Sabella Ancestors |
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She loved to dance and partnered with her future husband Fiore Cristarella and they won many dance contests. After their marriage on February 1, 1942, they lived with her parents on Avenue U. She gave birth to her first child after four days in labor in a Catholic Hospital which didn't believe in medication other than aspirin. Her husband enlisted in the Army Air Corp and she stayed with her parents while he served his county. When her husband was stationed in Nevada (about 1944), she visited him there twice. The first time without her infant daughter, and the second time she took her child and joined him there. She always spoke about how hot and dry it was and spoke often about the darning needles which flew around her head when she hung the wash! She became pregnant and had to return to Brooklyn to deliver their second child, Joseph born in 1945, as the army base could not deal with her difficult pregnancy. She, with the two children lived with her parents. After the war, Fiore returned home and another child was born. In 1951 they moved to a cold water flat in Coney Island. She loved to swim in the ocean and would take her children there often. A year later, they moved to a home in West Hempstead, Nassau County, NY and lived there for seven years. She was an active mother of three children. She had a stroke at 35 years old, which left her paralyzed on her left side. She fought back and made a complete recovery, but was left with a sluggish thyroid and no left side vision. After her husband's death, she purchased a new home in a retirement community called Sunrise Village in Sayville in Suffolk County on Long Island to be nearer to her third child. Always hating her given name and disliking her girlish nickname Dolly, she legally changed her first name to Maria, her confirmation name. She said she did not want to go into eternity as Calugerina! Everyone in her new community knew her as Maria. She died of a heart attack on March 15, 1991, at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. She donated her body for scientific research to the State University of New York Medical Center in Stony Brook, Suffolk County, NY. This caused quite a controversy with her siblings. This last act went along with her giving nature. |
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His father died only six months after he arrived in New York. Two years later, his mother came to America. Sometime prior to February 16, 1906, Vincenzo returned to Sciacca. The reason is unknown, but on February 28, 1906, 18 year old sailor Vincenzo returned to the states with his 24 year old sailor brother Giuseppe on the Prinzess Irene. They both said Sciacca was their last place of residence, that they were going to their mother Caterina at 176 Elizabeth St, plus Giuseppe lists this trip as his immigration on his application for citizenship. There are no records for Vincenzo in New York from the time he first came in 1900 until this 1906 return to New York, so we really don’t know how long he was in Sciacca. When he came to NY the second time, he adopted the first name of James to be more American.
Vincenzo/James married Liboria Marotta in The Basilica of St Patrick’s Old Cathedral in Manhattan on February 14, 1915. On their marriage certificate, it states that it was the first marriage for both of them, listing Vincenzo as a Single, Fish dealer, living at 58 Elizabeth St in N.Y. It also lists his brother Biagio and his wife as witnesses. (Mouse over and click on their marriage record image left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.)
James kept food on the table during the Great Depression; he worked as a street cleaner, cleaning the streets after the horses. He was a wonderful and gentle man. His World War II draft card dated April 27, 1942 has him living at 194 Avenue U, which was a walk-up apartment over a dress store named Bella's. The document also states he was working for the City of New York (Sanitation Depart.) on Attorney and Delancy Streets. The April 3, 1950, census states that James is 61 years-old and is no longer working. Living with them is their daughter, ancestor Calugerina, her husband, ancestor Fioravanti, and their three children. When they could no longer make the flights of stairs, they moved into a smaller first floor apartment in the Marlboro Housing Projects on 86th St near Avenue U and West 6th St in Brooklyn, where he died of Alzheimer's on June 3, 1967. On June 6th, he was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, 500 25th St, Brooklyn, NY. |
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Lena had six births with only four children surviving to adulthood – Katherine born December 23, 1915, married Michael Simineri, had six children and died on August 8, 2008; Leonardo born on March 19, 1917, and died at St. Vincent’s Hospital on February 20, 1919, of pys-pneumothorap, only 23 months old; Leonard Aloyious, was born on June 10, 1919, married Marian Jean D'Amato, had three surviving children and died on March 30, 2009; ancestor Calugerina, Dolly; Annie called Anna on April 6, 1922, married Primo Campigotto, had five children and died on November 14, 2005; and Rosa, who was born on January 21, 1924 and died at 18 months old of measles, complicated by bronchiole pneumonia on July 29, 1925. Both babies, Rosa and Leonardo, are buried in Calvary Cemetery. Lena worked hard out of the house as a seamstress and never seemed happy. When her daughter ancestor Calugerina (Dolly) followed her husband to Nevada, Lena took care of her eldest child. When Dolly returned from Nevada, she lived with her parents while she was pregnant with her second child, Joseph. Later in life, Lena had a stroke which left her face somewhat twisted. After her husband's death she moved out of the Marlboro Housing Project into a small apartment in an Italian neighborhood of Brooklyn. In 1970 she gave her pregnant granddaughter the baptismal dress her mother (ancestor Calogera) made, but kept the matching bed robe. She died of Cancer on November 8, 1979, and was buried on November 10th with her husband in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. (Mouse over photo left for more info.) |
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They had at least seven children, all born within a few blocks of each other in the Quartiero Matrice area of Sciacca. Four different addresses were listed on the birth records beginning with Via Castello, 9; then Via San Nicolo, 9; then Via Santa Caterina, 9; again at Via San Nicolo, 9; and lastly at Via San Nicolò, 20. This seems to indicate that they rented and were not home owners. Their five other sons and one daughter, all born prior to ancestor Vincenzo were –the eldest child, Caterina born on November 21, 1870, married Vincenzo Corrao on December 2, 1893, in Sciacca, and died in Brooklyn, New York on April 3, 1937; the eldest son named Calogero aka Charles born on August 15, 1872, and married Antonia Dimino in Manhattan, New York on September 9, 1900; Biagio, born on February 21, 1875, married Accursia Gelardi on June 17, 1901, in Manhattan, and moved to San Francisco, California before September of 1918, and died there on October 16, 1962; Antonio born on July 27, 1878, married Angela Mandracchia in Manhattan; Giuseppe aka Joseph born on September 10, 1881, married Angela La Rocca on June 7, 1908, in Manhattan, and died there on April 20, 1931, of a fractured skull and brain damage due to being hit by a car; and Accursio, born on September 14, 1884, who came to America with his mother, and as an unmarried 22 year-old, died of shock during a second operation in the Italian Hospital in Manhattan on February 2, 1907. In 1897, daughter Caterina, with her 2 year old son, was the first to come to the US, joining her husband in New York City. Calogero came the next year, followed by Antonio in 1899, then Biagio with ancestor Vincenzo, and lastly Giuseppe. They never saw their father again. Accursio and Caterina could have known that Accursio was ill and would die soon and wanted to give the children a better chance in life.
Two years to the day, after her husband’s death on September 10, 1902, Caterina Friscia, with her 18 year-old son, Accursio, boarded the Trojan Prince in Palermo and sailed to America. They arrived at Ellis Island on September 26th at 10:35am but Caterina was held one day for Special Inquiry and admitted to the US on the 27th. Five years later, Caterina Friscia died at home, at 85 Elizabeth St in Manhattan of “edema of lungs complicating a capillary bronchitis and influenza with an old mitral regurgitation.” She was buried the same day in Third Calvary Cemetery in Queens, in the non titled, unmarked area. On her death record, her father is listed as Biagio, but her mother’s name is listed incorrectly. It is interesting to note that in 1908, her son Antonio traveled to Sciacca with his family. He stayed with a friend until May 31st of the following year, when he returned to NY as a US Citizen, arriving on June 13, 1909. He may have gone there to settle his deceased mother’s affairs. |
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The 1910 Federal Census, dated April 16, lists him as a fish peddler, working from home on Mott St, who could not read nor write with seven children. The 1915 NY State Census, dated June 1, has him and his wife living at 151 Mott St, either in the next door apartment or with his newly wed daughter Liboria and her husband James Sabella. He is listed as a 53 year-old fisherman, in the US for 22 years. The 1920 census dated January 12, has him still peddling fish out of his rented apartment on Mott St, but now he can read and write with eight children living at home with his wife. They are still there on the 1925 NY Census, but with only five children living at home. By the date of the next US census, April 4, 1930, they were living in their own home at 1976 West 11th St. in Brooklyn with four children. Leonardo was working for the Department of Sanitation as a street cleaner and did not speak English. They had a garden in the backyard and grew grapes trellised overhead. In 1934 he was diagnosed with Carcinoma of the gall duct and had an operation. Leonardo Marotta died at home on February 16, 1935, in Brooklyn and was buried on February 19th in the Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens County, New York, with his wife and unmarried adult children Paulina and Santo, known as Sam. (Mouse over gravestone image left to read inscription.) ~< Back to Chart >~
Calogera and Leonardo had at least nine other children born in America – ancestor Liboria; Rosa was born on June 10, 1897, married Joseph Corrao, and died at 94 years-old on May 4, 1992; Paolina was born on August 31, 1899, and died unmarried at the age of 23 on May 3, 1923; Giovanni, According to the 1910 census dated April 16, Calogera could not read, write or speak English. It also states that she had eight births, but only seven children were living. By the 1930 census dated April 4, she was able to read and write, but still could not speak English. After her husband's death she remained at the same address, 1976 West 11th St. in Brooklyn with her son Santo, now called Sam. On the 1940 US Census they are at the same address, but living with them are Calogera's married children and grandchildren. Those living with her were daughter Angelina with her husband Anthony Guardino (son of Luigi mentioned above in Leonardo's bio) and two children; her daughter Rosina with her husband Joseph Corrao and four children; and her son Anthony, his wife Marian and two children. Calogera was listed as 68 years-old with no occupation. Her son Santo was listed as 48 years-old and working for the Government in Sanitation. The other males were also listed as working for the Government, but in different departments. Sometime prior to the end of 1915, Calogera made a baptismal dress for Liboria's children. Most of them were baptized in it. It was used again in the1970's and 80's for Dolly's four grandchildren, two in New York and two in Canada, and then in 2006 for her great-grandchild in California. The dress was sent to Brooklyn and Connecticut to be used by other descendants. Calogera Chiarello Marotta died a citizen of Italy on October 13, 1948, in St. Mary's Hospital in Brooklyn at the age of 76 and was buried on October 18th in Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens, with her husband and two unmarried adult children. |
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In 1844, just over a month after his father died, official marriage notifications were issued dated January 6th, 21st and February 18th. Church banns were read on January 28th, February 2nd, and 4th, for 28 year-old Biagio to marry 20 year-old Rosa Attardo. They were married on February 18, 1844, at the mother church in Sciacca. (Mouse over and click on their church marriage record image left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) Biagio Friscia died in Sciacca on August 15, 1891, five years after his wife’s death. His death record image was found in the Italy, Agrigento, Sciacca Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1861-1929 collection and states that he was the widower of Rosa Attardo, a sailor in his seventies, and gives his parents names. (Mouse over and click on his death record image lower right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) |
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Twenty year-old Rosa married 28 year-old Biagio Friscia on February 18, 1844. Because her parents and grandparents were deceased, relatives gave permission for her to marry. In their 13 page marriage processetti there is a three page letter dated February 14th that states four Sciacca men, who were her relatives, presented their approval. The men were named, but no relationship was given. They were 24 year-old farmer, Liborio, son of Calogero, who was her eldest brother; 25 year-old Antonino, farmer, son of Michele Attardo, possibly a cousin; 34 year-old Antonio Venria, barber, son of Antonino; 63 year-old Leonardo, son of Francesco Marinello; and 22 year-old Francesco Marinello, son of Leonardo. It is interesting that the last two men have the same surname as her husband-to-be, mother’s surname. Rosa and Biagio had at least eight children, all born in Sciacca and most of them were baptized two days after birth, except as noted — Maria born on November 14, 1844, and died at 5 years old on January 3, 1850; Rosa Attardo died on October 15, 1886 in Sciacca, at the age of 62. Her death record image, found in the Italy, Agrigento, Sciacca Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1861-1929 collection, lists her age at 60, but she was actually 62 years old when she died. It gives her address as 2 Via San Nicolo, (mouse over photo left) and her parents and husband’s names. What is odd is that it seems to say that she was the spouse of the deceased Biagio Margiotte, which is incorrect, as her husband Biagio Friscia was very much alive when she died. (Mouse over and click on her death record image upper right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) This researcher believes this is just another death record recording error. |
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What we know of them comes mainly from their children’s records. Giuseppe was a Marinario, a sailor and they lived in Quartiero Madrice. Like many of the others in this time period, their ages are recorded inconsistently , as it doesn’t seem that it was important to record the exact age of parents on these records. For example in 1831, 1835 and 1838, Giuseppe was listed as being 50 years old. Maria’s ages were recorded inconsistently also. As the years passed, her age was recorded younger, to the point that she couldn’t have possibly given birth to her eldest children! Giuseppe and Maria had at least eight children, all born in Sciacca and baptized at the mother church there, as follows — Antonino was born on August 4, 1808, and baptized the next day as Antonino Vincenzo Barnaby, married at 29 years old on January 7, 1838, to Maria Geraldi, was a Corriero, a messenger or town crier, and died at the recorded age of 42 on February 10, 1853; Angela who was born and baptized as Angela Santa Anna on November 2, 1809, was an Industriosa who married at the recorded age of 22 on October 2, 1831, to Salvadore Proietto, and died at the recorded age of 44 years old on January 5, 1865; Giuesppa was born and baptized as Josepha Barbara on October 18, 1812, married at 18 years old on September 27, 1835, to Michele Catanzaro, and died sometime after 1850; Maria Angela was born on the night of November 5, 1819, and baptized the next day, married at 22 years old to Damiano Zinna on September 10, 1841, and died two years later on February 17, 1843, at a recorded age of 22 years old; ancestor Biagio; Lorenzo was born and baptized as Laurenzo Antonio Joannus on July 24, 1822, was a sailor who married Giuseppa Guardino, at age 23 on September 27, 1845, and died at age 56 on February 21, 1877; Marianna was born and baptized as Maria Anna Vincenzo on November 23, 1824, she married Francesco Montalbano on October 10, 1845, and after he died, at 36 years old, she married Giuseppe Maniscalco on October 31, 1860, then died on April 9, 1903, at 78 years old; and lastly Giovanni, born on October 6, 1826, was baptized the next day as Joannes Accursio Laurenzo, married on June 3, 1855, at age 29, to Rosa Lauro, and died at age 80 on January 7, 1907. 
Giuseppe died on December 8, 1843, in Agrigento in what seems to be a hotel in the district of San Gerlando. His death record was found in the Girgenti records and calls him a 64 year-old Padron, which means translates to master, a term of respect. It may indicate that he was an owner of a ship or fishing boat. This recorded age has to be incorrect, as he had to have been born within nine months of his father’s death, so the youngest he could be is 67 years old. It also states that he was born in Sciacca and was a resident of Sciacca. This document also confirms his wife and parents names. (Mouse over and click on his death record image left to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) 
Maria never remarried and lived almost 31 years after her husband died. (Mouse over and click on her death and burial record image right to enlarge it in a new window or tab.) She was buried on October 18, 1874, at the Santo Maria de Visitationis cemetery. Her mother church death and burial record is in her maiden name and states her correct age as 84 years old. It also states that she was the widow of Josephi Friscia and the daughter of Laurentis and Josephia Chiarello, which is another incorrect surname for her mother (see more about this in their bio below). This is all that is known about them. |
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Eight Sciacca mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Lorenzo and Josepha Marinello, as follows — Antoninius Joannus Joseph on July 1, 1768, probably was the second born son, as he’s name after his mother’s father; Maria Anna on September 10, 1769, was named after both of her grandmothers, but died on December 8, 1770, at 14 months old; Ignatius Sanctus Joannius was born and baptized on October 30, 1770, and died on December 23, 1771, just 13 months old; Maria Anna Joanna on December 24, 1771, who probably died as an infant; another Maria Anna on December 20, 1772, who married Francesco Fauci, and died on July 7, 1841; Ignazio Onofrio was baptized as Ignatius Onophrius Vincenzus on April 2, 1776, married Maria Friscia, the daughter of ancestors Angela Imbornone and Antonino Friscia, and then died on August 3, 1836; Antoninius Calogerus Nicolaus on February 7, 1780, who married Giuseppa Friscia, and died on July 19, 1854; and lastly ancestor Maria. They had two other children whose baptism records can not be found, but have documented death dates — their first born son Ignazio, was named after his paternal grandfather, was born about 1767 and died on November 17, 1768, listed as being 1 year-old; and a daughter named Maria who died on June 25, 1783, and was listed as 3 years old, so she was probably born either before or after their son Antonino. It is interesting that on Ignazio Onofrio’s Sciacca Latin marriage document his mother’s surname is listed as Pulizzi, but on Antonino’s death record, it is listed as Licata, and on both Maria Anna’s and Ignazio’s death records, their mother’s surname is listed as Indelicato. Where these surnames come from is a mystery, but it is known that on death records, the mother’s surname is often incorrect.
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Seven mother church baptism records have been found for the children of Ignazio and Maria Marinello as follows —Paula Vincenza on October 1, 1731, was named after her father’s mother, so she probably was the first born daughter, but she may have died before her fourth birthday; Stefano Simon was born on November 6, 1732, and baptized the next day with his paternal grandfather’s given name, making him the first born son; Vincenzo Joannius on December 31, 1733; Paula Leonarda was born and baptized on March 31, 1735; ancestor Lorenzo; Elisabetta Maurilla was born on July 31, 1739, and baptized the next day with a Moorish middle name; and Calogerius Vincenzius who was born and baptized on July 13, 1741, and died unmarried at 31 years old on November 18, 1772.
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Mott Street, NY, NY. |
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Calugerina "Dolly" Sabella was born on December 21, 1920, at home at 522 West 125th Street, Manhattan, New York. She was a beautiful child and was soon nicknamed Dolly. Calugerina was a hard name to have as a little girl. She was baptized at the Church of Corpus Christi, 529 West 121st Street in NY. After the family moved to 194 Avenue U in Brooklyn, she attended St Simon and Jude Catholic School but left during the 8th grade. As a teenager she lived across the street from her future husband's family's candy store. She worked odd jobs in a candy factory, in a millinery shop putting feathers on hats, and during the war, sewing uniforms.
She gave birth to her last child soon after her recovery. In 1960, they moved future east on Long Island to a home in Massapequa and lived there for six years. In 1966, when three of her four children were out of the house, they returned to renting an apartment in Brooklyn to be closer to family.
Vincenzo James Sabella was born on April 21, 1888, in 
On July 6, 1909, in the Episcopal Church of the Mediator Rectory, in Edgewater, New Jersey, in the Diocese of Newark, he married 18 year-old Anna Scott,who was from Edgewater. He is listed on this record as 22 years old and living at 3 Manhattan St in NYC. On the April 19, 1910 census, James and Anna were living with her mother, and her sister on the south side of West 131st St in Manhattan. He was working as a porter on a ferry company. Four months later, Anna gave birth to a son born on August 22, 1910, named Accursio, Gus for short. It is said that when Gus was very young, Anna left him in a high chair and never came back. Gus may have grown up in a children's home on Staten Island, NY, called the Mount Loretta Boys and Girls School, Mission of the Immaculate Virgin, as he isn’t listed with his father’s family in any census, but this has not been completely confirmed. As an adult, Gus married, was widowed, lived in a rented room in Brooklyn, NY in 1940, enlisted in the Army in 1942, and on July 28, 1943, married Nina Mae Jenkins in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, but they never had children. Gus worked as a chef for many years in the Tampa area and died on September 10, 1978, in Seffner, Hillsborough County, Florida. (Mouse over photo left.)
In the Common Pleas Court of Bergen County, New Jersey, on February 23, 1916, 27 year-old James signed a Declaration of Intention for naturalization, stating that he lived on John St in Fort Lee, NJ. A little more than a year later, his World War I Draft card dated June 5, 1917 lists him as living at 522 West 125th St in Manhattan, working as a Deck Hand at the Fort Lee Ferry Boats on 130th St in Brooklyn. James signed his Petition for Naturalization on September 19, 1918, where he stated he was living at the West 125th St address, and listed his wife’s name and his three children, including Gus, his son from his first marriage. His US citizenship was granted by the State of NY on February 18, 1919. The West 125th St address is where they were living at when the 1920 US Census was taken in January. Again Gus was not living with them, only their two children Catherine and Leonard, who died the next month, were listed. A 1930 US Census can't be found for them, but the 1940 US Census has them living at 194 Avenue U in Brooklyn, with their four surviving children, without Gus. James was now working for the NYC Department of Sanitation. 
Liboria Lena Marotta was born on August 19, 1895, at home at 151 
A 1930 US Census can't be found for them, but the 1940 US Census has them living at 194 Avenue U in Brooklyn, with their four surviving children, without Gus. As a matter of fact there isn't one census that shows Gus living with them, but family stories tell of his relationships with the other Sabella children, especially Dolly who was very close to Gus.
When the war was over the entire family lived with Lena and Jim until their third child was four years old.
traveled to Naples with his younger brother Antonio and good friend Luigi Guardino, who was the grandfather of the Brooklyn-born actor Harry Guardino. They all arrived in Ellis Island on April 1, 1893, on the Assyria (aka Assyrian) and Leonardo's age was given as 32.
Calogera married Leonardo Marotta on February 16, 1890, in the Mother Church, the Basilica of Maria Santissima del Soccorso (mouse over photo left) in Sciacca and had a son Santo, born there on January 11, 1891. With her 3 year-old son and her husband's brother Paolo, she left Sciacca and traveled to Naples to board the Victoria (mouse over photo of ship pictured lower right) which arrived in New York on October 19, 1894. She was 23 years old. Her husband Leonardo had immigrated earlier and was waiting for her. 
Their son Santo became known as Sam in the US, married, separated, became a citizen and died on November 16, 1955. 
ancestor Caterina; Alfonza was born and baptized on May 4, 1851 and died at 19 months old on December 17, 1852; another Maria born and baptized on September 26, 1853, who was a 25 year-old Industriosa (a manufacturer or trader) married Accusio Guardino on February 6, 1879, and died at age 60 on July 27, 1914; Angela was born on September 18, 1855, and baptized four days later; Maria del Soccorso, who was named in honor of the Madonna del Soccorso (Our Lady of Help), was born on May 6, 1859; a son Giuseppe, who was born on February 3, 1862, and died seven months later on September 16, 1862 and another Giuseppe born on April 15, 1865. All this information comes from their civil birth records.
