Visiting the West Side 1963

[PolackTony]

2nd - Was this Livorsi guy FROM Chicago like that for real, or was he born in Chicago and moved to NYC early in life? A Chicago to NYC move seems a little strange IMO. Livorsi is an interesting figure for sure. God damn. It seems like he had a lot of important friends in a lot of important places, and that he was super plugged in to East Harlem as a whole back then. Let me take a wild guess and speculate that he was a heroin guy? Why the fuck else was he that plugged in to East Harlem back then?

He was born there, unsurprisingly as it seems both of his parents came from places in Italy with large communities in Chicago. The family moved to East Harlem when he was a young kid though. I believe that he still had family in Chicago, so it’s worth noting that one of his paesani, Jimmy Cordovano, who was a Chicago member, was heavily involved in narcotics.

[Angelo Santino]

Great list! Alex DiBrizzi is definitely a Gambino.

I also believe that the DeCurtis' were too? It makes sense they may have been on this list though as I believe that Eddie was very close to the Greenwich Village Genovese in the 1950s.

You're right. Thank you for bringing that to my attention!

I had no idea that Trigger Mike Coppola was still around and in an official position as late as the 1960s, and also didn't know that Buster Ardito was an active official member that long ago...jesus christ. Wasn't that guy active in the early 2000s as well, as a part of a panel or acting admin? He was holding court at a few restaurants every day in the Bronx and New Rochelle. What was he going to do, gum a guy to death?

I don't know if Mike Coppola was or wasn't, this is just what the FBI listed in a document, could be mistaken. Hopefully some Gen experts see this thread and clear things up.

Great list and a huge endeavor no doubt. Took a look at the member list - I didn’t recognize any members from the Springfield MA crew…and would they have had a Springfield captain in 1963?

Another name that I thought was made before 1963 was Andrew/Andy Gerardo from Richie the Boots crew?

I know you’re just getting started and look forward to seeing how this progresses.

They must not have been listed. I have only 190 names in what was a 3-400 member family. There's alot missing.

[Angelo Santino]

Carmine Zeccardi, Eli, (parents from Avellino), married Calogera (Lillian) Corrao of Vincenzo and Mary Maniscalco, both from Sciacca. Didn't see that one coming.

[Angelo Santino]

Joseph Anthony Stracci, born 1/1/1906 NYC to Antonio and Maria Lobaldo, they came from Tunis. There was another Joseph Anthony Stracci born 1/6/1906 from San Fortello Messina, no clue as to whether or not they're related.

[PolackTony]

Joseph Anthony Stracci, born 1/1/1906 NYC to Antonio and Maria Lobaldo, they came from Tunis. There was another Joseph Anthony Stracci born 1/6/1906 from San Fortello Messina, no clue as to whether or not they're related.

Good info. Stracci was one of the surnames that I had assumed would be Messinese. His parents were indeed originally from San Fratello, Messina province. There is a 1906 passenger manifest for Stracci's mother Maria Lo Balbo (the correct spelling), along with baby Joe Stracci, who arrived back after a trip to San Fratello to her husband Antonino at 303 E 107. There is a marriage record in San Fratello stating that both Antonino and Maria were from there. The info I have is that both Joseph Anthony Straccis in those records you posted were the same individual and he was actually born in San Fratello.

Also worth noting that Joe Stracci married Cecilia Rao, who was Joe Rao's sister. Joe Rao in turn married a Lena Stracci, at least according to some sources, though Joe Stracci did not have a sister by that name.

[PolackTony]

Good info. Stracci was one of the surnames that I had assumed would be Messinese. His parents were indeed originally from San Fratello, Messina province. There is a 1906 passenger manifest for Stracci's mother Maria Lo Balbo (the correct spelling), along with baby Joe Stracci, who arrived back after a trip to San Fratello to her husband Antonino at 303 E 107. There is a marriage record in San Fratello stating that both Antonino and Maria were from there. The info I have is that both Joseph Anthony Straccis in those records you posted were the same individual and he was actually born in San Fratello.

Also worth noting that Joe Stracci married Cecilia Rao, who was Joe Rao's sister. Joe Rao in turn married a Lena Stracci, at least according to some sources, though Joe Stracci did not have a sister by that name.

While some sources have Joey Rao's wife as Lena Stracci, this is incorrect. Looks like it goes back to a bunch of ancestry.com family trees that have her as Lena Stracci. Possible that people were thrown off by the fact that Rao and Joe Stracci were brothers-in-law and assumed that Rao's wife was a Stracci when it was the other way around. Per their 1922 NYC marriage record, Joey Rao's wife was Lena Morelli. Possible that the surname was originally Morello, but I think her parents were probably Mainlanders (her mother was Carraturo, which is a Napolitan' surname).

[PolackTony]

Cosimo/Cosmo "Gus" Frasca was born in 1907 in Brooklyn to Francesco Frasca and Anna Lati of Roccella Ionica, Reggio province, Calabria. As a kid, Gus Frasca lived at 6518 13th Ave near the border of Dyker Heights and Boro Park. In 1940, Frasca was still living at the family home at that address with his wife Angelina Chioffi (married 1926). Frasca stated at the time that he was self-employed.

[Angelo Santino]

Cosimo/Cosmo "Gus" Frasca was born in 1907 in Brooklyn to Francesco Frasca and Anna Lati of Roccella Ionica, Reggio province, Calabria. As a kid, Gus Frasca lived at 6518 13th Ave near the border of Dyker Heights and Boro Park. In 1940, Frasca was still living at the family home at that address with his wife Angelina Chioffi (married 1926). Frasca stated at the time that he was self-employed.

Did you get the email I sent you with the link to the google excel doc?

[Angelo Santino]

Filling in the Crew info from the original 63 chart and the Boiardi crew is... problematic. Is there any other names not crossed off that were with other families?

Side note: willing to bet Carmine Battaglia was a decina member.

[thekiduknow]

Riela was with the Bonannos.

[Antiliar]

Boiardi should be Boiardo since he was the son of Ritchie the Boot Boiardo. The Lombardinos, I believe, were with the Colombos.

And look at how many aliases Charlie the Blade had: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... %20Tourine

[SonnyBlackstein]

Great stuff CC

[PolackTony]

And look at how many aliases Charlie the Blade had: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... %20Tourine

Whoa. CC is gonna have to dedicate a whole page in the chart just to Tourine and his nicknames.

Number of nicknames could be yet another variable representing the stature of a member, lol.

[B.]

- Accardo was a Lucchese member.

- Barrasso was a Colombo who transferred to DeCavalcantes.

- Here is the Boiardo crew circa 1963 according to FBI member sources and wiretaps:

Captain: Ruggiero Boiardo
Members:
Nicholas Aldarelli
Anthony Boiardo
Toby Paul Boyd
Peter Cavana
Anthony D'Ambrosio
Louis DeBenedetto
Eugene Farina
Andy Gerardo
John Luciania (Lucania?)
Victor Pisauro
Anthony Russo
John Russo
Charles Tourine
Ralph Vicaro

Suspected members:
Angelo Chieppa
Emilio Delio

[PolackTony]

- Accardo was a Lucchese member.

- Barrasso was a Colombo who transferred to DeCavalcantes.

- Here is the Boiardo crew circa 1963 according to FBI member sources and wiretaps:

Captain: Ruggiero Boiardo
Members:
Nicholas Aldarelli
Anthony Boiardo
Toby Paul Boyd
Peter Cavana
Anthony D'Ambrosio
Louis DeBenedetto
Eugene Farina
Andy Gerardo
John Luciania (Lucania?)
Victor Pisauro
Anthony Russo
John Russo
Charles Tourine
Ralph Vicaro

Suspected members:
Angelo Chieppa
Emilio Delio

Toby Boyd was also a Boiardo?