Domenico Antonio Natale (1877 - 1918)

Born Aug 1877 in Cersosimo, Potenza, Italy

Husband of Therese (Lauria) Natale — married 15 Sep 1900 in Italy

Died 23 Oct 1918 at age 41 in McKees Rocks, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States

Biography

From Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania:

D. A. Natale, the fourth child of Joseph and Mary (Valincenti) Natale, was born near the end of the month of August, 1877, in the lifelong home of his parents, Cersosimo, Italy. He was educated in the public schools of the province of Potenza and passed his childhood up to the age of fourteen in his native place. To Italy, as to every part of Europe, even the most remote, stories were brought at that time of the great opportunities to be had in the great and youthful republic across the seas in far away America. These stories found ready access to the lad's ears and his ambition was fired to try his fortune in the new land. Nor were they without effect upon his father, who, when he found his son's intention of emigrating to be firm, decided to accompany him on his travels. Accordingly the two set sail for the United States in the year 1891, when young Natale was but fourteen years of age. The father did not stay very long in America, however, but contented himself with a visit of some eighteen months. Our subject remained here in New York City, and there attended an English school, where he learned the language, tending bar in the meantime and thus earning his own maintenance. This continued until the year 1898, when he returned to Europe and visited his family, remaining with them for full two years. Upon the expiration of this time he was married and at once brought his wife back to the United States. He stopped for a time in New York City and then moved to Englewood, New Jersey, where he returned temporarily to his old occupation and kept bar. Finally, however, he saw an opportunity to engage in business for himself and, returning to the City of New York, opened a retail stationery and book store there. In this enterprise he continued with a high measure of success for about a year, and then removed to McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, his present home. In McKees Rocks he secured an excellent position as the manager of the foreign department of the Chartiers Trust Company of that town. This was in 1902, and he continued to serve in this cajjacity until 1910, a period of eight years, at the end of which he had amassed a considerable personal fortune and erected at No. 912 Island avenue, McKees Rocks, a large brick building, seventy five by fifty feet in the plan and four stories in height. This building was fitted out as a flat house above and with stores on the ground floor. In one of the latter Mr. Natale engaged in a twofold business, dealing on the one hand in groceries and on the other in foreign remittances and steamship tickets. He is still engaged successfully in these enterprises. Mr. Natale is a fine type of the class, of whom we have many in this country, of foreigners who have benefitted at once themselves and the land of their adoption, through the value created by their useful labor here, who despite their original handicap of being strangers unfamiliar at once with the manners and tongue, have risen to positions of prominence and well-being in their communities and who may well serve as an example to their indigenous neighbors of industry, thrift and good citizenship. For Mr. Natale's interests are not confined entirely to his private business. On the contrary he takes a keen interest in public affairs, and is very much alive to the questions of the day. He is a member of the Republican party and is associated with a number of social and fraternal organizations, both those connected with his fellow Italian-Americans and those of a more general character and scope. Among these are the Independent Order of Heptasophs, the Italy-America Citizen Society and several other similar orders.

During his visit to his native land while a young man, Mr. Natale was married, September 15, 1900, to Therese Lauria, a daughter of Nicola Antonio and Mary Angela (Dalba) Lauria, of his own native town of Cersosimo. To them has been born one son, Joseph A. Natale, born July 18, 1902, in McKees Rocks, where he is now attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Natale are Roman Catholics, and in that faith are rearing their son.

Sources

• Jordan, John W. Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (Lewis Historical Pub. Co., New York, 1915, Vol. 1, 346-347)

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103372147/dominic-a-natale: accessed 13 September 2022), memorial page for Dominic A. Natale (1879–1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 103372147, citing Saint Mary Cemetery, Kennedy Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Gordon Hunter (contributor 47290939) .

• death certificate Name Tonny Natalle