Allegretti Candy Makers (Chicago)

[MauroMags]

Hello all,

Does anyone have any information regarding the Allegretti Candy Co. from Chicago? They were in business during the turn of the 20th century and I'm curious to where in Italy the family comes from.

I've found an Ellis Island manifests from 1892 for an Onofrio (mispelled as Varfrio) Allgretta from Molfetta who was a liquor dealer and 60 years old during his voyage. His final destination was listed as Chicago. I've seen some other (online) references to Allegretta candy makers from Molfetta but nothing verifably documented

any help would be appreciated,
Mauro

[MauroMags]

No luck yet... lots of material on the family but nothing regarding their exact origins in Italy

thanks for looking though,

Mauro

[jcsm400]

2nd paragraph may interest you.

http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/hist/hull-m ... caroni.htm

jcsm

[jcsm400]

A little over 3/4 down.

http://postcards.delcampe.com/page/list ... age,E.html

jcsm

[JMKeene]

I believe that you'll find (as other have pointed out) that there was more than one Allegretti candy company at the turn of the century in Chicago.

It appears as though in the very late 1800's, the Rubel & Allegretti families were working together making candy, but then there appears to have been a split that brought about indictments after a cease and desist order was issued and ignored regarding the use of the name Allegretti Candy.

I haven't yet confirmed exactly who is who in this mess that was created, but I have found out that one of the players was Bennedetto Allegretti, the philandering husband of Rose O'Pizzi Allegretti, owner of Rose Allegretti Candy Company & Rose Allegretti Chocolate Cream Company until her retirement in 1928. Her O'Pizzi family roots appear to be in Milan, Lombardia, Italy.

I'm attaching a couple of news articles that ran in the Chicago Daily Tribune relating to this candy fiasco. I now know who the main players were at the turn of the century, but I haven't yet confirmed their exact relationships to each other, except with respect to Bennedetta and his brothers, Ingatius & Frank. And, I haven't yet confirmed their exact origins in Italy.

I'm not confirming this now, but I suspect this is Giacomo mentioned in the Chicago newspaper articles:

Giacomo Allegretti
b. 09/04/1865
d. 07/22/1942 San Francisco at 76 yrs

He is likely the father of Bennedetta, Ignatius & Frank that were indicted on perjury charges on or about July 20, 1898. (see attachment)

If I'm reading it right, Giacomo is the nephew of Ignzio Allegretti, who was the original Allegretti candymaker entitled to the use of the Allegretti name. He apparently filed cease & desist papers to keep Giacomo from using the name Allegretti & Co. name with his partners B.F. Rubel & I.A. Rubel. (Later, early in the 1900's I believe I remember seeing the name of a candy company as "Rubel & Allegretti Candy", so that may be how that issue was eventually resolved.)

I'm guessing at this point (~1905-1915) that Rose Allegretti, after eventually dumping her philandering husband, was able to rescue their family business under her name of Rose Allegretti Candy Company, which she apparently ran successfully for many addtional years.

It's all still a bit of a blur to me, but I'm in contact with a couple fellow researchers that may know more about this than what I've learned in the past couple of weeks.

Just so everybody is clear, I'm not related to the O'Pizzi's or Allegretti's, but Rose O'Pizzi's niece married a William Smith in Chicago, and his family is part of my Grodzki roots in the city, consequently I'm doing as much research as I can about all the related families.

I'd be happy to hear from anyone that has anything more. It's certainly been a colorful research project so far. And, yes, there were allegations of child labor law violations, a fire in the candy store, allegations of bigamy against Bennedetta, and even a crazy car chase with him... BTW, Bennedetta was apparently known at the "Candy Man" or "Candy Kid" by his lovers from the era... Don't know what ever happened to him...

BTW, in case anyone is following the O'Pizzi line, Rose O'Pizzi was the daughter of Thomas M. & Marie [Sbertoli] O'Pizzi. Thomas was the son of Girolamo (Milan, Italy) & Louise [Russo] O'Pizzi (Maleo, Calabria, Sicily, Italy)

Hope it helps!

JMK
Born in Chicago
Living in Lutz, FL

[Pattyb]

My GreatAunt was Angie Triolo who married Giacomo Allegretti. I don't know when they were married. They had only one son, John, my mother's first cousin. The candy and soda water store that Giacomo opened in the Mentor Building in Chicago must not have been successful. In 1909 my Great grand father, Charles Triolo, died and by that time, according to my grandmother, Angie's sister, the Allegretti's were living in Los Angeles broke! After that Greatgrandmother Triolo moved to Stockton, Ca and the Allegretti's ended up in San Francisco. This is an interesting article you may want to look up. Http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19070417.2.62#

[eugenio_poli]

Hi Pattyb,
i'm working on my family tree and i can confirm you that my great grandmother's surname was Allegretti and she was married with Andrea Agosto and they had a restaurant in Chicago in '30 named "polo inn"..
i Know that they had a chocolate industry too.
In 2014 i went with my family to see the place where they had the restaurant in 511 N. Halsted Street and that was amazing and a big jump in the past of my family...
I live in North Italy but my family comes from South, Molfetta (BARI)...
You can write me here: epoli@libero.it
hope to receive soon a message from who knows more about my lost american family.
greetings
eugenio poli