Section I
The Taglia family of Chicago came from Ricigliano, Italy, a town in the province of Salerno in southwestern Italy. The family history begins in the 1800s with Vito and Carmisina (Laurino) Taglia. According to research done in 2004 in Ricigliano by Joe De Simone, Vito Taglia was born 30 October 1837, the son of Guiseppe and Lucia (Branda) Taglia.
Vito Taglia married Carmela (Carmisina) Laurino 14 April 1859. Vito, a shoemaker, died 17 September 1875 at his house on Via Annunziata in Ricigliano. Carmisina was born 15 March 1849 (death certificate)/or 7 June 1838 (De Simone)/or 1833 (tombstone). While her death certificate states that she was born in Ricigliano, De Simone’s research identified nearby Balvano, Italy as her place of birth, and that is most likely correct.
Carmisina was the daughter of Antonio and Carmela Laurino. Carmisina (Laurino) Taglia died 16 April 1927; buried Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois. She was buried from Holy Guardian Angel Church, 717 W. Forquer, in Chicago.
Carmisina Laurino Taglia came to the United States with her three surviving children – Guiseppe, Francesco, and Lucia – arriving in New York 4 March 1884 on the ship, S. S. Gottardo. This was a relatively new ship, built in Glasgow, Scotland, and launched in 1881. It was operated by the shipping line Navigazione Generale Italiana.
It appears that Carmisina, and her son Francesco and his wife, Fiortentina, returned to Italy around 1893-1894. Researcher Joe De Simone found a document, “Situazione Di Famiglia,” for this family dated 12 October 1893. Carmisina “signed” the document by making a X. It appears most likely that she returned to Chicago without her son in late 1893. On 5 December 1893, a Carmosina Laurino, age 55, arrived in New York from the port of Naples on the ship Fulda. Her destination was Chicago. Francesco and his wife appear to have returned to Chicago later. On 23 April 1894, the ship Werra arrived in New York from Naples. On board was a Francesco Taglia, a 25-year-old shoemaker, and 23-year-old Fiorentina Chiarello. Both listed Chicago as their destination. It was not uncommon for Italian women to continue to use their family name after marriage.
Children of Vito and Carmisina (Laurino) Taglia:
- Lucia Taglia, born 22 February 1860; died 17 March 1866 in Ricigliano.
- Maria Antonia Taglia, born 1865; died 16 April 1866 in Ricigliano.
- Giuseppe Taglia, born c. 1868 (passenger list) or 18 October 1866 (De Simone).
- Francesco Paolo (Frank) Taglia, born 6 October 1869.
- Lucia Taglia, born 2 March 1871 (De Simone); her death certificate states 3 April 1874. She is listed as Luciano, a male, on the 1884 passenger list.
- Michele Taglia, born 9 October 1872; died 20 October 1873 in Ricigliano.
Italians began coming to Chicago in small numbers in the 1850s. By the time the Taglia family arrived in the 1880s, large numbers of immigrants were arriving. Most of the newcomers were peasants from the southern regions of Basilicata, Campania (where Ricigliano is located), and Sicily. The Taylor Street neighborhood where the Taglias lived houses the largest concentration of Italians in Chicago, although there were several other smaller pockets of Italians around the city.
Documents:
- Joe De Simone research from Ricigliano.
- Passenger lists for 1) 1884 arrival of Taglias: 2) 1893 return of Carmisino Taglia: 3) 1894 return of Francesco & Fiorentina Taglia
- Information and picture of the ship SS Gottardo.
- Chicago Tribune & Chicago Daily News death notices for Carmisina Taglia, 1927.
- Death certificate for Carmisina Taglia, 1927.
- Picture of Carmisina’s tombstone at Mount Carmel Cemetery, with porcelain photo.