Need a survey of the pre-1931 history

[Ivan]

What's the best resource, or what are the best resources, providing a detailed overview of the ancient history of the American Cosa Nostra, from those guys who might have been the first Gambinos in 1870 or even earlier things all the way through D'Aquila's killing and the Castellamarese War? Coverage of people like Taranto, LoMonte, etc.

This is kind of a gaping hole in my uh education and any leads would be greatly appreciated.

[B.]

CC, Antiliar, and Lennert on here wrote what I consider the New Testament of NYC mafia history: http://informer-journal.blogspot.com/20 ... ormer.html

It's a game-changer from people who truly "get it" and provides the best understanding currently available.

[Ivan]

CC, Antiliar, and Lennert on here wrote what I consider the New Testament of NYC mafia history: http://informer-journal.blogspot.com/20 ... ormer.html

It's a game-changer from people who truly "get it" and provides the best understanding currently available.

Great, will order this for reading after surgery I'm having here in a week (will be down for like 10 days after, will give me something to do!). Thanks a lot!

[PolackTony]

Given that you wrote “American Cosa Nostra”, worth keeping in mind that NYC was only a part, not the whole, of that history. NOLA was the earliest Family in the US, but there’s good evidence that the mafia was established in cities like STL, Chicago, San Francisco as early as the 1870s-80s. These either predated or (more likely, I think) were coeval with the emergence of the mafia in NYC. That history isn’t all in one neatly bundled account. The discussions of these questions on this forum are, without a doubt, the state of the art; you won’t find anything better than what you’ll find here but you’ll have to dig and sift a lot.

Most of what little we know about the earlier mafia centers on NYC. As B. stated, Antiliar, CC, and Lennert’s Informer article is the best foundational source on the earliest era of NYC history. David Critchley’s book is also a must read, as he further touches on the mafia in other cities while focusing primarily on NYC.

[PolackTony]

Should also add the October 2020 issue of Informer, which focuses on Nicola Gentile. Gentile’s accounts (he gave accounts to both US Federal investigators and a memoir authored by Italian journalist Felice Chilanti) are the best firsthand oral history of the Us mafia spanning the period before and after the Castellemmarese War.

http://informer-journal.blogspot.com/20 ... y.html?m=1

Best of luck with your surgery.

[B.]

Yeah, the Gentile one too goes perfect w/ the other one.

Also Ivan... stay away from the tables until you're recovered man haha.

[The Greek]

CC, Antiliar, and Lennert on here wrote what I consider the New Testament of NYC mafia history: http://informer-journal.blogspot.com/20 ... ormer.html

It's a game-changer from people who truly "get it" and provides the best understanding currently available.

Agreed. This issue is incredible.

[Ivan]

Yeah, the Gentile one too goes perfect w/ the other one.

Also Ivan... stay away from the tables until you're recovered man haha.

Haha thanks. I actually haven't played in a long time because I had this endless losing streak (even with card counting) and I just got bored with it.

I read the Critchley book a million years ago but remember little about it. Also I try to look up ancient history stuff in the archives here but either the search function sucks or I'm not using it properly. Links to relevant threads might be helpful if anyone knows of any.

Polack Tony: Yes I did say "American" in the broad sense rather than just "New York" for exactly the reason you're assuming. Starts in New Orleans in the 1850s, right?

The REALLY ancient shit (like, before 1890) is especially interesting to me.

[B.]

That's good you've already read Dave's book. The May 2014 Informer expands on some of the same ideas and updates it.

Celeste Morello's books on early Philly are great and she made them available for free online in recent years: https://digital.library.villanova.edu/C ... udl:428061

I credit her with opening my mind to the early mafia and helping me understand the Sicilian roots, Americanization, etc. The first book or two is a little dry but great research -- I think you'd be into the third book since it starts to connect more to the period we're all more familiar with.

Third Morello book: https://digital.library.villanova.edu/I ... 494%2C4031

[Antiliar]

Tom Hunt cowrote a book on Joseph Macheca, which goes into early New Orleans. He also cowrote a book on early Buffalo.

In the books section in this forum I compiled a list of books for recommended reading for Chicago and New York, which includes the early stuff.

Sam Carlino put out a good book on early Pueblo, Colorado. For Boston, I wrote a lengthy article in Informer Journal on Gaspare Messina, the boss Nick Gentile wrote about: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/273306. A recent issue of Informer deals with early California: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2055798

William Ouseley wrote the first history of the early Kansas City mob, "Open City." The KC Public Library also has a great website that includes free downloads of early KC Mafia material: https://kchistory.org/blog/new-collecti ... rime-files

Scott Deitche has books out on early Tampa and New Jersey: http://www.scottdeitche.com/books.html

Scott Burnstein wrote "Motor City Mafia" about the early Detroit mob. Daniel Waugh has written about early St. Louis and Detroit.

[Ivan]

Thanks guys.

I read Morello's books a long time ago. I'm glad she put forth the effort, but holy crap her prose is borderline unreadable.

Looking over the Informer issue now, browsing the part about Guiseppe Esposito.

[Chaps]

Take care Ivan. I hope the surgery goes well and with little discomfort. On your question I have little more to add as everyone seems to have it covered. I too strongly encourage you to read the Informer article.

[PolackTony]

Tom Hunt cowrote a book on Joseph Macheca, which goes into early New Orleans. He also cowrote a book on early Buffalo.

In the books section in this forum I compiled a list of books for recommended reading for Chicago and New York, which includes the early stuff.

Sam Carlino put out a good book on early Pueblo, Colorado. For Boston, I wrote a lengthy article in Informer Journal on Gaspare Messina, the boss Nick Gentile wrote about: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/273306. A recent issue of Informer deals with early California: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2055798

William Ouseley wrote the first history of the early Kansas City mob, "Open City." The KC Public Library also has a great website that includes free downloads of early KC Mafia material: https://kchistory.org/blog/new-collecti ... rime-files

Scott Deitche has books out on early Tampa and New Jersey: http://www.scottdeitche.com/books.html

Scott Burnstein wrote "Motor City Mafia" about the early Detroit mob. Daniel Waugh has written about early St. Louis and Detroit.

We should add Gavin Schmitt's book and website on the Milwaukee outfit:
https://milwaukeemafia.com/

[Antiliar]

Tom Hunt cowrote a book on Joseph Macheca, which goes into early New Orleans. He also cowrote a book on early Buffalo.

In the books section in this forum I compiled a list of books for recommended reading for Chicago and New York, which includes the early stuff.

Sam Carlino put out a good book on early Pueblo, Colorado. For Boston, I wrote a lengthy article in Informer Journal on Gaspare Messina, the boss Nick Gentile wrote about: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/273306. A recent issue of Informer deals with early California: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2055798

William Ouseley wrote the first history of the early Kansas City mob, "Open City." The KC Public Library also has a great website that includes free downloads of early KC Mafia material: https://kchistory.org/blog/new-collecti ... rime-files

Scott Deitche has books out on early Tampa and New Jersey: http://www.scottdeitche.com/books.html

Scott Burnstein wrote "Motor City Mafia" about the early Detroit mob. Daniel Waugh has written about early St. Louis and Detroit.

We should add Gavin Schmitt's book and website on the Milwaukee outfit:
https://milwaukeemafia.com/

Definitely

[motorfab]

Speaking of Detroit early History, Vinnitta by Daniel Waugh is also a great read.

Good luck for your surgery Ivan !