Fiorenza Diecglio (1887 - 1958)

Born 22 May 1887 in Pezze di Greco, Brindisi, Italia

Husband of Ignazia (Lima) Dieglio — married 18 Apr 1917 (to 21 Nov 1958) in Utica, Oneida, New York, United States

Died 21 Nov 1958 at age 71 in Utica, Oneida, New York, United States

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Biography

Fiorenza Diecglio is born in Pezze di Greco, Bari, Italy, on 22 May 1887, the son of Francesco Diecglio and Dolorata Cardone.^[1] The record of his marriage tells us Lawrence's original given name.^[2]

Fiorenza is educated in Italy and immigrates to the United States in 1907, settling in Utica, New York. He marries Grace Lima here on 18 April 1917.^[1] They are both mill hands and Utica residents. The record of their marriage calls Fiorenza's mother "Addorata."^[2]

Grace and Lawrence have three children: Frank A. (c. 1919), Peter (1922), and Dolores (c. 1927).

In the 1920 federal census of Utica, NY, taken 12 January, Laurence Diecglie, 32 (b. 1887), heads a household with his wife, Grace, 24 (b. 1895), and son, Frank, six months. Laurence immigrated in 1911 and Grace in 1899. Laurence and Grace are both mill hands at a knitting mill.^[3]

Peter is born 14 January 1921^[4] or 1922.^[5]

In 1928, Grace's brother, Joseph, and his wife, Nellie, get into a marital quarrel that escalates into a shootout at the home of a Lima relation by marriage, Rosario Gambino. Grace's husband, brothers, and father are all involved. Her father is seriously injured in the altercation. Pietro shoots Rosario, who is also his partner in illicit alcohol production. Lawrence and Salvatore (his brother-in-law and neighbor) take Rosario to the hospital.^[6]

Rosario dies the next day from his injuries. Lawrence is held as a material witness in the case.^[6] Ultimately, Pietro is not charged with Rosario's death, but is fined for having a gun without a permit.

In the 1930 census, Grace and Lawrence and their children live on Bleecker Street in Utica, next door to her brother, Salvatore, and his wife and children. Laurence is 38 and was born in Italy, as was Grace. Their children were born in New York: Frank, 11 (b. 1919), Peter, 9 (b. 1921), and Dolores, 3 (b. 1827). Laurence is a laborer in road construction.^[7]

On 22 November 1934, Grace's father, Pietro Lima, and her uncle, Dominick Aiello, are found shot to death, sitting in their car.^[8][9] Her father and at least two of Grace's brothers were active in organized crime in Utica.

Lawrence is a landscaper.^[1]

Grace and Lawrence's son, Peter, is an actor when he joins the National Guard in 1939.^[4][10]

Peter is killed in action in World War II.^[1] He is a private first class, acting leader of a machine gun squad in Okinawa, when he is wounded in battle and dies on 17 April 1945. He is 23 years old.^[5]

Peter's body comes home for burial on 16 March 1949.^[5] His family lives at 930 Lansing in Utica by this time.

Lawrence and Grace announce the engagement of their daughter, Dolores Prudence, to Louis P. Cizza. Her engagement is announced in May^[11] and Frank's engagement to Rose M. Cacozza is announced in June.^[12]

Death of Lawrence

Lawrence dies at home at 930 Lansing on 21 November 1958 at age 71, following a brief illness.^[1]

Grace dies 31 January 1984 at age 87 (b. 1896), after a long illness. Her last address is 1722 Armory Dr. in Utica.^[13]

While Lawrence's obituary does not name his surviving son's wife, Grace's calls Frank's wife "Mary Ann." They and Dolores and her husband, Louis Cizza, all live in Utica.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Obituary: Lawrence Diecglio. 22 November 1958. Daily Press (Utica, NY).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XVPK-BCD : 18 October 2017), Fiorenza Diecglio and Grace Lima, 29 May 1917, , New York, United States; citing ref. ID 4137, county clerk’s office,; FHL microfilm 381,750.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVMB-XNQ : accessed 10 May 2018), Grace Diecglie in household of Lawrence Diecglie, Utica Ward 8, Oneida, New York, United States; citing ED 142, sheet 6A, line 18, family 102, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1245; FHL microfilm 1,821,245.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "New York Records of the State National Guard, 1906-1954," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJY-LYWH : 17 March 2018), Peter Dieglio, 26 Oct 1939; citing Military Service, Utica, , New York, United States, New York State Archives, Albany.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} “Committee to Meet Bodies Of 2 Soldiers Tomorrow.” Utica Daily Press. 15 March 1949. P. 10.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} “Rosario Gambino Dies From Wounds In Revolver Duel.” Utica Daily Press. 28 September 1928. P. 11.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RC3-5TD?cc=1810731&wc=QZFQ-LJ8%3A649437801%2C649628901%2C649555601%2C1589282945 : 8 December 2015), New York > Oneida > Utica > ED 105 > image 22 of 28; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).
8. ↑ “Police Strive to Learn How Many Men Slew Two Uticans.” The Utica Observer-Dispatch. 23 November 1934. P. 20.
9. ↑ “Murdered Man’s Son Accused Of Bribing N.Y. State Trooper.” Daily Sentinel (Rome, NY) 21 January 1935. Evening edition. P. 2.
10. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8G2-J2G : 5 December 2014), Peter Dieglio, enlisted 15 Oct 1940, Utica, New York, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
11. ↑ Utica Observer Dispatch. 14 May 1950.
12. ↑ Utica Observer Dispatch. 16 June 1950. P. 7-A.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Obituary: Mrs. Grace Dieglio. Utica NY Daily Press. 1 February 1984. P. 22.