Chicago Outfit Places of Origin

[PolackTony]

Yes I am
His adopted father is a Priolo. The Priolo's mentioned are not related to any Priola's. Flippo had to of died in the US because his named was americanized to Phillip instead of flippo. Giovanna Ingraffia died in 1937 in Chicago. her obituary says "wife of the late Philip Priolo, fond mother of ross, Joseph, Sam, Rose, and Mary. Sam Priolo died two years later and was buried with his mother and Joseph was later buried there in 1972. Flippo (Philip) Priolo is not buried with them. They are at the River Grove Cemetery ST Josephs. Ross is buried there as well but in the mausoleum.

Thanks for the input.

I used “Priola” in the above as Priola/Priolo are not distinct surnames but spelling variants due to Sicilian dialect pronunciation. So one will often see an individual’s name spelled both ways in various documents.

I saw the same obituary entry. Filippo being described as “Philip” there I don’t think is enough to conclude that he necessarily immigrated to the US. Given that the family had been in the US for some time by then, the family could’ve just been Anglicizing her deceased husband’s name when reporting it. If he came to the US there should be some record of him in Chicago. I’m not going to say that I categorically can rule it out, as there may be a document that I haven’t seen. But based on not finding anything, I suspect that he died or otherwise was separated from Giovanna before she left Sicily. Please let me know if you come across anything to support that he was actually in Chicago, I’d be glad to see it.

It is looking like that Flippo Priolo died in Italy. In 1909 that's when Ross, Sam, Joseph, Mary, and Rose came over to the US with Giovanna. There are records of all of the kids being on the US Hamburg in 1909 from their federalization papers. Giovanna was listed as a widow on the ellis island ship documents. It also was noted that the person she knew in the US was Salvatore Ingraffia (her brother) and in the old country Guiseppe Ingraffia (also her brother). All of the kids were born before 1909 which makes it seem that Flippo died a few years prior to 1909. he last child to be born was Rose Prio who was born in 1906 and (married Vito Vittore in the 1920s or 30s) which means Flippo had to be alive.

Yes, agreed on all of this. I hadn’t caught that Giovanna was already listed on the passenger manifest as a widow when she arrived in 1909. I think that settles it.

[PolackTony]

Has anyone been successful in confirming Tony Capezio's birth record? His parents were Giuseppe Capezio and Anna Maria Pacella of Muro Lucano, Potenza, Basilicata. While some of Tony Cap's documents state that he was born in Illinois, others state Pennsylvania. FWIW his WW2 draft registration states that he was born 1901 in PA. Several of his younger siblings do seem to have been born in PA. His sister Lucille Bonomo was born 1909 in Chicago, however, and in 1910 the Capezios lived at 910 W Grand Ave (just west of Peoria). In 1931, the Tribune stated that US immigration authorities were seeking to deport Capezio along with several foreign-born mobsters including Dago Mangano, Dom Ruberto, and Jimmy Belcastro, unless Capezio could furnish proof that he was born in the US. While Capezio wasn't deported, the others weren't either (apart from Ruberto, of course). I don't think Capezio was bron in Italy, however, as there is a record of his mother arriving in 1898 with Giuseppe Capezio already resident in NYC.

Another question for me is whether Capezio actually had any marriage relation to Frank Nitto. In the 1940s, the Tribune described Capezio as Nitto's brother-in-law and wife Marie Capezio as the sister of Nitto. I'm not sure that this is factual. I have Marie as born in 1902 in Chicago to Frank DeGuida who died in 1906 and Annie Dow of Scotland. Not sure where in Italy her father was from, so I suppose it's possible that he was a relative of some sort of Nitto.

[PolackTony]

Anthony J Perotti was born 1905 in Chicago to Francesco Perroti and Carmella Campo Dorato of Baragiano, Potenza, Basilicata. In 1910 the family lived in the Taylor St Patch by Taylor and Ewing, but by 1920 had moved to Cicero, near 51st Ave and Roosevelt near the old Grant Works, where I presume Francesco worked in the foundry. Later in life Tony Perotti lived in Villa Park, where he died in 1971.

I don't know much about Perotti (Cavita has discussed his associations with Rockford), but I suspect that he was active in the Outfit's Caribbean and Latin American gambling operations as there are records of him boarding several flights from the 1940s to 1960s to Puerto Rico, St Thomas, and Mexico.

[PolackTony]

Salvatore John Cataudella was born in 1952 to John Cataudella and Tena Cannati. It's unclear to me whether he was born in Chicago or NYC, however. Tina was born in NYC to parents from Bari. John was born 1933 in NYC to Salvatore Cataudella of Pozzalo, Ragusa province, and Raffaela Masciopinto of Bari. The Cataudellas lived on E 29 St in the Kips Bay neighborhood on the east side of Manhattan, where they lived at least as late as 1942. Prior to being married to Salvatore, Raffaela was married to Giuseppe Albergo of Bari and had several kids with him in Chicago and Indiana. After he died in 1922, she moved to NYC and remarried. I'm not sure exactly when the Cataudellas relocated to Chicago. In 1963, another son, hoodlum Michael Cataudella, was living at Racine and Erie in the Grand Ave Patch. Michael was shot to death in a suspected "syndicate" hit in 1969, at which time he was living near Meade and Dickens in the Galewood area of the NW side. Salvatore (1970) and Raffaela (1971) both died in Chicago. John Cataudella died in 1993, and Tena in 2019.

[PolackTony]

Robert Bellavia was born in 1939 in Chicago. I believe that his parents were Charles Bellavia and Anna Madeline Nocco. Charles Bellavia was born in 1911 in the area of Nanty-Glo in the coal mining country of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Francesco Bellavia and Giusepinna Turco of Villarosa, Enna. In 1930, the Bellavias were still living in Blacklick next to Nanty-Glo, but around 1935 they relocated to Chicago, where Francesco died in 1937 (Giuseppina died in Chicago in 1962). Anna Nocco was born in 1914 in Chicago to Luigi Nocco, of Santa Maria, Napoli, and Giovanna Mercurio, of Vairano, Napoli. The Noccos lived at 845 W Arthrington in the Taylor St Patch, where Charles and Anna/Anne lived after they married. Charles Bellavia died in 1952, while Anne died in 1994.

I'm pretty sure that this is the correct genealogy, but if I'm correct then Robert Bellavia had a younger brother named Charles (I believe he was the Charles Bellavia arrested for theft charges in relation to the 1983 federal and local LE investigation of Outfit-related gambling and auto theft operations).

[Antiliar]

Robert Remigio/Joseph Ansani was born 1904 in Chicago to Arturo/Arthur/Robert Ansani and Grazia Maria Flosi, both from Lucca province, Toscana.

Could you remind me who this is? Thanks

[PolackTony]

Robert Remigio/Joseph Ansani was born 1904 in Chicago to Arturo/Arthur/Robert Ansani and Grazia Maria Flosi, both from Lucca province, Toscana.

Could you remind me who this is? Thanks

Bobby Ansani from the Aiuppa crew.

[funkster]

Robert Remigio/Joseph Ansani was born 1904 in Chicago to Arturo/Arthur/Robert Ansani and Grazia Maria Flosi, both from Lucca province, Toscana.

Could you remind me who this is? Thanks

Bobby Ansani from the Aiuppa crew.

I would say Bobby was probably Aiuppa's top guy in Cicero during the heyday.

[Antiliar]

Per his FBI file, Robert Joseph Ansani AKA Bobby Taylor, was born to Arthur and May Ansani on Jan 12, 1904 in Chicago. While the FBI noted that Ansani was Joseph Aiuppa's partner and top lieutenant, it couldn't determine if he was a made member of the Cosa Nostra.
He married Grace Vernon on Sep 30, 1930 In Waukegan, IL. Sources on Ancestry.com say that Arturo Ansani was born in Spianate, Lucca, Toscana, Italy, and his wife Maria Petronilla Flosi was born in Italy. Robert Ansani was born Roberto Remigio Agostino Ansani and later changed his name (not sure if he legally changed it) to Robert Joseph Ansani. His mother was probably born in Pariana, Lucca, Toscana, since that's where her parents and siblings are from.

The Robert Remigio part threw me off. I knew his birth name but forgot it.

[PolackTony]

Per his FBI file, Robert Joseph Ansani AKA Bobby Taylor, was born to Arthur and May Ansani on Jan 12, 1904 in Chicago. While the FBI noted that Ansani was Joseph Aiuppa's partner and top lieutenant, it couldn't determine if he was a made member of the Cosa Nostra.
He married Grace Vernon on Sep 30, 1930 In Waukegan, IL. Sources on Ancestry.com say that Arturo Ansani was born in Spianate, Lucca, Toscana, Italy, and his wife Maria Petronilla Flosi was born in Italy. Robert Ansani was born Roberto Remigio Agostino Ansani and later changed his name (not sure if he legally changed it) to Robert Joseph Ansani. His mother was probably born in Pariana, Lucca, Toscana, since that's where her parents and siblings are from.

The Robert Remigio part threw me off. I knew his birth name but forgot it.

Thanks for the info on his parents comuni of origin. Those are the ones that I had documented but I wasn’t 100% (much less familiar with Tuscany than with the South).

I’ve always assumed that Ansani was made due to his status as Aiuppa’s right-hand, but as we know this kind of standing isn’t always a reliable indicator of membership with Chicago.

[Antiliar]

Per his FBI file, Robert Joseph Ansani AKA Bobby Taylor, was born to Arthur and May Ansani on Jan 12, 1904 in Chicago. While the FBI noted that Ansani was Joseph Aiuppa's partner and top lieutenant, it couldn't determine if he was a made member of the Cosa Nostra.
He married Grace Vernon on Sep 30, 1930 In Waukegan, IL. Sources on Ancestry.com say that Arturo Ansani was born in Spianate, Lucca, Toscana, Italy, and his wife Maria Petronilla Flosi was born in Italy. Robert Ansani was born Roberto Remigio Agostino Ansani and later changed his name (not sure if he legally changed it) to Robert Joseph Ansani. His mother was probably born in Pariana, Lucca, Toscana, since that's where her parents and siblings are from.

The Robert Remigio part threw me off. I knew his birth name but forgot it.

Thanks for the info on his parents comuni of origin. Those are the ones that I had documented but I wasn’t 100% (much less familiar with Tuscany than with the South).

I’ve always assumed that Ansani was made due to his status as Aiuppa’s right-hand, but as we know this kind of standing isn’t always a reliable indicator of membership with Chicago.

That fact is that we can't prove membership for most Outfit and Chicago Mafia members, so the best we can do is have a high degree of certainty. Like in this document from 1963 the FBI had a likely members list: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... rch=Ansani. Then in 1968 they had a list where Chicago members were confirmed by New York members (or those with New York designations): https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... rch=Ansani and this list based on those with Chicago designations: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... rch=Ansani

These FBI lists aren't a guarantee. I've heard from a couple of sources that Johnny "Haircuts" Campanelli wasn't made. He just liked to hang out with made guys. BTW, his wife Marie C. Campanelli Nee De Angelis, who died in 2020, I wonder if she was related to Ronny De Angelis.

We discussed Jimmy Catuara before. In one FBI file he's a top lieutenant of Frank "Skid" Caruso of Chinatown, in another he's top man under Frank LaPorte, and elsewhere they have LaPorte retiring around 1968 and replaced by Catuara in Will County and the south suburbs (a later doc says he was never made a capo and LaPorte didn't retire). So we can only do the best we can based on the evidence we have.

[B.]

As Antiliar mentioned, the FBI would change the Office designation based on which branch was filing the report, as they would hide the informant's true code. The true code would look like PH-1234-TE for Philly but would be masked as NY T-1 if New York included the info in a report. Some of those sources marked NY might be the same as the Chicago sources or from other cities.

This is Riccobene for example and we know he wasn't an NY informant:

[Antiliar]

Thanks for the confirming information, B.

Another name I was going to mention was Rocco Potenzo. In the early 1960s he's listed as a capo, but was he? Some docs suggest he was under Battaglia.

[PolackTony]

Thanks for the confirming information, B.

Another name I was going to mention was Rocco Potenzo. In the early 1960s he's listed as a capo, but was he? Some docs suggest he was under Battaglia.

I always saw him as likely made but in the Battaglia crew. I think in some of these cases confusion may have arisen from informants thinking of a guy as the “boss” of an area, in that he was in charge of rackets or collections for a particular sector (a suburban town or city ward/police district). I believe one informant used the term “district boss” (which I see as analogized from the role of an alderman in the city’s political machine). Some of those handling this information may have then interpreted that the individual in question was a capo over a crew, when really he was just the made guy operating in a specific area. To me Potenzo seems to fall into this category. I don’t see it being likely that he was a capo in charge of a crew of made members. I suppose that it’s always possible that there were more crews at some point in Chicago’s past (or potentially guys that had the title of capodecina without a real crew of members under them, as we see in other families), but I really don’t see any good reason to assume that this was the case. Given that we have so little info from actual members, and the info that we do have is not exactly an exegesis of the organizational structure of the Outfit as LCN family, there’s a great deal that we will never know.

[PolackTony]

These FBI lists aren't a guarantee. I've heard from a couple of sources that Johnny "Haircuts" Campanelli wasn't made. He just liked to hang out with made guys. BTW, his wife Marie C. Campanelli Nee De Angelis, who died in 2020, I wonder if she was related to Ronny De Angelis.

Based on what I have, Marie and Ronald DeAngelis weren't related. I have Marie Antonia DeAngelis as born in 1922 in Melrose Park to Giuseppe De Angelis of Acerra, Napoli and Carmella DeCola, born in Chicago to parents from Termini Imerese (what a classic Chicago combination). I have Ronald Eugene DeAngelis as born in 1933 in Melrose Park to Aguelino (Aquilino) De Angelis of Pratola Peligna, L'Aquila Province, Abruzzo, and Mary Ann Covone, born in Joliet to parents of Italian birth (I was unable to confirm their regional origins).

Johnny Haircuts, BTW, I have as born Giovanni Campanelli in 1917 in NYC. His mother was Elisabetta Quaranta of Ceglie de Campo, an urban quartiere of Bari. Per his death record, his father was Anthony Campanelli, but his younger brother Michael Campanelli (born 1920 in JC, NJ) listed Rocco Campanelli on his death record. There was an Anthony Campanelli who died 1923 in NJ who may have been the right guy. Based on the surname my guess is that Campanelli was most likely from Molise or Abruzzo. Either way, by 1930 the family had relocated to Melrose Park and Elisabetta had remarried Vittoriano Macino, also of Ceglie de Campo.

Even when we aren't sure if a guy was actually a member, I think it's useful to have these genealogies, as it provides a window into the wider social networks that Chicago LCN was embedded within. As we can still see from things like suspected current figures' FB accounts, these networks are densely interconnected and have now been reproduced over the course of several generations.