Naugatuck’s Italian Heritage
By Sandra Clark and Bridget Mariano

Who were the first Italian people to come to Naugatuck, why did they come to a small New England town and where did they come from in Italy? Perhaps some of these questions will be answered on March 27, Italian Heritage Day at the Naugatuck Historical Society. What would make someone leave his or her home and family and come to a new land. What was left behind? Although Italy became a unified country in 1861, the unification of Italy did not afford the people living in the mezzogiorno or southern central areas of Italy a better life. As the case with many immigrants, the people of southern Italy sought a better life. By 1871 in Italy, there was poverty, high mortality, little schooling, and a rigid class system. There were also natural disasters, floods, earthquakes, and vast erosion of farmland. So between the years 1880 and 1920 over four million Italians were recorded as entering the United States. As our Italian ancestors landed in New York, they settled in the area that came to be known as Little Italy in Manhattan. We know that the first Italian settlers in Naugatuck came from that section of Manhattan. The early settlers in Naugatuck made their home on the east side of the river along High Street and South Main Street. Dominic Giaconelli is considered the first Italian Naugatuckian. He operated a produce business and was instrumental in encouraging other Italian families to settle here. He was born in 1843 and immigrated to the United States in 1870. He settled in New York City for about 10 to 15 years before coming to Naugatuck. He may have arrived in Naugatuck about 1883 or 1884. His wife was named Maggie (according to 1900 census). He had five children who were born in New York according to the census. In 1900 he lived on High Street. His wife’s maiden name may have been Spadola, which brings us to the second and third Italian settlers in Naugatuck, Joseph Spadola and Dominic Mariano (also known as Frank Mariano). Dominic Mariano married Rosanna Spadola. James T. Nardello, who has done research on his family, thinks these two women were sisters. Which brings us to the fourth Italian settler in Naugatuck, Jimmy Nardello’s great grandfather, Giuseppe Antonio Nardello. The DeCarlo family was probably the next family to settle. All of these families came from the same area in Italy, called Routi, Basilicato.

The two regions that most Italian families in Naugatuck came from are the Marche and Basilicato. According to the city directories of the late 1890’s and early 1890’s many of the adult men in the families did not work at the rubber company immediately, as we might expect. Perhaps they came here because they knew these jobs were available. But initially many worked as laborers for the John M. Page Company located on Church Street. Eventually, most of the early settlers found work in the rubber industry. Not all the immigrants could read and write in their own language, but we know that Dominic Mariano was able to read and write and from tradition in the Italian community, he acted as an advocate and liaison for other members of the community in navigating the system. He too immigrated to New York in the 1870’s and lived there for some time before coming to Naugatuck.

As the community grew and prospered, the children of the first Italian settlers continued to work and contribute to the Naugatuck Community in all areas of community life; sports, education, community service and politics. Four Naugatuck Mayors have been of Italian decent. Adam Mengacci, William Rado, Vincent Paolino and Ron SanAngelo. There are many more Italian and Italian American women and men who have made enormous contributions to the educational, political and industrial life of Naugatuck. Notably, Amelia Galucci Circo, Antoinette Zuccarelli, Rita Ruggiero, Edith Limone, James Nardello and Caesar Ruggeri.

In 1902, as most immigrants did, the Italians formed a society called
"Cristoforo Colombo Societa Italiano di Mutuo Soccorso." The Cristoforo Colombo Italian Mutual Aid Society. The purpose of the club was fraternal and to provide financial aid to families of members in need. A set amount was given to widows and children of deceased members.

The original meeting hall was on South Main Street between the DeCarlo and Mariano properties. In the 1950’s a new building was erected farther down New Haven Road (it still stands) and the original building was bought by John Mariotti. It was torn down when the road was widened.

The first officers of the club were
President, Fedele Pappano; Vice President, Gerardo Troiano; Secretary, Dominico Troiano; Treasurer, Camillo Pomponio; Consiglieri, Giuseppe Errico, Felice Nardello, Vito Capecce, Dominico Angiolillo and Gerardo Salinardi; Curatori, Gerardo Errico and Luigi DeCarlo.

The founding members of the club were Dominico Capasso, Luigi DeCarlo, Marco and Giuseppe Errico, Vito, Antonio, Domenico and Rocco Marino; Gerardo and Luigi Mancini, Vito Mullico, Giuseppeo A., Vito and Antonio Spadola; Rocco Tangredi, Pasquale Frattecant and Vito Capecce.
Vincenzo Aquavia, Dominico Giaconelli.

In 1964, the Ladies Auxiliary was formed. Its purpose was to help the men and families and to preserve Italian heritage. The Ladies Auxiliary officially dissolved in October 2009. At the time of ending, the President was Madeline Malone, Rita Ruggiero, Treasurer; Bridget Mariano, Secretary and Membership, Pina DeVito.
The Auxiliary voted to divide their assets between the Naugatuck Food Bank and the Naugatuck Historical Society Museum. All artifacts of the Auxiliary were donated to the Naugatuck Historical Society Museum. The museum extends their gratitude to the Ladies Auxiliary.

Source
Naugatuck Historical Society Newsletter
Volume 15, Issue 2
March - April 2010