Lancaster County Historical Society-History of Italian American History-2

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LANCASTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The mission of the Lancaster County Historical Society is to actively collect, preserve,
interpret and make accessible materials representing Lancaster County history.
The JOURNAL is published quarterly by the publications committee of the
Lancaster County Historical Society. Articles, both academic and non-academic,
pertaining to any aspect of Lancaster County history are actively solicited. For a
submission guide, or to discuss a project, you are invited to contact John W W
Loose, Editor-in-Chief, at (717) 392-4633 or by mail or e-mail. Manuscripts may
also be sent directly to Mr. Loose for review.
Publications Committee
,,
,,r
,..,,
^ ,_
Associate Editors
S. Kendrick Eshleman III. M.D.
John Ward Willson Loose, FLCHS
, ,,
Marianne Heckles
Editor-in-Chief
Wllliam Kran[z
(Jack.Loose@lancasterhistory.org)
Jean Maysilles, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Michael L. Abel, FLCHS, Managing Editor
Albert W Drepperd, Index Editor
H. Herbert Poole, Jr., Ph.D.

David Schuyler, Ph.D.
Martha Tyzenhouse
Thomas
Wmpenny, Ph.D.
Stacy B. C. Wood, Jr., FLCHS
Lancaster County Historical Society Hours of Operation

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Tuesday, Thursday 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM,
Closed Sunday, Monday and legal holidays.
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Memberships are available at these levels:
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Please send your name and address to the historical society, along with a check indicating
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US ISSN 0023-7477 Abstracted and indexed in America: History and Life, cited in the Journal of
American History, and in Periodical Source Index. The Lancaster County Historical Society assumes
no responsibility for the accuracy of references and notes contained herein, nor for the statements
and opinions of contributors.
Copyright 2007, Lancaster County Historical Society. All Rights Reserved.
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VOLUME 109, NUMBER 1
SPRING 2007
The Battleship Maine. Article starts on page 36,

Cover illustration: Members oj the Italian American Club Auxiliary march in the Flag Day
parade. LCHS A-10-01-28. Article starts on page 2.
A Brief History of the Italian-American Community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
James]. Lombardo .................................................................. 2
The Lancastrian Who Went Down with the Maine
Patrick McSherry .................................................................. 36
Lancaster County Communities: Slaymakertown to Sun Flower
John Ward Willson Loose, FLCH5 ............................................... 44
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THE JOURNAL OF THE LANCASTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A Brief History of the Italian-American

Community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
James J. Lombardo
I
Members of Lancaster's Italian American Club Auxiliary march in the Flag Dav parade. LCHS A-W-01-28
JAMES J. LOMBARDO was born in Lancaster in 1943. A second generation Italian-American, Jim's grandparents on both his mother and father's side
immigrated to America from Gasperina. Italy in the period 1910-1915 and experienced Ellis Island. Jim grew up in a typical Italian household and
neighborhood in Lancaster City, attended St. Man's and Lancaster Catholic High Schools and served honorably in the U.S. Air Force. He graduated
Millersville University and recently retired from an executive position with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania having served under seven governors. Jim
and his family visited Italy and Gaspenna and they still communicate with his relatives living there. Jim and his wife Karen have two daughters, Gina
and Andrea.
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VOLUME 109, NUMBER 1, SPRING 2007
The Early Italian Immigrants

In 1791, only eight of the 28,552 people living in Philadelphia had been born in Italy
Fiftynine years later, the number of Italian-bom immigrants was just 172 in all of Pennsylvania.1
By 1900, the census listed 484,207 Italian-born persons throughout the country, 66,655 of
whom were located in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia ranked second, behind New York, of cities
with the largest number of Italian-bom residents. Pittsburgh ranked eighth, and Scranton made
the list at 23rd. The year 1907 was the peak year for Italian immigration into the United
States with 285,732 native-born Italians entering this country. By 1930, 225,979 native-born
Italians were living in Pennsylvania. The reasons for Italian emigration are many and varied.
Economics, poverty, ecological disasters and the dream of a good life led many, especially
those from the Mezzogiorno region (literally, "middle of the day" a term Italians use to refer
to the brutal heat of Southern Italy and Sicily), to America. Most of the immigrants who came
to Pennsylvania between 1880 and 1930 were predominantly male between the ages of
fourteen and forty and most were from Southern Italy.
A visitor to Ellis Island in New York can see what life was like for immigrants, especially during
the first few years of their arrival in the "new world." One dis-play in particular describes the
dream of life in America:
"Well, I came to America because I heard
the streets were paved with gold. When I
got here, I found out three things:
First: The streets were not paved with
gold,
Second: They were not paved at all,
Third: I was expected to pave them!"
Italian immigrants tended to concentrate into the big cities of the Northeast. They arrived
during the time of city building in America and could find work and housing, albeit crowded and
substandard, in the cities. "Little Italys" formed in the cities, and were it not for the strong ties
of family values and culture, many would not have survived the ordeal.
Early Italians
John Palma was the first recorded Italian to reside in Philadelphia. Signore Palma is recorded
as having conducted what is thought to be the first public music concert in America in 1757
Philadelphia.2
Another notable Italian was artist John Casam. In 1850, Signore Casani arrived in
Philadelphia from Venice and among his works is counted the William Penn statue that still
stands on top of City Hall.3
However, the indefatigable Lancaster historian, W U. Hensel, -writing in volume 16 of the Journal
of the Lancaster County Historical Society in 1912, tells of an Italian artist, Luigi Persico, a native of
Naples, who arrived in Lancaster in 1819 where he advertised his profession of portrait-painting. He
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became a friend of James Buchanan who was greatly impressed with Persicos ability and enthusiasm
for learning the English language. After some years in Lancaster, Persico went to New York where his
artistry in sculpture was developed. When the U.S. Capitol in Washington was being ornamented, with
the help of Senator Buchanan, Mr. Persico won the commission to produce sculpture on the tympanum
of the eastern front of the Capitol. He completed the Colum-bus group in 1844.4
Employment and settlement patterns caused many Italian immigrants to abandon the agricultural
life they knew in Italy to take jobs as common laborers and unskilled workers in the new world. Still
others carried their trades with them and began work as tailors, bakers, shoemakers and masons.
Many were forced to move in with relatives and pool resources in order to survive.
As these immigrants managed to make their way in their new country, they sent for relatives and
family to join them. With many Italian immigrants already in Pennsylvania, it is easy to see why so
many more immigrants chose Pennsylvania. In 1897 the author Maude Howe visited the village of
Roccaraso in the Abruzzi province of Southern Italy. Shortly thereafter she wrote: "The women do
practi-cally all of the work of the community; they dig, plough, sow, and reap." The reason, she
learned from the village mayor, was that all the men, approximately 400 stonemasons, migrated to
"Pittsbourgo" for work and a new life in America.5
From that auspicious beginning, the Italian dissemination throughout Pennsylvania has been both
diverse and prolific. Evety region of this great state has recorded Italian names and those Italian
names are often associated with some major contribution to the building of Pennsylvania. Italian
immigrants and their descendants play a role in many a local history and have helped to build a
community through infrastructure and cultural hentage.
1880
Lancaster Experience
Lancaster County is no exception to that claim. The greater Lancaster Census of 1880 lists the first
Italian immigrant families to be identified in Lancaster City and county6 Census documents record an
Italian laborer identified as Pasquella Spmelli arriving in Elizabeth Township in 1876 and Giuseppe
Pompetti and Giuseppe Sereio arriving in 1877, also in Elizabeth Township around the Ephrata area.
In the same census, the Repetto family is the first identified Italian family in the City of Lancaster,
listing 140 Beaver Street as their place of residence. The family at that time consisted of the
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mother who listed her occupation as

housekeeper, two daughters and two
sons with no occupation listed, which
indicates they were small children, and
two
brothers
who
listed
their
occupation as operators of a fruit stand.
Interestingly, there is no mention of a
father. Speculation could be that either
the father was deceased or he returned
to Italy for some unknown reason at
the time the census was taken. This
was not uncommon since the extended
family was most likely still in Italy
The name "Repetto" is not a
common name within the ItalianAmerican community in Lancaster. A
check of the telephone director}7 in
2005 shows no listing
for anyone with this name.

Spinelli, on the other hand, is a
familiar name in the Lancaster
community and could have roots
to one of the earliest Italian immigrants recorded in Lancaster
County.
It was not until the year 1910
that names familiar in todays
Italian-American
Lancaster
community began to appear.
Families with the familiar names of
Spinello, Lombardo, Vital! and
Yan-none were recorded in both
the city and its surrounding areas
that year. As time went on, more
and more Italian names began to
appear in the greater Lancaster
community until today when the
1990 census revealed 18,471
people in Lancaster Countv who
claimed Italian ances-
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try In the 2000 census, that number grew to

22,340 or 4.7 % of the total county
population,7 2,192 of which list residence in
Lancaster City, making up 3.9 % of the city's
population.
The 2000 census lists a total of 15,722,555
citizens claiming Italian ancestry in the United
States, up from 14,057,717 in the 1990
census. New York claims the largest population
of 2,737,146. Pennsylvania lists 1,418,465,
coming in fourth behind New York, New Jersey
and California.
Origins in Calabria, Italy

Not much is known of the activities of the
new Italian community in Lancaster
between the penod 1880 and 1919.
However, we do know that the majority of
Lancaster's Italian immigrants came from
the region of Southern Italy called Calabria.
This region occupies the "toe" in the
southern-most area of the peninsula,
bounded to the west by the Tyrrhenian
Sea and to the east by the Ionian Sea, and
has beautiful mountain ranges. It faces
the island of Sicily and currently has a
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population of just over two million

people. Calabria has a rich history tracing
back to the Greek colonization. It later
was dominated by a series of foreign conquerors, including the Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Aragonese, Spaniards,
Austnans, and Bourbons, before it was
finally united with all of Italy in the
Risorgimento movement (unification of
Italy) by Garibaldi, who, by the way was
wounded in a fierce battle in the mountainous Calabrian region of Aspromonte.
Many famous people are associated with
or originated in Calabria. The Roman
poet Cicero had a vacation home there,
and more modern-day personalities,
including Rudolfo Guglielmi, better
known as Rudolph Valentino; Frank
Capra, the famous movie director and

Padre Pio, one of the Catholic Church's
newest saints (June of 2002), all have ties
with this region of the country.
As with all of southern Italy, Calabria had
been traditionally a poor area of Italy and
had lacked industrialization and a network
of modern roads to allow commerce and
prosperity For this reason, during World
War II, when the Fascist Italian
government adopted an imitation of Hitlers
anti-Semitic laws, including the creation of
Italian concentration camps for so-called
enemies of the state, primarily the Italian
Jews, a site for such a camp was chosen in
the rugged and remote area of Southern
Italy in an area approximately thirty-five
kilometers north of the
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Calabrian city of Cosenza near Tarsia in an

indistinguishable spot called Ferra-monti.
Although the camp is a sad commentary on
Italy and specifically Southern Italy, the two
Southern Italians in charge of Ferramonti
reportedly ran this camp in the most humane
and civil manner, unlike the camps
established in the North, which were harsh
and used as staging areas for deportation into
the notorious camps of Auschwitz and
Dachau in and around Germany. The Ital-
ians who built and operated the Ferramonti camp kept the inmates alive and
prevented them from being deported. In
fact, the commandant and his wife would
take the twenty-one inmate children
bom in the camp into the nearest town
for a gelato (ice cream) treat!
Another story goes that toward the end
of the war a German general, convinced
that the Italians were not running the
camp as strict or as harsh as the
Germans,
decided
to
tour
the
Ferramonti camp. Upon his arrival, the
Italian commandant
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VOLUME 109, NUMBER 1,

SPRING 2007
deliberately raised a quarantine flag in place

of the Italian flag, and the local priest who
hurried to meet the general at the gate made
up a story about cholera epidemic in the
camp. He invited the general to enter, but his
answer was the general's quick and abrupt
departure.
On September 14, 1943, the British army
liberated the camp, and many of the inmates
from other areas of Europe chose to stay in the
area, where they married local Italians. The
camp is not a subject that the southerners
speak of freely. Although remnants of the
camp still exist, there are no monuments,
markers or indications it ever existed.8
Recently, the Italian Government has
recognized the potential of the southern region
for tourism and commerce, and the area is
beginning to prosper and grow.
Calabrians can be introverted and more
difficult to deal with than other Italians, but
they become open, sincere and generous as
soon as they feel a similar attitude of respect
from others. They are also noted for a
characteristic "testa tosta," meaning "hard
head," because of their stubborn nature.
Because you will not find a Florence, Venice
or Rome in Calabria or other regions of
southern Italy, this region was able to preserve
the culture and history of its ancient times.
Historic remains have been found of a highly
evolved population known as the "Italo." From
Italo, of course, we derive the name Italia, first
applied to Calabria by the Greeks and
Page 11 of 37
then spread to the rest of the country.9

The Calabrian immigrants to Lancaster
brought much of their history culture,
tradition, cooking and superstition along
with them to their new home. Even today
although no longer concentrated in any one
geographic location of the city or county, the
culture, especially the cooking and
sometimes the superstition, still remain.
One superstition in particular that of the
"malocchio" or evil eyestill exists. Ancient
Italians believed that to counter evil, a
purification ritual was needed so that,
through prayer and blessing, God will take
away the evil eye that has been cast upon
an individual by another who was angry
or envious of their unsuspecting target.
This belief still exists in modem Italy and
among many Italians living in this country
Beginning of Community
The Italian immigrants who began to
populate the Lancaster area were at a disadvantage compared to other, more
established ethnic groups such as the
Germans. Many Germans attended St.
Josephs Church along with the Italians, but
as the German population began to expand
and concentrate in one area of the city they
petitioned the bishop for a parish of their
own. Because Bishop Shanahan was out of
the country attending a Vatican Council in
Rome, the petition was referred to the
Administrator of the Diocese Father Keenan
of St. Marys in Lancaster who agreed to the
formation of
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a new parish to serve the German population

in the eastern part of Lancaster. Thus, St.
Anthonys was formed, and seraces were
conducted there in German until the 1880s. It
was not until after World War I that German
was discontinued from the sermons and
eventually from the services altogether.10
Eventually the geographic area around St.
Anthonys again changed ethnicity and the
German population returned to St. Josephs to
populate what became known as "Cabbage
Hill'' while the young Italian community
gravitated toward St. Anthonys.
1906 Tragic Event
Meanwhile, the Italian community in
Lancaster continued to grow. In 1906, an
unfortunate and tragic event, one that has
been lost to history for almost 100 years,
occurred that affected the Italian community
in an adverse way.
At that time, Italian immigrants came to the
Lancaster area to work in the several
industries that were beginning to open and
prosper there. A small contingent of Italian
men who came to work on the railroad,
particularly on the building of the Atglen
and'Enola Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
known locally as the "Low Grade" branch,
settled in a shanty close to the Gap area east
of the City of Lancaster. One evening while
they were in their shanty, four other Italians
enroute from Boswell (near Johnstown) to
Philadelphia made a stop at Gap to, as
they said, "collect a debt for another

friend." These visitors, armed with guns,
knives and bats, had supper with their
countrymen early in the evening and left
only to return to the shanty later that night
to collect money from the men.
At the subsequent tnal, -witnesses for the
prosecution stated that the visiting Italians
were bent on robbing the inhabitants of the
shanty, and the defense claimed the debt
collection theory and what resulted was a
matter of self-defense. What follows is an
excerpt from Personal Moments in History,
The Story of St. Anthony of Padua Parish
and its People by Dianne Danz Lee (1996).
"One of the residents, Plato Albanese,
had only fifty cents. In an angry
exchange, two of the robbers insisted on
more money, and Albanese took them
upstairs to his room to show them his
empty purse. There Albanese found a
knife and attacked the other two men. In
the struggle, Albanese was shot and
killed. The four thieves then hurried off to
the nearest town of Parkesburg, where
they were apprehended within the week.
Two of them were badly cut and had
needed medical attention. The men were
taken to Lancaster County Prison to await
a trial for murder. There they met Father
Kaul, since he was chaplain of the
prison."
The four men were tried and sentenced
to death by hanging. At that time,
10
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executions were carried out in the pnson yard,

and, the sheriff often issued passes to people
who wished to observe the event. In this
case, however, Sheriff Ziegler insisted that no
one was to be present but the jury (as required
by law), the prison officials and the chaplains.
The four menGiuseppe Celione, Antonio
Delero, Silverio Rodelli and Stephano Carlui
were Catholic, and none of them spoke
English. Rodelli and Carlui, who had been
downstairs and had not been in on the actual
murder, could not be made to understand why
they had also been condemned to death. Their
attorney, H. Frank Eshelman, worked very
hard to get Pennsylvania Governor
Stuart
to commute their sentences. Until two days
before the execution, the men still retained
hope, but at the last minute, the governor
refused to overturn the judgment of the state
Supreme Court, which had ruled when the
case was originally
The gallows was erected on September
29,1907. The front page of the Lancaster
Intelligencer Journal carried sketches of the four
men along with the headline article about the
event. St. Anthonys Choir sang to the
pnsoners for the last time in the prison
corridor. At 10:08 a.m. on October 3,
execution day, the men were led in a solemn
procession to the gallows. Rodelli was supported
by Father Kaul, pastor of St. Anthonys Church;
Delero followed with Rev. Angelo Caruso of
Philadelphia; Celione came next with
Page 13 of 37
Rev. Seraphino Sama of Steelton; and

Carlui was last with Rev. John Melchoir,
assistant to Father Kaul. All of the priests
carried crucifixes for the prisoners, whose
hands were tied behind them. The executions began with the reading of the litany On
the scaffold, the prisoners repeated the act
of contrition for their sins, and the priests
each granted absolution to the pnsoner he
supported. Father Caruso read a
statement in Italian prepared by Delero.
Afterwards, when the men were hanging
from the scaffold. Father Kaul read the
translation, stating that they were
innocent of the charges and that the
shooting was in self-defense.
The men's funerals were held at St.
Anthonys Church, and their bodies were
buned in St. Anthonys cemetery where
they were laid together in one grave, side by
side, horizontal coffins in a vertical
progression. Plain iron crosses in a section
of the cemetery where the majority of the
names on the stones are Italian mark their
graves.
Although they were condemned murderers, their plight stirred the sympathy of
many people in Lancaster at the time,
including the sheriff who refused to issue
passes to the execution, the lawyer who
tned to get the sentence commuted, the
people who signed the petition to take to the
governor, and the parishioners of St.
Anthonys. Led by Father Kaul and Francis X.
Hiemenz, the prison \isitor from the parish,
the choir sang for the men on numerous
occasions. No record exists of
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murdering a fellow railroad worker. Romezzo

proclaimed his innocence till the very end
and during the hanging, the rope actually
broke and Romezzo had to be hanged a
second time. This caused many to claim
divine intervention! The fact was the county
did not want to buy a new rope for the last
execution and used an old rope that simply
broke.i:
1919
Attempt to Form Italian Church
who provided the crosses to mark the graves, but
St. Anthony parish is credited with providing a
final home for these confused and repentant men
who had nowhere else to go.
This story certainly depicts a tragic moment in

history for the young Italian community in
Lancaster. Even more tragic, however, is the
depiction in the local newspapers of this account,
which clearly states that the defendants were at a
disadvantage and that the distnct attorney at the
time decided to take the pnsoners from the
county prison to the Gap for a preliminary hearing
at which no counsel was present to represent the
prisoners, who sat through the proceedings "very
nervous and did not seem to know what was
going on. They were unable to speak or
understand
English..."11
Eventually,
an
interpreter was assigned to the case.
Ironically Lancaster's last execution also
involved an Italian. On May 23, 1912, Antonio
Romezzo was hanged for
Page 14 of 37
The Italian connection with St. Anthonys

continued to grow after the tragic events of
1906-07. In December 1919, then Bishop
McDevitt organized an Italian Mission church
at St. Anthonys, and the church started
offering Italian language masses. The Rev.
Dr. Torellio Mosca of the Italian Apostolate of
the Archdiocese of New York even arrived to
conduct the mission. This mission resulted in
the formation of two societies at St.
Anthonys: 1) The Italian Holy Name Society
with an initial membership of thirty-three
men and the following officers: President,
Ralph Ciccone; Secretary, Samuel Clerico;
Treasurer, Dominic Voci, and 2) the Blessed
Virgin Mary Sodality with a starting
membership also of thirty-three.13 A choir
was even organized and . placed under the
direction of organist Miss Cecelia Drachbar.14
The basement church of St. Anthonys was
designated as the Italian Mission, and a call
went out for all Italian Catholics to come
together and worship at the newly
08/26/2007
designated church. Ironically, a non-Italian priest, Father Michael O'Flynn was sent
to minister to the Italian community
Father O'Flynn spoke fluent Italian and
was embraced by the community that he
served until 1922 when the mission was
discontinued. The demise of the mission
church was due to neither neglect nor
apathy Instead, the mission was so successful that the Italian parishioners petitioned the bishop to build their own church
in Lancaster. They even began a
fundraising campaign and raised money to
construct a new church. However, Bishop
McDevitt disapproved of the idea and
denied the plans to form an ethnic church
on the assumption that such a
church would deter the assimilation of the
Kalians into the main community of parish
and society
1921
Santo Innocenzo
At about that same time, another event
occurred that focused on providing care
for the young Italian community in
Lancaster. Immigrants who came to
America in search of a land of opportunity
soon
discovered
that
opportunity
presented itself if they were willing to
work harder than others to overcome an
unfavorable social climate. Lancaster's
Italian immigrants were no exception.
Having a foreign-sounding name that
ended in a vowel often served as a detriment to social acceptability and sometimes generated unwarranted apprehen-
Title page from the

Constitution and ByLaws of the Societd di
Mutuo Soccorso Santo
Innocenzo.
sion among native-born Americans. In
1921, a group of Italian immigrants in
Lancaster began to be concerned with the
well being of their families and their
community. At that time in American
history, neither government nor businesses were obligated to provide programs
for the health and welfare of people, and
each individual and family was left to
provide for themselves in times of sickness
and despair. Because the Lancaster Italian
immigrants tended to be very poor, they
often lacked the means to afford care for
an illness. Many did not even have enough
money to bury their dead.
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In 1921, several men in the Italian

immigrant community met to discuss
the prospect of forming a mutual relief
society for the benefit of their own
countrymen. Nicola Celia, Michele
Paparo, Francesco Yemmallo (often
spelled lem-mallo), with assistance from
Raffaele Cic-cone and Domenico Clerico,
decided that some action was needed to
address the needs of their poor
countrymen in their new adopted land.
These discussions eventually led to the
formation of a mutual relief society
titled Societa di Mutuo Soccorso
Santo
Innocenzo
(Mutual Relief
Association of Saint Innocenzo), named
after the patron saint of a
little village in Calabna, Italy, called
Gasperina, from where many of Lancaster's Italian community emigrated.
The Lancaster Italian community
thought if Santo Innocenzo looked after
the people of Gasperina in Italy, why
could he not look out for his people in
their
new
home
of
Lancaster,
Pennsylvania?
On October 22, 1921, the charter of
the Societa di Mutuo Soccorso Santo
Innocenzo was granted at the Lancaster
County Courthouse by the Honorable
Judges Charles I. Landis and A. B. Hassier, attested by Edward C. Shannon,
Pro-thonotary The Charter stated the
purposes of the association were "to
encourage a brotherly social feeling; to
accumulate a fund from dues and
assessments of its members to be
applied for their relief when sick, and to
provide for their burial and that of their
wives after death."15
The charter further describes the structure, organization and administration of

the new society as well as those individuals
chosen as the first officers and directors.
Highlights of the charter appear below:
1. The corporation will be perpetual
with no capital stock but members
paying into a common fund as
dues and assessments with yearly
income not to exceed $5,000.
2. Membership shall be composed of
subscribers and their associates as
prescribed in the Constitution and
By-Laws.
3. The Board of Directors is com
posed of Officers and Counselors.
4. First year Board is named:
a. President:
Saverio Clerico
b. Vice-President:
Raffaele P Ciccone
c.Treasurer:
Nicola Celia
d. Corresponding Secretary:
Francesco Yemmallo
e. Financial Secretary:
Saverio Voci
f. Vice Secretary:
Michele Paparo
g. Censor:
Giuseppe Catrambone h.
Trustees:
Francesco Ciccone
Francesco Spadea
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i. Auditors:
Saverio Madonna
Antonio Giordano
Giuseppe Madonna j. Relief
Committee:
Giovanni Dilaurentis
Domenico Zangan
Domenico Clerico k. Marshal:
Salvatore Rosi 1. Flag
Garners:
Saverio Fulginiti
Vincenzo Catrambone m.
Sergeant-at-Arms:
Giovanni Didalto
n. Counselors: Vito Madonna
Giuseppe Carmine
Domenico Rosi Salvatore Madonna
Francesco Sinopoli Vincenzo
Cangemi Vincenzo Lombardo
Saverio Sinopoli Antonio Lagana
Vincenzo Corradino Giuseppe
Madonna Domenico Roso
of his status as notary he was able to work

through the Lancaster Chamber of
Commerce to provide free meeting space
for the Society in the Woolworth Building in
downtown Lancaster for a period of one
year.16
The charter called for the creation of bylaws

to govern the operation and administration of
the society. A notary named Samuel Clerico,
whose commission expired on March 7,
1925, witnessed the document. The fact that
an Italian was a notary meant that members
of the Italian community were becoming
leaders in their own right and were
assimilating into the American way of life and
the Lancaster community at a rapid pace. Mr.
Clerico spoke excellent English, and by virtue
The new society began operations with

sixty-five members17 of the Lancaster Italian
community The fact that most of Lancaster's
Italian immigrants came from the same
village, Gaspenna, aided the recruitment
process since the name Santo Innocenzo
was familiar as well as comforting to these
strangers to America. As the years passed,
the society grew, as did the purpose for its
existence. In 1921, the purpose was to
encourage a brotherly social feeling, to
accumulate monies from dues and
assessments of its members for their relief
when sick, and to provide for their burial
and that of their wives after death. In 1934,
the Society began a tradition by offering a
mass of thanksgiving honoring Santo
Innocenzo on his feast day, August 6th.
That afternoon, August 6,1934, fifty-one
new members were initiated into the
society18 By 1935, the bylaws stated the
intent to promote a general welfare and
safeguard an honorable name for the Italian
generation,19 and by the year 1936, a social
fund was established. This fund, which was
mandated to keep a minimum balance of
$100, was
Page 17 of 37
08/26/2007
to be used for any purpose approved by a

majority vote of the society In future years,
this fund was used to help members purchase
homes and for other uses approved by the
society
By 1941, the purpose of the society was
again expanded to "raise by dues, contnbutions
and donations, enough funds to help and assist
the sick and needy members thereof and, in
case of death, provide for the member's funeral
and that of his wife. "It is the further purpose
of this association to promote general welfare
and to safeguard and elevate the honor of
Italians and their children."20
Membership was composed of anyone bom
in an Italian possession or territory, any Italian
citizen or sons of descendants of Italian
citizens. Applicants for membership were voted
upon by the existing membership using a
system of marbles in a secret vote. Ten black
balls were sufficient to deny membership (thus
the term "black balled" was put to use). If a
person was rejected twice, he could no longer
apply Membership was open to persons from
twelve years of age up to forty-five years of
age who were free of incurable diseases
subject to a medical examination at the
applicants own expense. Admission fees were
set at one dollar for those between twelve and
eighteen years, two dollars for ages nineteen
to thirty and three dollars from thirty-one to
forty-five years of age. Monthly dues were set
at fifty cents. Benefits included six dollars each
week beginning one week after an
illness commenced, a $50 death benefit if

a wife died and a $100 benefit if a
member died. The Society also continued
the tradition of providing a wreath of
flowers and use of two automobiles at the
funeral of a member.
In 1932, wives and children of members
were permitted entrance into the Society
and in October of 1933 benefits were
increased to $10 per week for ten weeks
and $5 per week for an additional twenty
weeks up to a maximum of $200 for a
two-year period.21 (This was later
extended to a three-year period in
1967.)22 To claim the sick benefit, the
member requesting the benefit had to
present a medical certificate stating the
member could not work. If the member
receiving benefits was seen outside the
house without a permission slip from the
doctor, he would be required to forfeit the
benefit (Remember, doctors made house
calls at that time!).
A surveillance committee, called sanitary
officers, was charged with visiting the sick
member at least once each week and
keeping a record of all payments made to
the sick member and a record of all visits
made. The sanitary officer would then
report the results and any other events
regarding the sick member to the society membership at the next regular meeting.
In the event of a death of a member, a
committee of six members of the society
was designated to attend the funeral in an
automobile representing the society. A
wreath costing no more than $10 was
Page 18 of 37
08/26/2007
also sent along with a check of $200 for burial

purposes.
On November 17, 1957, a special meeting
was called by President Antonio Maio to
establish a voluntary hospitaliza-tion plan for
members of the society Members of the
committee were Chair, Joseph Spadea; Vice
Chair, George Celia; Secretary Michael Paparo;
Members: Vincent Catrambone, Nick Celia,
Anthony Giordano, Carl Maio, George Messina,
Antonio Palumbo, Peter Randisi and Domenick
Rose. This committee recommended forming a
hospitalization plan, and on June 15, 1958, by
a vote of seventeen in favor and three
opposed, the
society adopted its hospitalization plan.
The Hospitalization Plan would make
payment of hospital and death benefits to
participants in exchange for additional monthly
dues. Members opting for the Hospitalization
Plan paid three dollars. Membership in this plan
was restricted to members under forty-five
years of age, and the treasurer was instructed
to maintain a minimum of $1,000 in a separate
hospitalization fund. Benefits were set at $10
per day for a total of twenty days in any oneyear period with the hospital day consisting of
twenty-four hours of in-hos-pital stay Anyone
in the hospital less than twenty-four hours was
not eligible. (Interestingly, pregnancy venereal
disease, alcohol or immoral conduct and illness
outside the United States were excluded from
benefits.) A death benefit of $200 was
included.23 In 1969, twenty
dollars and thirty dollars per day hospitalization plans were added, and members
could choose which plan best suited them.
The constitution and by-laws of the
society were all inclusive, even to the
point of specifying specific language for
initiation of new members, installation of
officers, words to speak at funerals and an
agenda for all business meetings.
Besides its charter mission of providing
for the mutual health and welfare of its
members, the society participated in various other community events focused on
the Italian community, including:
In 1971, the society donated a 600-page
volume of The Complete Works of
Michelangelo to the first Italian class
established at J. P McCaskey High
School in Lancaster (through efforts of
Porsia Palumbo who taught the class at
McCaskey).
In 1974, the society donated $300 to the
Italian-American Citizens Club for
renovations of the club facility
In 1980, the society donated $1,000 to
the Italian Relief Fund, a local relief
effort formed by the Lancaster Italian
Community to aid homeless earthquake
victims of Southern Italy
Annual financial support to the American
Cancer Society
The "Lodge," as it later became known,
grew rapidly reaching a high membership
of 186 men women and children
Page 19 of 37
08/26/2007
members by 1971. The schedule of dues

ranged from a low of sixty-five cents to a high
of seven dollars per month with varying sets
of benefits. On October 23, 1971, the Lodge
held its fiftieth year celebration with a formal
program in the Sorrento Room of the
Lancaster Italian American Citizens Club,
335 North Queen Street. The Honorable
Mayor Thomas J. Monaghan was the featured
speaker.
The Lodge continued to operate, and on
November 20,1982 held its sixty-first
anniversary celebration at the Treadway Resort
Inn in Lancaster. Unfortunately this was to be
the last celebration for the Lodge. In April of
that year, a certified letter went out to all
members to attend the next regular meeting
scheduled for May 2nd at 2 p.m. at the Italian
Amencan Citizens Club. The time had come for
the membership to recognize that the society,
which was founded in 1921, was facing
serious problems in attracting and retaining
membership. Indeed, attendance at monthly
meetings had become so low that many
meetings could not proceed due to lack of a
quorum. At the May 2nd meeting, members
would have to decide whether or not to
continue or dissolve the Lodge.
President Joseph Spadea opened the
meeting with the Lord's Prayer and after some
routine business led a discussion on the
future of the Lodge. After the discussion, Mr.
Anthony Guama made a motion to dissolve
the Santo Innocenzo
Society as of December 31, 1982. Of the

fifty-three members present, forty-nine
voted in favor of dissolution, three voted
in favor of continuing, and one member
did not vote. The motion to dissolve was
approved, and the officers were directed
to seek the necessary advice on procedural and legal steps to dissolve and distribute remaining assets among the
membership.:" The society dissolved
with $149,592.71 remaining in its treasury that was evenly distributed to the
remaining membership.
1929
Sons of Italy Lodge Formed
The Order of Sons of Italy in America is
an international organization established
in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York
City on June 22, 1905 by Vin-cenzo
Sellaro, M.D. and five other Italian
immigrants. The goal of this order was
the same as many other Italian organizations formed around the same time in
Amenca: to create a support system for
Italian immigrants for becoming U.S. citizens and to provide health and death
benefits.
This order established free language
schools to teach English and become citizens. As the order grew, it established
orphanages and homes for the elderly, life
insurance, credit unions and other benefit
programs for members. Dunng World War
II, the order supported the U.S. war effort
and especially the American Red Cross. It
even went so far as to urge all
18
Page 20 of 37
08/26/2007
members to donate one day's salary to the national

defense.
Today the organization has twenty
state chapters, over 700 local lodges
and more than 600,000 members,
making it the largest Italian-American
organization in the United States.
On Apnl 14, 1929, a local lodge of the
order was formed within the Lancaster
Italian Community The new lodge was
assigned the number 1524 and named
Nuova Gallilelo Gallilei. The formal and
complete name was Lancaster, PA Lodge
Number 1524, Nuova Gallileo Gallilei,
Order of Sons of Italy in America.
As can be surmised from the name, the
lodge was formed to honor the famed
Italian astronomer, Gallileo Gallilei who
was bom in Pisa, Tuscany on February
15, 1564. Gallileo was a philosopher,
astronomer and physicist who is closely
associated with the improved development

of the telescope and often referred to as
the "father of modem astronomy"
On Apnl 14, 1929, the New Gallileo
Gallilei lodge held its first meeting at the Red
Mens Hall on East King Street. Eighty persons
were inducted into the order, and more than
400 people, including representatives from
Philadelphia and Harris-burg, attended the
affair. Messages of congratulations were read
from officers of the order in New York and
other metropolitan cities. The event was
highlighted with an orchestra composed
entirely of Italian boys and men.25
Not much is known of the history of the
local lodge #1524 because many of the
records and members are lost to history. At
its height, the lodge was very active and
participated in the many social and cultural
events of Lancaster, includ-
Page 21 of 37
08/26/2007
Members of the Italian-American Citizens Club, 1938-39. We were unable to identify everyone. We do know
first row, from left to light: Victor Rose, Sam Paone and Dominic Curcw. Second row, from left to right:
(unidentified), Bruno Tamilian, (unidentified), John Spadea, (unidentified), Nick Celiaand (unidentified).
Back row, from left to right: joe Caterbone, Peter Segro, John Battista Roda, Paul Segro, Attilio Grossi, Albert
DiGiacomo (and three unidentifed men). Photo courtesv ofBot Roda.
ican citizenship, to promote fellowship
among its members and to promote the
general welfare of the people of Italian
extraction. The names and residences of
those chosen as directors of the
corporation for the first year, who are
also subscribers, are as follows: Michael
A. Mastromatteo, Lititz, PA. Pietro
Mastrosimone, Lancaster, PA Domenico
Voci, Lancaster, PA Carmelo Arcudi,
Lancaster, PA. Nicola Celia, Lancaster, PA
This charter was signed on January 12,

1933 and recorded on January 21, 1933.
Credit and acknowledgement must be
given to Mr. Daniel B. Stnckler, Esq. General
Strickler, as he was commonly known for
his distinguished sendee in World War I.
was a loyal and generous friend of the
Italian Community throughout this penod
and beyond. As the attorney for the new
club, General Strickler was responsible for
drafting the charter and guiding it through
the legal process during 1932-33.
Page 22 of 37
08/26/2007
Addendum to A Brief History of the Italian-American Community in Lancaster,

Pennsylvania
e have a couple of additions to the

article by James J. Lombardo, "A
Brief History of the ItalianAmerican Community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania," published
in our last Journal, volume 109, number 1.
John Casani
In reference to the paragraph on John
Casani on page 3, historical society member
Ken Hoak added to the story: In 1877 Casani
was employed by the sculptor Alexander Milne
Calder in the fabrication of the statue of
William Penn and the other statues that
decorate the Philadelphia City Hall. Casani
was the caster of these statues. See the
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography,
volume 90 (1966), page 453. After Calder
created the statues, it was the task of Casani,
a highly skilled artisan, to render the model
in bronze segments. The statue of William
Penn is thirty-seven feet high, and weighs
more than twenty-one tons. It was raised as
castings to the top of City Hall in 1894.
Calder was the grandfather of Alexander
Stirling
Calder, the more recent abstract sculptor.

Italian-American Citizens Club
We did our best to identify everyone
pictured in the article, but we went to
press still unable to correctly identify all the
folks in the picture of the Italian-American
Citizens Club on page 21. And, we add, by
way of absolving the author from
responsibility for the missing information,
this was a photo supplied by the Journal
Coming to our aid, Valerie Cifuni wrote to
Jack Loose:
Thanks for the article on the Italian-American
Community in Lancaster By marriage, 1 now
have an Italian surname. I was most surprised
to see a picture of my father-in-law (Bill Cifuni)
and his brother on page 21, but they were
misidentified.
My father-in-law supplied the names of the
unidentified people. I have underlined the
additions/corrections. Also, the picture was from
1948-49, not 1938-39. Had it been in 1938,
my father-in-law would have been 14 years old
and not married. He has
Page 23 of 37
08/26/2007
VOLUME 109, NUMBER 2, SUMMER 2007
Members of the Italian-American Citiyns Club, 194819. First row; from left to right: Victor Rose, Sam
Paone and Dominic Curcio. Second row, from left to right: jimmy O'Xeii. Bruno Familiari, Jimmy DiGiacomo.
John Spadea, Xicfe Cifuni. Bill Cifuni and Tony Antondh. Bad; ran; from left to right: Joe Caterlwne. Peter
Segro, John Battista Roda, Paul Segro, Attilio Grossi, Albert DiGiacomo, Jim Haeer, Pete Grossi and Bennv
Roda.
Photo courtesv of Bot Roda.
his wedding ring on in this picture as lie was married in
1919.
I hope that these corrections will be noted in a future
issue.
We've applied the corrections and

additions and underlined them as Valerie
did in her message. Thank you, Ken
Hoak and Valene Cifuni. We're pleased to
have these contributions from our
readers.
Thanhs. Valene Cifuni
Page 24 of 37
08/26/2007
THE JOURNAL
OF THE
LANCASTER
COUNTY
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
the
Italian-
Following the granting of this charter, the

new Italian-American Citizens Club was
graciously provided free meeting space at
the American Legion Post 34 building,
primarily through the efforts of Pietro
Mastrosimoni and most probably through the
good graces of General Stnckler. Post 34
supported the new Italian-American Citizens
Club in many ways but none was as much
appreciated as sharing their quarters for
meetings and other events at no cost to the
new Italian Club. This friendship endured
many years and included many cooperative
ventures, including joint participation by
American Citizens Club and Amencan Legion

Post 34 in Memorial Day and other patriotic
events in Lancaster.
The relationship with the American Legion
proved to be very beneficial and served the
exact purposes for which the ItalianAmerican Citizens Club was formed. In
1933, the Club teamed with the Legion to
participate in one of the largest patriotic
parades in Lancaster history. From noon
until sundown on Monday October 16,
1933, more than 30,000 people marched in
the name of humanity and patnotism to the
sounds of
Page 25 of 37
08/26/2007
VOLUME 109, NUMBER 1,

SPRING 2007
over 100 different bands through the City

of Lancaster. Proudly carrying flags and
other signs of national patriotism, young
and old alike held their heads high as
they paraded through the streets during
the National Recovery Administration
Prosperity Parade sponsored by Lancaster
City and County. The club's pnncipal
non-Italian advocate, General (then
Lieut. Col.) Daniel Strickler, was the
parade chief marshal and was escorted by
the famed drum corps of the Amencan
Legion.26
The new Italian-American Citizens
Club provided an Italian Division to
march in the parade led by the Parade
Committee Chairman for the Club, Antonio Palumbo.
First Clubhouse Opened
On a Sunday afternoon, May 19,1935,
more than 400 people were on hand
when the Lancaster Italian-American Citizens Club proudly opened the doors to
its first home in the Cooper Building at
1522 (fourth floor) North Queen Street.
Three orchestras provided music and several prominent Lancaster citizens, including Austin McCollough, managing editor of
the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, city
detective Daniel Shaub, and Alderman
Charles Doebler made remarks. Father
Thomas Kane of Saint Marys Church
gave the blessing and brief remarks. Club
president Antonio Palumbo, who gave
the main address, said that the purpose
of the club was to promote harmony
and
better feeling between members of the Italian

community and residents of Lancaster. Mr.
Palumbo also expressed his appreciation of the
large attendance and wished everyone an
enjoyable time with refreshments and dancing.
The room was decorated with American and
Italian flags and streamers, and the orchestras
played through the afternoon and into the
evening.2'
By this time the club had grown in interest
and membership. New officers were President
Antonio Palumbo, Vice President James DeNisio,
Secretary of Correspondence
Francesco
Famillari, Secretary of Finance Nicola Celia, and
Trustees Peter Mastrosimone, Elia Tavaglione,
Michael Amico, Querino DiCola and Nicola
Guarino. Under their careful guidance, the
Italian-American Citizens Club continued to
grow.
Ladies Auxiliary Formed
On May 29, 1935, President Antonio Palumbo
in conjunction with Mrs. Louis Angilone organized
the Ladies Auxiliary of the Italian-American
Citizens Club. The mission of the auxiliary was to
equip and operate the kitchen of the club and
support the club both in social functions and
financially when and if needed. At its height, the
ladies auxiliary had eighty-four members. During
the war, the ladies auxiliary supported the U.S.
Army and in particular Battery A of the 49th
Armored Field Artillerv Battalion.
Page 26 of 37
08/26/2007
Hit? Italian-American Clubhouse, 19/6. From left to right: Paul Passaniti Robert
Baldon, James]. Lombardo, James V. Lombardo, Dominic Lombardo
Citizenship School for Immigrants
Created
On May 20,1940, still President Antonio
Palumbo organized a Citizenship School
under the banner of the Club and in
partnership with the Donegal Chapter of
the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Twenty-seven alienstwenty Italians,
three Russians, two Germans, one
Englishman and one Finnregistered
for that class. Classes were held on
Monday evenings at the Thaddeus
Stevens School on West Chestnut Street
in Lancaster. Mr. Palumbo opened the
class and set the tone for the class by
saving, "We cannot serve two countnes and be

loyal to them. Therefore, we ought to serve and
be loyal only to our good America."28 Mrs. Edith
Snyder, regent of the Donegal Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution, also
addressed the students, as did Samuel Clerico
and W Frank Gorrecht who prepared the lessons for the class.
This class was the first of a senes of citizenship classes to occur over the next several
years, all sponsored by the Italian-American
Citizens Club in partnership with the Donegal
Chapter of the Daughters of the American
Revolution. Eventu-
Page 27 of 37
08/26/2007
VOLUME 109, NUMBER 1, SPRING

2007
ally, the class grew to fifty-five aliens, then to

seventy-two.29
Second Clubhouse Opened
When it became evident that the club
facilities at 152V2 North Queen Street
would be inadequate for the growing
numbers of Italians joining and using the
facilities, the club, under President Antonio
Palumbo (who would go on to be the
longest serving president in the club's
sixty-four-year history) purchased a twostory building of its own at 335 North
Queen Street where the Italian-American
Citizens Club would reside until its
demise in 1999. Dunng its sixty-fouryear history, the club participated in
many events and activities both for the
Italian-American community and the
Lancaster community at large. It was the
scene of wedding receptions, father-son
and mother-daughter breakfasts, Christmas and Easter celebrations, political rallies and was the home of such cultural
staples as the traditional card games of
Briscola, Tresette, Scopa and Diece-Sette
as well as Bocce and the "finger game" of
La Mora. On Sundays, the 300 block of
North Queen Street was filled with the
mouth-watering aromatic sensations of
traditional Italian sauces as the ladies auxiliary prepared spaghetti dinners and
fresh pizza for members and the community-at-large for both dine-in and takeout
orders.
In 1956, the club was remodeled to better
accommodate its schedule of activ-
ities and to provide a modem rental hall, the

Sorrento Room, for any member or non-member
wishing to rent a facility. The club also hosted several
very successful 'Italian Night" celebrations at which
more than 200 people ate, danced and socialized
into the night.
Inl975, the club initiated a newsletter, which came
to be called The Italian Connection after a contest to
name the newsletter resulted in the winner suggested by Linda (Lombardo) Grossman. Ironically,
the prize for naming the newsletter was dinner at
Lombardos Restaurant, which was owned by Lindas
family The Italian Connection continued its quarterly
distribution until 1979 when a new board of officers
discontinued the practice. In 1987, it resurfaced for a
short time and eventually disappeared from the
scene. Various issues of the newsletter in the 1970s
show a very active and participator)7 club that held
events, including:
Blood Bank in concert with
the AFL-CIO
A club-sponsored bowling team A club-sponsored
baseball team A cultural committee Support of
Naturalization Day
Ceremonies in the county Dances Picnics
Excursions to Philadelphia Phillies
baseball A bocce league
Page 28 of 37
08/26/2007
According to Lancaster tradition, the

local Republican Party held an election
eve rally in the Sorrento Room. This
tradition carried on for several years
into the 1970s when the party had a
big enough room at its own
headquarters to accommodate their
faithful.
In 1980, after a major earthquake
struck Southern Italy causing major
death and destruction, the Club
formed a relief effort headed by four
officers and members: James Figari,
James
J.
Lom-bardo,
Patrick
Caterbone
and
Dominic
Russo.
Together, these men raised over
S3,700 to send to the American Red
Cross for use in the disaster in Italy
Soon however, the club faced the

same plight as many other fraternal
organizations: declining membership,
competition with other organizations,
lack of interested individuals willing to
spend their free time in support of the
club, and older, dedicated members
becoming ill and eventually passing on
with fewer young people willing to
take up the banner and continue.
Assimilation of the young ItalianAmericans meant joining other social
and
popular
community-based
organizations such as the Elks Club,
Rotary Club and the Optimist Club, to
name a few. With family and work
pressures growing, the younger
Page 29 of 37
08/26/2007
Italian-Americans had to make a choice

where and how much of their free time
would be spent on social activities. The
Italian Amencan Citizens Club began a
decline in community-based activities
and evolved into just another social club
with a barroom at a time when young
Italian-Americans sought and selected
organizations that gave something back
to the community. Thus, instead of a
growing club as had been the case in the
early days, the Italian Amencan Citizens
Club began to see its facility deteriorate
and, along with it, the mission and cause
for its existence "to encourage good
Amencan citizenship, to promote fellowship among its members and to
promote the general welfare of the people
of Italian extraction."
The result was inevitable, and at a
special meeting on September 20, 1999,
the membership in attendance voted to
disband and dissolve the club. On
October 3, 2000, after the sale of the
building on North Queen Street, a partial
distribution of the clubs assets was
divided
among
the
remaining
membership, which by that time had
dwindled to only seventy-six members.
The balance of funds available for
distnbution was $133,995.84 which,
when divided by the seventy-six members, came to an individual member
receipt of $1,763.10. On September 19,
2002, Articles of Dissolution were filed
with the Pennsylvania Department of
State, and the club was officially dissolved. The remainder of the assets
was
The statue of Christopher Columbus in

Lenox Lane.
given in a final distnbution to the same seventysix members (approximately $200 each), and
the Italian Amencan Citizens Club passed into
history
Statue of Christopher Columbus
In 1971, the three Italian organizations
Lancaster petitioned the City of Lancaster
consider the placement of a statue
Christopher Columbus in the city preferably
the new Lancaster Square.
Page 30 of 37
of
to
of
in
08/26/2007
THE JOURNAL OF THE LANCASTER COUNTY HISTORICAL

SOCIETY
A bocce game behind the Italian American Club on North Queen Street.
Left to right: Joe Fulgmiti, Frank DiMsio, Antonio Maio, Antonino Palumbo,
Domimco Pugliese and Pete Randisi. Photo courtesv of Greg Pugliese.
Knights of Columbus were present, A
few protesters representing the Native
American community chanted antiColumbus
slogans
during
the
ceremony,
but
otherwise
the
protesters conducted themselves in a
civil and respectable manner.
At the dedication ceremony,
Antonio Palumbo read the following
statement, the first two sentences
of which are scnpted on the statue
plaque:
"With the discovery of America, people from

all nations came to these shores to live and
prosper. With God's guidance they built the
greatest Republic in the world to stand
forever as a true symbol of democracy. Now
on this historical date October 12, 1992, we
Americans and the world proudly celebrate
the 500th anniversary of the discovery of
America. To honor Christopher Columbus is
to honor America."
The statue, which stimulated other

development of Lennox Lane in the form
of a sitting area and some other private
sector improvements, is now a permanent piece of the Lancaster architecture.
The lonely Columbus is patiently awaiting further development of the lane for
passive pedestrian use and enjoyment.
Bocce Comes to LancasterDuring the
deliberations on the merits of a
Columbus statue, a new idea
emerged. In 1978, at a brief meeting in
the mayors office of Lancaster City Hall,
Mayor Richard M. Scott and James J.
Lombardo discussed the diminishing
prospects of locating a statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Lancaster.
Recognizing the timing s not right for

placement of a statue of Columbus in
Lancaster, Mayor Scott suggested that
something else be done to recognize
the
30
Page 31 of 37
08/26/2007
perseverance and determination of Mr.

Palumbo in his tireless seven-year effort to
bring a piece of Italian culture to his
adopted City of Lancaster. At this meeting,
Mayor Scott, who had many years of
expenence in the cultures of the world
through his career as a military leader,
proposed the creation of Bocce Courts for the
city and furthered the suggestion by
proposing they be named in honor of Mr.
Palumbo. This project would also serve as
further encouragement to Mr. Palumbo to
continue his efforts for a statue of the great
mariner, Christopher Columbus.
Bocce is an ancient game dating back
over 2,000 years to the Roman Empire
when soldiers of the Roman legions were
known to have played the game. Indeed,
bocce can be traced as far back as ancient
Egypt before Rome even existed. The game
has many variations including the English
lawn bowling and the Amencan bowling
alley, but it was the Italians who perfected
the game and kept it alive to this day
The simplicity of the game accounts for its
durability over the centuries. Teams,
consisting of two to four players per team,
play bocce with eight ballsfour red and four
greencalled boccia, and a much smaller ball
called the pallino. If two players are on a
team, each player has two large bocce balls.
If four players on a team, each player has one
boccia. Each player must take turns rolling
the ball toward the pallino, which is the first
ball thrown onto the court. Players are
given points,
one for each of the balls of the same color

thrown closest to the pallino. The maximum
points a team can score each time are four.
Usually a team wins the match when it scores
sixteen points. Although the game itself is
deceptively simple, it is very difficult for a player
to be consistently on target.
At the mayors request to work with the city
parks department, James Lombardo sought
and received specifications for bocce courts
and after meeting with Mr. Morris Ressel, city
parks director, work was begun on two
temporary courts at Buchanan Park. These
courts were put into play in 1978 and the
Lancaster Bocce League was born. The
temporary courts were constructed with grass
surface playing areas surrounded by a border
of railroad ties to create a rectangular court
sixty feet long by ten feet wide. These courts
served the league until 1986, when the city
parks department built more permanent courts
with clay and sand surfaces. Initially the
league consisted of seven teams of four
players each and up to four alternates. As the
years progressed, the league grew to nine
teams.
In 1979, the courts were officially named
the "Antonio Palumbo Bocce Courts" in
recognition of the civic and cultural
contributions of Mr. Palumbo. Indeed, Mr.
Palumbo actively played the game as a member
of Team Reggio until he was ninety-four years
old. (At this writing, another player on Team
Reggio, Armondo Roda, is ninety years
old).
Page 32 of 37
08/26/2007
.....................
The Antonio Palumbo
Courts in Eucltannn
Today the name plaque honoring

Palumbo still exists and is located at
the head of the courts in Buchanan
Park. The plaque, which mentions
the courts and Mr. Palumbo s name,
also provides the initial slate of
officers for the Lancaster Bocce
League,
which,
interestingly
enough were first selected by a flip of
the com. Elections have occurred
ever since. The original officers were:
Robert Baldori, James J. Lombardo,
James V Lombardo and Patrick
Caterbone.
In 2002 and 2003, the courts
were upgraded and are still being
used
on
Monday,
Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday evenings
by the nine teams comprising the
Lancaster Bocce League. Were it not
for the efforts of the leagues
longstanding secretary Sam Mecum,
a prominent Lancaster attorney
the
Hocce
Park.
leagues longevity would have been

jeopardized. Although a non-Italian,
Mecun: grasped
the
game
and
volunteered his time to maintain
rosters, schedules anc standings for
twenty years, and it is a tribute to him
and longstanding treasurer Patrick
Caterbone that the league is still
thriving in 2005.
As a testament to the popularity of the
sport, in 2005 two new courts were
constructed at Amos Herr Park in East
Hempfield Township, Landisville, thanks
to the efforts of James J. Lombardo, a
$1,000 donation from the Lancaster
Italian Cultural Society and the
technical advice of Mr. Charles Crimti,
a local builder, businessman and bocce
player. In addition, several other parks,
senior residences and an active overfifty-five adult community boast bocce
courts in
Page 33 of 37
08/26/2007
their planning. Indeed, several senior residences have sought technical advice from
the Lancaster Bocce League and were aided
through the efforts of Mr. Criniti.
It is a tribute not only to the game of

bocce, but to the cultural influence of the
Italian community that the Lancaster
Bocce League has existed and thrived for
almost thirty years with no sign of
stopping!
Mr.
Michael
Mastromatteo,
another
member of the bocce league, donated a set
of bocce balls to the township for use by any
citizen.
Conclusion
In 1998, when the first public notice was
given that the Lancaster Italian American
Citizens Club was being dissolved, a letter to
the editor by a Mr. Al Rossi (who moved into
Lancaster from New York) prompted
members of the Lancaster Italian American
Community to attend a meeting to discuss
the creation of an organization dedicated to
the Italian culture. Several members of the
Italian-American community responded
and attended the meeting, from which the
foundation for the Lancaster Italian Cultural
Society was laid.
The history of the Lancaster Bocce League

began in 1978, and the participants and
teams over the years reflect the diverse
culture of the Italian and American
communities in Lancaster. A true
family sport, teams consist of men and
women ranging from age sixteen to ninetyfour. Selected team names over the years
included the following:
Gasperina Raiders Risorgimento Champigne
Napolitan Four Rolling Rigatoni Scostomati
City Hall Roses Non-Italian Stallions Buchanan
Avenue Hi Bocce Cugini Bocce Babes
The society was formed with several

goals in mind:
Marchigiani Calabrese Knights of Columbus

Accola Ipoliti Rolling Stones
To promote the Italian culture and heritage

To be aware of the Italian contributions to
America and the world
To sponsor Italian cultural activities
To achieve a broader understanding of
Italian values and heritage
To foster pnde among Italian Americans
based in their heritage
As of 2005, the Lancaster Italian Cultural
Society counted more than 300 members,
a remarkable achievement in
Page 34 of 37
08/26/2007
only six years of existence. The society is credited

with various and multiple activities, including:
Trips to Italy Tnps to Italian festivals Cultural
events at the opera Picnics Scholarships to
Italian
students
Awards
for
artistic
accomplishment in the community in the names
of Michelangelo and DaVinci Italian events Italian
language classes A
regular
newsletter
(Osscrvatorc Lancastrians)
Financial support to construct bocce courts in
East Hempfield Township Wine tasting and
sampling events
As the society continues to grow, it will continue
the traditions first established by the "Old Timers"
in the 1920s: "to encourage good American
citizenship, to promote fellowship among its
members and to promote the general welfare of the
people of Italian extraction."
1900s, have disappeared from the scene. All

were created for the basic same purposes of
providing for the general health and welfare of
the members and to promote the English
language and citizenship in the United States of
America.
Gratitude and appreciation for their
contribution to this work go to:
Mario Gallello for providing the minute book
and other information relating to the Santo
Innocenzo Society
Anita Bomberger for materials relating to the
Sons of Italy Lancaster Lodge 152 kept by her
father and mother Joseph anc Josephine
Battaglia
Persia Palumbo for information on the early
days and her father Antonio
Nick Fulginiti, Greg Pugliese and Bo: Roda for
the loan of photographs
Amy Bobb, Michelle Simmons and Jil. Eurcalino
for their editing assistance
Countless others for information. memories
and discussion.
Apologies to all too numerous to mention.
Page 35 of 37
08/26/2007
Endnotes
1 Richard D. Grifo and Anthony E Noto,
Italian Presence in Pennsylvania
(Pennsylvania Historical Association,
1990).'
Acknowledgements
This work is intended to record the
more significant events in the evolution
of the Italian-American community in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Many of the
institutions,
organizations
and
affiliations, which were formed to foster
community
among
the
Italian
immigrants in the early
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 W U. Hensel. An Italian Artist in Old
Lancaster, Historical Papers and
Page 36 of 37
08/26/2007
Addresses of the Lancaster County

Histoncal Society, 1912, Vol. 16, 67101.
Mutuo Soccorso Santo Innocenzo,

as revised, 1935.
18 Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration,
Societa di Mutuo Soccorso Santo
Innocenzo, 1971.
5 The Italians in Pennsylvania (The

Pennsylvania Historic and Museum
Commission, 1988).
19 Ibid.
6 Federal Census ol 1880, Enumeration

Distnct 152, 21.
20 Constitution and By-Laws, Societa Di

Mutuo Soccorso Santo Innocenzo, as
revised, 1941.
7 US Census 2000, Pennsylvania County

and Municipality Table DP-1, Profile of
General Demographic Characteristics:
2000, 2.
21 Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration,

Societa
di Mutuo Soccorso Santo Innocenzo,
1971.
8 Paul Paolicelli, Under the Southern Sun,

chapter 5.
9 Calabria, Istituto Geografico de
Agostim, 1Q88, 21.
22 Constitution and By-Laws. Societa di

Mutuo Soccorso Santo Innocenzo, as
revised, 1967.
10 Dianne Danz Lee, Personal Moments in

History, The Story- of St. Anthony of
Padua Parish and its People, 1996.
23 Hospitalrzation Plan of Santo

Innocenzo
Mutual Relief Association, 1957.
11 Lancaster Intelligencer, Wednesday Sept

5, 1906.
24 Minute book of the Santo Innocenzo

Society, meeting entry for Sunday,
May
2, 1982, 170.
12 John Ward Willson Loose, The Heritage

of Lancaster, 1980, 126.
25 Lancaster Intelligencer journal, April

16,
1929.
13 Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, Monday

January 12, 1920
14 Journal of the Lancaster County
Histoncal Society, Vol. 74, No. 4, 249.
15 Charter of the Societa di Mutuo
Soccorso Santo Innocenzo, October 22,
1921.
16 Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration, Societa
di Mutuo Soccorso Santo Innocenzo,
1971.
17 Constitution and Bv-Laws, Societa Di
26 Lancaster Intelligencer Journal,

October
17, 1933.
27 Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, May
20,
1935.
28 Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, May
20,
1940.
29 Antonio Palumbo, A Journey
From
Immigrant To US Citizen.
35
Page 37 of 37
08/26/2007

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