Biagio Cira' (1864 - 1908)

Born 7 Jun 1864 in Termini Imerese, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Husband of Maria (Demma) Cira' — married 15 Nov 1892 (to 18 Apr 1908) in Termini Imerese, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Descendants

Died 18 Apr 1908 at age 43 in Bellefontaine, Logan, Ohio, United States

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Biography

On 8 June 1864, Rosa Crisanti in Cira’, age 33 (b. 1831), reports the birth of a baby boy to Chiara Crisanti, her sister, age 38 (b. 1826), and Biagio Cira’, age 45 (b. 1819), contadino, in their home in Termini Imerese the day previous. He is named Biaggio Cira’.^[1]

On 15 November 1892, Biagio Cira’, celibe, age 28 (b. 1864), contadino, son of the late Biagio Cira’ and the living Chiara Grisanti; and Maria Demma, nubile, age 16 (b. 1876), housewife, daughter of the late Salvatore Demma and the living Provvidenza Amodeo; announce their intention to marry in the civil record of Termini Imerese, where all are resident.^[2]

Biagio is known as Salvatore Cira' in the United States. Salvatore and Maria have six living children: Maria/Mary (c. 1895), Providenza/Perry (1896), John (c. 1899), Salvatore (1902), Josephine (c. 1905), and Anthony/Tony (1907).

Their three older children, Maria, Providenza, and John, are born in Italy.

On 5 May 1896, Provvidenza Amodeo, age 40 (b. 1856), housewife, reports the birth on 2 May 1896 of a baby to Maria Demma, age 20 (b. 1876), housewife, wife of Biagio Cira’, age 32 (b. 1864), contadino, in their home in Via Cappuccino, #4, in Termini Imerese. The baby is a girl and is named Provvidenza Cira.^[3]

Salvatore, Josephine, and Tony are born in Ohio.

In April 1902, Salvatore's brothers-in-law, Salvatore and Antonino Demma, join him in Dayton, Ohio.

Based on his 1931 marriage record, Salvatore is born 11 December 1902 in Dayton, Ohio.^[4]

Based on her 1922 marriage record, Josephine is born on 6 March 1905 in Bellefontaine, Ohio.^[5]

Based on his 1931 marriage record, Anthony is born 17 February 1907 in Bellefontaine, Ohio.^[6]

Salvatore is the senior partner in Demar's Fruit Importers, in Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio, a railroad town fifty miles northwest of Columbus. He works with a series of younger relatives, several called Demar, born Demma, from Maria's family. His partners, as well as many of his neighbors in Bellefontaine, regard Salvatore as overbearing and threatening. He is suspected of Black Hand activity by local police. He hosts large gatherings of Italians from US cities at his home.^[7][8][9]

In March 1907, Joseph Demar, one of Salvatore's younger business partners, is killed in a suspicious ambush. Joseph's cousin, Charles, suspects their uncle was responsible for Joseph's murder.^[7][10][11]

Death of Salvatore

Salvatore is killed by his nephew and business partner, Charles Demar, on 18 April 1908 in his fruit shop, Demar’s Fruit Importers. Charles, who is just eighteen, claims self-defense and is acquitted. At the time of his death, Salvatore has in his pockets threatening Black Hand letters addressed to him.^[12][8][7] His wife finds his body. Because of his reputation among his neighbors, the local priest refuses to celebrate Salvatore Cira's funerary mass.^[13] He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, in Bellefontaine.^[14]

Charles' stated reason for shooting his uncle shifts from nonpayment of wages to a quarrel over a business transaction which prompted Salvatore to reach for his gun. The plot to kill his cousin, Joseph, circulates among the Italian community as another reason why Charles Demar killed Salvatore Cira'.^[11]

Charles Vicario, born Calogero Vicario in Messina, is a junior business partner of Salvatore Cira. He continues to live with the Cira family after his murder.^[15]

Maria's younger brother, Salvatore is named after their father, who died before his birth. He is a fruit dealer in Bellefontaine, like Maria's husband. Maria's brother, and her husband's associate, Charlie Vicario, are involved in the Black Hand extortion ring called the Society of the Banana. The men are arrested on 9 June 1909 in Bellefontaine. Charlie's brother, Antonio, is arrested in Columbus at the same time.^[15][16] Tony Vicario works for Agostino Marfisi, a leader of the extortion ring. Agostino is the only one indicted who is ultimately found not guilty.

Although the men are in prison, her brother and Charles Vicario appear in the 1910 census in Mary's household as fruit dealers.^[17][18]

Charles' brother Tony Vicario marries Providence Cira, the second daughter of Salvatore and Mary, in 1912. Charles marries Providence's older sister, Mary, sometime before 1918. Charles and Tony are from Galati Mamertino, in Messina province.

Charles and Mary host Salvatore's widow and younger children in the 1920 census.^[19]

Josephine marries Vincent Amodeo in Logan County, Ohio, on 20 February 1922. Mary Cira signs her consent.^[5]

Salvatore, the son, marries Jennie Amodeo, a divorced woman from Sicily, on 2 July 1931 in Bellefontaine. He lives in Cleveland and works as a machinist.^[4]

Anthony marries Rose La Mantia on 8 July 1931 in Bellefontaine. He is a salesman and lives in Albany, New York.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Atto di nascita, Biaggio Cira’. (1864, June 8). Record no. 302. "Italia, Palermo, Termini Imerese, Stato Civile (Tribunale), 1862-1910," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9MZ-ZDP4?cc=1947613&wc=MDBD-9P8%3A245876501%2C246605201 : 20 May 2014), Villaurea > Nati 1863-1867 > image 897 of 3089; Tribunale di Termini Imerese (Termini Imerese Court, Termini Imerese).
2. ↑ Atti di matrimonio, Biagio Cira’ and Maria Demma. (1892, November 15). Record no. 143. "Italia, Palermo, Termini Imerese, Stato Civile (Tribunale), 1862-1910," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9M8-32XP?cc=1947613&wc=MDB8-QWL%3A245876501%2C246013501 : 20 May 2014), Villaurea > Matrimoni 1885-1910 > image 915 of 3015; Tribunale di Termini Imerese (Termini Imerese Court, Termini Imerese).
3. ↑ Atto di nascita, Provvidenza Cira di Biagio. (1896, May 5). Record no. 271. "Italia, Palermo, Termini Imerese, Stato Civile (Tribunale), 1862-1910," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MZ-YLQM?cc=1947613&wc=MDBD-KMS%3A245876501%2C246853701 : 20 May 2014), Villaurea > Nati 1886-1897 > image 2815 of 3206; Tribunale di Termini Imerese (Termini Imerese Court, Termini Imerese).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-BG94-T9?cc=1614804&wc=ZRXV-MNL%3A121345901%2C122036701 : 15 July 2014), Logan > Marriage records 1926-1931 vol O > image 295 of 299; county courthouses, Ohio.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8M3-KY7 : 29 September 2021), Vincent Amodeo and Josephine Cira, 1922.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-BG94-T9?cc=1614804&wc=ZRXV-MNL%3A121345901%2C122036701 : 15 July 2014), Logan > Marriage records 1926-1931 vol O > image 295 of 299; county courthouses, Ohio.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Murder may bare black hand secrets. (1908, April 11). The Star Press (Muncie, IN). P. 5. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33214660/the-star-press/
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Oldfield, W. and Bruce, V. (2018, September 16). The postal inspector who took down America’s first organized crime ring. Politico Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/09/16/the-postal-inspector-who-took-down-americas-first-organized-crime-ring-219597/
9. ↑ Meyers, D. Meyers Walker, E. (2021). Ohio’s black hand syndicate: the birth of organized crime in America. Arcadia Publishing. Retrieved from Google Books.
10. ↑ "Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6XW-MJX : 1 March 2021), Joseph Demar, 24 Mar 1907; citing Death, Harrison Township, Logan, Ohio, United States, source ID v 2 p 51, County courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 534,834.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Nephew kills. (1908, April 16). The Greenville journal. (Greenville, Ohio). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83035565/1908-04-16/ed-1/seq-3/>
12. ↑ Partners quarrel; death results. (1908, April 9). The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. (Richmond, Ind.). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86058226/1908-04-09/ed-1/seq-1/>
13. ↑ Zornetta, M. (2017). Il segreto della Mano Nera. Tra lettere e pugnali, le vicende inedite della “Società della Banana” che in America anticipò la mafia. Retrieved from https://monicazornetta.it/il-segreto-della-mano-nera-tra-lettere-e-pugnali-le-vicende-inedite-della-societa-della-banana-che-in-america-anticipo-la-mafia/
14. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22426012/salvatore-cira : accessed 11 November 2021), memorial page for Salvatore Cira (1864–1908), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22426012, citing Calvary Cemetery, Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Robert (contributor 46505507) .
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Arrest of Charles Vicarrio Regared [sic] as Go-Between. (1909, June 9). The Evening Star. P. 3. https://www.gastearsivi.com/en/gazete/evening_star/1909-06-09/3
16. ↑ The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]), 09 June 1909. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025020/1909-06-09/ed-1/seq-1/>
17. ↑ Convict black hand plotters. (1910, January 30). Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 37. No. 121. P. 3. Retrieved from https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAH19100130.2.20&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1
18. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RVF-2N3?cc=1727033&wc=QZZW-FJN%3A133640001%2C135480801%2C142198601%2C1589089083 : 24 June 2017), Ohio > Logan > Bellefontaine Ward 3 > ED 131 > image 16 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
19. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRX2-HCV?cc=1488411&wc=QZJR-DCR%3A1036474301%2C1036470102%2C1039980201%2C1589332822 : 13 September 2019), Ohio > Logan > Bellefontaine Ward 3 > ED 192 > image 15 of 37; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).