Michiele Centanni (1852 - 1934)

Biography

Michiele Centanni has Italian Roots.

Michiele Centanni lived in Louisiana.

This profile is part of the Centanni Name Study.

Michiele (Miceli) Centanni was born in Alia, Palermo, Sicily, Italy on April 6, 1852, at 3pm, the son of Rosario Centanni and his wife Maria Grazia Catalano.

Michiele was baptised on 7 April 1852 in Alia, Palermo, Sicilia, Italia.^[1]

Michel Centanni was one of several siblings:

• Salvatore Centanni, born December 24, 1839 in Alia, Sicilia, who immigrated to New Orleans, USA, had at least five children, and returned to Alia in 1905 where he died about 1915.
• Leonarda Andreana Centanni, born 1846 in Alia, Sicilia, who married Vincenzo Calogero Tripi, stayed in Alia, had children.

Michele Centanni, who immigrated to Louisiana, USA, married Filamina Mancuso, had several children and worked as a padrone on a plantation in St. James Parish.

Michel Centanni immigrated to New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States of America. Cousin Jimmy Ledford writes: "The immigration papers indicate that Michele came over on the vessel "Nantes" on December 7, 1883 and arrived at the port of New York (probably Ellis Island) where he probably heard about the job opportunities on Louisiana sugar plantations. He was an ex-military man and was fluent and literate in both English and Italian, was good with mathematics and skilled in the supervision of men. He was a Plantation overseer in St. James Parish and probably lived near the town of St James at least for part of the time. I believe that he was paid by the plantation owners as well as the steam shipping companies (a commission on each Italian worker brought to the area). "

Michel Centanni married Filomena or Philomena Mancuso in 1876 in Alia, Sicilia according to the Atti di Matrimoni ten year index.

His wife Filamina Mancuso Centanni died young, between 1889 and 1910,, leaving a Michele Centanni a widower with children: <-* Maria "Mary" Centanni Centanni, born at 2:09 am on October 2, 1877 in Alia, Sicilia ->

• Maria Centanni, born August 23, 1883 in Alia, and married Castenzo "Chris" Centanni in Kenner, Louisiana, USA. Chris was born in 1873. More research necessary.
• Leborio "Lebo" Centanni, born March 20, 1886 in Unionville, Louisiana, USA, was baptized, and is the godson of Rosolino Chimento Temento, Lebo married Josephine DeGerolamo, had at least one child and died in 1918.
• Rosario Sido Centanni born February 2, 1889 in St. James, Louisiana,, who married Louise Palma Centanni, born April 4, 1892 in Alia, Sicilia, the daughter of Rosario Centanni born 1865 and his wife Anna Siragusa.
• Luigia Centanni who may have become a nun. Date of birth unknown. More research necessary.
• Salvador "Tutti" Centanni sometimes known as Tuddy. Tuddy had a vegetable packing house that he owned with the Thomas DeGerolamo family. HIs father may have also been involved in the formation of this business, because Michele had a lot of real estate in the Kenner area.
• Concetta "Caterina" or "Katy" Centanni who married a Mr.Mancuso

Michel Centanni's son Leborio Centanni died young, in 1918, leaving a wife and child: Josephine DeGerolamo Centanni and his son is MIchele "Big Ike" Centanni.

Michel Centanni married at least two more times. There were no children from his second and third marriages.

Michel Centanni was married a second time to Rosaria Cimo on June 17, 1921 and a third time to Rosalia Marinello, the widow of Vincenzo Gennaro, on November 19, 1927. All of his wives passed away before Michele and he died a three-time widower.

Michel Centanni owned a Truck Farm farming vegetables and was self-employed as noted on the 1920 Census of Kenner, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. No family is listed as living in his household. This is probably after Filomena passed away and before he married a second time. His farm was listed on 2nd Street, which is near the location of his son Sido's Grocery Store. The grocery store was built up after the stock market crash of 1929 when farming became less of a lucrative occupation. The farmland was later taken in the 1930s by eniment domain to build the levy on the Mississipi River, the goverment's response to a terrible flood in 1927. An interesting note is that there were no other Italian families near his farm according to the 1920 Census.

Michel Centanni later became a real estate developer and owned many properties in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

Michel Centanni died in May 1934, leaving property in New Orleans to his living children and grandchildren. Family members have found his succession papers.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Italy Births and Baptisms, 1806-1900"
   citing FHL microfilm: 1331911; Record number: 121;
   FamilySearch Record: XVB4-JB3 (accessed 13 August 2022)
   Michiele Centanni baptism on 7 Apr 1852 (born 6 Apr 1852), son of Rosario Centanni & Maria Catalano, in Alia, Palermo, Sicilia, Italia.

• Atto di Nascita, Alia, Sicilia, Regno delle Due Sicilie, April 1852 per Micele Centanni, figlio di Rosario Centanni III e Maria Grazia Catalano - https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/ark:/12657/an_ua408512/5YgaB41/

• Family stories from Centanni family reunions in 1987 and 1988, especially from Michele's grandsons Ike Centanni and Sal Centanni who are now deceased.

• Family picture of Michele and his children from living cousin.

• Succession papers of Michel Centanni from the court probate proceedings following his death, 1934, copy in the possession of Troy-204 10:44, 12 December 2014 (EST)-

• Atti di Nascita, Alia, Sicilia for Rosario Centanni, Volume, Year 1852, Record 93,

• Atti di Nascita, Alia, Sicilia for daughter Maria Centanni, Volume 22, Year 1877, Record 207, Image Number 2209 posted on Familysearch dot org at:

• ITALIAN-AMERICAN ROOTS by Albert J Robichaux, Jr. - Index of vital records for Alia, Sicilia, 1851-1861, page 84.

• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVQ1-S14 : accessed 8 June 2017), Michael Centanni, Kenner, Jefferson, Louisiana, United States; citing ED 14, sheet 5B, line 93, family 117, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 615; FHL microfilm 1,820,615.

• "Louisiana Naturalization Records, 1831-1906", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23J-FS7V : 3 June 2016), Michael Centanni, 1899.

• Find A Grave Index, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2X-XXV4 : 13 December 2015), Michele Centanni, 1934; Burial, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States of America, Saint Mary Cemetery; citing record ID 69630955, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• Carrollton Cemetery No. 2, Memorial URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69630955

• Diocese of Baton Rouge, Volume 16, page 120 -

"CENTANN - Librorio Francis Centann (Michel Centann and Philomena Mencous) born on 14 February 1885, baptised 11 April 1885 sponsor Rosolino Chimento and Marantonia Balli Cimo (SJA-8, 120)"

• 'Indices Decennales degli Atti di Matrimoni, Alia, Sicilia', 1866-`1875 for Michele Centanni and Filomena Mancuso. Year: 1876 Date: 1876 Record Number 56. Indices Decennales: Image 142 out of 1557.