81e-Serrapede Family-Early 1950s-Sabatucch from Sea Beach (Part 1)

Introduction

While Emily and Frank settled into married life during the period 1950-1952 many events occurred in the Serrapede family that challenged Josie, Sam and Junior (Sammy).  In this posting we will focus on Sam’s mid-life change when he had to adjust to a long commute to a new job in Manhattan. 

Relationship Notes

Sam Serrapede was born in 1900 to Gennaro Serrapede and his wife, Emilia Pappalardo Serrapede.  Sam emigrated from his ancestral home town of Agropoli in Campania, Italy during the late 1920s.  He married Josie Muro in 1930. 

Sabatucch (pronounced Sabatooch) was a nickname Sam was given by members of the Muro family in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania.

Emily was Sam’s daughter, and Frank was his son-in-law.

Junior was Uncle Sammy’s nickname as a child.  He was also called Sabbatino by the older Italian relatives.

Michael Muro is the son of Raymond (Raymie)and Frances (nee Di Fiore) Muro.  Michael’s paternal grandparents were Nicola (Nick) and Rosina (Rose)(nee Aiello) Muro.

Michael Muro is a cousin of Sammy and EmilyAnn.

Family Story:  Sabatucch from Sea Beach

Sam’s profession is described as bootblack in the 1940 Federal Census.  Bootblack is what many people think of when imagining an old fashioned shoe shiner.  It meant more, though, than just shining shoes.  According to The Bootblack Wiki, the term originated in the 19^th century and designated a class of workers with knowledge about the care and maintenance of leather boots, shoes and other goods made from leather.  The term bootblack referred to a person with the skills to take care of leather goods, especially dress boots and shoes in the 19^th century.  These were always black, and had to be very shiny.  Thus the person who not only shined them but knew what they needed for their maintenance was called a bootblack.

Uncle Sammy shared with EmilyAnn, as Emily used to do, memories of Sam getting up early to work as a bootblack in a local barber shop.  Uncle Sammy added that Sam was the go-to person for everything that went on in the barber shop from cleaning it up to getting supplies for the barber or running errands for the owner.  Sam put in very long hours 6 days a week.  The trade-off was that he worked in Brooklyn, close to home, and did not have a long commute.  We think the barber shop may have been within walking distance.  The one detail we still do not have is where the barber shop was located and who the owner was.

75b-Muro Family in Wilmerding Highlights of the 1940-1950s

Introduction

We have seen how the forces of assimilation impact the first and second generation members of immigrant communities in America.  The Muro family was no different.  As the children of Nick and his first wife Letizia grew older, several moved out of state to seek suitable, well-paying employment and get settled in place of their own.  Josie, the eldest, came to Brooklyn, NY to get away from an involved situation with a young man who was promising marriage to her after he had already committed himself to another woman in Wilmerding.  Through relatives, Josie got work as a sewing machine operator.  Her marriage to Sam Serrapede, a hard working and resourceful bootblack/barbershop helper, enabled her to settle down into a modest degree of comfort within the same community as her maternal Auntie Elisa nearby.

Josie and Sam’s three room apartment became a meeting place for her siblings when they came to Brooklyn for a visit or to explore the possibility of relocation.  Her brother Peter came for a visit in late 1936 but returned to Wilmerding where he married Angeline Carola.  After their marriage Peter worked in Maryland for a few years.  Josie’s younger brother Louis took to riding the rails for a period of time during the Great Depression when young adults and teens saw no hope for a job and had no desire to remain stuck in their hometowns.  Lewis returned to Wilmerding but moved on to secure full-time work in Ohio where he settled down after marriage and raised his family.

Josie’s youngest sisters, Rosie and Philomena, also left Wilmerding when the time came to look for a job.  They each came to Brooklyn at different times and because of the help Josie and the other relatives gave were able to get jobs.  The three sisters were again together and their bonds grew even stronger.  Rosie and Philomena stayed in Brooklyn, married and raised their families here.

Nick, Rose and all the siblings still living in Wilmerding stayed in touch with Josie.  There were recurring visits back and forth at regular intervals.  Other relatives and paesani from Wilmerding would stop by when in Brooklyn and update Josie and Sam on family doings.  It is in this spirit that we present some highlights of the Muro family members who lived in Wilmerding during the 1940s through mid-1950s.  We hope you enjoy this little visit into our parlor for a cup of coffee and pastries as we look back on these family members and times past.

Special thanks to Rosina Coltellaro and Claudia Muro for access to their family trees and data about Sylvia and Susie Muro.  And a big “Thank You” to Fran Marasco for the photos of his parents, John and Betty Marasco, and his brother Richard.

Meet the children of Nick and Rose Muro

Nick’s first wife, Letizia Scotti Muro, passed away in 1921.  He married Rosina Aeillo Marasco, a widow with one son, and became father to her son John Marasco (1916-1987).  Rosina was known as Rose.  She and Nick became the parents of:

• John Marasco (1916-1987)
• Raymond Muro (1923-2007)
• Americo “Igo” Muro (1924-2012)
• Albino “Bino” Muro (1925-2002)
• Sylvia Muro (1930-1987)
• Angeline “Susie” Muro (b. 1936)

65-Serrapede Family-Back to Brooklyn, 1938

Introduction

In this posting we make the trip back from Wilmerding, Pennsylvania to our home town, Brooklyn, New York.  To bridge this change in I decided to share a family story Mom told me with Uncle Sammy.  It became the basis of an interlude in which I looked into means of travel between Brooklyn and Wilmerding.  I thought maybe cost was a factor in Grandma Josie’s decision to travel by rail instead of by bus.

I approached this matter as Josie would have by looking through the travel sections of the local newspapers.  For research I used several editions of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle published between 1936-1938.  I’ve no doubt that relatives and paesani were also a source of information on the pros and cons of each mode of transportation.  In 1938 Mom was 7 years old.  It seems about the right age for the events she described in her story.  They may have also occurred during the years 1936-1938 with some variation to the elements.  Mom had said that whenever she and Josie travelled to Wilmerding it was the same old story for a few years.  This lends support to my belief that the events were repeated until Josie could no longer carry them through because Mom was fast approaching what we now know as the ‘Tween Years (ages 9-12).

Relationship Notes

Josie Muro married Sam Serrapede in 1930.  Their daughter Emily Leatrice was born in 1931.  The family lived in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, New York.  Josie’s hometown was Wilmerding, Pennsylvania.

Josie and Sam were:

–Sammy’s parents

–EmilyAnn’s maternal Grandparents

Emily Leatrice was:

-Sammy’s sister

-EmilyAnn’s Mom

64-The Great Depression-Riding the rails in search of work

Introduction

Louis Muro was 15 when the effects of the Great Depression began to set in and spread outwards through the United States. As recorded in the 1930 Federal Census he was living with his parents and siblings in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. He had completed his schooling just two years before and graduated from 8th grade.

WABCO, the main employer in his hometown, was still in operation but there were slowdowns. Employees worked shorter shifts or fewer days resulting in less wages. A tight and well-integrated network of family and paesani that originated from Agropoli and carried over to America is the key factor for the Muro family getting through those difficult years. There was no safety net as we know it today. There were charities and church related outreach but these were limited. Even though family ties were strong there were still limited resources and problems with food, shelter and clothing challenged everyone.

Our cousin told us that Louis took to riding the boxcars during the Great Depression since he could not find work in Wilmerding. This was a new discovery since we had not heard of it in our own family or during our visits to relatives in Wilmerding. We researched the lifestyle of young boys, and some young girls, that took to riding the boxcars during the Great Depression. What we learned opened up an entire sub-culture that is not often written about in American history. The phenomenon was so wide spread that some estimates say over 250,000 teenagers took to travel in search of work or escape through moving into what was known as the hobo lifestyle. The actual number, though, will never be accurately stated since no records exist from the time period that attempted to track the growth and decline of this sub-culture.

Relationship Notes

Louis Muro was the son of Nick and Letizia (nee Scotti) Muro. He was born on (date) in Wilmerding, PA.

Josie Muro Serrapede was Louis’ eldest sister. She was Sammy’s Mother and EmilyAnn’s maternal Grandmother.

Louis was Sammy’s maternal Uncle and EmilyAnn’s Great Uncle.

What did the term “Riding the Rails” mean?

In the early 20th century men, and a very small percentage of women, took to riding the boxcars as a means to find work or just keep moving from place to place. People who followed this lifestyle were called tramps and were usually older, in their 20s and upwards. It wasn’t until the Great Depression that teenagers took up the lifestyle. The appeal of escaping the problems at home caused by chronic unemployment and limited resources inspired the teenagers with hope. Often those hopes were not clearly defined nor any plans clearly envisioned. Yet they took their chances as only young people can with hope, confidence and a lack of fear.

In rural areas where a railroad line ran through or near a town or farm, hoboes waited in hiding for the boxcars to come. They were willing to take a chance to go anywhere. The common reason given by teenagers was that being on the move was better than being in the same hopeless, stagnant situation each day.

The teenagers, and older people, who took to riding the rails were called hoboes during the Great Depression. The word was meant as a derogatory term and the attitude taken was one of denigration. But hoboes when they could find work entered the agricultural workforce performing such work as picking fruit or helping at harvest. A more accurate term, which we use today, is migratory worker but to be consistent with the source material we are using the term hobo will be used.

In 1933 a movie “Wild Boys of the Road” was released as a means to deter the growing trend among teenagers to enter the hobo lifestyle. It was a very grim look into what could happen to young boys unprepared for exposure to a bigger world where sickness, accidents, and crime awaited. The film took a heavy handed approach to discourage teens from the idea that the lifestyle was romantic. The message was to stay safe and stay home. The movie was a big hit with teenagers, though, and the message intended did not sink in. The possibility of finding work while being on the move fired up the imaginations of young people who daily saw their parents, neighbors and relatives struggling with difficulties that they had no part in creating.

61-Muro and Carola Families in America-Assimilation and Acculturation

Introduction

Acculturation occurs when an immigrant community begins to adapt some of the behaviors of the majority, mainstream culture.  Many of the traditions the community brought with them to America remain in force.  What takes place is a blending of the cultures so that there is a bi-cultural aspect in the lives of the immigrants and their descendants.  The cultural identity of the ancestral country is retained.

Assimilation is a by-product of acculturation.  It occurs when members of the immigrant community accept the values of the mainstream culture to such an extent that they no longer bear the cultural identity which once differentiated them.  The characteristics of the culture from which the family originated are replaced by those of the majority in their new homeland.

We used the 1940 Federal Census entries for the Muro and Carola families to see if we find acculturation and assimilation occurring in the lives of the second generation of these Italian-American families.

Relationship Notes

Sam and Josie (nee Muro) Serrapede were Sammy’s parents and EmilyAnn’s maternal grandparents.

Peter Muro was the younger brother of Josie Muro Serrapede.

Angie Carola Muro was Peter’s wife and mother of Nick, Robert and Peter.  Angie’s name appears as Mary Angela Carola on her marriage license.  In some Federal Census records it appears as Angeline.  She was the daughter of Guy and Rose Carola.  Angie’s siblings were Raffaele, Nicola (Nick), Christina, Antoinette, James, Ralph and George.

Family of Peter and Angie Muro in the 1940 Federal Census

1940 Federal Census with entries for the family of Peter and Angie Muro.

Peter Muro answered the questions for his household when the enumerator visited to record his entry for the 1940 Federal Census.  Peter and Angie had a 1 year old son named Nick.  The family was living at 246 Albermarle Street in Baltimore, Maryland.  Peter was working as a laborer in an aircraft company and had made $500 in 1939.  He’d only worked 20 weeks that year.  Rent on the apartment in Maryland was $12 a month.

In columns 17-20 the census enumerator had to enter where the family lived as of April 1, 1935.  The answer recorded for Peter and Angie is “same place” meaning they were in the same house in Baltimore since 1935.  This is incorrect because in 1936 we know Peter was working in Brooklyn, NY (link to Bergen Beach posting).  When Peter and Angie applied for their marriage license in 1937 both lived in Wilmerding.

By accepting work out of state and in a different industry, Peter was no longer following the pattern of traditional behavior observed by the first generation.  Peter was not working at Westinghouse Air Brake Company like his father did and he did not work in his father’s grocery store.  He also did not stay in the same town after his marriage.  By moving out of state with his wife and child Peter was adapting to life in America.  We do not know if there were relatives in Baltimore but if not that was another change in lifestyle.  Usually the second generation retained close ties to their relatives and paeasni.  The social capital of a network of friends and relatives to secure employment and housing may or may not have remained strong.  With the economic necessity to secure any kind of work as the Depression continued into the late 1930s, it was essential to put aside old world customs in favor of what was most expedient to secure a livelihood.

57-Serrapede and Muro Families in America-Bergen Beach, 1936

Introduction

Josie’s photo album contains two photos of an outing her brother Peter Muro and husband Sam took to Bergen Beach in Brooklyn during June 1936. At first we thought Peter was in Brooklyn for a short visit. We got in touch with Claudia Muro in Pennsylvania for some help with questions we have about Peter’s life during the 1930s and 1940s. Claudia is married to Peter’s youngest son Robert. The information she provided expands the story behind the photos. It also provides a possible link to other paesani in the Serrapede family’s network who may have helped Peter while he was in Brooklyn. We also learned quite a bit of local history as we pieced together a short history of Bergen Beach. What started out as a posting about two photos turned into a pleasant journey back in time based on the memories Uncle Sammy and Robert shared. It also validated family stories Mom passed on to me about my Grandpa Sam’s attitudes towards visits from relatives. The shorter they were the better to his liking.

Relationship Notes

Josie Muro Serrapede (1909-1995) was the wife of Sam Serrapede (1900-2002). They were the parents of Emily, Gerry and Sammy.

Peter Muro (1913-1992) was Josie’s younger brother. Their parents were Nick and Letizia Muro.

Emily Leatrice Serrapede (1931-2011) was EmilyAnn’s Mom and Sammy’s sister.

Bergen Beach, Brooklyn-June 1936

There are two photos from Peter Muro’s vacation in Brooklyn during June of 1936. One is of Sam in a rowboat looking very unhappy as he sits hunched over some rope in the boat.   On this photo Josie wrote “Bergen Beach, June 1936.” The other photo shows her brother Peter enjoying himself during the little excursion on the water.

The family knew that Sam did not encourage prolonged stays when the relatives from Pennsylvania came to visit. The Serrapede family was living in a very small apartment so the addition of one or two guests meant the living room would be crowded. Sam would not be able to relax and read his newspapers or listen to the radio when he came home from work. Sam never declined a request from his in-laws or own relatives when they needed a place to stay for a short time. He let Josie take care of the meal planning, sleeping arrangements and sightseeing activities. He felt that the little apartment was first and foremost a refuge for him, his wife and their children. Given the size of Josie’s family (11 siblings altogether) he thought it was the reasonable and right thing to make it clear what the guidelines were as far as staying over. He was very upfront, in a polite way, about that point.

Uncle Sammy and I saw this trait at work in Sam throughout his life. He was passionate about his privacy and having the full attention of his wife, children and grandchildren. Sam was dubbed “The Codge” by Uncle Sammy, a nickname we use with great affection whenever he comes to mind. Although “The Codge” would complain about all the work a visit from the relatives made, he was the first one to pour a glass of wine for the visitors and then engage them in a conversation.

The photographs used in this posting were digitized in 2014. The service we used eliminated the decorative borders around the photos as well as Josie’s handwritten comments.

Peter Muro in Brooklyn, NY 1936

In her email reply of April 16, 2016 Claudia Muro informed us that Peter came up to Brooklyn at the recommendation of his sisters. We think these were his oldest sister Josie and his second sister Filomena, both who were living in Brooklyn. His third sister, Rosie, was just 15 years old at the time. We do not think she came to Brooklyn until a few years later.

Family Story: “Please Stay!”

Introduction

Nick and Rose Muro are my maternal Great Grandparents through my Grandmother Josie Muro Serrapede.  Philomena and Rosie were my Grandmother’s sisters and my Great Aunts.  Since I was so close to my Mom and her generation I called them my Aunties.

This story is about Auntie Philomena.

Philomena’s mother Letizia passed away when she was a young child.  Nicola married again a few months later.  His new wife, Rosina, was a widow with a young son.  Rosina had five small children to become a mother to upon marrying Nicola.  She enforced her new role through the strict manner in which she ran the household.

Everyone in Wilmerding called Nicola and Rosina by their American names, Nick and Rose.  Their American names are used in the telling of this story.

Family Story

Title:  “Please stay!”

Time Period:  1930s through 1940s

Locations:  Wilmerding, PA and Brooklyn, NY

Summary:  Coming to America dealt a change in lifestyle Nicola never expected.

Nick journeyed to Calabria after the death of his first wife Letizia.  He met and proposed to Rose while there.  Rose, a young widow with one son, accepted his proposal.  They were married within the year.  Rose had a big job waiting for her in America:  to become mother to Nick’s 5 young children by Letizia.

Rose soon began having her own children by Nicola.  As the household increased in size Letizia’s oldest children got more chores to do everyday.  Rose wanted to be a mother to all the children but her strictness did not lend itself to that perception amongst Letizia’s children.  Although Letizia and Rose’s children got along very well and had good relationships for all their lives, Letizia’s children were never completely on-course with Rose.

Letizia’s three daughters were, in this order, Josie, Philomena and Rosie.

Josie was the first to leave in the late 1920s to get a job in Brooklyn.  She married within 18 months and made Brooklyn her new hometown.  Back in Wilmerding, the extra chores then fell on the next of Letizia’s daughters, Philomena.  Every morning she had to clean the floors in the children’s rooms.  Philomena was up very early mopping the floors and scrubbing the corners of the rooms.  All this was completed before she went to school.

After graduating school at age 14 Philomena decided she wanted to move to New York.  Once her sister Josie was married and living on 66th Street in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, Philomena slowly considered, prayed and eventually realized her plans to came up to Brooklyn.   This happened within a few years of graduating.

Nick pleaded with Philomena to stay in Wilmerding.  His sons Louis and Peter were also going out-of-state in search of work.  Nick said, “Dearest daughter, per piacere! Stay with us.  My blood is going all over the country.”  Philomena was not moved.  She proceeded with her plans.

Philomena got on board the train and made it up to New York.  She headed straight for Josie and her brother-in-law Sam.  Once she had gotten a job, Philomena had a discussion with her brother-in-law Sam.  Sam said it was better that Philomena get her own place.  The apartment he and Josie shared could not accommodate another adult since his daughter Emily needed her own room. Sam and Josie wanted to have another baby, too.

Philomena persevered and succeeded.  Her hard work and gentle nature won over a family in the theater who hired her as a nanny.  That was an experience Philomena always treasured and a story for another time.

In time Rosie came up to Brooklyn, too.  She had the assistance of Josie and Philomena.

Nick was saddened by the movement of his children away from the town he had settled in.  He had expected them to remain close so he could see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in future years.

This was America and the family dynamic had changed.  Even if Letizia had not died the Muro family was no longer in Agropoli.  America offered opportunities family never had back in Italy.  Sooner or later, the movement away from the first generation who settled here was going to happen.

—As told to EmilyAnn Frances May by Philomena’s son
November 1, 2015

45-Muro Family in America: Josie comes to Brooklyn, 1929

Josie Muro in 1929.

Introduction

Josie Muro was the daughter of Nicola and Letizia (nee Scotti) Muro. She was born in 1909 in Agropoli and came to the United States with her mother in 1912. Her father came a few years earlier in order to secure work and a place to live. The family settled in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania.

Josie came up to Brooklyn, NY sometime between 1928 and 1929. My Mom told me of the events leading up to it in a general way but without too many details. As a child, Uncle Sammy learned of a similar version of the story.

The information obtained from our reviews of the 1920 Federal Census in Wilmerding and the 1925 New York State Census entries for Brooklyn, NY helped fill in the spaces that existed in our knowledge regarding the story of Josie’s coming to Brooklyn. We shared what we knew. Then using the factual evidence from the Census records created a time line that provides us with a framework to better understand events that were in place before, during and after Josie’s move to Brooklyn.

44-The Errico Family: From Wilmerding to Brooklyn, 1920-1925

Acknowledgement

We have used the charts of descent for the Scotti family available at ImaginesMairoum, the site presenting the genealogical data compiled by Anthony Vermandois. This data has been collected from Agropoli and other towns in Campania province, Salerno.

For the other documentation used please see the Resources section at the end of this posting.

Introduction

In our last posting we introduced Josie Muro. She was the eldest child in a family grew in size to 11 children by the early 1930s. Variations of a family story recounting why Josie left Wilmerding, Pennsylvania at the age of 18 or 19 to come to Brooklyn, New York provided a bare minimum of details. By using the census records and ships passenger lists for other relatives we are gaining insights into what happened to facilitate Josie’s move up to Brooklyn.

We will turn our attention to the contacts the Muro family had in Brooklyn who, we are certain, helped Josie in the very quick move her parents had her make from Wilmerding to Brooklyn. The story gets more interesting as the details fall into place.

Josie’s Zia Elisa

Josie’s mother, Letizia passed away in 1921 when Josie was 12 years old. We think Letizia was a weakened by an accident in the previous year plus the frequency of her pregnancies. Nick Muro, Josie’s father, married Rose (Rosina) Aiello Marasco in late 1921 – early 1922. We know from Josie’s own discussions with us that she had many chores and errands to perform each day to help Rose with the household.

Letizia’s two sisters, Concetta and Elisa, also lived nearby in Wilmerding. The Scotti family remained close to Letizia’s children during the lifetimes of the first generation of our family in America. Josie enjoyed long phone calls with Elisa. I remember during the times we visited, that even if she were cooking in the kitchen, she’d take time out to sit down and listen to what her Aunt was calling about.

42b-Muro Family in America-Rosina comes to America

Acknowledgement

A big thank you goes out to Francis Marasco and Rosina Coltellaro for their contributions to our family history project. Their support has enabled us to present a well rounded look into the life of Rosina Aiello Marasco Muro. Francis is Rosina’s grandson and Rosina Coltellaro is her niece.

For the first part of this series please see:

42a-Muro Family in America-Rosina Aiello Marasco of Martirano

Leaving Italy

Drawing of the S.S. America.

Passenger list of the S.S. America.