Linda, Diane & Janet each arm in arm with prom dates. The days of clean cut greasy hair, white sport coats & a pink carnation. "Poofy," dresses, long flowing trains, white gloves & bee hive hair. Janet's 8 inches taller! Have fun at the prom.
The Tocci documents. Click on the slideshow to view/print full size images. I've separated these from the Cedrone side because this is one wild ride through Hell's Kitchen. These documents tell a story of "tough times," not one just of poverty, but also within the family. Although mostly revitalized, the area known today as Clinton & Midtown West, is still referred to as Hell's Kitchen.The Tocci children would live within these tenements until the mid 1920's. Documents are in the slide show to the right or you can see each here: Picasa Web Albums - Larry - Tocci Documents There were five siblings. Donato aka Dan, Florence, Virginia, Ameila & Americo aka Frank.
Who is Amerika?Americo spelled incorrectly. No. He's an infant who passed. One we never knew of until now. Click each page to enlarge or print. Who was Carmine Tocci? In 1935 The Home Relief department of NYC issued a typed letter about Carmine which I now have. His life mirrored his profession as a blaster.
Explosive!
The last word..... The blog is dominated by the Cedrones. Besides my immediate (Tocci) family there are few images available from my father's family. The Tocci Siblings Montage provides a look at his family tree. We have reels of 8mm, but none are of his side. You briefly see his brother in law, Dan Rufo in two 8mm movies. There's no other video I'm aware of his siblings, or their spouses. His sister Virginia below with her husband Joe are not featured in the montage. I did not have images of her before it was created. She passed of TB in the early the mid 40's. The Tocci sibling's....
Following an exhaustive research project, I was able to locate documentation of our history. The slide show offers full size views of each found. Ellis Island, & the 1920's & 30's US Census'. Cedrones, Camilli, Tocci, Arpies...Click any image in the slideshow to take you to the album where you'll see all the documents full size.
I was unable to locate my grandparents, Loreto & Maria Cedrone, until I searched for them using different first names. American census takers sometimes wrote names incorrectly, or as my father would say, they'd "Americanize a name." I could not find Loreto & Maria because they are listed as Larry & Mary. How ironic.
Documents are to your right, or like our ancestors, journey here:
The People of America Center, the new Ellis Island museum will open 2011. The story of LoretoCedrone will be part of a very special collection. His journey to America will be chronicled along with other immigrants who came between 1982-1954 . He was known by many names. Grandpa, Dad, Loreto, Mr. Cedrone, (or as he wrote) Cetrone, also pronounced Ci'Tronie, but his name will forever be a part of Ellis Island. His story is currently online at:
Ellis Island - FREE Port of New York Passenger Records Search Click the white screen to see my Ellis Island tribute:
YouTube - Ellis Island Symbols of Freedom What your "passport," looked liked. Dan Marini travels to America, where he & his family will be greeted by their friends from the "old country," the Cedrones. In 1940 he marries Clorinda Cedrone: Donato Marini comes to AMERICA!
Lastly, READ the descriptions of the first, eight photos in this album. We now have for the first time, photos of Loreto's first wife, Donata (Rufo):
Diane's 8mm Years
