[TI] Toledo/Manifest Mysteries

[Pwb Bova]

Interesting how our ancestors followed similar paths and professions.  My cousin, Salvatore Oddo of Bakersfield, CA,  who is now in his eighties and originally from Providence RI tells me that there was a man named Joe Mercurio who was in the produce business in the late 1800's in Providence.  He warehoused produce and was very well known.  He brought my grandmother's uncles and father and their families to RI.  Their last name was Martino.  There was Mike, Tony and Salvatore Martino.  Mike  and Tony ended up in Toledo.  One of the sons of Mike Martino went to California to avoid confrontation with the mafia and started one of the largest cherry orchards in California.  My grandfather, Filippo Bova married one of the daughters of Salvatore Martino and came to Providence  by way of Joe Mercurio in 1912  and then to Toledo circa 1922 where he was in the produce business until 1969. I have seen Mercurio on headstones in the Calvary cemetery in Toledo by my
 grandparents and heard the names of Lamantia and Pusateri.  From what my grandparents told me, there was not a large population of Italians in Toledo and there was a lot of prejudice against Italians as there was throughout the USA.  There was a large population of Polish and Jewish immigrants in Toledo whith who my grandfather did business.  There were a number of immigrants from TI who also came to Cleveland and started into the produce business.  One name that I know is Lombardo and another is Catalano.  I think that Joe Mercurio is one of the first men from TI who was in the produce business and others followed this route.  All my ancestors were fisherman. pig farmers or barrel makers back in TI.  No produce people there.

Phil Bova

----- Original Message ----
From: nell lamantia <nellie at woh.rr.com>
To: terminiimerese at comunesofitaly.org
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 1:38:56 PM
Subject: Re: [TI] Toledo/Manifest Mysteries

I would like to see any info on the Italians in Toledo myself.  By 1910 Both 
Josie Mercurio and Anthony (Warren) Lamantia were living
at 910 Oakwood
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <GSAUNC at aol.com>
To: <terminiImerese at comunesofitaly.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 9:49 AM
Subject: [TI] Toledo/Manifest Mysteries


> My grandfather, John Bisese (Bisesi), was a  great guy.  Sometimes, when 
> we
> visited, he would take all 24 of
> his  grandchildren to Sunday "breakfast" after church!  When I started
> researching my family history in 2003 I wondered why he was named John, 
> since he
> was born in 1894, had 4 older brothers and his mother's father was named
> Giovanni (John).  I had a feeling that a younger sibling named Giovanni 
> had  died
> and my grandfather had been named for him, but it was clouded in  mystery. 
> For
> years, I had searched for the ship that brought my  great-grandparents to
> America.  A few days ago a friend found the manifest  for the ship, the 
> Elysia,
> that came to New York November 8, 1882.  The  manifest showed my
> great-grandmother, Maria Mercurio (born 1849 and daughter of  Giovanni 
> DiMercurio and Maria
> Carmela SanPietro), and four of her children  including.... Giovanni.  The
> birth document on the Database noted he was  born in 1878.  Giovanni died 
> some
> time prior to my grandfather's  birth.  However, I can not determine the
> location.  We have hunted for  the manifest with my great-grandfather, 
> Pasquale
> Bisesi (born 1846 and son of  Salvadore Bisesi and Liboia DiCola).  He 
> probably
> came over by himself  earlier than November, 1882. There are a few 
> Pasquale's on
> 1882 manifests with  mangled last names-but no sure thing yet.
> I  have Pasquale and Maria first documented living in Toledo, Ohio in 
> 1886.
> The city directory notes they lived at 76 Michigan and later 241 Summit. 
> I
> would appreciate any information on the Italian community in Toledo from
> 1882-1890.  My family may have gone there first in  1882.
> Many  thanks,
> Mark
>
>
>
>
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