Messina and Culmone Families
with
Maniscalco, Montalbano, Weido (Guida), & Leto
Poggioreale, Trapani, Sicily
Poggioreale is a small Sicilian village about 30 miles from Palermo in the Trapani province. It lies in
a valley near the Belice River. The population in 1955 was 3439i, and in 1997, the population was
down to 1,799.ii Jack Leto, our cousin, who grew up in Poggioreale recalls the many olive and
other fruit trees.iii Wine is still produced in Poggioreale for local consumption.
The town of Poggioreale, that our grandparents knew, was severely damaged by an earthquake in
January 1968. Residents lived in makeshift tents and housing until the government rebuilt the city
in a new location about a mile away. The old town, or vecchio, is standing in ruins, overgrown
with fig trees and cacti with goat keepers using some of the crumbling buildings.
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16
The Maniscalco Family
Pietro (Peter) Maniscalco was born January 9, 1879 to Calogero Maniscalco and Antonina
Apicella in Poggioreale. His grandparents were Pietro Maniscalco and spouse Antonina
Strada and Salvatore Apicella and spouse Rosalia Failla, all born in Poggioreale. Pietro (Peter)
was the fifth of eight identified children. His oldest sister, Antonina was born March 24, 1872 and
died January 22, 1873. Following the Italian naming pattern to name children after first, the
paternal grandparents and then, the maternal, Calogero and Antonina named their first son Pietro
(1873). After he died (1874), they named the next one Pietro (1876), who also died. Their third
son, Pietro also died (1877-1878)iv. Finally, our Pietro (Peter) Maniscalco was born.
After Pietro, came Salvatore (1882-1883)v, another Salvatore (1883-1894)vi, and Stefano (18861888)vii. By the time Pietro was 16 years old, he was an only child.
Pietro's father, Calogero Maniscalco, had two known siblings: Antonio (Tony) (1840-1911) and
Angelo (born 1850)viii. While nothing more is known about Angelo, Antonio (Tony) immigrated to
Houston in the late 1880's or early 1890's with his wife Elizabeth Cangemi and their children.
The Messina and Culmone Families
Giacomo Messina, born about 1844, (parents Giuseppe Messina and
Domenica Campisi) and Rosalia Culmoneix, was born August 11,
1850 and died February 8, 1937 (parents Giovanni Battista Culmone,
born c. 1823, and Antonia Scondutto, born c. 1828). They were all born
in Poggiorealex. I do not have any additional information about the
Messina or Campisi families.
Rosalia Culmone had five siblings, Agnazio, Baldassare, Saverio,
Angela and Francesco. Rosalia never came to the U.S., but at least two
of her siblings did.
Baldassare (1858-1932) immigrated from Poggioreale before 1900 with
his son Giovanni Batiste (1885-1967). Baldassare’s first wife, Anna
Calamia, died either before they sailed, during the voyage or shortly after
arriving. He settled in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and married Vincenza
(Zina) Scardina, in 1892; she was a widow of Calogero Aracca.
Rosalia Culmone, mother
of the Messina Sisters
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16
John (Giovanni) Batiste Culmone married Zina’s daughter, Margarita Aracca in 1910, and
they had 4 sons, Albert B (pictured left), Charles, Joseph and Victor and one daughter, Evelyn.
Most of the Culmone families still live in the Baton Rouge area.
Francesco (1873-1959), his wife, Guiseppa Greco (1876-1957) and
their four children immigrated from Palermo, arriving at Ellis Island on
December 23, 1898 aboard the S/S Karamania. They settled in the New
York City area, had another son, and some time after 1930, they and at
least 2 of their 5 children were living in Los Angeles and San Diego,
California.xi
Giacomo Messina and Rosalia Culmone had four daughters Domenica, or Mimi/Mamie, (1874), Antonia (1880), Maria (1883)
and Angelina (1890). Domenica married and remained in Poggioreale,
while her three sisters married in Poggioreale and moved to Houston, TX after 1900.
Antonino Leto and Domenica Messina
Domenica (Mimi/Mamie), the only sister who remained in Sicily, was born October 6, 1874,
married Antonino Leto April 21, 1895xii and lived in Poggioreale until her death on May 13, 1958.
Their children are Antonia, 1897; Rosario, 1905; Giuseppe 1908; Rosaria, 1910 and Giacomo
(Jack) 1917.
Antonia Leto (1897 – 1948) married Carmelo Merlo; their son, Frank and their three daughters
emigrated to Sydney Australia in the 1950’s.
Photos of Domenica “Mamie/Mimi”
Messina Leto at different ages.
Photos taken in Poggioreale, where
she remained until her death in 1958.
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16
Giacomo (Jack) Leto (1917 – 2003) married Maria Gregori (1926-1995) and also moved to
Australia after World War II, to find workxiii where their son, Anthony and two daughters live. Jack
Leto passed away on June 28, 2003.
Pietro Maniscalco and Maria Messina
Pietro, born January 9, 1879, and Maria, born June 14, 1883, were married March 18, 1906 in
Poggiorealexiv. The marriage recordsxv show that Pietro was not previously married, and his
occupation was villico (farmer). Their daughter Antonia (Lena) was born in Poggioreale on Nov 27,
1907.
Pietro (Peter) Maniscalco left his hometown of Poggioreale, Sicily, his wife of two years and his
4 ½ month old daughter Antonia, and boarded the steamship
Luguria in Palermoxvi. He arrived at the Port of New Orleans
on March 11, 1908. On the passenger list, he is described as
"age 29, height 5' 4", with rosy complexion, chestnut hair and
sky blue eyes and a scar on the front". It further states, "the
nearest relative he left in his home country is his wife, Maria
Messina, with the address via Arciprete Agosto No.10
Poggioreale". He paid his own passage, had never been in the
U.S. before and had $3 on him. He was joining his Uncle Antonio Maniscalco, Box 4, Houston.
Maria Messina was 26 when she and daughter Antonia (Lena), age 2, sailed out of Naples, Italy
on the steamship Duca di Genova, June 19 1909xvii. They arrived at Ellis Island in New York on
July 1, 1909.
Here, they were detained for
two more weeks.
At the end of the passenger list,
they are on a list
called, “Record of Aliens
Held for Special
Inquiry”. The cause of
detention was LPC
SI, which stands for "Likely to
Become a Public
Charge, Special Inquiry". Often,
it applied to a
woman without means of support and traveling alone. Following a Special Inquiry Hearing, Maria
and Antonia were released on July 14, 1909 at 2:45 p.m.
Why did Maria sailed out of Naples, which entailed a boat ride to the Italian mainland, and why
sailed to New York rather than New Orleans, which was closer to her destination? The passenger
list states that Maria (and Lena) was traveling to Galveston to meet her husband Pietro Maniscalco.
She was 5' tall with rosy complexion and chestnut hair. The record is hard to read, but she had
some money with her, either $2 or $20; her husband paid her passage.
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16
Pietro Maniscalco and Maria Messina (con’t)
Most likely, Pietro had to sailed to New York via Galveston to meet his wife and daughter, and all
sailed back to Galveston. This would explain why Grandma (Maria) said that she came into the
Port of Galveston.
By 1910, when the Federal Censusxviii record was taken, Peter, Mary and Lena (age 2) were living
with Paul Cannatella and his family on Westheimer Road in Houston, Harris County. Both were
working as farmers. Next door, lived Peter's cousin Sebastian Maniscalco and his family. Sebastian's
parents, Antonio (Tony Sr.) Maniscalco and Elizabeth (Cangemi), and their children Tony Jr.,
Steve, Lulu (and their spouses and children) lived next door to Sebastian.
When the 1920 censusxix came around, the Maniscalco’s
were living on Summer Street in Houston. Peter and
Mary's family had expanded to include Lena (12), Sam (9),
Rosie (7), Jekima/Jackie (6), Mamie (3) and Josephine (1
month). Later, Mary Grace (1921), Ann (1922) and Peter
(1925) were born.
The 1930 census shows the family living off East
Montgomery Road in Pct 4 of Harris Co, TX.xx Eight of
their nine children live with them. Lena has married. Lena
is widowed in 1930 census and she and her two young
sons, Tony and Luke live with her in-laws in Houston. xxi
Angelina Messina and Sylvester Montalbano
On December 13, 1912xxii, Maria's sister, Angelina Messina (22)
and her husband, Silvestro Montalbano (26) sailed together on
the steamship Ancona to New York, arriving on Dec 27, 1912.
The passenger list tells us that Silvestro's birthplace is Santa
Margherita, which is only a short distance from Poggioreale.
Silvestro’s parents were Giuseppe Montalbano and Libroia
Marellesa, both also born in Santa Margherita, Sicily.
Angelina and Silvestro are meeting her brother-in-law, Pietro
Maniscalco, whose address is given as RFD #4, Box 61 in
Houston. They are both described as 5' 5" tall with dark
complexion, chestnut hair. In the 1920 censusxxiii, they are living
on Alief Rd in the Piney Point area of Houston. Their children,
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16
Joe (8), Jack (6), Labonci (4) and Rosa and Lena (1) were all born in Texas. The 1930 census finds
the family living on Tom Dunn Road in Harris Co, Pct 1, with additional children, Mamie (10),
Mary (10), Silva (6) and Bennie (3).xxiv
Antonia Messina and Simone (Sam) (Guida) Weido
Antonia Messina (23) married widower Simone (Sam) Guida/Weido (28), on September 1,
1903 in Poggioreale. xxv. He was an orphanxxvi whose parents are unknown.
He and his first wife, Giuseppa Saladino (1875-1902), had three children
born in Poggiorealexxvii. They were Giuseppe /Joe (1897), Cologero (1899)
xxviii
and Elonora/Lena (1901).
Before leaving Poggioreale for the U.S., Antonia Messina and Simone Guida
had three of their own children, Giacamo/Jack (1907), Anthony/Tony
(1909) and Rosalee (Dec 1911).xxix Frank was born in 1914 and John Baptist,
in 1915, in Houston.
Antonia Messina age 33 sailed from Palermo & arrived at NY – Ellis Island on Sept 5, 1913 on
steamship Calabria with children Guida, Eleanora 12, Giacamo 5, Antonino 3 & Rosalia 1.
Simone Guida age 37 sailed from Le Havre France & arrived at NY – Ellis Island on Sept 24,
1912 on steamship La Touraine with son Giuseppe Guida, 15.
Antonia died Jan 2, 1916 from an infection she received during the birth of her last child John
Baptist (December 26, 1915). Her death certificatexxx states that she had been a resident of the U.S.
for 2 years 6 months (mid 1913). At the time of her death, they lived on Westheimer Road in
Harris County. Simone died October 6, 1923. They are both buried in Holy Cross Cemetery. There
is no known photo of Antonia Messina Guida.
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16
i
The History of Poggioreale: English translation
http://www.casbanet.com/poggio/comune/index.htm
iii
Audio tape from Jack Leto 1992
ii
iv
Poggioreale City Records: R. Lowry
Poggioreale Death Records: Family History Film #1916071
vi Poggioreale City Records: R. Lowry
vii Poggioreale Death Records: Family History Film #1916071
viii
Poggioreale City Records: R. Lowry
ix
Allegati di matrimoni Records from Poggioreale (Birth record): Family History Film #1963879
x Poggioreale City Records: R. Lowry
v
xi
Ellis Island Records, 1920 & 1930 Federal Census, & California Death Index
xii
Poggioreale Allegati di Matrimoni Records: Family History Film #1963878
Letter from Jack Leto, Australia: dated Sept 13, 1989 & subsequent audio tapes
xiv Poggioreale Marriage Records: Family History Film #1916071
xv Allegati di matrimoni Records from Poggioreale: Family History Film #1963879
xvi National Archives Microfilm: Passenger List
xvii National Archives Microfilm: Passenger List
xviii 1910 Federal Census Texas, Harris Co, ed. 41, sheet #535
xix 1920 Federal Census Texas, Harris Co, ed. 36 sheet 13B
xiii
xx
1930 Federal Census, TX, Harris Co, Pct. 4, ed101-192, sd 26, sheet 22B, line 81
xxi
1930 Census Place: Houston, Harris, Texas; Roll: T626_2343; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 39; line 1
Passenger List: Family History Film #1400680
xxiii 1920 Federal Census Texas, Harris Co
xxiv
1930 Census Place Precinct 1, Harris, Texas; Roll: T626_2352; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 158, line 41
xxv Poggioreale Matrimoni Records: Family History Film # 1916071
xxvi Poggioreale Birth Record
xxvii Poggioreale Records
xxii
xxviii
Poggioreale records
xxix
Poggioreale Records
xxx Texas Death Certificate #1711
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Researched and Written by Marilyn Maniscalco Henley
Dated: 03/03/16