1920 Ambruso Wedding Photograph

 

 

 

 

Isn’t this a great old photo?  Of course I’m a bit biased since it is the wedding photograph of my grandparents: Michael Ambruso (b. 1889, son of Rocco) and Vincenza “Jennie” Lammardo.  They were married in Mt. Virgin Church in Garfield, NJ on 15 Feb 1920.  The maid of honor was Michael’s sister, Felicia (front row, far left).  The best man was Felicia’s fiancé, Lorenzo Mancini (front row, far right).  They were married at Mt. Virgin Church two months later. 

I am almost certain that there is another Ambruso directly behind the bride.   It looks exactly like Michael Ambruso (b. 1891) son of Giuseppe, from Philadelphia.  He was the groom’s first cousin.  They grew up together as young boys in Salandra.  He traveled all the way to Garfield, NJ to be in his cousin’s wedding party.  I wonder how many other Ambruso’s from Philadelphia came with him for the wedding celebration.   Viva la familia!

If you have any old Ambruso wedding photos where you can identify Ambruso relatives, please send them to me via email (jmcast@rcn.com).  I'll be sure to post them.

 

 

A Visit To Salandra

 

Philip Corrigan and his sons

Ambruso cousin, Philip Corrigan, is in the U.S. Military and stationed in Italy.  He and his wife and three young sons live in Naples.  They have been there for about a year, and now that the pandemic has subsided somewhat in Italy, they decided to take a family road trip to Matera, with a stop in Salandra along the way.  Salandra is the ancestral home of four branches of the Ambruso family that came to America.  

 

Salandra, Matera, Basilicata, Italy

Philip's grandfather was Rocco Bonelli, who was the son of Maria Ambruso and Pasquale "Patsy" Bonelli from Garfield, NJ.  Maria was the oldest child of Rocco Ambruso and Pasquarosa Corrado.  She married Pasquale in Salandra and was the first of her family to come to America with Pasquale.

He sent me the pictures I have included with this post.   I'll let him describe the experience in his own words:

"The town is a hill town and the hills are all sand colored at this time of year since all of the grass is burnt out. It almost reminds me of Texas. My kids thought it looked like a desert. The road to get up to the town was an adventure - classic windy Italian road with room for 1.5 cars. We only stayed in the town a few minutes - had time to grab a frozen lemonade and take some pictures.  I think the American family in the big car walking around during riposo was quite the novelty for some of the locals."

Church of St. Rocco

Philip also sent a photo of the World War 1 memorial plaque showing the names of the local war dead.  No "Ambruso", but one "Bonelli". 

 
It is interesting to think that one family from this sleepy little Italian mountain village has multiplied into hundreds of descendants, from all walks of life, here in America.

Silver Dollar Inn - Revisited

Cousin Peggy Melloh sent this photo of a beer bottle/can opener from the Silver Dollar Inn.  Peggy is the granddaughter of Frank Ambruso (b.1900) and Mary Bombaro (b.1907), and the daughter of Rita Ambruso (b.1927).  The Silver Dollar Inn was a neighborhood bar owned and operated by brothers Joseph and Anthony Ambruso on Tasker Street in the heart of south Philadelphia (see previous post). 

Peggy's mother, Rita, told stories of lying on the floor of her grandmother’s apartment, which was just above the bar, with her ear on the linoleum so she could listen to the music and conversations below.  Rita kept the bottle/can opener, Peggy inherited it and passed it on to her son who recently moved back to the old neighborhood.

Little things like a can opener may seem trivial and cute, but they all contribute to our connection with past. They are all part of our family history.  They tie us together and define who we are.  When my grandfather Michael died, I was the oldest grandchild and therefor allowed to be part of the ritual of going through is personal “stuff”.  I chose to keep his tiny prayer book written in Italian and a riding spur, two things no one else seemed to want.  You would never guess to look at him, but this short elderly Italian guy from north Jersey was an excellent horseman back in Italy, and a corporal in the Italian cavalry. I still have both items.

What items have you kept from your grandparents that remind you of our Ambruso family history?  What stories are associated with them?  Please share their significance with us.  Please share your stories.  Send me an e-mail. 

Adeline and the Indian - Questions Finally Answered

Photo of Adeline Ambruso and her husband Albert Kane (ca. 1955)

In a previous blog post three years ago, I mentioned the mystery concerning Adelina Ambruso (b. 1897), Giuseppe’s daughter.  Family members said she moved out West and married an Indian.  As is the case with most family stories, truth and fiction are always intertwined.  Her grandniece, Maryanne Jordan Warrick, gave us the facts as she knew them.  Yes, Adeline did move out West, and yes, she did marry a Native American.   

Adeline separated from her husband, Joseph Bonviglio sometime in the 1920’s.  Joseph died while they were separated.  She suffered from tuberculosis and moved to Arizona for a better climate.  It was there that she met Albert Kane, a Native American.  They married in a Catholic ceremony.  Many years later, they moved back to Philadelphia and lived near 19^th and Wolf.  Al worked at the Atlantic Oil Refinery.  They later moved to Pennsauken, NJ where they lived a block or so from her brother Frank.  They never had any children.  Tragically, Adeline suffered a broken hip from an automobile accident and died in surgery.

Those are the facts, so the mystery has been cleared up.  However, there is one question that still remains.  The family says that Albert Kane was a Mohawk Indian originally from upstate New York or Canada.  The 1940 Federal Census from Mullan, Idaho clearly lists Adeline and her husband Albert, a lead/zinc miner.  It also clearly says that Albert was born in Arizona.  Well, where ever he was from he was certainly a Native American.

In my experience, family stories passed on orally are never 100% wrong, no matter how implausible they may seem.  On the other hand, it is also been my experience that they are never absolutely correct either.  Keep the stories coming so we can all enjoy them.

 

Remembering Felicia Ambruso and Lawrence Mancini

Phyllis Ann Mancini Pernia, daughter of Rocco Mancini and granddaughter of Felicia Ambruso and Lawrence Mancini has recently posted photos and memories of her grandparents on facebook.com.  The photo above shows Felicia and Lawrence on the couch in their Garfield home with son Rocco.  It was taken about 1950.  Phyllis Ann’s remembrances of her grandparents stirred memories of my own.  I remember being in that blonde-colored brick house on Harrison Avenue that was built by Lawrence himself.  I remember the house was always very neat and proper.  Felicia took great pride in the cleanliness of her home.  She was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm.

When I was a young boy, Uncle Lawrence always pinched my cheek when he greeted me.   I hated it, but he was always smiling and did it in a loving way.  For some reason, I remember him as always wearing a bow tie.  He was a bricklayer and stone mason, but he was also a stone carver.  I remember the impressive fireplace he personally designed and built in their living room.  He had carved the heads of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and himself in marble.  He was an artist.

His oil paintings were on display throughout the house.  I was never impressed with his simple style of artwork, but I was always fascinated by the fact that someone in my family actually had the initiative and desire to take brush to canvas and created a painting.  No one else in the family did that.  At that point in my life, he was the only real oil painter I had ever met.  Without realizing it then, his creative spirit probably contributed to my own artistic attempts in painting when I was young.   Today, art is an important part of my life and I can totally understand his need to create art and express himself.  Thank you, Uncle Lawrence.



Oil painting by Lawrence Mancini

Remembering Eugenio "John" Ambruso (1892 - 1973)

Eugenio "John" Ambruso

Eugenio Ambruso came to the United States in October of 1900 with his father Giuseppe and his older brother Michele.  The three went to stay with Eugenio’s uncle Frank on Mildred Street in South Philadelphia.  Eugenio’s mother, Maria, came over with the rest of the family in 1901. 

Eugenio had little formal education, however he always stressed the importance of a good education to his children and grandchildren.  From all indication, he was a hard worker and a real go-getter.  According to his World War 1 Draft Registration Card, when he 18 he worked as a farm laborer near Moorestown, NJ.  Two years later, in 1920, he married Carmella Laino. For most of his adult life he was known as John Ambruso, not Eugenio.  Carmella was always called “Millie”.

He worked as a pinch press operator for Pillings & Sons, Surgical Instruments for over 20 years.  However, John was also a successful real estate investor.  His granddaughter says that he owned eleven properties in South Philadelphia. 

Even though he worked hard, John Ambruso found time for enjoying life.  He played bocce, and he played it well.  He was a perennial champion in the South Philadelphia leagues winning several trophies and having his picture in the newspaper.  He was a big Philadelphia baseball fan, especially of the old Philadelphia Athletics.  He never got over them moving west to Kansas City. 

John loved music.  He often listened to opera and was a great fan of Caruso.  He and Millie both liked Sinatra; and the Perry Como Show was a weekly ritual.  He also loved wine.  One of John’s hobbies was making homemade wine in the basement. 

John and Millie attended 7:00 AM Mass every Sunday at Epiphany of our Lord RC Church at 11^th and Jackson Streets.  They were both religious.  When their grandson Eugene was young he had a serious illness.   The family vowed to say a rosary every night for his recovery.  They kept their promise and Eugene recovered.  Though John spoke perfect English, when it was his turn to say the rosary he would pray in Italian.  He also kept a prayer card in his bedroom to St. Rocco, the patron saint of Salandra.

John was very close to his mother.  He would visit his mother every day after work before he went home to his own family.  Her death in 1932 was very hard on him. Whenever he spoke of her, even years later, he would tear up.  He always told his grandchildren that “You could never pay back your mother for all that she does for you.”

Family was very important to John.  According to his granddaughter Maryanne Jordan Warrick, he always said that he never needed riches. He had his health and his family.  He couldn’t ask for more. He had two daughters, Mae and Terry, and five grandchildren.  He spent a lot of time with his grandchildren since they lived nearby.  Today they have fond memories of picking blackberries with their grandfather; or drinking milk and sugar coffee; or sitting on his knee as he told funny stories or tried to teach them Italian.

Eugenio “John” Ambruso died in Philadelphia on May 1, 1973.  He left behind a close family that shares wonderful memories and a lasting Italian-American heritage.