Something About the Italians in Jamestown
by Rosella M. Agostine

  Agostine, Rosella.  "Italian Immigrants Sought Better Life in Jamestown," Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal, 5 July 1986, Tempo p6T.
        The Post-Journal website:  http://post-journal.com/

Italian Immigrants Sought Better Life in Jamestown

   The following article appeared in The Post-Journal, Jamestown ,NY, July 5, 1986.

   This is one of a series of articles on Jamestown's ethnic groups. It was conceived and organized by Rosella Agostine as part of the Jamestown centennial celebration and is intended to tell the story of each group and recognize its members' contributions to the city's development. The authors are all members of the ethnic groups about which they write. Miss Agostine's history, which follows, was written for the Italian Festival in 1975 and revised this year.

   By Rosella Agostine

        Did you know that:

        Italian colonists settled in Virginia even before the Pilgrim fathers landed on Plymouth Rock?
        A group of 168 Italians landed in New York in 1656?
        The first glass factory in Virginia was built by Italians in 1621?
        The first skilled workers in Georgia (in 1732) were Italians?
        The Coronado expedition of 1540 was led by the Italian Marco?
        The Italian Vigo made possible the conquest of the territory now including Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin?
        Some of the words in the Declaration of Independence are found in an article written by Mazzei in 1774 and translated by Jefferson?
        One of the signatures of the Declaration was that of an Italian, Wm. Paca?
        The U.S. Marine Band was organized by Italians in 1805?
        The co-founder of Detroit and its governor for two years was named Tonti?
        More than 200 Italian officers, including four generals, served in the Union Army during the Civil War?
        General Di Cesnola, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Civil War, was director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1879 to the time of his death in 1902?
        Several of the Catholic seminaries and colleges in America were founded by Italians?
        Gonzaga University was founded by Father Cataldo and Boston College was at one time presided over by Father Russo?
        An Italian was a partner of J.P. Morgan?
        Gaetano Lanza was the founder, and for 29 years the head, of the department of mechanical engineering at MIT?
        An Italian-American cowboy and detective born in Texas in 1855 wrote a book of which more than 1 million copies have been sold?
        The above facts and hundreds more are documented in Four Centuries of Italian-American History, by Giovanni Schiavo.

    The history of the Italian immigration in Jamestown began 99 years ago, and it is sketched here with emphasis on the contributions of the Italians and the Italian-Americans to the economic and cultural development of the city.

    Most of the Italians arrived here after 1900, and in greater numbers after 1910. They were, with few exceptions, from Sicily, particularly Totorici, Valledolma, Marianopoli, and rural areas.

    The first were the Bottini brothers, who came in 1887 from Northern Italy. Al Bottini, born Dec. 8, 1892, was the first Italian-American in Jamestown. His father started a grocery store in Brooklyn Square in 1892.

    Everywhere in America there was need of labor, skilled and unskilled, as it was a period of tremendous expansion from the industrial revolution that began in the latter half of the 19th century. Agents and ships were provided to bring immigrants here at their own expense.

    In Italy, some agricultural laborers were getting 2 to 10 cents for a full days work. When they heard of the 85 cents generally paid in America, they left their homes to achieve a better life.

    In Italy, a typical immigrant had a small house, very little furniture and a bit of land on which to raise vegetables. Many had all kinds of fruits and nuts available on their own property or cheaply acquired. For these people, America was indeed a land of opportunity, especially since women could also earn "fabulous" wages.

    Not all came directly to Jamestown. Some came by way of Louisiana, the mines of Pennsylvania, Buffalo, or Dunkirk-Fredonia, where vegetables, vineyards and fruits provided familiar work.

    Jamestown attracted the Italians in ever-growing numbers because of the work available to the men in the Broadhead brickyard and Fairmount Rose Gardens, furniture factories an the city public works department, which needed many bricklayers and helpers to install the sewage system. In 1900, the City Council voted to discontinue wooden sidewalks and the new cement sidewalks provided jobs for the immigrants. The women could work in the woolen mills in Jamestown and Falconer and in the Smith Cotton Mill. The usual pay was $7 for a 55-hour week.

    Generally, the man came first, boarded with a family, and when he had earned enough, sent for the wife and/or family.

    Some of the immigrants were artisans or had apprentice skills: shoemakers, cabinetmakers, woodcarvers, tailors, barbers, dressmakers, metalsmiths, etc. Some were trained in music.

    These men were more fortunate as some could start their own small businesses. However, not all were able to do so. They had to work at unskilled jobs for lack of language, money or opportunity.

    By 1910, there were only 2,000 Italians in the area. They helped each other- and got help from non-Italians too. Among those who assisted them was Guiseppe Saeli, who established a general merchandising store in 1907. This gradually developed into one of the largest steamship agencies in Western New York. Anthony Agostine, who was trained in Roman law, was instrumental in solving most of their legal problems in Italy and also took care of the correspondence of many as most were illiterate. The Rev. James Carra was sent here in 1910 to establish a church for the Italian Catholics, who up to this time had attended SS. Peter and Paul Church. St. James Church was built in 1914. Its bells were cast upon the premises by Nicola Salva, a skilled founder from Tortorici. Father Carra found jobs when needed for his parishioners and appeared in court on their behalf, besides taking care of their spiritual needs.

    Carmelo S. Cala, who was the first to leave Tortorici, was generous in giving of his time, money and effort to help others. He organized the Italian-American League and was one of the founders of the Sons of Italy. These and other organizations aided in bringing the immigrants together to share their hopes, ideas and know-how.

    Salvatore Paterniti, who came to Jamestown in 1898, was a highly respected resident, frequently called upon to interpret for Italians in court and in various legal matters.

    In 1923, Frank Costanzo was licensed as a funeral director and embalmer. Until 1950 when he retired because of ill health, Costanzo translated many documents into English and implemented the process of bringing family members here for many Italians and Italian-Americans.

    Several families started out before 1920 with pushcarts, going through the residential areas to sell fruits and vegetables, at first grown here by them. These included Joe and Sam Trass, Frank Donato, brothers Agostine and Tony Comella, G.T. Battle, and Tom Conti.

    As demand increased, they bought trucks and went to the Buffalo markets in the early hours of the morning to get their fruits and vegetables. The demand continued as they began, in the 20s, to have these shipped in carload lots from Buffalo. They then divided them for their warehouses, and distributed them to the individual stores. Today none of these businesses is left.

    The Valone and Landy families provided dry-cleaning services for many years. The Valones started in Dunkirk in 1900, then came to Jamestown after World War I. The Landys started in Jamestown in 1915, branching into the sale of furs - the Lady Fur Company, which discontinued business in 1972, with the deaths of Fred Landy, who was prominent in the Democratic Party, and his charming wife Sarah. The dry-cleaning continued separately.

    These families provided much-needed expertise in the dry-cleaning and dyeing services to the people of Jamestown.

    A good many of Italians were musicians. In 1910, Philip Crucilla and others loosely organized a group of players. From 1913 to 1917, Joseph Triscari became its director- and the Imperial Band took form, including Joshua Joy (director 1918-1940), Achille Paladino (accomplished clarinetist), John LaJohn (who has been giving clarinet, saxophone, and piano lessons at his studio since 1959), Vincent Joy, Frank Giunta and others. Giunta has played in many bands and at many places. At the time the Goranson Bandshell was dedicated to Arthur Goranson, band director at Jamestown High School for many years, Giunta presented a concert which included the Goranson March as well as others of his compositions- and some arranged by him.

    The Imperial Band played at saints' feast day ceremonies, Celeron Park, Allen Park, Decoration Day parades, street dances (usually on Water Street), on Chautauqua Lake steamers, and at Sunday night dances, among other occasions. They played at nearby communities, too, until the band was discontinued in 1940. Some of the members joined the Jamestown Concert Band, which was formed by uniting various bands. It should be mentioned that the Imperial Band also played at weddings, baptisms, and other functions in homes after the ceremony.

    Although the Italian immigrants had very little money, their good nature, happy dispositions, ambition and great respect for education led them to save, some literally pennies, to get members through high school and college. In 1915, Michael Lombardo became the first Italian-American to graduate from Jamestown High School. He went into the practice of law, as did Samuel Alessi and Tuby Scarpino. These lawyers were depended upon by the Italians as they could speak their language. Their practice was not, of course, confined to the Italian community.

    Dr. James F. Valone, whose parents came to America in 1893, graduated  from the University of Buffalo in 1914, then came to practice medicine here, the first of the Italian-American doctors.  He was followed by Dr. George F. Caccamise.  Caccamise's parents, as did all the others, worked hard to get him through the University of Buffalo.  He came to Jamestown in 1921, where he served most patients without pay during the Depression. His was a tremendous professional compassion for his patients. After graduation, he assumed responsibility for putting three brothers through college: Joseph, medicine; James, dentistry; and Charles, pharmacy. He died July 8, 1973.

    Dr. Nathaniel Barone was another early doctor. He came here in 1922. Dr. Vincent Castile, dentist, came in 1918. Dr. Peter Vitanza began his practice in Jamestown in 1937. He was a heart specialist. One of his daughters, Dr. Lillian Ney, is now director of cardiology at WCA hospital.

    Other professions followed; teaching, nursing, architecture, engineering and so on. Gradually, the first and second generation branched into technology, construction, plumbing, electrical work and many other occupations.

    Mention should be made of the custom of celebrating a baptism, confirmation or wedding as a social event shared by all. In the early days, no invitations were given. Everyone feasted and danced to lively music. The children were always included.

    Winemaking was an annual event with crates and crates of Concord grapes delivered in front of the homes where children gleefully nibbled. There were few wine presses, and these were loaned from one to another. A great deal of pride went with the sparkle, color and taste of one's wine, causing long discussions as to whose was the best.

    Early generations began making popular such foods as spaghetti and meat balls, manicotti, ravioli, lasagna, green salads, and a great variety of cookies, as well as pizza. Pizza was originated by the Italian housewife, who, when baking bread, decided to take some of the dough, stretch it, and layer it with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, sliced onions, oregano, cheese, and -when she had some- pieces of anchovies to give it a tang. Then she baked it along with her bread in her large, domed corner built-in oven made of bricks and mortar. Imagination has led to piling on green peppers, mushrooms and everything at hand.
 

    The Italian immigrant received much help from such men as the Broadheads, Maddoxes, Mayor Samuel Carlson, the Kents, the Baileys, the Doubledays and others.

    From Italians, they became Italian-Americans, but with the third and fourth generation, Italian-American has become a misnomer. The young people today think of Italy if at all as no more than a location on the map of Europe. Italy is as remote as France or Spain or any other country.

    In the process of Americanization, they gave a great deal - and received as much from the community. It is up to the present generation in every ethnic group to maintain respect for each other in the brotherhood of mankind - and to fight for that spirit of democracy which underlies brotherhood, along with the love of God.

02/02/2004

jpl