Does anyone know why so many traveled from Sciacca to Norristown PA? Of course, family members would follow others already settled there but does anyone know why Norristown in Montgomery County PA originally was of destination interest? Was there a certain factory and promise of jobs? Just curious...
Barbara
Sciacca Sicily to Norristown PA
Re: Sciacca Sicily to Norristown PA
Barbara
Aside from chain migration, there were jobs for women and even children in the textile factories, and for men in the quarries. the railroad, and construction. I think to narrow down the real reason(s) though for the migration of those from Sciacca to Norristown, you should contact the archivist at the Historical Society of Montgomery County Pa, and also look at the articles on the Villanova University library website. You can access the latter from your home computer. On the library website, just do a search of the words Sciacca and Norristown. A number of articles will come up on your screen. You can then hit the "find it" option and the article should be readable on your screen. It's possible that the existence of the mafioso in southwestern Sicily (and in Sciacca in particular) and in Norristown, Pa., also played a role. There's also an author, Celeste Morello, who has written a number of books about the socio/religious organizations that were conveyed from Sciacca to Norristown.So you might find some solid explanations by reading her books.
Erudita
Here are the links:
http://hsmcpa.org/
https://library.villanova.edu/
Aside from chain migration, there were jobs for women and even children in the textile factories, and for men in the quarries. the railroad, and construction. I think to narrow down the real reason(s) though for the migration of those from Sciacca to Norristown, you should contact the archivist at the Historical Society of Montgomery County Pa, and also look at the articles on the Villanova University library website. You can access the latter from your home computer. On the library website, just do a search of the words Sciacca and Norristown. A number of articles will come up on your screen. You can then hit the "find it" option and the article should be readable on your screen. It's possible that the existence of the mafioso in southwestern Sicily (and in Sciacca in particular) and in Norristown, Pa., also played a role. There's also an author, Celeste Morello, who has written a number of books about the socio/religious organizations that were conveyed from Sciacca to Norristown.So you might find some solid explanations by reading her books.
Erudita
Here are the links:
http://hsmcpa.org/
https://library.villanova.edu/