Overview
The Synopsis is intended to be a detailed and robust summary of the entire Ancestry story and the Website. It is recommended the Reader take time to read this Ancestry Synopsis and possibly read it a second time in order to understand the scope of the Ancestry story being told.
With some effort, the Readers can find some connection to their family in this Ancestry, if applicable. Also, consider some Readers may find opportunities to provide information relevant to this Ancestry that can contribute to enhancing this Ancestry story in the future. Please see the Website Development Team topics.
The time to read this Ancestry Synopsis is not significant when compared to the benefit of facilitating the navigation through the website and understanding the lineage and ancestry of the families involved.
Synopsis
This Ancestry is a story that needed to be told about people and places and events and the significant historical context and facts about their endeavors. Some happenings were momentous in their lives, if not the scheme of things in the world, and some less so. In writing this Ancestry, there were significant decisions made as to what to include and what not to include. The exclusions were not intentionally leaving information out, but deciding to tell a story with a focus on six significant people and their lineage. Telling their story opened the door to telling the story of many others in this Ancestry.
The realistic constraints in telling the story are the limits of oral, anecdotal and historical research; ancestry websites; and personal ancestry research among family members. Also, the decision was made to put a stake in the ground, after three years of research and writing, and to say to no one in particular: “Enough and tell the story about what is known and move on.” There may be more story to be told in some future updates to this Ancestry, possibly with information offered by the Readers of this website.
This Ancestry story starts in Italy in the small village of Calitri in the Province of Avellino and in the Region of Compania, which includes Naples, the capital. Calitri has a current population of about 4,600. Calitri is about 1900 feet above sea level. Campania is one of the twenty regions of Italy and is located in the mid central part of Italy facing the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west and due east of Naples. Compania includes the capital Naples, sitting on the Tyrrhenian coast with a current population of 2,180,000. Avellino and the following other provinces complete the makeup of Compania: Caserta, Benevento, Naples, and Salerno. Compania is bordered by the following regions: Lazio, Molise, Bari and Basilicata. Campania’s geographical location in Italy has had a tremendous impact on its history in terms of economy, politics, culture, cuisine, agriculture, art, and so much more. Maps of Italy and Compania are available in the Ancestry.
The home page reveal the various story lines in the Ancestry. A review of the home page will assist in navigating various navigational routes depending upon the Reader’s interests and knowledge of their family and the website. If this Ancestry were published as a book, the Reader need only flip the pages chronologically and the story would be revealed in a predefined chapters. There are opportunities to read the story in various chronologies suggested and prompted by the home page. The Reader can read and reference the story in various sequences, particularly after the Reader has become familiar with the story structure as described in this synopsis.
The story traces the Ancestry and history of some of the Nannariello Family, a name that was given birth to in Calitri. The Nannariello name has ancestral references in Calitri in the 1600’s and before. The evolving Nannariello lineage and ancestry continues to the current times in both Italy and the United States. Also, the Nannariello lineage survives in other countries and continents, such as Canada and South America, which are not covered in this Ancestry.
The story begins with Luigi Nannariello (1/25/1863-10/6/1931)) and Francesca Martiniello Nannariello (11/17/1863-1935) who both were born and died in Calitri. They had six children that survived to adulthood: Grazia (Grace) Nannariello Trotta (10/1/1891-11/26/1960); Mariantonia (Antoinette) Nannariello Locatelli Pecor (4/8/1894-8/29/1989); Lorenzo (Larry) Nannariello (1/6/1894-3/21/1969); Rosa (Rose) Nannariello DeCosmo (4/23/1899-1966); Canio (Charlie) Nannariello (5/31/1901-9/11/1988); and Leonardo (Leonard) Nannariello (1/6/1904-1971). In this Ancestry there are various topics dedicated to each of these siblings. Luigi and Francesca, also had four other children that did not survive early childhood: Mariantonia (1888-1888); Lorenzo (1890-1890); Lorenzo (1894-1894); Vincenza (1901-1902), who was a twin of Canio (Charlie) Nannariello.
The Nannariello name was present in Calitri when the tax roll was issued in the early 1500’s by the Prince who occupied the castle on the top of the mountain that Calitri inhabits. There will be more research of the name and lineage in the 1500’s and prior. The scope of this Ancestry begins with Luigi Nannariello (1863-1931) and Francesca Martiniello Nannariello (1863-1935). As explained in other parts of this Ancestry, this starting point was not arbitrary but intended to focus the Ancestry narrative to recent generations and the immigration from Calitri to the United States that began in the late 1800’s and into the Twentieth Century.
Following is the direct lineage for the Nannariello ancestry starting in 1605 with Linardo Nannariello who married Antonia Borrillo. For this Ancestry, this has been identified arbitrarily as the first generation, though obviously the lineage began before this date. The previous generations are not being ignored and this intentional and arbitrary identification of the first generation provides both quantification of known generations and a meaningful reference as to where current generations are today.
Generation 10 includes Canio Nannariello and his five surviving to adulthood siblings all immigrated to the United States. Specifically, that generation includes Grazia (Grace), Mariantonia (Antoinette), Lorenzo (Lawrence), Rosa (Rose), Canio (Charlie) and Leonardo (Leonard). The family tree is developed based on their direct descendants. Note that the absence of a date following or preceding another date is because the date information is not available.
| Generation # | Nannariello Lineage | Marriage |
| 1 | Linardo Nannariello (1605-) | Wife Antonia Borrillo (1607-) |
| 2 | Donato Nannariello (1635-) | Wife Elisabetta DiGernonim (-1694) |
| 3 | Angelo Nannariello (1/16/1677-2/1720) | Wife Brigida Lodrusco (1725-) |
| 4 | Giovanni Nannariello (1726-1753) | Wife Donata Lupo (1725-) |
| 5 | Lorenzo Nannariello (1778-1832) | Wife Antonia Galgano (1769-1825) |
| 6 | Rocco Nannariello (1753-1825) | Wife Francesca Germano (1755–1828) |
| 7 | Vincenzo Nannariello (1799-1863) | Wife Maria Francesca Sabbi (1812-1863) |
| 8 | Lorenzo Nannariello (1833-1905) | Wife Mariantonia Cerreta (1846-1908) |
| 9 | Luigi Nannariello (10/6/1863-10/6/1931) | Wife Maria Francesca Martiniello (1866-11/17/1935) |
| 10 | Grazia, Mariantonietta, Lorenzo, Rosa, Canio, Leonardo Nannariello who are children of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello | Spouses are identified in the ancestry narratives |
From this point the children of Generation 10 determine their lineage and their Generation Number. A limited number of a few selected names of descendants of Canio and Angelina Nannariello have been used to reveal the Generations. The descendants of Canio Nannariello’s brothers and sisters can determine their descendants lineage and Generation number.
| 11 | Louis and Richard Nannariello | Children of Canio and Angie Nannariello; grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello |
| 12 | Lynn, Steve, Gary Nannariello | Children of Louis Nannariello and Nancy Guardino Nannariello; grandchildren of Canio and Angie Nannariello; great grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello |
| 12 | Richard, Robert, John Nannariello | Children of Richard Nannariello and Antoinette Mercatante Nannariello: grandchildren of Canio and Angie Nannariello; great grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannarello |
| 13 | James and Stephanie Nannariello | Children of Stephen Nannariello and Barbara Nannariello; grandchildren of Louis and Nancy Nannariello; great grandchildren of Canio and Angie Nannariello; great-great grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello |
| 13 | Kayla Nannariello | Child of Gary and Virginia Nannariello; grandchild of Louis and Nancy Nannariello; great grandchildren of Canio and Angie Nannariello; great-great grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello |
| 13 | Jake and Juliet Nannariello | Children of John Nannariello and Kristen Richardson Nannariello; grandchildren of Richard Nannariello and Antoinette Mercatante Nannariello; great grandchildren of Canio and Angie Nannariello; great-great grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello. |
| 14 | Olivia, Christian, Gabriel Nannariello | Children of James and Krissy Kielbasa Nannariello; grandchildren of Steve and Barbara Thomas Nannariello; great grandchildren of Louis and Nancy Nannariello; great-great grandchildren of Canio and Angie Nannariello; great great-great grandchildren of Luigi and Francesca Nannariello |
For the above lineage analysis, the family tree began with Generation 1 and the birth of Linardo Nannariello in 1605. There were Nannariello’s in Calitri prior to 1605 and that research was not available at this time but will be pursued in the future. We have counted Linardo Nannariello as Generation 1 as a way to provide some context to the Nannariello lineage. The birth of Olivia Nannariello started Generation 14 for the Canio Nannariello part of the family.
Obviously, this Ancestry analysis does not document the names of the children for each of the people that defines each generation, going back to Generation 1. One can speculate that literally hundreds of names would be revealed in doing that process. Adding another generation of children can quickly produce astronomical tree structures.
Using the preceding generation analysis as a model, it is possible for the Reader with a Nannariello lineage to create a chart for their recent generations of Nannariello’s, starting with Luigi and Francesca Nannariello.
Except for one brief trip by Leonard Nannariello, none of the six Nannariello’s returned to Calitri after their immigration. Leonard Nannariello briefly returned to Calitri in 1931. According to oral history, Leonard’s charter was shared with his siblings and was to encourage their parents, Luigi and Francesca Nannariello, to immigrate to the United States and join their children. The parents decided not to immigrate and Leonard returned to the United States, the last to see his parents. Luigi died later in 1931, the year of Leonard’s visit, and Francesca died in 1935.
Luigi and Francesca Nannariello had twenty brothers and sisters between the two of them, and their siblings had countless children. These siblings are identified and there is some research on those that immigrated to the United States. Most of them remained in Calitri. The opportunity for the six Nannariello siblings immigrating to the United States, was enabled by the first wave of Nannariello and Martiniello aunts and uncles who immigrated in the late 1800’s and established opportunities for others to follow. The first and following waves of immigration were a brave and resilient part of the humanity that left their Italian homes forever; sailed into New York City Harbor; viewed the Statue of Liberty, and were processed through Ellis Island. They collectively made a difference in their adopted country for generations to follow. In 1921 when Canio Nannariello immigrated, more than two and a half million Italians immigrated to the United States. Federal quotas established in the United States the following year significantly reduced those immigration numbers to less than fifty thousand.
A significant part of the Ancestry story is told through the life and experiences of Canio (Charlie) Nannariello, not to the exclusion of his other siblings. The two main researchers and writers of this ancestry are Canio’s son Richard Nannariello and Canio’s grandson Stephen Nannariello, the son of Richard’s brother Louis Nannariello. Therefore, more anecdotal and ancestry and oral history about Canio and Angie Passarlla Nannariello was known and available to tell their story. Much of Canio’s life and experience paralleled the experiences of his siblings. This included the First World War (1914-1918); the Spanish Flu (1918-1920); the Roaring Twenties; the Great Depression that commenced in 1929 and did not end until the preparation for the Second World War; and the Second World War that started for the United States in December, 1941. Canio and his siblings raised their children during the Depression and the Second World War. They had left a rural and pastoral Calitri that was stuck in the 19th Century and entered a new and different world. This new world included electrification, trolleys, automobiles, silent movies, huge industries, radio, evolving network of highways, airplanes, the proliferation of huge corporations and industries, new technologies, and the continuing evolution of the United States as a dominant and significant world power.
Canio married Angelina (Angie) Passarella Nannariello (12/19/1909-1/29/1996) in 1927 in White Plains, New York in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. They had two children: Louis Nannariello (6/19/1928-2/16/1998) and Richard Nannariello (3/20/1933). Canio and Angie lived in White Plains the remainder in a number of homes, until purchasing their first home on 1 Fairfield Street in 1943 during World War II. Charlie opened and owned a restaurant in the 1930’s which failed after a few years. He then worked in a number of diners as a short order cook for the rest of his working life. He started a liquor store business with his nephew Stanley Fusco and years later Charlie’s son, Louis, joined the business. Charlie died in 1988 after being challenged for about six years with Alzheimer’s. Angie died in 1996. They are buried in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.
This Ancestry explores the story of the Farinacci and Passarella families. Angie Passarella was one of seven siblings of Filomena Farinacci Nardolillo Passarella Grellet Tucci (5/30/1880-1949). Filomena was born in Gildone in the province of Campobasso in the region of Molise in Italy. She had a twin brother, Michelle, who died July 2, 1880. Filomena immigrated to the United States on the ship SS Bolivia from Naples and arrived in Ellis Island on April 23, 1900 at the beginning of a new century. Her mother had immigrated to the United States a few years earlier and her father died in Italy. Filomena was married four times and widowed three times. She had six surviving children: Elizabetta (Lizzie) Nardolillo Mucci (1902-1966), Maria (Mary) Passarella Fusco (4/5/1904-8/1/1987, Natalie (Lula) Passarella Altamura (1907-1979), Angelina (Angie) Passarella Nannariello (12/19/1909-1/29/1996), Rosa (Rose) Passarella Ferrer (1910-2003), and Frank (Gobby) Passarella (1915-1969). Note there are various topics dedicated to each of these siblings.
Filomena’s first husband Nicolas Nardolillo (1875-1902) died shortly after the birth of their second child, Elizabetta (Lizzie) Nardolillo Mucci. Previously, one child was born before Lizzie and did not survive early childhood. Filomena’s second husband Pasquale Passarella (1879-1916) died several months after the birth of their fifth child in 1916. Filomena’s third husband Nicholas Grellett (born Alligretti) died after about ten years of marriage. Her fourth husband Nicholas Tucci survived Filomena by five years. Filomena died in 1949 and is buried with Pasquale Passarella in Mt Calvary cemetery in White Plains, New York.
Donato Nannariello, brother of Luigi Nannariello; immigrated to the United States; and was instrumental in Luigi Nannariello’s six siblings immigrating to the United States. Donato Nannariello and his wife Vincenza Toglia Nannariello immigrated to Tarrytown in Westchester County New York in the early 1890’s. Eventually, they moved to White Plains and bought a three story building at 21 Main Street that was both a home for their eleven children and a hotel called the Harlem Hotel. This home and hotel was literally adjacent to the New York Central Railroad Station in White Plains, which was built in1915. Five of the six Nannariello siblings of Luigi Nannariello who immigrated were sponsored by Donato and initially lived in his home in White Plains at 21 Main Street. This home included the Harlem Hotel, Donato’s home for raising eleven children, and the safe haven for Calitrani family emigrants. The six Nannariello siblings arrived over a period of twelve years of immigration. Rosa Nannariello DeCosmo and Joe DeCosmo, who were married in Calitri before immigrating, initially settled in New Rochelle, New York. Their sponsorship has not been identified.
The six Nannariello siblings and six Passarella siblings, summarized above, had about thirty surviving children among them and all are identified in this Ancestry. These children had countless children, some of whom are identified in the Ancestry and others are not. This Ancestry is a story of people and their lineage and some of the significant events of their lives. That understanding requires insights and knowledge of the times and the places and historical perspectives in which they lived their lives. The following topics have been provided to contribute to that understanding.
- Various topics providing an historical perspective of Italy through the 19th and 20th centuries in becoming one unified republic rather than numerous city states with undue external influences from other countries and powerful cities within Italy.
- Various topics providing historical insights into the history of the United States at the time some of the Calitrani and the Nannariello’s arrived and survived in the United States.
- Access to the book History of Calitri published in 1950 by Vito Acocella (1883-1968), a priest from Naples, Italy. Access is provided to more than three hundred pages and 27 chapters of the history of Calitri from prehistoric times until the 1920’s The book was translated into English by Ben Montalbano, an American from Pennsylvania, around 1980. Ben has graciously permitted the English version becoming part of this Ancestry.
- Historical insights into the Mezzogiorno or Southern Italy, of which Calitri is a part. The Mezzogiorno is an imaginary line running from east to west and below Rome that defines what are in fact “two Italy’s.” Differences between North and South include politics, language, culture, food, economy, education, architecture, fashion, entertainment, music, and the Catholic church. Northern and Southern Italy have a complex and symbiotic co-existence.
- References to a three volume history of Calitrani immigration by Mario Toglia, who is of American birth and Calitrani ancestry. These three books are extraordinary in the breadth of history of Calitri and the Calitrani immigration from Italy to the United States. The support from Mario Toglia and his books were a major inspiration for creating this Ancestry story.
- Various Personal Perspective topics provide first person accounts of the lives and experiences of various family members. Hopefully, this section will be expanded over time by Readers who want to add personal accounts of family and friends to enhance this Ancestry.
- Stories of Italy and Calitri gathered from various sources including: Calitri earthquakes; the Nannariello ancestry tree going back to the 1600’s; San Canio the black Patron Saint of Calitri; the building and destruction by earthquake of the Castle on the apex of the Calitri mountain; how Ellis Island accommodated emigrants; the evolution of the Italian language; visits to Calitri by descendants of Nannariello emigrants from Calitri.
- Maps of Western Europe and Italy and Compania provide geographical insights into Italy and Compania and Calitri.
- Two original songs written by Richard Nannariello; Calitrani Skies, attempts to capture the spirit and soul of Calitri and the Calitrani people. Another song, Pavarotti Sings Forever, is a backdrop for reviewing cultural and historic aspects of Italy and Le Cose Italiane or Things Italian. The vocal rendition for both songs is by Anna Maria Soprano AKA Cavicchia.
- A Website Management section provides insights into the development of the website, acknowledgment of participants, the method of broadcasting the availability of the website, and contact information.
- A Website Tools section provides some basic tools that can be used by the Reader to maximize their Website experience; conduct research on the website and the Internet; and make contributions to the Ancestry website.
- About 200 photos are provided with descriptive captions and an opportunity to put a “face” on some of these extraordinary people and places that are part of the Ancestry.
- When applicable, the proper citations are provided in the Ancestry narratives for contributions to this Ancestry from the Internet, Wikipedia, and many individual contributors.
- A Special Acknowledgement section to cite and thank the many people who made contributions to this Ancestry.
The six key people in this Ancestry each have a topic in the Person Definitions section. Each Person Definition contains comprehensive biographical information collected in one place. These six people are Luigi Nannariello, Francesca Martiniello Nannariello, Canio (Charlie) Nannariello, Angelina (Angie) Passarella Nannariello, Filomena Farinacci Nardolillo Passarella Grellett Tucci and Pasquale Passarella. These Person Definitions are an excellent summary to learn more about the key people in this Ancestry and understand the lineage. Also, the section is a valuable reference when doing your personal research on the website and assists in navigating through the Ancestry.
Variations on this immigration story from Calitri Italy to the United States can be told a thousand times over with different surnames and varying scenarios and time frames from the many Calitrani who made the journey. Italians immigrated from many other villages, cities, provinces and regions in Italy. They lived a variety of experiences through their immigration. The Ancestry contains some of those stories with a focus on some of the Nannariello and Martiniello and Passarella families and other family names that are connected to these families.
In this Ancestry, literally hundreds of names are provided of Italian-born and American- born family members with insights into their family relationships. Some details are provided for selected people because of the scope of the Ancestry, the need to tell the story as well as possible, and the depth of the research that was done. Other people are given a more cursory mention, not for lack of interest or the commitment to value their lives and their accomplishments. It is necessary to tell a limited story considering the availability of research, family facts, and oral history. Possibly the scope of this Ancestry will be expanded over time and will hopefully create an interest in current and future Readers to contribute to this Ancestry.
Oral history is one of the most powerful research tools for anyone exploring ancestry, no matter the scope or method of documenting the Ancestry. One can achieve leaps of many decades and centuries, simply by communicating with family and friends and exploring the “W” questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How! “What is past is prologue,” Shakespeare once said. Opportunities to gather additional oral history are welcomed.
This first edition of the Ancestry website is offered as a beginning to tell a story that needed to be told. Good luck on your journey through this Ancestry and enjoy!