Michele Coniglio (1861)

Born 3 Aug 1861 in Corleone, Palermo, Sicilia, Italia

Ancestors

Husband of Lucia Moscato — married 31 Oct 1891 in Corleone, Palermo, Sicilia, Italia

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Biography

Michele Coniglio is born and baptized 3 August 1861 in Corleone. He is the son of Giuseppe Coniglio and Maria Rigoglioso. His godparents are Gaetano Russo and Anna la Francesca.^[1] He is named after his paternal grandfather, who was a farm manager (agricoltore).

In December 1889, Giovanni Vella, a field guard standing for local office, is assassinated. Don Francesco Ortoleva, Vella's political rival, is tried for the murder. In court, Ortoleva names three men, among other, unnamed associates, who he says killed Giovanni Vella. The three men are the infamous mafioso, Giuseppe Morello, Giovanni Streva, and Michele Coniglio. Michele is described as an agricultural laborer.^[2] Streva is a farm manager, and brother of Mafia capo Paolo Streva. Ortoleva was finally exonerated in 1913. (See "The detective's private stenographer" on Mafia Genealogy.)

Michele marries Lucia Moscato, daughter of Carmelo Moscato and Francesca la Sala, on 31 October 1891 in Corleone. His mother has died.^[3]

The three accused men have all fled the country by the following year. Morello joins the rest of his family in the United States in May. Streva marries in Brazil in 1893.

Many of Lucia's siblings and nieces and nephews immigrate to New York City, some of them before Lucia's marriage. Her brother, Francesco, is a grocer and a known associate of Giuseppe Morello.

Coniglio's immigration record has not yet been found. His wife leaves the country with Bernardo Terranova and his family.

Lucia, Michele, and Michele's brother-in-law can all be found living together in New York City in 1905.

In the 1905 state census of New York City. Michele is a 43 year old (b. 1862) barkeeper working on his own account. He is from Italy and has been in the US for 13 years (since 1892). His wife, Lucia, is 37 (b. 1868), also from Italy and arrived a year later. His brother in law Luigi Moscato, 27 (b. 1878), a launderer, lives with them. He has been in the US for 16 years (since 1889).^[4]

26. Michele Coniglio, 66 (b. 1861), married, merchant, Italian, born in and last residing in Corleone, travels on the SS Presidente Wilson sailing from Palermo on 22 November 1927. He is the only passenger from Corleone. His nearest relative in Corleone is his wife, Lucia Moscato, at via Miata, 14, in Corleone. He is joining his brother in law, Frank Moscato, at 631 E. 227th St. in the Bronx. Michele is 5’3” with a rosy complexion, “mix” (probably salt and pepper hair), and “sky” (probably blue eyes).^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism of Michaelem Coniglio, 3 August 1861, "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DYM7-QS3?cc=2046915&wc=MG37-K68%3A351041801%2C351041802%2C351125301 : 20 May 2014), Corleone > San Martino > Battesimi 1858-1863 > image 258 of 388; Archivio di Arcidiocesi di Palermo (Palermo ArchDiocese Archives, Palermo).
2. ↑ David Critchley. The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891-1931. Routledge: New York, 2009.
3. ↑ Marriage of Michael Coniglio and Lucia Moscato, record no. 80, 31 October 1891. "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DYD2-WF?cc=2046915&wc=MG37-L23%3A351041801%2C351041802%2C351112201 : 20 May 2014), Corleone > San Martino > Matrimoni 1888-1902 > image 121 of 445; Archivio di Arcidiocesi di Palermo (Palermo ArchDiocese Archives, Palermo).
4. ↑ "New York State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-YSR9-GHY?cc=1463113&wc=WHBW-LZF%3A42719801%2C43004401%2C44869201 : 22 September 2016), New York > Manhattan > A.D. 32, E.D. 21 > image 62 of 78; various county clerk offices, New York.
5. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G5QB-944M?cc=1923888&wc=MFVY-YP8%3A1029875301 : 2 October 2015), 4180 - vol 9324-9325, Dec 5, 1928 > image 75 of 1083; citing NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).