Passeri Francesco (Il Canonico) + Florio Fiorita

Il Canonico (1842 – 1921) | Fiorita Florio (November 24, 1850 – March 11, 1926

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Il Canonico’s youngest daughter, Lucia Florio, is our great-grandmother. After Lucia was born she was sent to an orphanage. The story told to us by Mario is that when Lucia was an infant she was put in a revolving shelf in the orphanage wall where children born out of wedlock could be placed anonymously at night. The infant was spun around into the care of nuns. In certain regions of Italy this was called “found on the wheel”. Foundling wheels, known in Italian as “ruoto dei trivatelli ” were used in Italy from the late 12th century (1198) onwards to address infant abandonment. Pope Innocent III decreed their installation in Rome to encourage mothers to leave their children rather than killing them. They were widely used across Italy for centuries, with some wheels remaining in use until the early 20th century when they were officially abolished in 1923 by Benito Mussolini. Lucia was born in 1879.

When Lucia turned 18 her mother Fiorita Florio arrived at the orphanage and claimed Lucia as her daughter. Lucia was a petite woman with a sweet and lovely face. Cousin Hugo Florio was very fond of Lucia and his cousins (the DelVecchio’s) that he would ride his bike 14 miles to Rutigliano from Bari to visit with them.

Michele Del Vecchio, a gentleman from a noble family, fell in love with Lucia, but because she was illegitimate his family refused to accept their relationship. When they married, his family disowned them. Lucia and Michele had 7 children. The oldest was our grandmother Antonia who was born in 1908. Il Canonico gave his son, Antonio, a home in Rutigliano and some land in the countryside which eventually came to our great-grandmother, Lucia. Michele farmed the land and during the harvest Antonia and her sister Fiorita would walk 6 miles to the farm to bring their father his dinner and return home. He spent the night on the property to keep it safe from bandits who roamed the countryside.

Ugo Florio

These are notes from Linda Sanitate Dishman:

Ugo’s family came to New York around 1917 but returned to Italy in 1926. The Sanitate’s cousin Hugo (UGO) returned to the United States when he was 15 years old and lived with his brother Angelo on Featherbed Lane in the Bronx. The brothers were in the jewelry business. Hugo’s family that remained in Italy lived in Rutigliano close to the Del Vecchio family but moved sometime later to Bari where they had a jewelry business including watch repair. ( I have tried to contact Ugo’s son who was last believed to live in Pennsylvania. I found an address, but my letter has been returned)

Michael Florio

Michele married Josephine Savona. They had three children – Michael Florio, Mari-Jo Florio (Flanagan) and Wayne Florio. Mari Jo lives in Mt. Dora Florida and we are in good communication with her. Michael lives in Nevada and Wayne lives in New Jersey and Naples Florida.

The two photos in the right are of Michael in Florio in Italy during WWII.

Fiorita Florio

Below are the musings and memories of Fiorita Florio, daughter of Celestino Florio, recorded by her daughter Patricia. Fiorita was 84 years of age when she shared her memories. They may contain some errors. However, her stories are very similar to the stories passed down to Il Canonico’s grandchildren, who are descended from Lucia Florio, daughter of Il Canonico and sister to Celestino.

This is her story:

The family of Father Passeri was well off. They owned a great deal of property and raised olive trees and grapes. He was not the first born and therefore wouldn’t inherit, so he possibly had no great calling to the priesthood. In any event his family set Fiorita and their children up in a villa on their property. Father Passeri could not practice mass or hear confessions, much like today’s deacon. I remember our grandfather (Celestino) had two pictures hanging on the wall in his living room. One was dressed as a priest and the other a military man in full uniform. When I asked who they were I was told “The Colonel” and “The Priest.” I was told that the Colonel was the brother of my stepmother Carmella, and the Priest was just “The Priest.”

When I was 13, I was taken to Italy by my father to live for a year after my mother died. He did this so he could meet and woo the woman his family had found for him. While there, my father took me to visit his Aunt, the priest’s sister. They lived in a magnificent villa and when we entered, there was a very regal woman standing at the top of the grand staircase, who said “Ah, so this is the priest’s granddaughter”. Celestino’s brother Antonio was an avvocato, a lawyer, in Italy. Immigration law at that time required a person immigrating to the US to have a sponsor. The brothers had a system set up, whereby people would go to Antonio, and after an investigation and a paid fee, he would arrange for Celestino to be their sponsor in coming to the US. Celestino and Onofrio settled in Corona Queens, NYC. He was a shoemaker and owned a business, a pool hall and several apartment buildings in Corona. He had difficulties with his children and at various times they were not speaking.

After he died our stepmother married a real estate owner, Lo Castro, and after she died he inherited all of our grandfather’s properties.

Delvecchio Michele + Florio Lucia

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Florio Fiorita + Vito Palumbo

Mario Palumbo

Mario Palumbo married Gina and has one son, Vito.