When you look at my mother's family origins, it's quite the mishmash of Scandinavian countries: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and then a dash of Wales is thrown in for good measure. Dad, though, is straight Sicilian. Even Ancestry DNA says so.
Great Grandpa Mariano Aloisio was from Catania, Sicily.
Great Grandma Serafina (Sapienza) Aloisio was from Collesano, Palermo, Sicily.
Great Grandpa Francisco Palermo and Great Grandma Santa (Palermo) Palermo were from Milazzo, Messina, Sicily, but you might notice Santa didn't need to change her surname. That's because she and Francisco were first cousins - children of brothers Rocco and Antonino Palermo whose parents were Matteo Palermo and Santa (Marana) Palermo. If you know your Sicilian geography, you might surmise that this family line originated in Palermo, Sicily, and you would be right.
Catania, Palermo, and Messina are all coastal towns, and as you can see, they are not particularly near each other. Although I know it is important and necessary, I have not always paid close attention to the geographical aspects of genealogy, but its impact is undeniable. I thought the next step here would be to see what these towns were like during the time when my ancestors lived there.
Catania, Sicily
Catania is situated at the foot of Mt. Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Fortunately, although frequently active, it is not generally destructive. The city itself is built upon lava left from its numerous eruptions. In 1848, Catania joined most of the rest of the island in claiming autonomy for Sicily. The movement was suppressed, but these civil disturbances were happening all over the island.
Palermo, Sicily
Palermo's claim to fame is its ties to the Italian mafia. For centuries, Sicily endured a constant stream of invasion. As a result, residents of the island formed groups (or clans) to protect themselves from the invading forces. When Italy annexed Sicily in 1860, the clans morphed into something more sinister, extorting money from landowners. In exchange, they received protection from the new government. A revolt in Palermo in 1866 cemented the city as the home of the Cosa Nostra - which translates to "our thing." Perhaps this is why my Palermo family moved to Messina in the late 1800s.
Messina, Sicily
By the early 1900s, many of the Palermos had made the move to the U.S, thus missing the Messina Earthquake of 1908. Its center was the Messina Strait, the water between Sicily and the tip of Italy's boot. The earthquake triggered a tsunami that destroyed coastal towns; Messina was almost completely decimated. As I write this, it occurs to me that it is quite possible Antonino and Maria (Napoli) Palermo, Francisco's parents, might have died in this disaster. They were married in Messina in 1883, and Francisco was born there, but I have no record of them immigrating to the U.S., nor have I found a definitive death record for either of them - in the United States OR Sicily. Great grandparents, Frank and Santa Palermo, and great great grandparents, Rocco and Paulina (Rizzo) Palermo eventually made their way to St. Louis, Missouri.
Based on a couple days of research, I would say that the Aloisios, Sapienzas, and Palermos most likely immigrated to the United States because of political and social unrest in Sicily. My next goal will be to determine if Antonino and Maria Palermo were victims of the 1908 Messina Earthquake.
Sources:
"Messina Earthquake," PBS, WBGH Educational Foundation, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/rescue-messina-earthquake/#:~:text=On%20December%2028%2C%201908%2C%20at,7.5%20by%20today's%20Richter%20scale. Accessed 5 Jan. 2024.
"Origins of the Mafia," History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 May 2019, www.history.com/topics/crime/origins-of-the-mafia. Accessed 5 Jan. 2024.
Tikkanen, Amy. "Catania," Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Dec. 2023, www.britannica.com/place/Catania. Accessed 5 Jan. 2024.
No comments:
Post a Comment