La Famiglia in America

Connie’s oldest (step) brother Salvatore (called Sam) was 19 and, with World War I being fought in Europe, he would enter military service alongside other children of immigrants to defend their new country. 

Pietro (Peter) was 17 when Connie was born, and two years later would marry someone he had known since they were both 10 years old.  It was none other than little Sebastiana (now called Anna or Annie for short).

Yes, two of the stepchildren in the Liborio’s Brady Bunch would wed. The year was 1916 at St. Joachin’s Church in lower Manhattan.  They lived in an apartment on 75 Monroe Street, right off of Hamilton, (overlooking the Manhattan Bridge, below), in the same tenement as her Aunt Francesca.

Peter, Anna recalled, used to drive a horse-drawn truck delivering goods when they first married.  (His previous job, according to his marriage certificate was an elevator operator).  Later, he worked for a cab company.  For a period of time during the Depression of the 1930s, he, like many of his friends, was on home relief (welfare).  He was able, however, to eventually buy a taxi medallion from the City of New York and drove a cab for the next 20 years.

Peter was a very friendly and outgoing man who loved people and loved a good cigar.  He loved being with friends and family and went out of his way to help them.

Anna and Pete (pcitured below) had six children.  Ignatius (called Nat) was the oldest, born in 1917, named after Peter’s father, following Italian tradition.  Marie was named after Peter’s mother (Maria LiBassi’s). Liborio (later called Larry) was named for Anna’s father (Liborio Tripi).  Phil was named after Peter’s mother’s father.  Grace (1928) was the youngest, named after Maria Grazia.  (Nat and Marie as young children are also in the photo below).

Salvatore (my father) also named after Anna’s father (Salvatore Liborio), was born in 1926.  He wrote:

“Some people were born under the stars, but not very many can make the claim of having been born at 75 Monroe Street under the Manhattan Bridge.  While still at an early age, my parents, with four boys and two girls, made their westbound exodus to 211 Madison Street, which represented the major part of our childhood, our healthy teenage lifestyle and environment.  Memories of PS 177, Charles Sumner Jr. HS, and Seward Park HS are all reminiscent of happy days.  Contributing to the family income was not uncommon among the older members of the family, a major contributing factor to the lack of higher education during that time.  Shining shoes was a standard practice on Saturdays as a means of earning additional  pocket money.  We learned to appreciate a neighborhood which was predominantly of Italian and Jewish extraction with a respect of each other’s cultures and backgrounds while maintaining a strong and binding friendship over the years.

Living in a 20-family tenement house does not compare to the luxuries we’re accustomed to enjoying today.  I can still visualize the bathtub in the kitchen; the bathroom facilities in the hallway that we shared with our next-door neighbor; the coal stove for keeping warm.  Most of all I envision four boys in a 10x10 bedroom decked out on twin beds trying to turn around for a comfortable sleeping position.

Unknown to my grandfather, my dad did some professional boxing under the name of Young Tommy Green, which only lasted until his stepfather saw his facial bruises, which ended his pugilistic career.  “Like father like son”.  Both my brothers (Nat and Larry), fought in the Golden Gloves, only to prove to themselves that they were better lovers than they were fighters.

World War II found all four brothers in the military service at the same time, and Dad would proudly display a banner with four stars readily visible in his taxicab for the public to view. Fortunately, we all returned home without suffering any misfortunes.  To my parents we owe a debt of gratitude for their ability to teach us to understand the meaning of love, respect and decency that we share with family and friends.”

Tessie, (Accursia) had returned home from her Catholic boarding home and later married Paul Tinnerino in 1915.  They had two children Frank and Mary.  Paul owned and operated a refrigeration company on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village.  After some financial difficulties he later changed the family name to Balvo.

Sam, Liborio’s first born, returned home from the military, and married Salvatrice Mesi (Tillie) in 1919.  Like his father he would become an operator on men’s clothing.  They had two children, Albert (who bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather Liborio), and Grace.

That same year, Giuseppina (Josie) married John Dorato, moved to Staten Island and had three children – Joseph, Anthony and Liborio.

Citizen Liborio

Before the decade was out, however, Liborio would celebrate one other proud moment, in addition to the weddings of his children.  On October 5, 1917, Liborio would be admitted to citizenship of the United States at a Special Term of the Supreme Court of the State of New York and issued Certificate of Naturalization # 855868.  Liborio was now an American citizen!