by Don Mosseria » Wed May 17, 2023 2:12 pm
PolackTony wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 10:47 pm
I mean, if the mob were to ever make a half-PR guy it would be in the Bx!
Was anyone actually circulating this claim until Garcia said it first? Or was it just some bullshit neighborhood rumor and Garcia picked it up that way?
It goes back before Garcia. On February 12 2004, Jerry Capeci wrote:
“
Although the Campos surname suggests a Greek ancestry, his father’s lineage is Italian, according to a law enforcement source who told Gang Land the crime family conducted an extensive investigation into his heritage before he was “made.””
https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column369.htm [behind a paywall]
Interesting that they select Greek as the possible heritage of the Campos name here rather than Spanish/Puerto Rican. However, the next year, on June 16 2005, Capeci wrote:
“
Campos, whose surname suggests Greek or Hispanic heritage – the Gambinos checked and determined his lineage was Italian before they inducted him…”
https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column437.htm [behind a paywall]
So he has progressed here to include Hispanic. And I guess in the Bronx, if you’re guessing Hispanic, Puerto Rican would be what people would default to? According to Pogo and Angelo, Andrew Campos was made in 2003 (
https://theblackhand.club/forum/viewtop ... 62#p213462), so at the time Capeci was writing, this alleged investigation by the family would be relatively current news. This shows uncertainty about his heritage goes back to the time he was made.
I definitely hear what you say about Italian names getting changed a lot in America. But I also don’t find it surprising that with a Spanish looking name, people will question it. I think it makes sense that the family might go a little further making sure in this case than they would with someone called Pennisi, as described by B above. Hence Capeci’s description of an “extensive” investigation. I would also guess Hispanisization of a name is less common that Anglisization, though as you say, who knows how an S could get added on to the name - could be anything?
In any case, it looks pretty certain they are Italian, and an S was just added on at some point. Nice one on the genealogical work - I’ve got to get on those primary research techniques myself. So it’s good to be able to put this one to bed.
[quote=PolackTony post_id=261324 time=1684302474 user_id=6658]
I mean, if the mob were to ever make a half-PR guy it would be in the Bx!
Was anyone actually circulating this claim until Garcia said it first? Or was it just some bullshit neighborhood rumor and Garcia picked it up that way?
[/quote]
It goes back before Garcia. On February 12 2004, Jerry Capeci wrote:
“[i]Although the Campos surname suggests a Greek ancestry, his father’s lineage is Italian, according to a law enforcement source who told Gang Land the crime family conducted an extensive investigation into his heritage before he was “made.”[/i]”
[url]https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column369.htm[/url] [behind a paywall]
Interesting that they select Greek as the possible heritage of the Campos name here rather than Spanish/Puerto Rican. However, the next year, on June 16 2005, Capeci wrote:
“[i]Campos, whose surname suggests Greek or Hispanic heritage – the Gambinos checked and determined his lineage was Italian before they inducted him…[/i]”
[url]https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column437.htm[/url] [behind a paywall]
So he has progressed here to include Hispanic. And I guess in the Bronx, if you’re guessing Hispanic, Puerto Rican would be what people would default to? According to Pogo and Angelo, Andrew Campos was made in 2003 ([url]https://theblackhand.club/forum/viewtopic.php?p=213462#p213462[/url]), so at the time Capeci was writing, this alleged investigation by the family would be relatively current news. This shows uncertainty about his heritage goes back to the time he was made.
I definitely hear what you say about Italian names getting changed a lot in America. But I also don’t find it surprising that with a Spanish looking name, people will question it. I think it makes sense that the family might go a little further making sure in this case than they would with someone called Pennisi, as described by B above. Hence Capeci’s description of an “extensive” investigation. I would also guess Hispanisization of a name is less common that Anglisization, though as you say, who knows how an S could get added on to the name - could be anything?
In any case, it looks pretty certain they are Italian, and an S was just added on at some point. Nice one on the genealogical work - I’ve got to get on those primary research techniques myself. So it’s good to be able to put this one to bed.