Visiting Pittsburgh 1963

[Angelo Santino]

Any more info on Sam DiBella? A DOB-DOD range?

[Angelo Santino]

Was Cancellieri originally Cangelosi, from Villarosa?

[Angelo Santino]

- Possible member is Giuseppe Landolina (1894-1988). From Trabia but shared surname with murdered underboss Nicasio Landolina from nearby Caccamo.

- Former boss Vincenzo Capizzi was still alive in 1963. He died in 1967.

- Vincenzo Capizzi was a business partner of Chicago member Anthony Pinelli in the 1930s along with Abraham Class from Chicago. Pinelli was from Caliscibetta right next to Capizzi's hometown Villarosa. Pittsburgh member Sam DiBella, a close associate of Capizzi, was also from Calascibetta.

- John Cancelleri and his son Sam were confirmed members but Sam died in the 1940s. John was still alive in 1963. Not sure if Giacomo "Jack" Cancellieri was still alive but he might have been a member too.

Trabìa looks to have been the single largest Sicilian comune of origin for Pitt arrivals pre-1900, so my guess is they played a major role in founding the mafia there. Even in the 60s, unsurprising that there was at least one member from there.

Good info on Capizzi and Pinelli. Villarosa also had a large settlement in Chicago; for example, the Villarosa Società during this time period was an affiliated “lodge”’of the “Unione”. The DeStefanos and Bobby Bellavia have ancestry from Villarosa, while the parents of Chuckie Nicoletti and the English brothers had ancestry from neighboring Santa Caterina Villarmosa, and Dom DiBella’s parents were from neighboring Alimena. Villarosa was at the center of a close-knit network of comuni spanning the provincial borders of then-Caltanissetta and Palermo.

It's amazing to me how anemic Pittsburgh was compared to the 1900-1920's. It's like looking at two polaroids of a river that was and the remnants of it a century later. Pittsburgh was America's third largest Italo city after NYC and Chicago. But the story of Pittsburgh Italians cannot be told without including all of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia, for all intents and purposes this vast multistate area were essentially suburbs of Pittsburgh.

[FriendofHenry]

Here's what's left that I need help with.
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Anthony Wango Capizzi operated the Las Vegas Travel Club in downtown Pittsburgh. When Jo Jo got home from Lexington he was put on the payroll as his requirement for parole. Wango was John LaRocca's favorite and oversaw John's Churchill Valley Country Club. Zebo also worked for LV Travel Club.

[Angelo Santino]

Looking up Nick Stirone, FBN book says Perdifumo, parents Olimpio & Mary, Wife Angeline, all a match. Ancestry family tree says Vatolla, both are in Salerno. However, if you look at the family ancestry, it says he spent most of his life in NJ.

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/pe ... cessSource

[Angelo Santino]

Here's what's left that I need help with.
pbleft.PNG

Anthony Wango Capizzi operated the Las Vegas Travel Club in downtown Pittsburgh. When Jo Jo got home from Lexington he was put on the payroll as his requirement for parole. Wango was John LaRocca's favorite and oversaw John's Churchill Valley Country Club. Zebo also worked for LV Travel Club.

Thank you! Do you know if this was back in 1963 at all? Grazie.

[FriendofHenry]

Here's what's left that I need help with.
pbleft.PNG

Anthony Wango Capizzi operated the Las Vegas Travel Club in downtown Pittsburgh. When Jo Jo got home from Lexington he was put on the payroll as his requirement for parole. Wango was John LaRocca's favorite and oversaw John's Churchill Valley Country Club. Zebo also worked for LV Travel Club.

Thank you! Do you know if this was back in 1963 at all? Grazie.

I first met Wango at The Jockey Club where he pulled up in an old Divco Milk truck with suit racks in the back full of "hot" Hickey Freedman Suits. That was 1963 or earlier. Then John took him under his wing and pit him in the Junket business then Church Hill Valley C.C. followed shortly thereafter.

[B.]

Giuseppe Landolina married Maria Anna Calderone, niece of the Salvatore Calderone.

Great find. That's why I love the detail you're going into with these charts. Finding out a lot about marital interrelation.

Any more info on Sam DiBella? A DOB-DOD range?

Not sure. He was active with the Family in the 1930s under Capizzi so he was probably born around the turn of the century or earlier.

With Cancellieri, not sure if that's the true name but I haven't seen any indication it was Cangelosi. I will try to look into it later.

[Antiliar]

If I have the right one, Salvatore Carmelo DiBella was born Apr 4, 1890, in Caltanisetta. Died Jan 24, 1945, Pittsburgh.

[Angelo Santino]

If I have the right one, Salvatore Carmelo DiBella was born Apr 4, 1890, in Caltanisetta. Died Jan 24, 1945, Pittsburgh.

Can you help me with John and Sam Cancellieri? Reports say John died around 1965.

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cancelliere 2.PNG

[PolackTony]

If I have the right one, Salvatore Carmelo DiBella was born Apr 4, 1890, in Caltanisetta. Died Jan 24, 1945, Pittsburgh.

Can you help me with John and Sam Cancellieri? Reports say John died around 1965.

cancelliere 1.PNG
cancelliere 2.PNG

1968 Pitt death certificate for John Cancillieri states that he was born 1902/11/01 and that his parents were Charles Cancillieri and Lena Diamico. Matches records for Giovanni Santo Cancillieri, born in Villarosa. I note that the surname Cancellieri (that spelling) is well-documented in Santa Caterina Villarmosa, which borders Villarosa. 1909 NYC arrival record for Calogero Cancelliere states that he was born in 1858 in Villarosa, wife was Calogera D’Amico, also from Villarosa, bound for Yatesboro, PA. He died under the name Charles Cancellieri in Pitt in 1931.

[Antiliar]

Giovanni (John) Santo Cancellieri, 1 Nov 1902, Villa Rosa, Sicily-28 Jun 1968, Pittsburgh. Wife: Angelina Gioia. Father: Charles Cancellieri. Mother: Lena Diamico (or D'Amico). Occupation: Vending machine owner, grocery store owner. [Death certificate has 1968 but gravestone appears to say 1968, I think the death certificate is more accurate.]

This person matches the man in this article:

Pittsburgh Press 1949Apr11 John S Cancellieri - slot machines.jpg

[Angelo Santino]

Giovanni (John) Santo Cancellieri, 1 Nov 1902, Villa Rosa, Sicily-28 Jun 1968, Pittsburgh. Wife: Angelina Gioia. Father: Charles Cancellieri. Mother: Lena Diamico (or D'Amico). Occupation: Vending machine owner, grocery store owner. [Death certificate has 1968 but gravestone appears to say 1968, I think the death certificate is more accurate.]

This person matches the man in this article:
Pittsburgh Press 1949Apr11 John S Cancellieri - slot machines.jpg

You taught me everything I know but not everything you know. Thank you.

[Angelo Santino]

If I have the right one, Salvatore Carmelo DiBella was born Apr 4, 1890, in Caltanisetta. Died Jan 24, 1945, Pittsburgh.

Can you help me with John and Sam Cancellieri? Reports say John died around 1965.

cancelliere 1.PNG
cancelliere 2.PNG

1968 Pitt death certificate for John Cancillieri states that he was born 1902/11/01 and that his parents were Charles Cancillieri and Lena Diamico. Matches records for Giovanni Santo Cancillieri, born in Villarosa. I note that the surname Cancellieri (that spelling) is well-documented in Santa Caterina Villarmosa, which borders Villarosa. 1909 NYC arrival record for Calogero Cancelliere states that he was born in 1858 in Villarosa, wife was Calogera D’Amico, also from Villarosa, bound for Yatesboro, PA. He died under the name Charles Cancellieri in Pitt in 1931.

Grazie.

[Antiliar]

John (Giovanni Santo) Cancillieri had one son, Charles:

Charles Anthony Cancillieri, 4 Aug 1932, Pittsburgh A, Pennsylvania-1 Nov 1997, Westlake, Cuyahoga, Ohio

Giacomo (Jack) Cancillieri may have been a cousin:

Name: Jack Cancelliere
Gender: Male
Race: White
Death Age: 74
Birth Date: 8 May 1888
Birth Place: Villa Rosa, Sicily, Italy
Death Date: 24 Aug 1962
Death Place: Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Father: John Cancelliere
Mother: Frances Loguatra
Spouse: Mary Patilla

Household members from the 1950 census:
Jack Cancelliere 62 Head
John Cancelliere
37 Son
Angelo Cancelliere
29 Son
John C Cancelliere
49 Brother
Louise Cancelliere
39 Mother-in-law
John P Cancelliere Jr
20 Nephew
Joseph Restivo
38 Son-in-law
Lena Restivo
32 Daughter

1930 census:
Jack Cangelier 41 Head
Francis C Cangelier
15 Daughter
Lena Cangelier
13 Daughter
John Cangelier
12 Son
Angelo Cangelier
9 Son
Rose Cangelier
6 Daughter
Francis Laguatra
66 Mother-in-law