Marsicovetere - Francesco Domenico Bosco

[boscodesc]

Dear Marsicovetere People -- Bosco, Marotta (?) and Campiglia Families,
also Borra of Turin,

Searching for whomever could help with access to LDS microfilm birth records for my great grandfather, Francesco Domenico Bosco (harpist/violinist), born Marsicovetere 15 May 1845. It is apparently this microfilm number in LDS records: Nati, pubblicazioni, matrimoni, morti, diversi, allegati 1842-1847 - FHL INTL Film [1796269], which came from this link: https://familysearch.org/eng/library/fh ... 1&last=100

According to Francesco's death certificate in Denver, 25 Feb 1912, his natural father was Antony (Antonio?) Bosco, mother Marie Maretta (Maria Moretta?). He may have been illegitimate with different surname in Italy. Had a club foot, which may be in records. Francesco married Mary Louise Neal in Louisiana in 1871, and had eight children, born in Arkansas and Denver: Clara Elizabeth, Francis William, Mary Amelia, Florence Louise, George Borra, Leonardo Ernesto, Leona Christina and Luella Bedortha.

As to the Campiglia family, I refer to the Bernardo Campiglia family of Marsicovetere who emigrated to Denver and then Southern California. I have just found in my family records what I believe to be a 19th century photo of three Campiglia family members that may be of interest to descendants. My Francesco gave his long-beloved harp to the Campiglia family. According to writing on the back of the photo, the harp (perhaps originally given to Bernard?), went to "daughter Matilda (1955)." The name Richard Pierson is written next to hers, with an address in Whittier, CA. Above that is the name Christine (Mrs. Clyde Malpede), with an address in Santa Monica, CA. I hope to find descendants who know something of the disposition of the harp, and/or ANYthing of life in Marsicovetere. Musical life there is of greatest interest, also anything to do with children sent out with padrones to play harp/violin on streets in Paris/London/New York, also 1857 earthquake in Basilicata, also how Italian Wars of Independence affected that area, any local history, etc.

Bosco family stories say that after an unpleasant childhood, Francesco "roamed Europe for a few years playing music." Would give anything to know who were his musical companions, then, or on 1865 or 1866 ship to U.S. (played their way to pay passage?). Or perhaps he was with a padrone during the "roaming" years. I understand many children who served padrones were from Marsicovetere and Viggiano (see great book "Little Slaves of the Harp," on Amazon.com). It's all such a mystery!

There is reference on the back of the photo to the Vito family of musicians being from the same town -- Joseph, Ed and Elaine (famed harpists of their time). Not sure if there is any real connection with them other than sharing same birthplace.

I am working on a book about an 1860 French violin that was 150 years in our Bosco family. Book completion is June 30, so am on a demanding time schedule in pursuit of ANYTHING on years in Italy. This violin originally belonged to a music teacher named Joseph Borra, born 1811 in Turin, died in 1885, perhaps in Butte, MT. Taught 45+ years in U.S. in 20+ states (!).

I will copy this same posting to several different forums/sites and see what happens. I can be reached through Ancestry or at vneutralzone@gmail.com.

Forgot -- writing on photo says "seven brothers emigrated to Ontario." I'm assuming that means Canada, and this means Francesco's brothers and not Campiglias. Not sure.

Many thanks,
Valerie

[PecciSalera]

Hello, your post caught my eye, and even though it's been a while I hope you see this reply. I have been doing genealogical research for my husbands family, trying to find a photo of Josephine Pecci. While looking at records I kept finding references to musicians in the family, Pecci's and Salera's from Marsico Vetere and Tramutola in Potenza. I even posted the following in Ancestry.com message boards, but no response:

Hello Marsico Vetere families,

As I have been researching the Pecci/Salera family trees I have noticed musicians cropping up amongst families from Marsico Vetere who also inter-married in Italy and here in America. I was wondering if anyone has noticed the same thing, and what the connection is. Is that area or town known for its musicians, or music hall?

Here's what I have:

Fred Benart Miraglia born 7 july 1888 in Marsico Vetere, musician, naturalized american citizen

Antonio Barrile born 1889 in M.V. musician

Frank Salera, born 1868 in M.V. married to Catharine (Catarina) b. 1894, musician

Bernard Miraglia, musician, born 28 feb 1856 M.V. married to Isabelle Lauletta b c. 1862, son of Antoine Miriglia and Rosa Vita, all born M.V.

Maria Salera b. 4 july 1872 in Marsico Nuovo, married an Anthony Lauletta, born in America in 1860, Anthony's father Victor born in M.V.

Also, I have since discovered a Campiglia surname connection. I'm curious, did you finish your research.

Lynne

[113yearslater]

One more person chiming in to say that one side of my family is also from Marsicovetere and was full of musicians. My great-great grandfather Frank Romagnano/Ramagnano had a gig band in Philadelphia full of South Philly Italians -- the "popular Romagnano Orchestra" as it was called in the local paper. My great-grandfather Nicola Cortese who married Frank's daughter was another musician, as was one of Frank's sons Pietro. And my grandfather Luigi/Lou and his brother Frank were also musicians. My grandfather played a harp, and one of my cousins still has it, so it's still loved, which makes me happy. My cousin is taking harp lessons, and I'm a pianist and composer, so music is still part of us!

(I also have Barrile and Miraglia in my family, but pretty far back.)

[boscodesc]

Oh my, I am very late to the party with my replies! So sorry I never saw these great posts until now.

Yes, many musicians from Marsicovetere, but their beginnings are not always a pretty story. Required reading is the book "Little Slaves of the Harp" by John Zucchi. It will knock your socks off, guaranteed. It's startling how few descendants seem to know the story. It's a whopper.

For quite awhile, I was consumed with a good-guys/bad-guys outlook, but have since exchanged fantastic research with descendants of padrones, and been forced to revise my over-simplified perspective. It would be so grand if descendants of that original group of 5,000 or so (from about 1850-1885) could have, say, a Facebook page. There, it would not be relevant whether your ancestor was padrone or "slave." The reality is, the padrone families were much more likely literate, and are far more likely to have the records we all want so much as a window on our collective pasts.

I have access to a breathtaking French data file with loads of detail on several hundred musicians from the area, mostly Marsicovetere but also Viggiano, Calvello, etc. The surnames these two posts inquire about are in there. Can't see them as I type this, but recognized the names right away. The French researcher kindly gave permission to share her work (always credited of course, and all professionals must clear use of it with her directly, especially if charging clients). It must have taken her many hundreds of hours to make. Please contact me if you wish for more info.

Valerie O'Conor
writeride@yahoo.com

[suanj]

Valerie I replied here http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/i ... logy/27408
suanj

[attantillo]

My grandmother was Clara Punaro. Her parents were Egidio "Mr. Ed or Pops" Punaro and Maddalena Campiglia. My great grandfather Egidio had the following siblings Anthony (Giuseppe), Jimmy (Junero), Katherine, Paul (Paolo). Egidio and his brothers travelled as musicians on ships to places all over the world including Europe, Asia, Hong Kong, South Africa, South America and Brazil. Our family the Punaros come from Viggiano, Potenza, Italy. Egidio and his father later settled in North Augusta, South Carolina USA. When Egidio left Augusta at the age of 12 to Charleston to work and study in Charleston, SC and as a harpist at local hotels. He also studied harp with the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra harpist at that time. When he was 18, his harp needed repair so he took it to the home of Augustine "Gus" Campiglia who was a Calabriasse wood carver and harp maker from Calabria. Egidio met his daughter Maddalena Campiglia and married her. Augustine "Gus" Campiglia, my great great grandfather handcarved an original harp for Egidio as a wedding present and a few other items. The Philadelphia Museum of Art offered to shelter and display our family heirlooms as part of the Calabria Wood Carver's Collection. In 1911, after being married less than a year he returned home to Augusta, GA with his wife Maddalena. Egidio later performed at the Bon Air Hotel, the Partridge Inn, the Imperial Theatre, Augusta Country Club, and the Bell Auditorium. Before returning to live fulltime in Augusta, he was sent here by the Philadelphia Philharmonic to perform live for then President-Elect William Howard Taft at the Augusta Country Club., and other places including Hampton Terrace. In 1909, he performed live for President Woodrow Wilson. After moving to Augusta, he performed regularly for dining events given by Landon A. Thomas, president and treasure of King Mills and 1st President of the Augusta Country Club. Landon Thomas' second wife Italian Contessa was aunt to Johnnie Agnelli, who was grandson to and namesake of Giovanni Agnelli founder of the Italian motor company Fiat. My great grandfather was invited to play for the Agnelli's once while they were visiting at Landon's home in Augusta. He would tell us that Mr. Thomas would send James with a mule and wagon to get him and his harp so that he would not have to walk from downtown Ellis Street to Milledge Road up on the Hill. Egidio also performed for Josef and his first wife Marie Clarisse Eustis at their home the Fermata in Aiken. My great grandfather and his brothers Junero and Paolo were also requested to perform live for the grand opening of WRDW's first broadcast in Augusta, GA in 1930. There is an article and picture of them performing for this event in LIFE magazine celebrating the city's first live radio broadcast. In the late 1920s as the country slipped further into the Great Depression, my great grandfather's musical performances eventually became a second priority since they were no longer dependable or financially viable enough to support the growing family. In 1928, Egidio began his own business as a proprieter. He was the owner and operator of Punaro's Market and performed his music only when time allowed. He started what we would now refer to today as delicatessen, back then it was referred to as fancy groceries. His store was downtown on 13th & Jones, then the popular place to be. My great grandparents had a lot of generosity which extended from their neighborhood to the Jesuit Priests & Sisters of Mercy at the Sacred Heart rectory & convent to the student's cafeteria at Paine College. There are plenty of stories to share. In the first year of Pop's (Punaro's Market) as a no longer full time musician and now fulltime business entrepreneur, not understanding Business Tax Code he was audited by the US Tax Authorities. There was apparently an infraction with his business taxes and an agent one in particular not from GA who was being very hard on him, he had compared Pop to the mob bosses in Chicago and threatened to have he & his family deported back to Italy. He never got over that and he wanted his children and grandchildren to know the importance of learning the law. After Pops passed away the family had gathered to close the family business. They had found a locked room at the back of the store where he kept cigar boxes stacked to the ceiling; marked by the month & year every receipt, invoice, bill of laden, PO and business charge; even paper bags where he had made business notations of some event during that day that he left noteworthy and in need of recording every single day from those very first years starting in 1928 to the very last day he worked before he passed away in 1975. They did not count every one of them, but they can promise you there were well over 1000 cigar boxes containing the complete financial history of Punaro's Market, thanks to the US Treasure Department. My great grandfather's nephew Angelo J. Punaro was a horticulturist and general contractor who designed the garden map of the United States for the Augusta National Golf Course which today serves as their logo famous worldwide & is seen during every viewing of the Master's Golf Tournament on TV. Pop had 24 grandchildren, 16 of which were boys. The rest, "the girls" were allowed and encouraged to study and become musicians or artist in their own right. So they studied at the best conservatories, schools of the artsa and at fine art institutes here and abroad. The boys really weren't allowed to be taught music. My grandmother Clara's sister Teresa Punaro was a mezzo soprano and sang in the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, known for Madame Butterfly from George Bizet's Carmen. After Teresa's retirement she gave singing lessons at the family home for years in North Augusta and was one of the first formative teachers for Jessye Norman, the American Grammy award winning opera singer and recitalist born in Augusta. My dad and one of his cousins played in Concert & Tiger Bands at Clemson University and he also had his own band in highschool known as "the Exiles". He had one small claim to fame summer of 64' where he opened at Folly Beach for the SC Summer Entertainment Beach Festivals which were held every Friday and Saturday night. The Punaro's have contributed a lot to both food and musical life here in Augusta. Uncle Paolo ended up moving to Nashville, TN and performed there. Later settling down in life and married my great great aunt Lydia Varallo sister of Frank Varallo Jr and Eva. The Varallo's also from Potenza area had their small fame in Nashville. Upon Frank Jr.'s father's death, he took over Varallo's Restaurant at age 14 which has been open for over 70 years, now known as Varallo's Too owned and operated by 2 of his grandsons. Varallo's is known for their delicious chili. If anyone has any more information or can provide any more family connections for genealogical research (as I am also writing a book) please feel free to reach out to me.

-Anthony Tantillo attantillo@gmail.com

[adigiacomo]

Hi Valerie,

I am researching the Campiglia brothers and would appreciate seeing the photo you have.

Thank you,
Alisa

[boscodesc]

For Alisa,

Major delay in reply, my apologies! I never see notifications from this wonderful site. Gotten so much help here since my total newbie days.

Are you the curator of the Italian collection at the Denver museum? I've been trying to get that Campiglia photo to you for YEARS -- do you have the one with the harps on donkeys? It's priceless. Also the one of the girls on harp and Bernardino on clarinet. I might have a few others. Also news clips about Italian musicians playing the mining camp circuit. It would go well with the Guerrieri diary you have. It has been confirmed that my foundling musician, Campiglias, and Guerrieris, all came from the same small town of Marsicovetere.

I may have emailed you years ago with a very messy rant when I was overwhelmed with fresh Denver Italian musicians discoveries. You may have thought I was a bit crazy, oops. Can we try again? My email is writeride@yahoo.com.

Valerie O'Conor