Giacomo Manfredo

18 June 1875 - 25 December 1959



Giacomo Manfredo, my mother Filomena's stepfather, was born 18 June 1875 in Casamassima, Bari Province, Italy. He immigrated from Monopoli, Bari province, Italy arriving at Ellis Island 25 June 1911.

The following information is taken from his immigration records at Ellis Island:

Ship: S.S. Hamburg
Date of Entry: June 25, 1911
Name: Giacomo Manfredi
Years: 35
Sex: M
Occupation: Shoemaker

Read/Write: No
Town: Monopoli
Name of nearest relative in country from whence alien came: Father Vito, Monopoli
Final Destination: New York
Whether having ticket to destination: Yes
By Whom was Passage paid: Brother
Whether in possession of $50 and, if less, how much: $20

Whether ever been in US before: No
Whether going to join relative ... : Brother Settuno, 178 Mulberry Street, New York
Whether a Polygamist: No
Whether an Anarchist: No
Health Mental and Physical: Good
Deformed or Crippled: No
Height: 5'-2"
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Place of Birth: Monopoli, Italy



S.S. Hamburg

Built by A/G Vulcan Shipyard, Stettin, Germany, 1900. 10,532 gross tons; 521 (bp) feet long; 60 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 15 knots. 2,170 passengers (290 first class, 100 second class, 1,780 third class).

Built for Hamburg-American Line, German flag, in 1900 and intended to be the Bavaria. Hamburg-Far East, New York from 1904, Genoa-NY from 1906 service. Interned at New York at the start of World War I in August 1914. Chartered in 1914 and renamed Red Cross. US Red Cross service. Renamed Hamburg in 1917. Seized by US Government, in 1917 and renamed USS Powhatan. US troopship service. Transferred to U.S. Shipping Board, in 1919. Chartered by Baltic S.S Corp. Of America, US flag, in 1920 and renamed New Rochelle. New York-Danzig service. Chartered by U.S. Mail Steamship Company, in 1921. Also New York-Danzig service. Renamed Hudson in 1921. Also New York-Danzig service. Chartered by United States Lines, in 1921. New York-Bremerhaven service. Renamed President Fillmore in 1922. Also New York-Bremerhaven service. Transferred to Dollar Line, American flag, in 1924. Around-the-world service. Scrapped in the United States in 1928.

Information from EllisIslandRecords.Org

In spite of Giacomo's answer during his 1911 immigration, he traveled from Italy to the US at least twice.

From EllisIslandRecords.Org:

Name: Manfreda, Giacomo
Ethnicity: Italian
Place of Residence: Casamassima
Date of Arrival: March 15, 1902
Age on Arrival: 27y
Sex: M
Marital Status: S
Ship of Travel: Citta di Torino
Port of Departure: Naples, Campania, Italy



Giovanna, Angelo Busco, Lawrence Elio Sr., Giacomo, Mike Busco, and Mrs. Elio
Back Yard of Fifth Street House about 1950


Giacomo's daughter Christina remembers that he immigrated with Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Elio, friends from Bari province. Giacomo worked for the Pennsylvania RR then migrated through Winnipeg, Canada to LasVegas and eventually Pocatello, Idaho where he worked freight for the Union Pacific. The Elio's, too, settled in Pocatello. Son Dominic is certain that Giacomo was never a shoemaker, but Crissy remembers that he did have a metal shoe stand where he repaired the family's shoes if he could, otherwise he fashioned cardboard insoles to cover the holes.


Angelo Busco, Giacomo, Mike Busco
About 1952
In 1922(?) there was a bitter Railroad Strike. Houses were burned in Pocatello related to the hostilities. Scab workers were employed with much resentment. Mike Gates was Union Boss, lived on 6th St. Elio's chose to move to Denver to avoid the strike. At the time, there was a Little Italy in North Denver, many of the immigrant Italians worked for the railroads, Union Pacific and others. Mount Carmel Parish had an Italian Priest, sermons were delivered in Italian. It was at Mount Carmel where they met Giovanna Palombo, a charming young woman from Vicalvi Italy with a 2 year old daughter, Filomena. Elio's wrote to Giacomo about Giovanna, and made the introduction that led to their marriage in Denver in 1917.


During the railroad strike, Giacomo modified his name in order to go back to work, and therefore retired with pensions under two names. He had to appear before the railroad retirement board, where he "confessed", and was granted retirement for the combined duration of his work, officially retired as a scrap sorter.


Giacomo prided himself as the wine maker for the local Catholic parish. He ordered grapes from California every year, pressed grapes and made wine in the cellar of their Pocatello home. He insisted that the kids help stomp the grapes, and once spent Giovanna's kitchen money to purchase a pair of rubber boots for the wine production. When told that he needed a license to produce the wine, he dutifully purchased one and proudly directed the local authorities to the certificate several years later. Unfortunately, it was an annual license and the moment was rather tense until the officials decided that if he agreed to purchase a current permit, they would not arrest him for his past vacancy. Crissy purchased Giacomo's first wine press from Sears in 1944.
Giovanna and Giacomo on Front Porch
About 1935


He was fond of rabbit, considered it a delicacy. He constantly smoked a corn cob pipe, one of which Jennie had intended to place in his coffin before his burial and was quite disappointed when she forgot. He started his day in later years with two raw eggs in his morning beer. There is also an animated tale about a wrestling match he had with long time friend and neighbor, Mary Busco, over a dog that snapped at Dominic in the alley. Giacomo insisited that the dog be chained, Mary did not agree, and the fight was on! It took Filomena, Crissy and Jennie to separate the two participants. After they cooled down, the friendship was renewed and the dog was chained.



Dominic, Filomena, Christina, Giovanna, Giacomo
Living Room 1938

Filomena, Christina, Giacomo, Dominic
Front Porch of Fifth Street House 1926


Giovanna and Giacomo raised Filomena, brotherDominic, and sister Christina (Crissy). A second son, Ralph, born in 1922, died in 1923 due to complications from measles. Filomena remembers an Italian midwife, listed as Anna White on the birth certificates, helped deliver Dominic, Ralph and Crissy in their home.

Giovanna crocheted lace for St. Anthony's altar and, at times, cleaned pullman cars in addition to full time housewife duties. Her garden was masterful.

Both Giacomo and Giovanna were illiterate. Filomena remembers that Giacomo's surname was spelled irregularly on his paycheck. It did not seem to make any difference to him as long as he got the money. The spelling became consistent only after Filomena entered first grade where Manfredo became the family's version of the spelling. Note that Giacomo's pronunciation was interpretted as Manfredi at Ellis Island and family friends in Pocatello wrote it in this manner. The same school officials who defined the spelling changed my Mother's beautiful Italian name, Filomena, to Florence, and insisted she go by it, in order to be more American. Other spellings, on such documents as their alien registration forms and paychecks, include Monfreda, Manfredi, Monfredi, Monfredo, Maffreda, and Moffreda. One of the railroad paycheck versions was Montfraid. From the first grade through high school, Filomena countersigned Papa Jack's wage check, or as Christina remembers, many checks were signed by the kids holding his hand as he wrote "Joe Manfredi". At least nine aliases are remembered. When Giacomo died in 1959, the family legally designated "Manfredo".


Giacomo and grandkids on his 84th birthday June 1959
Left to Right: Mike Kelly, Jackie Manfredo, Giacomo, Wally Kelly, Diane Kelly, Nicki Manfredo


Giacomo and Giovanna purchased a substantial brick house at 529 N. 5th street from Charlie Busco, another Italian immigrant. Both Jack and Jennie were very proud of their purchase. They rented the main floor for several years until the payments were affordable - Filomena remembers living in the basement. They were generous with their accommodations - the Colaianni family lived with them until they could find their own house, among others. They also allowed a crippled man to live in the chicken coop in the backyard, for whom Jennie often made dinner. A Greek man named Paul Demopolis rented a room - he had a car and taught Filomena how to drive.

Giacomo had a brother Giuseppe, who lived with them in Pocatello. He worked with Giacomo for the Union Pacific and lost a leg in a railroad accident. Giuseppe later moved to Denver where he opened a bar. He received immigrants in Denver and gave them a place to rest in search of jobs and housing. He sent many North to Pocatello and his brother Giacomo who introduced them for work at the railroad. He died of tuberculosis in Denver in the 1920's - Filomena remembers that the body was displayed in their living room for several days. Giuseppe is buried in the Pocatello cemetery, buried as Joe Monfredo 1886-1922. Following Giuseppe's death, Giacomo went to Denver to close his bar and sell his belongings, including a player piano that Dominic remembers his Dad thought twice about bringing back to Pocatello before he sold it.

Giovanna's brother Dominic Palombo lived in Pocatello with Manfredo's for a while, worked for the railroad until brother Angelo talked him into moving back to Alliquippa, Pa. where he was killed in a Steel mill accident. Another Brother, Attilio Palombo was born in Italy in 1906, married Dominic's widow in Pisa, where he remained until his death of cancer in 1957.

Pocatello neighbors living in the 5th and 6th street neighborhhod included Anselmo, Zaccardi, Gates, Greco, Vetrano, Bozzi, Busco, Ferri, DiGiacomo, Miraglio, DePhillips, John Cusano (Papa's Boss), and Marchetti's. Benedetti's lived about 8 blocks away, and Valentine's about a mile. Jim and Stella Meccico lived nearby, wrote all correspondence to Italy for Giovanna and Giacomo. Colaianni's who lived on 12th and the Lawrence Elio family who lived in Denver were also close friends. Elio's immigrated with Giacomo from Bari province. Mary Elio, one of the daughters, was a lifelong friend of the family, attended Filomena's wedding in Pocatello in Januray 1943. She lived in Denver, married John Conzone in Denver, and was Godmother to Jennifer, Chrissy's second daughter and Gary, Filomena's second son. Elio's other children were Anne, who at one time was engaged to Dominic, and Marty who was a buddy of Dominic's.

Other neighbors are listed in the accompanying article from the Pocatello newspaper. Frank Bozzi later lived in Boise, where he knew brother Dominic. Guido (Mike) Bozzi, Frank's brother, died at age 16. Giacomo's bosses were John Cusano, Nieda DeGregory, and Mike Gates. Ricco Benedetti was a close friend of Dominic's. They joined the National Guard together and later served together in Europe during WWII along with Albert Colaianni who died in the War in Italy. In Pocatello Giacomo liked an Italian bar on 7th Street, Lucky Seven, not far from home. Tony Colaianni ran the neighborhood Star Grocery in this Pocatello Italian Community.

There are some interesting possibilities with the Manfredo name.

There is a city, Manfredonia, on Italy's East coast not far North of Bari, near Foggia. It was named after Manfred, son of Frederick, kings of Sicily in the 13th century. At the time the kingdom of Sicily included the island and all of the boot South of Rome. Frederick and Manfred were both very popular kings, benevolent and orderly. Manfred was Frederick's favorite son, who fortunately ended up on the throne after his half-brothers died early in their lives. Manfred is a twist of Mon Frederick, my Frederick, in French. Frederick was French, married well and ended up as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire with the Pope's blessing. Manfredonia is in the Northern part of Puglia Region, Foggia province. Reference: "The Land of Manfred", Janet Ross, 1889, London, John Murray publisher.

There was also a very powerful family in Faenza in the 14th century named Manfredi. They established a city-state, contemporary with the Medici family rise in Firenze, and were able to resist the Northern and Eastern invasions and the Pope's attempt to overtake Faenza. Eventually the Pope made them vicars, basically land barons, who were able to maintain their independence with full sanction of the Church. Faenza is about 35 kilometers west of the city of Ravenna in the Ravenna province on the Adriatic Sea, in the Emilia-Romagna region. Reference: Italy, A Short History, Harry Hearder, 1990 Cambridge University Press.

Bartolomeo Manfredi , artist. Painting damaged in Uffizi Gallery bombing in Firenze, 1994. Italian painter, Roman school (b. 1582, Mantova, d. after 1622, Roma)


Bacchus and a Drinker
1500-10
Oil on canvas, 132 x 96 cm
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome




See also Giovanna Palombo Manfredo Page


Information contributed by Filomena, Christina and Dominic, Ellis Island Manifest (1911) and Alien Registration form (1942). 11 August 1997.




Vicalvi, Italy Page
GF Family Page
Giovanna Palombo Manfredo Page
Italy Page
GF Homepage

Casamassima Homepage

Monopoli Homepage




E-mail to: gary@endex.com