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Contessa Entellina

Featured Families

The Liuzza/Leutza families on this page are all descendants of Antonino Liuzza born about 1721 in Contessa Entellina and his wife Anna. The records of this family are also recorded for the most part in the Latin Church, exceptions when they married someone from the Greek rite. The first listing of a Liuzza is Anna Liuzza in the “census” from 1652 to 1714. In Contessa there is a Via DiBartolo Street and a Via Liuzza Street. The surname DiBartolo no longer exists in Contessa and there are a few inhabitants with the surname Liuzza; one is the lovely Vita Liuzza. She and her son Ettore live on Via Liuzza across the street from each other.

 

 

 

The DiBartolo/DeBartolo/Bartoli families on this page are all descendants of Giovanni DiBartolo born about 1711 and his wife Antonina DiNapoli, both of Contessa Entellina. The records of the DiBartolo’s are found in the Latin Church and are consistently recorded in the records of that rite in Contessa Entellina. The first listing of a DiBartolo in the records of Contessa is a Tommaso DiBartolo in the “census” from 1635 to 1651. The surname no longer appears in Contessa Entellina.

 

 

 

SS San Giorgio

Peter Liuzza arrived in the US on the ship San Giorgio into the Port of New Orleans on 24, October 1894. The index cards for the ships arrival into the port of New Orleans confirms this, however the page on the manifest that would have listed him and his family has been destroyed and is not on the photographed records of the National Archives. There is no other listing for his family; however, his wife Rosa and infant son Giovanni or Johnny were most likely with him as the 1910 census gives the three as arriving in the same year.

 

 

 

Peter Liuzza Family; Nick, Johnny, Joe, second row; Rosa Caronna Liuzza, Peter Liuzza, front row; Catherine Rose and Anthony Liuzza. Peter Liuzza was born in Contessa Entellina, Sicily, the son of Giovanni Liuzza and Caterina LoCascio. He married Rosa Caronna, the daughter of Giuseppe Caronna and Francesca DiBartolo. They immigrated to New Orleans, where their sons, Joe and Nick were born. Their last two children Anthony and Catherine Rose Liuzza were born in San Francisco, California. Catherine was born one year after the Great San Francisco fire and earthquake. She told the story, of how her father used a wheelbarrow to move some of their belongings out of the area of the fire, had he had one more day he could have saved all, however, the fire took the remainder of their possessions. An antique mantle clock is one of the few remaining possessions that Peter rescued. Catherine married and had three children. The only son that had children was Nick Liuzza. He had two children; Peter James and Edna J. Joe Liuzza was a private in WWI and is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California.

 

 

 

Peter Liuzza on his Declaration of Intent, to become a US citizen # 24493, Northern District of California City and County of San Francisco, states that "he is 52 years old, occupation merchant. His personal description is color white, complexion dark, height 5 ft. 7 in. weight 200 pounds, color of hair gray, color of eyes brown. He was born in Contessa Entellina, Italy on the 4th day of April 1864. He now resides at 1330 Church Street, San Francisco, California. He emigrated to the United States of America from Palermo, Italy on the vessel San Giorgio. His last foreign residence was Contessa Entellina, Italy. His wife's name is Rosa. She lives with him. He arrived at the port of New Orleans, state of Louisiana, on or about the 29th day of October 1894.

 

 

 

The two men in the picture are; Tony and his brother Jack DiBartolo. Their parents were Giuseppe DiBartolo and Maria Sacco who were born in Contessa Entellina and immigrated to the US between the births of these two sons. Jack was born 1865 in Contessa and Tony, born in 1868 in New Orleans. They most likely are the couple who arrived into the Port of New Orleans, Louisiana on 13 March 1868 on the ship Francesca. The couple on the ship is listed as G. DiBartolo, age 30 and Mrs. DiBartolo, age 24 with one child age nine, however this is most likely 9 months. This ship is filled with immigrants from Contessa Entellina on the same page are the families; Liuzza, DiNapoli, Geraci, Guarino, Parrino, DiMaggio and Monteleone. Their arrival one year after the end of the Civil War is one of the earliest immigrations from the town of Contessa. There was little Italian immigration until after 1870. This DiBartolo family is in the 1870 US census of New Orleans enumerated in June 1870, again surrounded by families from Contessa Entellina.

Tragedy struck the DiBartolo family when the father, affectionately referred to as Peppo, died in September 1870, Maria Sacco DiBartolo died in October 1870, and their infant son Steven, born in May 1870, died June 1871 all three died of Yellow Fever in New Orleans. This information is also substantiated by the recording of their deaths in the records of the city hall in Contessa Entellina.

Mystery still surrounds the orphaned boys, Jack and Tony. No records have been found for them from 1870 until 1910 in Sacramento, California. Who cared for them and where were they raised?

Jack, as now known, did not marry. Tony married Caroline Caronna and had two children; Mary DiBartolo Fregulia and Joe or Joseph DiBartolo. They are also in the photograph.

Mary and her husband Jack Fregulia did not have children. Joe had two sons with his wife, Maxine Coryell Johnston DiBartolo. He also raised a son by her previous marriage to Albert Johnston.

Caroline or Calogera Caronna was born in Poggioreale, province of Trapani, Sicily, Italy. She was the daughter of Giuseppe Caronna and Francesca DiBartolo. She and her sister Rosa Caronna Liuzza were very close.

 

 

 


Catherine Rose Liuzza Spoto first communion about 1914, San Francisco, California

 

 

 


Spoto Family, about 1944

 

 

 


Rosa Caronna Liuzza, her son Joe Liuzza and her grandson Bill, San Francisco, California. The Spoto family had attended the Golden Gate International Exposition, or World Fair at Treasure Island and then went to visit the Liuzza’s in San Francisco. This photo was taken in 1939.

 

 

 


Spoto Family, Bill, Leita, Kathy and Paul. Bill’s uncle, Joe Liuzza about 1964 in Santa Clara, California.

 

 

 


Catherine Liuzza Spoto and husband Henry Rudolph Spoto, Sr. about 1928, San Francisco, California.

 

 

 


Rose Caronna Liuzza, her daughter Catherine Rose Liuzza Spoto and Rose’s sister Caroline Caronna DiBartolo about 1928, San Francisco, California.

 

 

 


James Liuzza, son of Nick Liuzza 1930.

 

 

 


Rosa Caronna Liuzza, Peter Liuzza, Caroline Caronna DiBartolo.

 

 

 


Henry R. Spoto, Caroline Caronna DiBartolo, Catherine Rose Liuzza Spoto, Rose Caronna Liuzza, Joe DiBartolo, son of Caroline.

 

 

 


Joe DiBartolo and his mother Caroline Caronna DiBartolo about 1940.

 

 

 


Jack Fregulia and Mary DiBartolo Fregulia. This couple did not have children. However, they were very close to Mary’s nephews. It was a fun day for the Spoto family when cousin Mary and Jack Fregulia came to visit them in Yuba City. They always brought Gunthers Ice Cream that they brought from Sacramento.

 

 

 


Mary DiBartolo Fregulia and her brother Joseph or Joe DiBartolo.

 

 

 


Mary DiBartolo Fregulia and her friend Marion Day with Spoto children; Henry Jr. and Mary about 1932, Sutter County, California.

 

 

 


Rosa Caronna Liuzza, Joe DiBartolo, Caroline Caronna DiBartolo.

 

 

 


DiBartolo Family. Maxine Coryell Johnston DiBartolo, infant, Arlen DiBartolo, Joe DiBartolo, Kenneth DiBartolo, Carolyn Caronna DiBartolo, in front Glenn Johnston DiBartolo about 1939.

 

 

 


Mary DiBartolo Fregulia and nephew Glenn Johnston DiBartolo.

 

 

 


Lena Charco Leutza born Antonina Ciaccio, wife of Nicholas Leutza/ Liuzza. Daughter of John Charco/Ciaccio and Francesca Rizzuto.

 

 



The above letter was written by Antone Leutza (born Antonino Liuzza), son of Nicolo Liuzza and Santa Ferrara Liuzza. The letter was written to Nicholas Mangerina/ (born Nicolo Mangiaracina son of Andrea Mangiaracina and Maria Montalbano).

Antone Leutza is in the 1910 US census of California, Santa Clara County, San Jose, ED 49, Sheet 41B. With him is his wife Annie, children, Rosa, Nicholas, Josephine, Andrew, Giuseppe and Anna. All the children were born in California. Anna had seven children, six are living. Antone came to the US in 1890. He is a naturalized citizen. He is a wine manufacturer. Obituary--San Jose Mercury, San Jose, California; Obituary Wednesday, 3 December 1952 Pg. 6. Antone Leutza, 89, Dies; Services Set. Antone Leutza 89, retired wine merchant, died Monday at his home, 1312 Sierra Ave., after a short illness. A San Jose resident for more than 65 years, Leutza was a native of Italy. He owned the Colombia Winery on Grant Ave. until prohibition came after World War I. He retired when the law banning sale of alcoholic drinks went into effect. He leaves his widow, Anna; two sons, Nicholas Leutza, San Jose, and Joseph Leutza, San Francisco; three daughters, Mrs. Josephine Smith San Francisco, Mrs. Ann Smith, Oakland, and Mrs. Viola Douglas, Santa Cruz; a brother Nicholas J. Leutza, San Francisco, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The Rosary will be recited tonight at 8 in Dengri-Geoffroy-Origlia Chapel of Flowers. Requiem high mass will be celebrated tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in St. Leo's Church. Interment will be in Santa Clara Catholic Cemetery.

 

 


Steven Bartoli and his brother Joe Bartoli are a line of the DiBartolo family who also came to Sacramento, California from New Orleans, Louisiana, these were the two sons of John Bartoli/ DiBartolo and Rosalia Schiro. John’s brother Joseph or Giuseppe DiBartolo/DeBartolo also came to Northern California, he was married to 1st Nicolina D’Ambolo and 2nd to Stella Lamanna.

His obituary follows; Retired from grocery and liquor business five years ago, Joseph DeBartolo, who died at Stockton, California, July 1 after a short illness was widely know in Algiers, (Louisiana) having conducted a grocery and saloon there for more than thirty years. Five years ago he retired from business and went to live in Stockton with his sons and daughter. His funeral was held in Stockton. He was born in Italy 76 years ago and came to this country almost forty-five years ago. He is survived by seven sons and a daughter. They are; Tony, John, Steve of this city and Mrs. J. DiBartolo/ Bartoli, (Angie, who married her cousin, Joe Bartoli) James, Charles, Joseph and Michael of Stockton.

 

Thanks so much to Arlen DiBartolo and Mike Wymore for many of the photos on this page. Big thanks to Bill Spoto the computer guru who made this web site! You are appreciated.

 

 

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