THE BLACK HAND FORUM

[quote="jimmyb"]Thanks Rick. You're like a mafia research Jedi!! How's your book coming along btw?

Thanks to B. too. Yeah I really hope to put together Bonventre family tree at some point. I bet these guys are all related, it's just a matter of connecting the links. I know when it comes to the Buccellatos, almost everyone runs through the same tree. That tree gets wider throughout the generations of course, but still same root. There are a couple of guys I don't see on the tree, but even those guys the family elders say are "cousins." I constructed mini-family tree to include in my book. I'm waiting for image editor to approve.[/quote]

Looking through the family trees over there you can't hep but run into a Bonventre or Buccellato at some point.

Glad to know this guy isn't a Bonventre after all. Funny how the Bonventre name often got mistaken more the more common Bonaventure / Bonaventura, but here it's the opposite.

Except for the ones with the Bonannos, the only other Bonventre I can think of is Biaggio Bonventre of the LA family. Limey has his brother Giuseppe as a possible member of either LA or Detroit, and lists Giuseppe as being born in Castellammare. Biaggio is listed as being born in San Vito Lo Capo up the coast from CDG in Trapani. Seems likely that these ones had some distant relation to the more well-known ones in NY.

Tony Bonventura murder was not related to the war. As far as I can tell, it was by the Profacis and the Lombardo family of Alcamo, Sicily. He was connected to a couple of Profaci trunks being hijacked, supposedly he was involved in sticking up a card game run by Joe Lucchese (Tommy brother), Vito Stracci (Vanishes in 1933 when he moves to New Jersey), Joe Giardino (Early Profaci lieutenant) and also he was rumored to be behind the killing of a Lombardo family member. He did do business with Giuseppe Piranino.

Thanks Rick. You're like a mafia research Jedi!! How's your book coming along btw?

Thanks to B. too. Yeah I really hope to put together Bonventre family tree at some point. I bet these guys are all related, it's just a matter of connecting the links. I know when it comes to the Buccellatos, almost everyone runs through the same tree. That tree gets wider throughout the generations of course, but still same root. There are a couple of guys I don't see on the tree, but even those guys the family elders say are "cousins." I constructed mini-family tree to include in my book. I'm waiting for image editor to approve.

Tony Bonventre wasn't a Bonventre, he was a Bonaventura. That was the name he had when he immigrated to America from Alcamo (not Castellammare). His death most likely was not connected to the Castellammarese War

I don't have info on Tony, but for as many Bonventres there have been in the Bonannos, I wish we knew more about the exact relations. The names run in the family so I have wondered if this guy is related to the elderly soldier Antonino, who is the father of Jack Bonventre, who in turn is very close the Asaros. The Asaros were related to Bonventres by marriage a couple generations back so I assume this is how the connection to Jack (and likely Antonino) came about.They all live/lived in the same part of Queens and could be cousins.

There was an Antonino who was brother of Vito, the top Schiro guy who was murdered during the war. I don't think this is the same one, though, as he would have been too old.

There is also Cesare Bonventre's father who I believe was yet another Vito. No clue if he was a member back in Castellammare before he brought his family here in the 1960s, but given the way Cesare turned out it wouldn't surprise me. Still haven't figured out how they are related to the other Bonventres, though, only that there is a link somewhere.

Anyone have insight into the 1930 killing of "Tony Bonventre?"

According to the NY Times, "Tony Bonventre" was a "gangster" killed on March 9, 1930. The paper speculates the death is related to the March murders of Giuseppe Piranino and Giovanni Torres. I think "good killers" Vito Bonventre had a brother named "Antonino." In Siciy, you would call him Nino. But in the US, Antonino morphed into "Antonio" in some cases. So is "Tony Bonventre" Vito's brother maybe?

Thanks