Descendants of Francesco Tortorello and VitaAntonia Serritella
In mid 1999, Jo-Ann Pryor of Novato CA had just returned from Ricigliano and wrote a letter to us about her attempt to locate ancestors. To read it, click here. Thanks to Eileen Eagar and her cousin, Virginia Trusiak, for providing much of the info on this page.
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Courtesy of Betty Tortorello Neel, on the right is a photo of Charles Tortorello, son of Francesco and VitaAntonia, and his 5 sons at Marquette Park in Chicago around 1937. Starting at the far left, Frank "Tootsie" the oldest, Billy, Tony "Sonny", Charlie "Junior" (Betty's father), and Artie. Below they are pictured in August 2001. Left to right: Tony, Charlie, Frank, and Billy.
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The Serritella connection
Several of the Torts married Serritellas, and, according to Jo-Ann Pryor, when she went to Ricigliano in late 1999 she found several Serritellas still there.
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Francesco Tortorello and VitaAntonia Tortorello. They had 11 children (we have conflicting info on this). They are listed below in what we think is their birth order. There are about 25 grandchildren, most in the Chicago area. Virginia Trusiak says "Francesco Tortorello was born in Italy and immigrated to this country with his brothers. He was employed as a window washer for those 'new' skyscrapers in the Chicago Loop. He married VitaAntonia Serritella. VitaAntonia's mother was Vitella Serritella. Vitella has a sister, Josephina, who was born, surprisingly, 20 years after Vitella. I am sure Great Grandpa was as proud as a peacock that he could father a child so late in his life.
"Sometime after Francesco married VitaAntonia, there is some evidence that he had a serious fall one day and that his lung was pierced with a broken rib. Later he was diagnosed with TB. He was sent to a sanitorium to recuperate. He hated being away from his family and familar surroundings at 7020 Honore St., so he escaped a number of times. My mother would mention how she hated to her a knock at the door because she always associated that with the white coated caretakers who were coming to take away her Papa. In those days no doors were ever locked to friends and family and only strangers would knock.
"Does Mary Lou have many photos? I have a number. Maybe we could arrange a gathering at my home in Naperville? It could be a just something simple like a "pot luck" ... Sunday afternoon thing. Well cousins. I hope we can meet someday."
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Charles Tortorello born 1953
Charlene born 1961, Fayetteville, AR
Joseph born 1963, Fayetteville, AR
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