Vincenzo Rao (1898 - 1988)

Born 29 Jun 1898 in Corleone, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Ancestors

Husband of Domenica (Gagliano) Rao — married 8 Aug 1922 (to 21 Apr 1924) in New York, New York, United States

Died 25 Sep 1988 at age 90 in Florida, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chiara Palermo [send private message]

Biography

Vincenzo Rao, the son of Antonino Rao and Liboria Colletti, is born on 29 June 1898 in Corleone and is baptized the next day. His godfather is Giuseppe la Barba (potentially this one), who is unmarried. A godmother is not recorded.^[1]

The Rao family appears on the manifest of the Chateau Yquem, arriving on 3 November 1899 in the Port of New York. Antonino Rao, 39 (b. 1860), his wife Liboria, 32 (b. 1867), and their children Maria, 12 (b. 1887), Calogero, 10 (b. 1889), and Vincenzo, 1 (b. 1898), travel together from Corleone to New York, to join Antonino's brother, Angelo. Everyone on this manifest is listed as a laborer.^[2][3]

In the 1910 federal census of Manhattan, taken 26 April, Tony Rao, 50 (b. 1860), heads a household on 108th St with his wife of 25 years (m. 1885), Liboria, 40 (b. 1870), and children Charles, 21 (b. 1889), Mary, 22 (b. 1888), and Vincent, 12 (b. 1898). Also living with him are his brother in law, Samuel Gagliano, 27 (b. 1883---this is probably Simone, Liboria's half-brother), and his wife of four years (m. 1906), Tessie, 25 (b. 1885), marked as “daughter,” no children. Liboria has had 8 children, 3 living. All in the household were born in Italy and immigrated in 1899. Tony, Charles, and Samuel are building laborers, Mary is a cigar maker in a factory.^[4]

Vincent Rao, of 231 E. 107th St., NYC, age 20, born 29 June 1898, registers for the draft for WWI. He was born in Italy and is an alien resident. He is a grocer, who owns his business at 225 E. 107th St. His nearest relative is his mother, Liboria Rao, at the same home address. Vincent is described by the registrar as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and dark hair.^[5]

Vincenzo's brother, Calogero, becomes a powerful mobster in New York City and is active in the Mafia from the 1910-50s. Vincenzo participates with Calogero in some "semi-legitimate" business ventures. In the early 1930s, Calogero and Vincenzo become wealthy in the construction business.^[6] Through his ownership of construction businesses, Calogero is an associate of Giuseppe Morello as well as of Tommy Gagliano, the original boss of the Lucchese family.^[7] Vincenzo becomes consigliere of the Lucchese crime family of which Calogero is reputedly a soldier.

Both brothers marry first cousins from Corleone.

Vincenzo marries Domenica Gagliano, the daughter of Angelo Gagliano and Carmela Parisi, on 8 August 1922 in New York City.^[8] Vincenzo and Domenica are first cousins.

He marries for the second time to Carmelina Alberti, a native of Annapolis, Maryland, daughter of Giuseppe Alberti and Antonina Buzzone, on 21 April 1924 in Manhattan. He is listed as "Single" on this record and not "Widowed."^[9]

Vincenzo and Carmelina have two daughters, Nina Vento (c. 1926) and Liboria Pancaldo (c. 1928).^[10][11]

In the 1930 federal census of New York City’s 18th Assembly District, taken 3 April, Vincent Rao owns his home, worth $35,000, at 235 E. 107th St. He is 31 (b. 1899), born in Italy, emigrated in 1900. He married at age 25 (c. 1924) to Millie, age 24 (b. 1906), who was 18 when she married. Millie and their children were born in NY. Their children are daughters Birtie, 4 (b. 1926), and Nina, 2 (b. 1928). Vincent is a plasterer in the building trade.^[12]

In the 1940 federal census, Vincent Rao, 41 (b. 1899), born in Italy, heads a household at 19 E. 80th St. with his wife Millie, 34 (b. 1906), born in Maryland, and daughters Liboria, 14 (b. 1926), and Nina, 12 (b. 1928), both born in New York. He is the manager of a real estate office. ^[13]

Vincent is consigliere of the Lucchese crime family in 1957 when he attends the Apalachin meeting. He and two capos are held by police. The boss, Tommy Lucchese, is believed to be in attendance, but evades capture.^[14]

Wikipedia says Rao is a distant relative of Tommaso Gagliano, founder of the Lucchese crime family. They are 8th cousins, once removed. They are also related through Tommy’s wife, Giuseppa Pomilla. Giuseppa’s maternal aunt by marriage, Gaetana Serra, is Vincent Rao’s great-aunt: his mother’s mother’s sister.

Vincent retires to Florida, where he dies of natural causes at age 90.^[15]

Vincent J. Rao, SSN 086-10-3773, born 24 June 1898, dies 25 September 1988.^[16]

He is interred with his wife in Westchester County, New York.^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism of Vincentium Rao, record no. 234, page 607, 30 June 1898, "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6L2S-G5R?cc=2046915&wc=MG34-ZNP%3A351041801%2C351041802%2C351299201 : 20 May 2014), Corleone > San Martino > Battesimi 1895-1899 > image 239 of 309; Archivio di Arcidiocesi di Palermo (Palermo ArchDiocese Archives, Palermo).
2. ↑ Lines 17-21, Manifest of the Chateau Yquem, 3 Nov 1899; EllisIsland.org manifest accessed via SteveMorse.org on 17 March 2017.
3. ↑ "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXCP-2J3 : 6 December 2014), Calogero Rao, 03 Nov 1899; citing departure port Naples, arrival port New York, ship name Chateau Yquem, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRJ6-99GC?cc=1727033&wc=QZZ7-99S%3A133641301%2C133751301%2C143128001%2C1589124991 : 24 June 2017), New York > New York > Manhattan Ward 12 > ED 407 > image 20 of 30; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-91N9-9J8?cc=1968530&wc=9FZB-2NY%3A928312401%2C929062201 : 14 May 2014), New York > New York City no 160; Bellario, Concito-Z > image 4529 of 6043; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ Ferrara, Eric. Manhattan Mafia Guide: Hits, Homes & Headquarters. Arcadia Publishing, 2011.
7. ↑ Critchley, David. The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891-1931. 2008: Routledge.
8. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24CY-2WL : 20 March 2015), Vincenzo Rao and Domenica Gagliano, 08 Aug 1922; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,653,544.
9. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2479-G4M : 20 March 2015), Vincenzo Rao and Carmelina Alberti, 21 Apr 1924; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,643,124.
10. ↑ Vincenzo Rao on Mafia Wiki accessed 6 November 2018.
11. ↑ United States Treasury Department, Bureau of Narcotics, foreword by Sam Giancana. (2009). Mafia: The Government's Secret File on Organized Crime. HarperCollins, p. 602.
12. ↑ Year: 1930; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 3A;Enumeration District: 0820; FHL microfilm: 2341306
13. ↑ Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02655;Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 31-1349
14. ↑ "Guests at the Mafia Bar-B-Que". http://www.greaterowego.com/apalachin/guests.html Accessed 5 March 2017.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 May 2019), memorial page for Vincent Rao (24 Jun 1898–25 Sep 1988), Find A Grave Memorial no. 6539064, citing Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum, Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
16. ↑ Number: 086-10-3773; Issue State: New York; Issue Date: Before 1951 Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2014.