michele a. langone - webs michele 1870 1939 … · michele was raffaele and maria‟s first child...

MICHELE A. LANGONE

(1870-1939)

and

SAVERIA “SARAH”

MARIA VENTRE

(1871-1934)

By Chris Mulholland

Revised 9 April 2011

MICHELE LANGONE and SAVERIA MARIA VENTRE

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Michele "Michael" was born on 8 Oct 1870 in Potenza, Italy to Raffaele “Ralph” Langone

and Maria A. Innella. "Michele" (the original Italian spelling) was his birth name according to

state records but he Americanized his name as "Michael". A great-great-granddaughter would be

named after him many years later. Michele was Raffaele and Maria‟s first child and was

followed by five more: Pasquale (1875-1945), Maria Grazia (1876-1909), Antonio (1877-1946),

Maria (1879-1941), and Caroline (Carolina?) (1883-1950).

Just one month before Michele‟s birth, Italy had finally realized total unification when Rome

became the last state to join the rest of the peninsula on 20 September 1870. Nine years before,

on 17 March 1861, most of the states on the peninsula had united under King Victor Emmanuel

II from Piedmont, except for Rome which had remained under French authority. The architects

of that unification were Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, Emmanuel‟s Chief Minister, and

Giuseppe Garibaldi, a general and national hero. When the Franco-Prussian War of 1870

required France to withdraw its forces from Rome to fend off the Prussians, Italy was finally able

to take over the Papal State and move

the new nation‟s capital to Rome.

The Langone family lived in the

province of Potenza in the region of

Basilicata in southern Italy. Potenza lies

in the northwestern edge of Basilicata

along the Campanian border in the

middle of the Apennine Mountains. Its

capital city, also named Potenza, is the

highest regional capital and one of the

highest provincial capitals in Italy. The

Langone name is almost exclusively

found only in this part of Italy.

The city of Potenza was established

several hundred years before Christ by

Greek settlers and over the next 2,000

years was fought over and conquered by

many including Romans, Goths, Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens, Normans, Holy Romans,


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Marsico Nuovo, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy

Angevins, and Bourbons. In 1860 it changed hands for the last time when Garibaldi‟s

revolutionary army united all of Italy. Over this time the city also suffered several devastating

earthquakes, however, its medieval architecture has survived quite well. During 1943, it suffered

additional abuse when it was heavily bombed by Allied forces as they pushed the German Army

out of the Italian peninsula.

When Michele applied for US citizenship in 1893, he stated that he was born in “Marsico

Nuovo Italy”, a small but historic town less than 20 miles to the south of Potenza. Interestingly,

his sister, Carmen Langone, married an Attilio Mortelli in 1908 who stated on his World War II

registration card that he was born in “Italy, Marsico Nuovo”. This was not surprising since

Italian immigrants had a tendency to marry others from the same region – if not the same town or

village – as where they came from. However, their children, the first generation of Italian-

Americans, were less willing to select their marriage partners based only on their place of origin

in Italy or the concept of „la via vecchia‟, “the old way.”

The Catholic

Encyclopedia says

that after the

Saracens destroyed

much of the

province including

the reigning capital

of Grumentum, the

town of Marsico

Nuovo grew in

importance, and

became the seat of

a county under the


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Normans in the 11th

century. When the Bishop of Grumentum established his residence there it

became an episcopal seat

and in 1818 the diocese

was united oeque

principaliter to that of

Potenza. Between 1282

and 1816, it was a part of

the Kingdom of Naples

and was under either

French or Spanish rule,

depending who was last

victorious. In 1816 the Kingdom of Naples was merged with the Kingdom of Sicilies to form the

“Kingdom of the Two Sicilies” until 1861 when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Italy as part

of the unification of Italy by Giuseppe Garibaldi. Today, Masico Nuovo still only has about

6,000 residents.

At the young age of 16, Michele left his home and traveled to America, arriving there, “on or

about the 15 day of March in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and 86”, according to his

application for US citizenship many years later. Michele was like many other Italian men of

that time period; he did not plan to stay permanently in the United States and came alone as a

bachelor migrant worker, sending a good portion of his hard-earned wages back home to his

family. Periodically, he would return back to Italy to visit. In the late 19th

century, these

migratory workers sent millions of dollars back to Italy. Expecting their stay in America to be

brief, they lived as frugally as possible under conditions that native-born families considered

intolerable.

When Michele first stepped on American soil he had to deal with „padrones’. Back in Italy a

padrone was someone who owned land and held stature in the community. This was all different

in the US. Here, padrones were loan-sharks, bankers, and middle-men who preyed on the new

arrivals. On behalf of employers and/or tenement owners the padrones steered the immigrants

into low-paying jobs and poor lodging while taking money from both.

Around 1888 or early ‟89 Michele returned home to marry Saveria “Sarah” Ventre and she

quickly became pregnant (their first son, Francesco “Frank” (1889-1966), was born in August


4

1889.) Sarah was the daughter of Luigi Ventre and Giuseppina Parente. They later renewed

their marriage vows in Boston on 30 October 1905.

For several years, Michele traveled back and forth between America and Italy. “Despite the

perilous conditions in Southern Italy and Sicily, the love of family and village called many back

to the Old Country, a siren‟s song whose mesmerizing strains were strengthened by the chaos,

confusion, discrimination, and homesickness

Southern Italians experience in American cities.”

(Puleo) This „return migration‟ made Italians

unique from other immigrants and created an

atmosphere of suspicion amongst Americans that

would last for decades. Italians who traveled

back and forth were disparagingly called “birds

of passage”. Nonetheless, despite the

discrimination and hardships, Michele would

return several times to Sarah over the next 10

years and they would have four more children,

Maria “Mary” A. (1891-1971), Carmella (1891-

1922), Dominic “Nick” J. (1898-1971) and an

unnamed baby who died young, all born in Italy.

On 27 October 1893, Michele Langone applied to become a citizen of the United States. He

stated that he had lived in America for six years after arriving “on or about the 15 day of March

in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and 86” and listed his address as 149 Endicott Street in

Boston‟s North End. His occupation in 1893 was “Candy Maker” and he was sponsored by

Joseph Langone [An uncle? A brother?] of 149 Endicott Street and Edward P. Clark of 1

Endicott Court both of whom were “Citizens of the United States”. They verified that Michele

had “conducted himself and behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the principles

of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed towards the good order and happiness

of the same.” Michele then took an oath “that I do absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure

all allegiance and fidelity to every Foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatsoever –

particularly Humbert King of Italy.” Humbert‟s name (in Italian, “Umberto”) was handwritten

on the application after „Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland‟


5

had been lined out. On 27 November 1893, Michele took the oath before Boston‟s Circuit Court

and was given US citizenship.

Candy making in Boston

– and the US – began in

1765, when an Irish

immigrant named John

Hannon established

America's first chocolate

mill, on the banks of the

Neponset River in

Dorchester. “While the

British called such

confections, „sweetmeats,‟

Americans came to call

„candy,‟ from the Arabic

qandi, „made of sugar,‟

although one finds "candy"

in English as early as the

fifteenth century...A

significant moment in

candy history occurred at

the 1851 Great Exhibition

in London, where „French-

style‟ candies with rich

cream centers were first

displayed...But it was the

discovery of milk chocolate

in Switzerland in 1875 that made the American candy bar such a phenomenon of the late

nineteenth century." (Mariani) Through the introduction of machinery in the Industrial

Revolution, many new candies became possible and the industry began to grow rapidly.

Foremost among this new technology was Oliver R. Chase's lozenge-cutting machine, which


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Candy Store, 1900’s

back in 1847 began producing the wafers later known as Neccos. Both Chase and W.F. Schrafft,

the city's other major candy concern, served as major suppliers during the Civil War. In the US,

the industry grew from 383 large factories employing 1,733 in 1850 to 4297 factories employing

33,000 and producing $80,000,000 worth of goods in 1900. In 1909 the value of goods produced

had jumped to $135,000,000 and by 1924 the

U.S. was leading the world in candy

production – and also consumption. The

days of the penny candy in the late 1800's

were probably the most colorful days of

candy in the United States. Every grocery

store had buckets of such favorites as

jawbreakers, licorice ropes, Gibraltars, all-

day suckers, heart-shaped sweets with

sentimental sayings imprinted on them, and

sugar-coated nuts that were known as Boston baked beans.

In 1901, Chase bought two other companies and dubbed his outfit the New England

Confectionery Company, producing the world's first candy conglomerate. "The first 50 years of

the 20th century was Boston's golden era," Walter Marshall of Necco says. "We had 140

companies here. By 1950, we had sales of $200 million. You have to remember, there were no

snack foods. You had fruit and you had candy." (Almond)

Around 1898-‟99, Sarah and her children finally arrived in America. Michele might have

gone over and brought them back with him, or, just as plausible, Sarah might have made the long

trip by herself with the four children – like so many others did at the time.

More than 5 million Italians immigrated to America between 1875 and 1930 – about 80% of

them from southern Italy. This exodus of southern Italians was due to the desperation caused by

40 years of poverty, natural disasters, disease, and cultural discrimination from northern Italians.

Italy had become a unified country only a few years before but the national government was

primarily led by northerners who had little sympathy of understanding for the conditions of the

poorer south.


7

“By the end of the nineteenth century, taxes in Italy were the highest in Europe...When

considering the emigrant, 'two words may describe the forces which drive him from his native

land, and these two words are

poverty and taxes. Perhaps the

formula may be reduced to one

word - poverty - for his poverty

is in no small measure the result

of the direct and indirect taxes he

has to bear.'" (Puleo)

Droughts and diseases killed

off much of the citrus, wheat and

vineyards in the 1880s. In 1882

a cholera epidemic ravaged

Naples and, in 1887, more than 21,000 southern Italians died of malaria. The national

government was headed primarily by northern Italians who had little sympathy or understanding

for the conditions of the poorer south.

In a widely published essay in the 1880s, one writer described the harsh conditions in the

South: “Our peasants are in worse conditions than the serfs of the Middle Ages. The landlords

treat them like slaves. Peasants live like beasts. Their sense of dignity seems to have died

centuries ago. They have two equally hard choices before them – submission and work until an

untimely death, or rebellion and violent death – unless they are willing to escape somewhere

else.” (Puleo)

Michele and Sarah left their beloved

hometown to escape a crushing

existence. Through the stories of

previous immigrants, all they knew was

that they needed to get to America, the

land of opportunity. Leaving the only

place they had ever known, they walked,

rode donkeys or boarded a train for the


8

first leg of their journey. Arriving in Naples, they boarded a steamship along with hundreds of

other emigrants: “At last the sailors were heard shouting fore and aft, “Chi non e‟ passeggero, a

terra” – „All ashore that‟s going ashore.‟…in a few minutes a whistle sounded and the ship began

to move. Then women burst out crying and bearded men hitherto stolid were seen to pass a hand

across their eyes.” (Puleo)

For the next three weeks, the small Langone family endured a long and uncomfortable trip in

steerage class in conditions that were crowded, filthy, uncomfortable, and often dangerous,

especially for infants. Lice, scurvy, and seasickness all contributed to the misery of steerage

passengers. “Passengers were „crammed into overcrowded berths; stacked to the ceiling below

decks, breathed foul air, suffered from seasickness, contracted diseases, and continually feared

the ship would sink,‟ in the words of one writer.” (Puleo)

Upon their arrival in America, Michelle settled his family on Endicott Street in the North End

neighborhood of Boston. The North End is a vibrant part of the city, the oldest neighborhood,

and the home to numerous

immigrants to the „new country‟.

The area is surrounded on three

sides by water which makes it

the hub of commercial activity.

In early America, it was the

home to some of Boston‟s

wealthiest residents, including

Paul Revere, and was later the

first community of freed and

escaped slaves. The

neighborhood played an integral

role in the establishment and independence of America and was referred to as "the cradle of

liberty", by Sam Adams, John Hancock and many other famous patriots. During the 19th

century, massive landfill projects created Quincy Market and moved the waterfront from Faneuil

Hall to the waterfront boundaries of today‟s wharves.


9

The first immigrants to the North End were the Irish in the early 19th

century, followed by the

Germans, Russians, Polish Jews, a few

Portuguese, and finally a wave of Italian

immigration in the 1880's whose presence

eventually gave the North End the name of

“Little Italy”.

Guild Nichols stated in his history,

“Boston‟s Little Italy, 1900-Today”: “The

Italian masses that flowed into the North End

on the heels of the departing Irish and at the

apex of the Jewish settlement found a neighborhood in dire physical condition; a rundown,

overcrowded slum of deteriorating tenement buildings. Like their predecessors, these newly-

arrived Italian immigrants also had to contend with Bostonians' disdain for foreigners.”

The first Italian immigrants came from Genoa and were followed in successive waves by

Campanians, then Sicilians, Avellinese, Neopolitans, and Abruzzesians. Each group settled in

their own area within the neighborhood, creating separate enclaves within the greater North End.

Many of the homes in the North End were “cold water flats” and residents had to use public

baths until the mid 1960s. For example, up through 1966, the residents of 181 Salem Street

(which included Massachusetts Speaker of the House, Salvatore DiMasi) had to walk two blocks

to shower every day. “There

was no heat or hot water, no

shower or bathtub, and a toilet

out in the hall,” DiMasi recalled.

“I had to walk to the bathhouse

to take a shower.” (Puleo)


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Michele A. Langone

By 1900, the Italian population in

the North End was 14,000 and over

the next 20 years it would more than

double to 37,000. At its peak, in

1930, 44,000 Italians were packed

into an area less than one square mile

in size. By then the neighborhood

had become 99.9% Italian and was

said to be more densely populated

than Calcutta. As North End

historian William DeMarco notes,

"By comparison, the parking lot at

Florida's Disneyworld is three times

larger than the inhabited area of the

North End."

The North End is one of

America‟s most historic areas with

one of the country‟s oldest cemeteries, Copp‟s Hill, which includes the graves of famous

Puritans such as Cotton and Increase Mather. The North End has been the scene of several

historic incidents such as Charles Ponzi with his “Ponzi Scheme” in 1920 and the Great Brink‟s

Robbery in 1950 which netted the robbers $2.7 million. But of

course, the North End is mostly remembered for Henry Wadsworth

Longfellow‟s poem, “Paul Revere‟s Ride”:

He said to his friend, "If the British march

By land or sea from the town to-night,

Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch

Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--

One if by land, and two if by sea…”

Not long after her arrival in Boston, Sarah delivered another child,

Catherine “Katie/Katy” (1899-1992). Over the next 10 years she and

Michele would have several more children; Luigia “Louise/Louisa” (1901-1947), Rosina “Rose”


11

(1903-1985), Raffaele “Ralph/Fred”) (1905-1971), Guiseppe (1906, who died as an infant in

1908) and Angelina “Angie” (1909-1964). They would also have 3 children who died young and

unnamed.

The Langone family of Boston is large and currently extends all over the metropolitan area.

The first generations consisted of many brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and cousins who

intermarried with other Italian families and eventually moved out of the Italian neighborhoods of

Boston‟s North End and East Boston. Fred‟s father, Michele, was one of 4 boys and 3 girls, each

of whom had between six to fourteen children of their own. Interestingly, Michele‟s three sisters

each married another Langone, possibly distant cousins. Maria Grazia married a Stephano

Langone, Maria (Mary) married a Carmine Langone, and Caroline married a Genovario (John)

Langone.

The Langone family is related to former state senator Joseph A. Langone Jr., and a couple

former Boston city counselors as

well as the Langone Funeral Home

in the North End.

Michele and Saveria celebrated

the first marriage of one of their

children in 1908 when their

daughter, Carmen, married Attilio

Mortelli, another former resident of

Marsico Nuovo. They provided

Michele and Saveria four

grandchildren: Michael (1909-

1986), Ralph (1911-1975), Lillian

(1912-1999), and Alfred (1915-1997). Unfortunately, Carmen would die at the young age of 30

on 19 February 1922.

The next marriage in the Langone family was on 27 April 1913 when Maria “Mary” married

Raffael “Ralph” Michael Fiore. They went on to have 9 children: Michael "Mike" R. (1914-

1979), Albert A. (1915-), Romilda Nunziata (1917-2003), Dorothy "Dot" (1919-), twins Ralph

(1921-1994) and Attillio "Tillio" (1921-2002), Anthony A. (1924-), Joseph M., and Richard J.


12

Despite the closeness of the family, a major schism occurred when Michele and Saveria‟s

oldest son, Frank, became romantically involved with a girl of British descent from Canada,

Violet Hing, instead of an Italian girl like his parents expected. Frank and Violet had two

children out of wedlock before they were officially married on 25 June 1916. Frank then moved

to Everett with Violet‟s family, leaving his own behind in Somerville.

The next son to be married was Dominic “Nick” who married Amelia Booth on 30 September

1917. They would have 6 children: Michele Domenic (who died as infant) (1918-1918), Michael

Domenic (1919-1970), Robert F. (1922-2003), Carmella (who died as child) (1923-1925),

Domenic J. (1925-1945), and Lillian F. (1928-).

The next marriage took place on 29 June 1919 when Catherine “Kate” married Joseph

Cremone. They had 6 children: Frank (1920-1987), Joseph (1921-1991), Marie (1924-1998),

Robert J., Vera (1927-2001), and Kathryn.

On 4 April 1917 the United States declared war on Germany and entered World War I.

Sometime before or during the war, Michele worked at the “Rueter and Company/ Highspring

Brewery” in the Jamaica Plain/Mission Hill area of Boston. An early photograph of shows him in

what appears to be in a

basement surrounded by

wooden brewery kegs.

The ends of several of the

kegs read “Rueter‟s

Sterling Ale” and display

Rueter/ Highspring labels.

Interestingly, the

photograph seems to

show that the brewery

was producing Sterling

Ale. Since the Sterling

Brewery was based in

Evansville, Indiana the

Rueter/Highland Spring Brewery was either producing locally brewed Sterling Ale on their

behalf or using barrels purchased from Evansville.


13

In the early 1900‟s beer making in Boston was in its

heyday. With 31 breweries, Boston had the highest number of

breweries per capita in the United States – within just a mile

and a half radius in the Stony Brook corridor of Jamaica Plain

and Mission Hill there were 24 breweries. The reason for this

concentration was the abundance of crystal clear water from

the brook‟s aquifer and artesian wells bubbling around

Mission Hill; and the relatively cheap land after the City of

Roxbury was merged with Boston in 1868. The Stony Brook

aquifer is now buried under a railroad bed.

The highly-regarded “Rueter and Company/ Highland

Spring Brewery” was established in 1867 by one of

Massachusetts' most famous beer barons, Henry H. Rueter, at

148-168 Terrace Street in Mission Hill. By 1872 it was the

largest brewery in America and made more ale than

any other. At the 1876 Centennial Exposition in

Philadelphia it won the gold medal for ale, stunning

the Philly brewers, who claimed to make the best ales.

(Jamaica Plains Historical Society) But at the end of

1918, this renowned brewery was closed down with

the advent of the institution of prohibition and Michele

was out of a job.

The “Great Experiment” of a national prohibition

against the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol

was instituted after Congress had passed the 21st Amendment in 1919. The prohibition had

mixed support when it was enacted and became increasingly unpopular as the Great Depression

fell upon the US. In December 1933, the prohibition was ended and a former Rueter/Highland

Spring Brewery brew master, Walter J. Croft, reopened the brewery after it had been used by a

metal and rubber company during prohibition. Croft had the entire building steam cleaned and

sterilized and then refitted for brewing with all new equipment. With the resumption of


14

business, the brewery needed new employees and Michele‟s son, Raffaele (who also went by

“Ralph” or “Fred”), was hired about 1934.

Ironically, the Volstead Act which started the prohibition had no restrictions on the making of

wine and hard cider at home (up to 200 gallons a year). Until very late in his life, Michele

enjoyed making his own wine in his cellar.

By 1921, the Langone family moved out of Boston to the working class neighborhood of

Somerville, three miles to the northwest. Their first address was likely 12 Rush Street in East

Somerville since that is where both Michele and Sarah died years later.

They may have moved as a result of the construction in their neighborhood of the first

commercial airport in Boston. This airport was to be named after a prominent Boston soldier,

Lieutenant General Edward Lawrence Logan.

Somerville was first settled in 1630 as a part of Charlestown and was known as "Charlestown

beyond the Neck". It was incorporated in 1842 when it separated from the more urban

Charlestown. A report commissioned by the Somerville Historical Society found that name of

Somerville was a "purely fanciful name.” (Haskell) During the Battle of Boston, the area

became famous when George Washington‟s army raised the first American flag, “the Grand

Union Flag”, on Prospect Hill that could be seen from anywhere in Boston by the encircled

British.

On 25 October 1923, Michele and Saveria celebrated

another marriage when their daughter, Luigia “Louise”,

married Vincenzo Martino. A year later, Rosina “Rose”

married Frank A. Cantalupa on 27 November 1924.

In the spring of 1929, Michele‟s youngest son, Raffaele

“Ralph/Fred” married Mary “Mame” B. Toscano. By that

December, they had their one and only child, a son they named

after Michele, Michael Angelo Langone.

The last of the Langone children was married on 1 January

1931, when Angelina “Angie” married her sister‟s brother-in-

law, Anthony Cantalupa. They would have 8 children:

Eleanor, Rita, Joseph "Joe", Theresa, Mary Ann, Anthony,


15

Michele Langone with Dominic Toscano, his

daughter-in-law’s brother, in mid-late 1930s

Ann, and Barbara.

At some point in the 1920s or early 30s, Michele began

working as a “Laborer” with the “Boston Cons[olidated]

Gas Co.” (Michele‟s 1939 obituary) Boston was one of the

pioneers in the use of gas in America. In 1822 a half-dozen

leading business men formed a company called the Boston

Gas Light Company and in 1905 the Company was merged

with others to form the Boston Consolidated Gas Company.

In later years other companies were merged with Boston

Consolidated and in 1955 it was renamed the Boston Gas

Company. By 1980 it was the largest gas utility in New England.

On 17 November 1934, Sarah died at home at the age of 63. Her death certificate states that

the cause of death was "Angina Pectoris; Arterio-Sclerosis" – chest pain or discomfort and the

hardening (loss of elasticity) of arteries – and that her

occupation was “Domestic”. Her obituary (in the

Boston Globe?) reads: "In Somerville, Nov. 17th,

Sarah (nee Ventre), beloved wife of Michele

Langone. Funeral from her late residence, 12 Rush

St., Nov. 20, at 9 a.m. Solemn Requiem high mass in

St. Benedict's Church at 10 a.m. Relatives and

friends kindly invited."

Saint Benedicts Catholic Church was built in 1911

on 25 Hathorn Street, four blocks from Fred and

Mame‟s home, and was the spiritual center for the

Langones while they lived in Somerville. Sarah was

buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden.

Five years later, on 30 January 1939, Michele

passed away in his home on Rush Street. His

obituary (in the Boston Globe?) reads: "LANGONE -

In Somerville, Jan. 30, Michele, beloved husband of

the late Sarah (nee Ventre). Funeral from his late residence: 12 Rush St., Thursday, Feb. 2, at


16

8:30 a.m. Solemn Requiem High Mass at St. Benedict's Church at 9:30 a.m. Relatives and

friends kindly invited." Michele‟s death certificate states that he died at home of "Carcinoma of

oesophagus; secondary anaemia; malnutrition" – essentially, he died of throat cancer. Michele

was buried next to his wife in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden. Their son, Dominic, was

later buried with them when he died in 1971.


17

References:

1. Stephen Puleo, “The Boston Italians” (Beacon Press, Boston; 2007)

2. Catholic Encyclopedia ( http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09719a.htm)

3. Italian website with frequency of names in Italy (http://gens.labo.net)

4. Lenny and Deborah Herrmann (Langone family genealogists),

[email protected]

5. “Boston’s Lost Breweries”, Jamaica Plain Historical Society,

(http://www.jphs.org/victorian/bostons-lost-breweries.html)

6. Albert L. Haskell, "Haskell's Historical Guide Book of Somerville, Massachusetts"

7. J.L. Richards, “The Boston Consolidated Gas Company: Its Relation to the Public, Its

Employees and Investors” (American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1908)

8. The Catholic Encyclopedia (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09719a.htm)

9. Jamaica Plains Historical Society (http://www.jphs.org)

10. Find A Grave (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-

bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=15941648&PIpi=5327897)

11. John F. Mariani, “Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink” (Lebhar-Friedman,

New York, 1999)

12. Steve Almond, “The Kings of Candy” (Boston Phoenix, March 16 - 23, 2000;

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/03/16/candy.html)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09719a.htm

http://gens.labo.net/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.jphs.org/victorian/bostons-lost-breweries.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09719a.htm

http://www.jphs.org/

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=15941648&PIpi=5327897

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=15941648&PIpi=5327897

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/00/03/16/candy.html


18

Pudge receiving Purple Heart on Tinian,

1944

Addendum

Because the Langone family is so large and interesting, I have provided additional

information about some of Michael and Sarah‟s children and grandchildren below:

1. Francesco "Frank" Langone was born on 16 August 1889 in Potenza, Italy and died on 27

April 1966 at 184 Bow Street in Everett, Massachusetts at the age of 75. From his obituary

(Everett Times): "Frank Langone, 76, of 185 Bow st., died last week at his home.” Francesco

(the original Italian spelling) was his birth name according to state records but he shortened and

Americanized his name to "Frank". On one of his hands, Frank had lost three fingers, leaving

only his forefinger and thumb.

Frank became separated from his family probably over several major issues. The first was

that he became romantically involved with a girl of British descent from Canada, Violet Hing,

instead of an Italian girl. He and Violet then had two children, Marion and Elizabeth "Chappy",

out of wedlock before they were officially married on 25 June 1916. Frank then moved to

Everett with Violet's family, leaving his own behind in Somerville.

Frank was further separated from his family after Violet died in 1944 and he didn't use the

Langone funeral home. The Langones then offered the use of their funeral home limos and

family cars which Frank also refused, splitting the family even further. These details were

relayed by his daughter, Mildred, or Micky as she was known, before she passed away in Jan

2004 at the age of 84.

He and Violet had the following children:

Marion Arlene (1914-1998), Elizabeth

"Chappy" [In an e-mail from Len Herrmann:

"she got her name because when she was

young she walked like Charlie Chaplin”]

(1916-), Dorothy "Juppy" [Herrmann:

"Dorothy was nicknamed after a duck they

had when she was a child”] (1918-), Mildred

Francis "Mickey" "Tittle" (1920-2004),


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Virginia (1922-), Thomas Henry "Pudgy" [Herrmann: "when he was young he had pudgy

cheeks." Thomas was a Marine Corporal in the Fourth Division who was killed on 21 February

1945 during the taking of Iwo Jima. He was initially buried on the island but was reinterred in

Everett when an air strip was built on Iwo. At the time of his death, the family was living at 3

Hadley Court in Everett.] (1924-1945), William F. (1927-1986), Francis J. "Frannie" (1929-),

Philip (1933-), Evelyn (1934-), Elsa (Elsie) Diane (1937-)

2. Maria “Mary” A. (Langone) Fiore was born in 1891 or ‟92 (probably in Italy) and died on

30 March 1971 at the age of 80. On 27 April 1913 she married Raffael "Ralph" Michael Fiore

(1890/1- 1949) and they had the following children: Michael "Mike" R. (1914-1979), Albert A.

(1915-), Romilda Nunziata (1917-2003), Dorothy "Dot" (1919-), twins Ralph (1921-1994) and

Attillio "Tillio" (1921-2002), Anthony A. (1924-), Joseph M., and Richard J.

Her husband, Ralph, died in 1949 at the age of 58. From his obituary: "Ralph Fiore, 58, of 20

Arlington Street, original owner of the Somerville High Grade Laundry company of Mystic

street, Arlington, and a salesman for the Fleming Construction Company of Charlestown, died in

a hospital last Monday following a long illness. A native of Italy, he had lived in Somerville for

the past 36 years. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Mary (Langone) Fiore; two daughters, Mrs. Romilda

Lepore of Los Angeles, California, and Mrs. Dorothy Maltacea of Somerville; and seven sons,

Ralph Jr. and Attillio, twins, both World War II overseas veterans; Joseph M., Anthony A.,

Michael R., and Richard J., all of Somerville, and Albert A. of Dorchester. A solemn requiem

high mass will be sung in St. Benedict's church at 9 tomorrow morning, with the funeral from the

residence at 8. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden."

Mary lived for another 22 years before dying in 1971. From her obituary: "Mary A. Fiore,

79, of 20 Arlington St., died March 30 after a long illness. She was a resident of Somerville for

about 50 years. She was the widow of Ralph Fiore; mother of Michael of Arlington, Albert of

Dedham, Romil da Lepore of Calif., Dorothy Maltacea of Woburn, Attillio and Ralph of

Somerville, Anthony of Lexington, Joseph of Nahant, and Richard of Billerica; sister of Rose

Cantalupa, Catherine Cremone, Domenic and Ralph Langone all of Somerville. She is also

survived by 35 grandchildren. A High mass of requiem at St. Benedict's Church followed a

funeral from the E.L. Kelleher Funeral Home, Friday. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery,

Malden."


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3. Carmen Langone was born on 1 August 1891 (probably in Italy) and died at the young age

of 30 on 19 February 1922. In 1908 she married Attilio Mortelli and they had the following

children: Michael (1909-1986), Ralph (1911-1975), Lillian (1912-1999), and Alfred (1915-

1997). Attilio was born on 24 January 1887 and died on 13 November 1975. In 1942, 55 year-

old Artillio registered for service in World War II as part of the “Old Man‟s Draft”, the fourth

draft of the war which registered all men between the ages of 42 and 64. By this time, he had

remarried to a woman whose first name started with an “F”. He listed his address as 45

Michigan Avenue in Somerville and his employer as “Wm. Lakon & Sons, Inc, 54 Chardon St.,

Boston.” Interestingly, he listed the same place of birth as his first wife‟s brother, “Italy,

Marsico Nuova [sic]”. This is a misspelling of the small town of Marsico Nuovo in the

province of Potenza, of the region of Basilicata in southern Italy.

4. Domenic “Nick” J. Langone, Sr. was born on 27 February 1898 in Marsico Nuovo

Potenza, Basilicata, Italy and died on 19 November 1971 at the age of 73. Like many other

Langones, he was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden. On 30 September 1917 he

married Amelia M. Booth and they had the following children: Michele Domenic (who died as

infant) (1918-1918), Michael Domenic (1919-1970), Robert F. (1922-2003), Carmella (Died as

Child) (1923-1925), Domenic J. (1925-1945), and Lillian F. (1928-).

Nick's death certificate states that he died of "Myocardial failure, artero heart disease" in his

home at 12 Rush Street Somerville, MA. His occupation is listed as "Retired". He was buried in

Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden, MA.

His son, Domenic “Nick Junior” J., Jr., was killed in WWII somewhere in Germany. His

remains were never recovered and he is buried somewhere in Germany. From a newspaper

article: "The War Department announced this week that Pfc. Dominic J. Langone, son of

Dominic J. Langone of 12 Rush street, had been killed in action in the European Theatre.

"Also that Pfc. Joseph J. Thaxter.is missing in action.

"In both cases next of kin have been previously notified."

His funeral notice states that he was "Born February 10, 1925" and "Died March 26, 1945 in

Germany".


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5. Catherine “Kate” (Langone) Cremone was born on 21 December 1899 in Boston and died

on 25 November 1992 at the age of 92. At the time of her death, she was living at 21 Arlington

Street in Reading, Massachusetts. She was the godmother of her nephew, Michael Angelo

Langone (born 1929).

On 29 June 1919 she married Joseph Cremone and they had the following children: Frank

(1920-1987), Joseph (1921-1991), Marie (1924-1998), Robert J., M, Vera (1927-2001), and

Kathryn.

Joseph Cremone Sr. was born in 1897 in Boston and died on 21 May 1955 at the age of 58.

From his obituary: "Funeral services were held Tuesday for Joseph C. Cremone, 12 Autumn st.,

from the Joseph A. Langone Funeral Home, Boston, with solemn high mass of requiem in St.

Anthony's church. Mr. Cremone died last Saturday at 58, following a short illness. A

Somerville resident for most of his life, Mr Cremone was born in Boston, the son of Francesco

and Maria Cremone. He was a maintenance man. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Catherine A.

Langone Cremone; three sons, Frank of Charlestown, Joseph of Malden, and Robert of

Somerville; three sisters, Catherine Cremone, Mrs. Marie Jackson, and Mrs. Vera Cicerano, all

of Somerville; eight grandchildren and a.[?].Mrs. Florence DiN[?].of Somerville [?]. Burial was

in Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden."

From her obituary: "Catherine "Katie" (Langone) Cremone died Nov. 25 following a lengthy

illness. She was 92. Born in Boston, she lived in Somerville before moving to Reading. She

was a homemaker. She was the wife of the late Joseph, and the mother of Marie Jackson of

Reading, Robert Cremone and Vera Cicerano both of Somerville, Kathryn O'Connor of

California and the late Joseph and Frank Cremone. She is also survived by 22 grandchildren and

25 great-grandchildren."

6. Luigia “Louise” “Louisa” (Langone) Martino was born on 11 Jul 1901 and died on 10

February 1947 at the age of 45. On 25 October 1923 she married Vincenzo Martino (1892-

1935).

7. Rosina “Rose” (Langone) Cantalupa was born on 18 May 1903 and died on 10 October

1985 in Lowell at the age of 82. On 27 November 1924 she married Frank A. Cantalupa and


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they had no children. Her younger sister, Angie, married Frank‟s brother, Anthony, seven years

later. Frank was born on 10 March 1898 and died in May 1970 at the age of 72.

From her obituary: "In Lowell, Oct. 10, Rose H. (Langone) Cantalupa of 30 Tanglewood

Ave, Tewksbury and formerly of Somerville, beloved wife of the late Frank Cantalupa, sister of

Catherine Cremone of Reading. Beloved aunt of Eleanor Deveau and Rita Ducharme of

Tewksbury, Joseph Cantalupa and Theresa O'Keefe of Medford, Anthony Cantalupa of

Somerville, Barbara Lonergan and Ann Cantalupa of Arlington and Mary Nutting of Scottsdale,

Arizona. She is survived by many nieces and nephews. Funeral Tuesday at 9 from the Farmer &

Dye Fuenral Home, 16 Lee St., TEWKSBURY. Funeral mass at 10 in St. William's Church.

Relatives and friends invited. Calling hours at the Funeral Home, Sunday evening 7-9 and

Monday 2-4 and 7-9. Interment in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett."

Rose's death certificate states that she died of "Acute Mesenteric Thrombosis" and that her

occupation was "meat packer."

8. Guiseppe Langone was born in 1906-‟07 and died as an infant on 29 August 1908.

9. Angelina “Angie” (Langone) Cantalupa was born in 1909 in Boston and died on 20

February 1964 at the age of 55. On 1 January 1931 she married her sister‟s brother-in-law,

Anthony Cantalupa and they had the following children: Eleanor, Rita, Joseph "Joe", Theresa,

Mary Ann, Anthony, Ann, and Barbara.

From her obituary: "Mrs. Angelina M. (Langone) Cantalupa, 55, died Feb. 20 after a long

illness. Born in Boston, she had lived in Somerville 52 years. She leaves her husband, Anthony

Cantalupa, 39 Vermont Ave; six daughters, Mrs. Eleanor Deveau, Mrs. Rita F. Ducharme, Mrs.

Mary L. Nutting, Ann M. Cantalupa, Theresa M. Cantalupa, and Barbara J. Cantalupa; and a son,

Anthony J. Cantalupa. Solemn High Requiem Mass was sung for her Saturday morning in St.

Benedict's church. Funeral was from the E.L. Kelleher Funeral Home, and burial was at

Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett."

From his obituary: "Anthony Cantalupa, 80, died on July 20 in Symmes Hospital after a short

illness. The former shipper for the Sunshine Biscuit Company was born in Boston and had been

a longtime resident of Somerville but was living at 37 Robbins Rd. in Arlington at the time of his

death. He was the husband of the late Angelina (Langone) and the father of Eleanor Deveau and


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Rita DuCharme, both of Tewksbury, Joseph Cantalupa and Theresa O'Keefe, both of Medford,

Mary Nutting of Arizona, Anthony Cantalupa of Somerville, Ann Cantalupa and Barbara

Lonergan of Arlington. He is also survived by 22 grandchildren. A Mass in Saint Benedict's

Church followed a funeral from the Kelleher Funeral Home. He was buried in Woodlawn

Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to the Heart Fund."

michele a. langone - webs michele 1870 1939 … · michele was raffaele and maria‟s first child...

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