Thanks to a Brother-In-Law
All people connected to the Sgriccia family tree in the USA owe a debt of gratitude to a brother-in-law…
Nestled on the edge of the Sibillini Mountains in Umbra in central Italy is the small village of Preci. In March of 1903, a 44 year old farmer from this little village of Preci, left his hometown and set off for America. Enrico Arcangeli sailed from Genoa, Italy on March 19, 1903 onboard the Steam Ship Trave heading to America. He left behind his wife Rosa and at least three sons – Alfredo, Giuseppe and Cesare. Enrico landed in New York at Ellis Island on April 1, 1903.
Making his way through the immigration procedures he declared that he was on his way to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He also stated that he was coming to America alone and was to join up with “Nobody”. Thus began the immigration of the Sgriccias to America. Enrico’s sister was Venanzia Sgriccia who was married to Ascanio Sgriccia. They had seven (7) children: Frances, Cherubino, Mariano, Genegilda (Mary), Antonio, Enrico and Liberata.
Ascanio had a brother named Guisto Sgriccia, 44 and single. In May of 1903 Guisto ventured out of Preci and followed Enrico to America. He sailed from Naples on the Steam Ship Palatia on May 21, 1903 with four friends: Emilio Betti (23), Angelo Cocciarella (37), Guiseppe Marmotta (25) and Massimo Betti (?). All were from the village of Preci. They landed in New York on June 5, 1903. At immigration on Ellis Island Guisto and Emilio declared that they were heading to Pittsburg, PA to see Enrico Arcangeli. Guisto called Enrico his brother-in-law and Emilio called him a friend. Angelo was off to Junction, Ohio to see his friend Olivio Bensurati.
Three years passed. On May 6, 1906 Cherubino Sgriccia (17), Stephano Piccioni (16) and Aogustino Messi (26), all from Preci, set sail from Napoli on the SS Piemonte. They arrived in NYC on April 12, 1906. On the immigration forms the three were listed as peasants under the Occupation column. And it was stated that their uncle had paid for their passage. When they cleared immigration all three declared that they were heading to Dubois, PA to see their Uncle Guisto.
This means that Guisto and Ascanio Sgriccia had at least two sisters. One married a man named Piccioni and the other married a man named Messi. Both names are much in evidence at the village cemetery in Preci.
Nearly another year passed when on April 8, 1907 Mariano Sgriccia (15) and a traveling companion recorded as Piechioni Petrangelo sailed from Naples on the SS Citta di Milano. (note: I think the name was recorded incorrectly and should be Angelo Piccioni). On April 28, 1907 they declared at Ellis Island that they were off to Dubois, PA., Mariano to see his brother Cherubino and Angelo to see his cousin Cherubino.
At some point between 1906 and 1913 Stephano Piccioni traveled back to Preci. On May 21, 1913 Stephano (22) and Antonio Sgriccia (18) left Genoa on the SS Lazio. They arrived at Ellis Island on June 9, 1913. Stefano was now listed as a workman and Antonio as a farmer. They were off to Clymer, PA to see their cousin Giueffe Foresi (note: we have not fully made the Foresi ‘cousin’ connection, but it implies that there is a third sister to Guisto and Ascanio).
Cherubino also made a trip back home to Preci between 1906 and 1913. We find Cherubino (now 25) departing Cherbourg, France on November 19, 1913 with his cousin Giovanni Arcangeli (17) on the SS Oceanic. They arrived in NYC on November 27, 1913. They are headed to Connellsville, PA., Giovanni to see his brother Cesare Arcangeli and Cherubino to see his brother Antonio. Both are listed as single.
And this is where we have problem with dates. Anna Sgriccia (Cherubino and Augusta Cordella’s daughter) was born on July 26, 1914. This would imply she was conceived on or about September 26, 1913… a couple months before Cherubino’s November 1913 trip. Hhhmmmm…
Cherubino makes one more trip back to Preci after November 1913 and before 1919. On July 16, 1919 he and his wife Augusta Cordella are at the US Embassy in Rome where they secure their US citizenships.
On September 18, 1919 they set sail with their 5 year old daughter Anna from Napoli on the SS Dante Alighieri. They arrive in NYC on October 2, 1919 and are headed to 20 Franklin Street in Clymer, PA as US citizens.
On August 18, 1922 Enrico Sgriccia (22) and his sister Genegilda (Mary) Sgriccia (24) leave Napoli on the SS Taormina and land in NYC on September 1, 1922. They are headed to Clymer, PA to see their brothers Cherubino and Mariano.
We recently discovered that Antonio Sgriccia received his US passport on August 19, 1927. Sometime after that date he traveled back to Preci and married Maria P. (Oda) Carsetti. Together on September 5, 1928 they boarded SS Colombo in Naples. They arrived in New York on September 17, 1928. We assume they headed to Clymer, but we are unclear on where they lived. We have not found them in the 1930 US Census database yet.
As far as we know, the oldest sibling, Frances, never traveled to the USA. On September 4, 1953, though, the youngest sister, Liberata Sgriccia Antonelli, arrived in the USA and visited her older brothers and sisters and their children and grandchildren in Clymer, PA. Only the oldest present-day cousins will remember this visit.
And so began the story of the Sgriccias in the USA….
Postscripts -
1) We have uncovered other Sgriccias that ventured to the USA…
a) A lady named Marianna Sgriccia arrived in the USA on May 2, 1909 on the SS Hamburg with three boys – Carlo (13), Luigi (10) and Domenico (7). Her husband was Enrico Ciamarra who had taken up residency in Paukonof (?), West Virginia as a miner. Marianna left behind in Italy her father Venanzio in Spoleto (very close to Preci). So, we will assume that the Ciamarras in the USA are also cousins to the Sgriccia family, though we have not found the time yet to pursue this lead.
b) Another find is Virginia Sgriccia (23) who arrived on June 5, 1913 from Arcevi, Marche, Italy (about 60 miles from Preci). The writing on the ship's manifest is very bad, but it appears she may have been heading to Michigan to see a brother-in-law.
2) And if you are truly keeping score… our first adventurer, Enrico Arcangeli, returned to Preci in 1907. He came back to the USA in 1910 once again leaving his wife, Rosa, in Preci. He came back to the USA to live with his son, Alfredo, in Connellsville, PA. We have not discovered yet if Rosa ventured to the US or not.
3) Guisto Sgriccia’s further adventures in the USA have eluded us. After the three cousins came to visit him in Dubois, PA in 1906 we have found no further mention of him. No Census records, no death records, no military records. So, we must assume that he either died before 1910 or returned to Italy.
DMS January 10, 2008 Rev Jan 15, 2008
