Springfield Family 1963

[PolackTony]

Great find. He’s exactly the sort of guy that I would expect would have been the boss.

Stepson Nick Ciaccio was in the papers a bunch of times in the 60s and 70s as he was an official in the scandal-plagues IL Secretary it State office, which was said to have been tied to the Chicago Family. Nick Ciaccio was in charge of vehicle licensing, which one can imagine was very useful to Chicago guys who were heavily involved in auto theft rings and legit car dealerships. Likely got the job due to political clout from his stepfather and Zito.

[B.]

An article says Ciaccio was a founder of the Concorda Fraterna Italian-American Club in 1910. He also owned a business with underboss Nick Campo.

Chicago boss Michele Merlo's paternal grandmother was a Ciaccio from Sambuca and Lennert's Rockford list also has an Anthony Ciaccio (born 1888) as a Rockford member born in Sambuca. If Leonardo was from Sambuca those are possible connections to look into.

[PolackTony]

Another deceased suspected member was Leonardo Ciaccio. All the candidates I found were from Sciacca.

So far as I can tell the Sciaccatani guys all settled in Boston or NYC. Very good bet that the Leonardo Ciaccio of Springfield was from Sambuca, though I haven’t been able to confirm his ancestry (records for this time period in Sambuca are not available). There were a bunch of Ciaccios from there in Chicago and Rockford. One Leonardo Ciaccio who was from Sambuca lived first in Rockford, then in Chicago. Given the shared name and the Riela connection to the Springfield Ciaccio, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a relation.

Nick Ciaccio, who was the stepson of Leonardo Ciaccio of Springfield and son of his wife, Maria Sacco, married Genevieve Bardi, born in Springfield. Maria Sacco seems to have been from Castelvetrano, and her son Nick was born Domenico Campo in Montevago, so his birth father was clearly a relative of the other Campos. Maria immigrated with her kids (presumably the husband died) and married Leonardo Ciaccio in Springfield. Genevieve Bardi was the daughter of Giuseppe Bardi (most likely a Northerner) and Angelina Maggie, of Sambuca. Angelina was the older sister of Jennie Maggio, wife of Phil Bacino. The other mother of the other Leonardo Ciaccio, from Rockford and Chicago, was also a Maggio.

Now here’s something even more interesting.

Springfield Leonardo Ciaccio’s parents, per his death record, were Vito Ciaccio and Rosalia Giordano. Giordano is found in Sambuca also, but I wanted to check further, given Tony Giordano in STL being Terrasinese. By 1917, Rosalia Giordano was living with Leonardo in Springfield, where she died in 1930. Her death record just stated that she was born in Italy in 1851, but gave her parents as Giuseppe Giordano (Leonardo had a younger brother named Giuseppe who died in Springfield in 1940) and Giuseppina Ventimiglia. Now, in 1913, a widowed Rosalia Giordano, born in 1851, arrived in NYC bound for Tamaroa, a tiny town in Perry County in Downstate IL (not far from Johnston City/Marion). Rosalia stated that she was from Terrasini, and the Ventimiglias in Tamaroa were also Terrasinesi. So this was almost certainly Leonardo Ciaccio’s mother, and it looks like she was from Terrasini. The Ciaccio surname, however, is not recorded in Terrasini, and hardly at all in Western Palermo province in general. It’s very much concentrated around Sciacca, Sambuca, and Castelvetrano. So, likely that there were connections already. back in Sicily between these areas.

I’ve never delved into Tony Giordano’s genealogy, so I have no idea if there is any direct relation.

The Aiello family in Springfield, involved in bootlegging and some high profile murders in the 1920s, were also from Terrasini.

B and I were discussing Leonardo’s brother Giuseppe Ciaccio, who died in 1940 and was also a cigar maker.

His 1910 naturalization confirms that that the Ciaccios were indeed from Montevago. Given the distribution of the surname, however, I would still bet that their father’s family went back to either Castelvetrano or Sambuca originally.

[B.]

Oh excellent, so he was a paesan of Campo. Along with being business partners those families intermarried. Like I mentioned in the original post, Campo's daughter also married Tony Zito, brother of Frank.

[PolackTony]

Oh excellent, so he was a paesan of Campo. Along with being business partners those families intermarried. Like I mentioned in the original post, Campo's daughter also married Tony Zito, brother of Frank.

Yes, and Leonardo’s stepson Nick was born Domenico Campo in Montevago, so was very likely a relative of the other Campos. And these Canpos could well have also been relatives of Mooney Giancana’s BIL Antonino Campo, who I’ve opined before may have been a mafioso who fled Mussolini’s crackdown.

[cavita]

Another deceased suspected member was Leonardo Ciaccio. All the candidates I found were from Sciacca.

So far as I can tell the Sciaccatani guys all settled in Boston or NYC. Very good bet that the Leonardo Ciaccio of Springfield was from Sambuca, though I haven’t been able to confirm his ancestry (records for this time period in Sambuca are not available). There were a bunch of Ciaccios from there in Chicago and Rockford. One Leonardo Ciaccio who was from Sambuca lived first in Rockford, then in Chicago. Given the shared name and the Riela connection to the Springfield Ciaccio, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a relation.

Nick Ciaccio, who was the stepson of Leonardo Ciaccio of Springfield and son of his wife, Maria Sacco, married Genevieve Bardi, born in Springfield. Maria Sacco seems to have been from Castelvetrano, and her son Nick was born Domenico Campo in Montevago, so his birth father was clearly a relative of the other Campos. Maria immigrated with her kids (presumably the husband died) and married Leonardo Ciaccio in Springfield. Genevieve Bardi was the daughter of Giuseppe Bardi (most likely a Northerner) and Angelina Maggie, of Sambuca. Angelina was the older sister of Jennie Maggio, wife of Phil Bacino. The other mother of the other Leonardo Ciaccio, from Rockford and Chicago, was also a Maggio.

Now here’s something even more interesting.

Springfield Leonardo Ciaccio’s parents, per his death record, were Vito Ciaccio and Rosalia Giordano. Giordano is found in Sambuca also, but I wanted to check further, given Tony Giordano in STL being Terrasinese. By 1917, Rosalia Giordano was living with Leonardo in Springfield, where she died in 1930. Her death record just stated that she was born in Italy in 1851, but gave her parents as Giuseppe Giordano (Leonardo had a younger brother named Giuseppe who died in Springfield in 1940) and Giuseppina Ventimiglia. Now, in 1913, a widowed Rosalia Giordano, born in 1851, arrived in NYC bound for Tamaroa, a tiny town in Perry County in Downstate IL (not far from Johnston City/Marion). Rosalia stated that she was from Terrasini, and the Ventimiglias in Tamaroa were also Terrasinesi. So this was almost certainly Leonardo Ciaccio’s mother, and it looks like she was from Terrasini. The Ciaccio surname, however, is not recorded in Terrasini, and hardly at all in Western Palermo province in general. It’s very much concentrated around Sciacca, Sambuca, and Castelvetrano. So, likely that there were connections already. back in Sicily between these areas.

I’ve never delved into Tony Giordano’s genealogy, so I have no idea if there is any direct relation.

The Aiello family in Springfield, involved in bootlegging and some high profile murders in the 1920s, were also from Terrasini.

B and I were discussing Leonardo’s brother Giuseppe Ciaccio, who died in 1940 and was also a cigar maker.

His 1910 naturalization confirms that that the Ciaccios were indeed from Montevago. Given the distribution of the surname, however, I would still bet that their father’s family went back to either Castelvetrano or Sambuca originally.

I have Joe Ciaccio dying on October 8, 1940 in Springfield and at the time living at 1417 East Washington Street with no surviving wife or children. His obit mentions brother Leo and brother-in-law Nick Pumilia in Rockford. Curiosly it mentions a cousin Anton Calvacaunte in Springfield.

[PolackTony]

Antonino Cavalcante, who went by “Tony Calvacaunte” in Springfield, was a coal miner from Montevago. Joe Ciaccio was living with him as a lodger in 1940 at the address that you noted above on E Washington.

Also worth noting in relation to one of my prior posts that there were in fact a number of Giordanos from Montevago who settled in Chicago and Springfield, so the Ciaccios’ mother may not have been Terrasinese as I previously wondered.

His WW2 draft card confirms that Leonardo was also, of course, born in Montevago. The surname was misspelled here so didn’t turn up in previous searches. Leonardo was also living on the same block as his apparent cousin Cavalcante.

[B.]

Leonardo married twice and moved in with his second wife and children from that family, leaving his children from the first marriage to live with his brother Joe above the cigar shop. Leonardo's older children were interviewed by the FBI and said Tony Riela also lived with them for a time. I believe Leonardo owned the whole building.

Given all the connections to the Campos I wouldn't be surprised if a relation goes back to Montevago. Since Nick Campo was underboss it lends itself even more to his elder paesan Ciaccio being an early leader in the Family.

[cavita]

Another possible early member I was thing of was Peter Farace/Faraci (1899-1972) who used the alias Peter Maggio and Peter Mando. He was born in Alcamo, Sicily and was active in Springfield in the 1930s. I do know he was involved with some of the Rockford guys in a late 1930s bootlegging bust in LaSalle County which possibly spread to the western suburbs of Chicago. Farace may have also had a brother Antonio who was active in Springfield.

[B.]

I'll bet Momo Adamo was involved with him when he lived there.

[cavita]

I'll also note there was a Philip J. Zito (1899-1964) who was involved with bootlegging in Springfield in the 1930s who was not related to the Zito brothers there. This Zito was born in Sicily, though I'm not sure where but when he died he had a surviving sister in Sicily named Crocifissa Riela which may be an interesting connection.

[JoelTurner]

I'll also note there was a Philip J. Zito (1899-1964) who was involved with bootlegging in Springfield in the 1930s who was not related to the Zito brothers there. This Zito was born in Sicily, though I'm not sure where but when he died he had a surviving sister in Sicily named Crocifissa Riela which may be an interesting connection.

Riela had 3 brothers who lived in Italy; Frank, Salvatore and Stephen. I don’t know who they married though.

[PolackTony]

Fillipo Zito was born 1899 in SGJ to Salvatore Zito and Providenza Ragusa (who I believe was originally from Camporeale), and immigrated to the US in 1921, initially bound for NYC where a maternal uncle lived. He was in Springfield soon after and in 1928 married Julia Randazzo, who was born in Springfield to Antonino Randazzo and Susanna LaFata of Terrasini. In 1931, Filippo — who operated a gas station for many years — was busted along with Frank and Sam Zito, Ernest DiNora, Carlo Giganti, and John Simanella as conspirators in a large bootlegging ring. Filippo was also noted in the 1930s as an official of the Springfield Italian-American Club, along with Leonardo Ciaccio, Domenico Campo, Frank Sgro, Vincenzo Aiello, and Vincenzo Simanelli.

I’d suspect that Filippo Zito was a cousin of the other Zitos, as the paternal grandfather of the latter was also named Filippo. I also doubt that the Riela connection is a coincidence. Here was his obituary in 1964. Note that his daughter also married Peter Campo:

[B.]

The only other Riela I've seen is one named Vincenzo Riela who testified in a mafia case in San Giuseppe Jato during the 1920s. However, it wasn't clear from what I read whether he testified for or against mafiosi; he very well could have spoken on their behalf. He was in his late 50s and the son of an Antonino Riela, so a generation older than Tony. I'm not sure if Tony Riela was the eldest son in his family but if his grandfather was named Antonino this could have been an uncle.

Other than that, Frank Polizzi was described as a nephew of Tony Riela and Riela's mother was a Polizzi. They were seated at the same table at the Bono wedding. Polizzi was in turn related to the Bruscas on his mother's side and Giovanni Brusca stayed with him during his visit to the US.

Riela may have also been related to the Cangelosis. He was business partners with some of them who lived in Easton PA -- the Troias and Longo were also killed in Antonino Cangelosi's Newark store. Lucchese member John Nuccio married a Cangelosi from SGJ and the Nuccios were from either San Cipirello or SGJ, the Prince Street crew generally coming from comuni in that part of interior Palermo. Three Nuccio brothers were made and their father Sebastiano was clearly an early Lucchese member. Peter Simonetti was another early figure from SGJ with that crew and Riela was related to the Simonetti surname as well.

Riela told authorities that Troia was his uncle but I don't know if this was an actual relation or a product of their close relationship. It wouldn't surprise me if they were related somehow given how interrelated the Troias were with numerous SGJ mafiosi. The Troia-Pulejo-Termini-Traina clan was the dominant clan in SGJ but I'm sure it extended to other names.

Joe and Frank's elder brother Filippo Zito was identified as a mafia figure in 1920s SGJ with their uncle Antonino Salamone and they were also related to the leadership of the San Cipirello Family (interestingly SC has always had its own Family despite being essentially a neighborhood of SGJ). I'd expect some cousins to have been involved and I've wondered on here if their uncle was related to the Antonino Salamone who was SGJ boss decades later.

A mafia-linked municipal councillor (possibly a made member) in 1920s SGJ was named Giovanni Ganci, bringing to mind NYC-based SGJ capodecina Giuseppe Ganci of Pizza Connection fame. Ganci was close to Polizzi and Riela. I noticed an "S.Ganci" is listed as one of the leaders of the Italian-American Political Club with Ciaccio -- was he from SGJ? No doubt these are common names in SGJ but we see a lot of recurring mafia-connected surnames and interrelation as would be expected.

The San Giuseppe Jato Family was identified as having 20 members in 1993. I don't know if this is simply the number of identified members, a general estimate, etc. I'd expect them to be one of the larger Families outside of Palermo ala Corleone and while not everyone who was identified as a mafia figure in the 1920s was a made member I expect a lot of them were and obviously they can be directly connected to US figures from SGJ and some ended up here themselves.

[JoelTurner]

Riela may have also been related to the Cangelosis. He was business partners with some of them who lived in Easton PA -- the Troias and Longo were also killed in Antonino Cangelosi's Newark store. Lucchese member John Nuccio married a Cangelosi from SGJ and the Nuccios were from either San Cipirello or SGJ, the Prince Street crew generally coming from comuni in that part of interior Palermo. Three Nuccio brothers were made and their father Sebastiano was clearly an early Lucchese member. Peter Simonetti was another early figure from SGJ with that crew and Riela was related to the Simonetti surname as well.

Riela’s business partners, Ignazio and Charles Cangelosi were born to Giuseppe Cangelosi (Sep 12 1873 - Bolognetta) and Carmela Fragale (Aug 12 1876 - Marineo)

The Troias and Frank Longo were killed in Anthony Sunseri’s store. He, along with Sam Monaco’s BIL Jerome Bevinetto, was shot but survived. Sunseri (Aug 8 1896 - San Giuseppe Jato) was married to Josephine Cangelosi and used the alias Anthony Cangelosi. I haven’t been able to find more on Josephine, she was born in NY in ~1903.

John Nuccio’s wife Celia Cangelosi was born to Giuseppe Cangelosi (Mar 1873 - Marineo) and Maria Francaviglia (Aug 14 1878 - Marineo)