1924 he was able to purchase a house at 175 Jefferson in partnership with his brother-in-law Salvatore LaTona.
The 1922 Milwaukee City Directory finds the family living at 303 Jackson, while Anton is working at the soft drinks store of his brother-in-law, Francis LaTona, at 193 Michigan.
In the 1924 directory Anton is a laborer, still living at 303 Jackson
The 1927 directory has Antonio, laborer, living back at 203 Jefferson.
Oldest daughter Rose was married to Steve Carini in 1927 and their first child, Margaret, was born in 1929, making Antonio and Sebastiana grandparents.
In 1930 the family is living at 203 Jefferson according to the Federal Census. Tony is 55, married at 30, born in Italy, to US in 1905, naturalized citizen, collector at garbage, pays $25 per month for rent. Wife Bessie is 47, married at 22, born Italy, to US in 1909; children are Memie, 16, Charley, 15 and Concetta, 12 - all born in Wisconsin. At 205 Jefferson is daughter Rose, 24, married at 21, born Italy, her husband Steve Carini, 28, married at 25, born Wisconsin, labor at construction, pays $30 per month for rent, and their daughter Margaret, 1, born in Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee Journal of 20 Mar 1934
1940 Federal Census - Third Ward Milwaukee
177 Jefferson - Carini, Steve, 37, completed 8th grade, born Wisconsin, operator at plastic business; Rose, 33, wife, completed 7th grade, born Italy, naturalized citizen; children: Margaret Mary, 11, Bessie, 10, Anna Marie, 7 and Minon A., 2, all born Wisconsin. The family lived in the same house in 1935.
175 Jefferson - Fricano, Anthony, 65, completed 3rd grade, born Italy, naturalized citizen, laborer at D.P.W. [Department of Public Works]; Bessie, 58, wife, completed 3rd grade, born Italy, naturalized citizen; children Mamie, 27, completed 6th grade, born Wisconsin, office clerk at music company, Charles, 25, completed 8th grade, born Wisconsin, office clerk at stocking company; Connie, 22, completed H-2, born Wisconsin, office clerk at [unreadable]. The family lived in the same house in 1935.
Anthony died 8 Apr 1955. His obituary from the Milwaukee Journal of the same day.
Sebastiana died 17 Jan 1961. From the Milwaukee Journal:
Holy Card:
Antonio and Sebastiana are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee, block 31, lot 186, graves 1 and 2.
Stories:
In his book "Milwaukee's Italians: The Early Years" Mario Carini writes of the women in the Third Ward who took in boarders. "Besides taking care of my mother [Rose], two toddlers and grandfather [Antonio], my grandmother [Sebastiana] had to look after the needs of "boarders:" a brother, brother-in-law, a nephew and a first cousin."
Antonio worked at the quarries in Bagheria and for the Northwestern Railroad Company when he first came to Milwaukee according to an interview his daughter Rose Fricano Carini gave in 1991. She also told of Sebastiana doing embroidery work for Gimbels, T.A. Chapmans, and Boston Store, plus others.
Link to interview
Antonio Fricano came to America on the SS Gera, leaving from Genoa and Naples and arriving in New York on 10 Apr 1903. Antonio is listed on line 8, age 28. He is traveling with Sebastiana's brother, Salvatore LaTona, 32. Both are listed as born in Bagheria, can read and write, going to Milwaukee to join brother-in-law Salvatore Crivcelo at 309 Jackson Street.
Antonio went back to Bagheria at some point, returning to America aboard the S.S. Sicilia. He left Napoli on 4 May 1905 and arrived in New York 18 May 1905. Antonio is passenger #206 (line 18). Passenger #205 is Giovanni LaTona, brother of Antonio's wife.
Daughter Rosa was born 18 Dec 1905 in Bagheria.
1907 Milwaukee City Directory has Antonio working as a laborer, living at 146 1/2 Buffalo.
In 1908 Sebastiana and Rosa joined Antonio. They left Palermo on 23 Sep 1908 aboard the SS Re D'Italia, arriving in New York on 8 Oct 1908.
Sebastiana is passenger #75 line 16, age 24, joining husband Fricano, Antonio, 148 Buffalo St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, nearest relative in Italy is brother-in-law, Diego Fricano of Bagheria. She is described as fair with brown hair and grei [grey?] eyes. Rosa is 3, joining her father.
Picture of Antonio, Sebastiana and Rosa taken in Milwaukee around 1908-1909.
Daughter Dominica was born 10 Oct 1909 in Milwaukee, the first of the children to be born there.
Photo of Rosa taken around 1910.
The 1910 Federal Census finds the family living at 241 Jackson Street, Antonio is 30, born in Italy, married 5 years, came to US in 1903, works odd jobs; wife Sebastiana is 26, born in Italy, married 5 years, 2 children born, 2 children living, came to US in 1908; daughter Rosa is 4, born in Italy, daughter Dominica is 6/12, born in Wisconsin.
Antonio's petition for naturalization says he first came to the US 25 March 1903, but that passenger list has not yet been located. He applied to become a citizen on 16 Feb 1911 and took the oath on 20 Sep 1911.
Son Isidoro was born 6 Jun 1911. Sadly both baby Isidoro, aged 8 months and Dominica, aged 2 1/2 died on the same day in 1912 from either measles or scarlet fever.
Daughter Dominica [called May] was born 1 May 1913,
Ever the match maker, Sebastiana tells her friend, widow Maria Concetta Catalano LoSchiavo, "I have a man for you" and introduces Maria to Sebastiana's older brother Francis LaTona. The couple married in 1915.
On 12 Sep 1918 Antonio (Anthony) registered for the WWI draft. Residing at 203 Jefferson he states he is employed as a garbage collector for the city. He is of medium height and build, brown eyes, black hair. Gives wife's name as Bastiana.
By the 1920 Federal Census the family is living at 203 Jefferson. Family consists of Tony, head, 46, to US 1902, naturalized citizen in 1909, born Italy, wagon driver at city garbage plant; Bessie, wife, 36, to US 1908, naturalized citizen, born Italy; Rose, 15, daughter, born Italy, candy maker at candy factory; May, 6, daughter, born Wisconsin; Charles, 4 11/12, son, born Wisconsin; Congetta, 1 8/12, daughter, born Wisconsin.
The children would have attended Detroit Street School.
The family attended Blessed Virgin of Pompeii Church. From 1919 to 1923, in addition to his regular job, Antonio was caretaker for the church, receiving free rent in a house located south of the church. In 1924 he was able to purchase a house at 175 Jefferson in partnership with his brother-in-law Salvatore LaTona.
The 1922 Milwaukee City Directory finds the family living at 303 Jackson, while Anton is working at the soft drinks store of his brother-in-law, Francis LaTona, at 193 Michigan.
In the 1924 directory Anton is a laborer, still living at 303 Jackson
The 1927 directory has Antonio, laborer, living back at 203 Jefferson.
Oldest daughter Rose was married to Steve Carini in 1927 and their first child, Margaret, was born in 1929, making Antonio and Sebastiana grandparents.
In 1930 the family is living at 203 Jefferson according to the Federal Census. Tony is 55, married at 30, born in Italy, to US in 1905, naturalized citizen, collector at garbage, pays $25 per month for rent. Wife Bessie is 47, married at 22, born Italy, to US in 1909; children are Memie, 16, Charley, 15 and Concetta, 12 - all born in Wisconsin. At 205 Jefferson is daughter Rose, 24, married at 21, born Italy, her husband Steve Carini, 28, married at 25, born Wisconsin, labor at construction, pays $30 per month for rent, and their daughter Margaret, 1, born in Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee Journal of 20 Mar 1934
1940 Federal Census - Third Ward Milwaukee
177 Jefferson - Carini, Steve, 37, completed 8th grade, born Wisconsin, operator at plastic business; Rose, 33, wife, completed 7th grade, born Italy, naturalized citizen; children: Margaret Mary, 11, Bessie, 10, Anna Marie, 7 and Minon A., 2, all born Wisconsin. The family lived in the same house in 1935.
175 Jefferson - Fricano, Anthony, 65, completed 3rd grade, born Italy, naturalized citizen, laborer at D.P.W. [Department of Public Works]; Bessie, 58, wife, completed 3rd grade, born Italy, naturalized citizen; children Mamie, 27, completed 6th grade, born Wisconsin, office clerk at music company, Charles, 25, completed 8th grade, born Wisconsin, office clerk at stocking company; Connie, 22, completed H-2, born Wisconsin, office clerk at [unreadable]. The family lived in the same house in 1935.
Anthony died 8 Apr 1955. His obituary from the Milwaukee Journal of the same day.
Holy Card:
Sebastiana died 17 Jan 1961. From the Milwaukee Journal:
From the Milwaukee Sentinel 18 Jan 1961
From the Milwaukee Sentinel 19 Jan 1961.
Antonio and Sebastiana are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee, block 31, lot 186, graves 1 and 2.
Stories:
In his book "Milwaukee's Italians: The Early Years" Mario Carini writes of the women in the Third Ward who took in boarders. "Besides taking care of my mother [Rose], two toddlers and grandfather [Antonio], my grandmother [Sebastiana] had to look after the needs of "boarders:" a brother, brother-in-law, a nephew and a first cousin."
Antonio worked at the quarries in Bagheria and for the Northwestern Railroad Company when he first came to Milwaukee according to an interview his daughter Rose Fricano Carini gave in 1991. She also told of Sebastiana doing embroidery work for Gimbels, T.A. Chapmans, and Boston Store, plus others.
Link to interview
No comments:
Post a Comment