Rosario (Centanni) Centanne (1877 - 1952)

Born 19 May 1877 in Alia, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Ancestors

Husband of Rosalia (Tripi) Centanni — married 1902 (to 10 Dec 1903) in Alia, Palermo, Sicilia, Italia

Husband of Agatina (Tripi) Centanne — married 20 Mar 1910 (to 18 Mar 1952) in Porter County, Indiana

Descendants

Died 18 Mar 1952 at age 74 in Gary, Lee County, Indiana, USA

Biography

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne was born in Alia, Palermo, Sicily, Italy on May 19, 1877, the son of Antonino Rosario Centanni and his wife Liboria Giuseppa "Lillia" Guccione. Antonino Rosario's birth was first recorded as May 31, 1877, and later corrected by the Italian registrars. May 31st is actually his father's birthday in 1843.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne was one of several siblings:

1. Biaggio "Charley" Centanni, born 1874 in Alia.
2. Rosario Centanni/Centanne, born May 19, 1877 i Alia.
3. Salvadore "Sam" Centanni, born about 1881.
4. Marietta Centanni, born about 1883 who married Mr. Colaianni and stayed in Alia.
5. Teresa Centanni, I born in Manhattan, New York in 1887 and died in infancy.
6. Terisina "Teresa" Centanni, II, born in Brooklyn, New York on November 14, 1889 who married Paul Gennaro in New Orleans, Louisiana and passed away January 13, 1921 in New Orleans after the accidental drowning of her baby a few days earlier.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne immigrated to America for the first time about 1887 at the age of 10 years old with his parents and siblings. The family lived in Manhattan, New York, USA, probably on the Lower East Side in "Little Italy", in a tenement at 14 Myrtle Street, before moving to the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, not far from the then-new Brooklyn Bridge.

The first of Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne's two youngest sisters, both named Teresa, was born shortly after they arrived. The first Teresa Centanni, I, born in 1887, died in infancy. The second Teresina Centanni,II was born November 14, 1889, and is probably the baby in the family portrait taken at her christening, Teresina grew up, married, had children, and lived until January 13, 1921.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne' mother Mercuria Liboria "Lillia" Guccione died in about 1891, and his father Antonino "Rosario" Centanni took the family back to Italy where he remarried to Ross' step-mother Giuseppa "Fina" Gennaula in February 1892. A few years later, his father returned the family to New Orleans, but Ross stayed in Alia until about 1904, where he married his first wife Rosalia Tripi about 1902. .

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne may have worked for the Tripi family in Alia. He married Rosalia "Lillia" Tripi in Alia before 1903. Ross lost his first wife Rosalia "Lillia" Tripi on or near the birthdate of his oldest daughter [[Centanni-|Liboria Centanni on December 10, 1903. Rosalia "Lillia" Tripi's death was recorded in early 1904, so she may have lived a while after giving birth. Their daughter LIboria "Lil" Centanni survived, immigrated to the USA in February 1910, married Philip Biamont from Calbria about 1915, and lived to the age of 97 in the United States. She is the source of much of the information we have on this family obtained by personal interview.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne returned to New Orleans with his brothers to work in the sugar cane fields to help support his daughter [[Centanni-168|Liboria 'Lil" who stayed in Alia, Sici;ia, Italia in the care of the Sebastiano Tripi family.

About 1906, Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne and his brothers Biaggio "Charley" Centanni and Salvador "Sam" Centanni, moved north to Gary, Indiana shortly after the new United States Steel mill opened in 1906.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne worked as one of the first sheriff deputies in Gary, riding motorcycles, He moved to Gary, Indiana sometime between 1906 and 1910. Ross and Charle are enumerated on the 1910 United States Census for Gary, Lake County, Indiana as living near Baltimore Street, which may have been in Hammond, but is considered Calumet Township on the 1910 Census.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne sent for and remarried to Lillia Tripi's younger sister Agatina "Agatha" Tripi, born 1880, on March 20, 1910, in Porter County, Indiana who brought his daughter Liboria "Lil" Centanni to America with her on the boat in February 1910. The 1910 United States Federal Census for Gary, Lake County, Indiana was taken only 37 days after their wedding and their names are enumerated in a confusing manner. Their surname is given as "Ross" and their first names are Centanni and Tripi. Language differences probably aided in the confusion as they did not really know much English yet. The lived in the same house at 2574 Adams Street as his brother and family whose last name is given as Centanni.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne was working as a Schoolhouse Janitor on April 26, 1910 as enumerated on the 1910 United States Federal Census for Gary, Ward 5, ED, Indiana, living with his wife Agatina Tripi Centanni. The Census has their names mixed, so he is Centanni Ross, Agatina is Tripi Ross and Rosario's daughter is Lillie Ross. They had been married only 37 days when the 1910 Census was taken. This janitor job was probably why we have a picture of Ross delivering schoolbooks in a Model T when he stopped to see his brother Biagio Centanni the barber, and had his picture taken. He learned to drive long before most people had cars.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne registered for the World War I Draft on September 12, 1918. At that time he was already living at 2545 Johnson Street in the Tolleston neighborhood of Gary, Lake County, Indiana with his wife and children.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne changed his name from Rosario Centanni to Ross Centanne to get a job in Gary, Indiana during World War I. He was working for American Bridge Company as an electrician according to his World War I Draft Registration

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne is enumerated on the 1920 United States Federal Census for Gary, Ward 5, ED 111, Indiana as living at 2545 Johnson Street and working as a Peddler of Fruit. He may have grown his own fruit to peddle, as he later became the owner of a plant nursery at the same address. In 1920, Ross Centanne lived with his wife Agatha and his children, daughter Mary age 8, Sebastian, age 7, and Lillian, age 17. He owned his property free and clear with no mortgage, and is enumerated as a United States citizen. He was no longer working for American Bridge Company, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel in 1920, and that job may have ended with the end of World War I. Ross was 43 years old in 1920.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne and Agatina "Agatha" Tripi had two children of their own, as well as raising Ross's daughter Lillian from his first marriage to Rosalia Tripi, Agatina's sister:

1. Mary Centanni, born about 1911, who died at age 18 in 1930 of tuberculosis while the family was living at 2545 Johnson Street in Gary, Lake County, Indiana.
2. Sebastian Centanni born April 8, 1912 in Gary, Lake County, Indiana, who married Mary Hozdovich on September 13, 1935 in Lake County, Indiana.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne lost his father Antonino Rosario Centanni of New Orleans and his sister Theresa in January 1920 when they died of grief following the accidental drowning of Theresa's baby Lillia, age 2, in New Orleans. We don't know if Ross was able to travel south for the funerals. Baby Lillia died January 3, 1920, her mother Theresa died January 13, 1920, and Antonino Rosario died January 21, 1920.

After the death of his father and sister and niece,, Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne received $347 as his share of the family inheritance. He bought 30 acres of uncleared land near the railroad tracks in Perdido, Alabama. The plan was for his brother Charley and his family to farm there, growing vegetables for Ross and their brother Sam to sell in Gary. Biaggio "Charley" Centanni's family cleared the land, and raised potatoes, but the potatoes rotted once they reached Gary in unrefridgerated rail cars.

Charley left the farm in 1924, and Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne paid a judge to pay the farm taxes, which the judge did not do. The land was in foreclosure until Ross was able to redeem it in the 1930s. Ross sold the land to Biaggio "Charley" Centanni's son Louis Centanne about 1936 when Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne and Agatina and their new baby Marietta Centanne traveled to Alabama for a visit. They likely drove in an old car or took a train as airline travel was not yet easy or affordable.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States on January 12, 1920 at the Chicago office of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. (Illinois, Northern District).

On the 1920 United States Federal Census for Gary, Indiana, Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne and "Augustine" (really Agatina) are still living at 2545 Johnson Street where they raised their daughters Lillian and Mary, and their son Sebastian.

On the 1940 United States Federal Census, the Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne family is enumerated at the same address, 2545 Johnson Street, however Ross is now listed as a "Florist" with his "Own shop".

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne and Agatina Centanni remained at this address until at least 1942 and probably until after World War II. Both Ross and his son Sebastian moved their families to 4700 Massachusetts Street probably in the late 1940s. Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne's granddaughter Marietta Centanni, born 1936, attended the Tolleston schools in the middle school grades, and the family may have moved around the time she started high school in 1949. Another granddaughter, still living, would have been starting kindergarten about the same time, but only attended schools in Glen Park.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne and Agatina "Agatha" Tripi operated a greenhouse nursery in Gary, Indiana, first at 2545 Johnson Street, and then at 4700 Broadway after World War II. They moved to the Glen Park area sometime in the late 1940s after spending at least 30 years at the Johnson Street home. Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne helped his son Sebastian Centanne move Sebastian's home to nearby 4700 Massachusetts Street adjacent to his home and nursery on Broadway and the family remained close.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne passed away on March 18, 1952, in Gary, Lake County, Indiana, leaving his wife Agatina "Agatha" Tripi a widow.

Rosario "Ross" (Centanni) Centanne is buried in Porter County, Indiana with his daughter Mary Centanni (1911-1930) and his brother-in-law Giuseppe "Joe" Tripi (1892-1946).

Family information as told to Sharon Troy, recorded here on Wednesday, August 13, 2014, and updated Tuesday, May 31, 2016, and with additional research on Monday, April 12, 2021.

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

• Atti di Nascita, Alia, Sicilia, Volume, Year 1878, Record Number 5, Image 2339 and 2340 out of 2879 images (handwritten in Italian) as posted by Familysearch. org at:
• "Allegati di Atti di Nascita" for the same volume due to correction of birth date.
• Family stories from living members of Centanne family.
• Ship Passenger Lists Index for 1904 for Steamship Luguria as indexed on familysearch.org
• Ship Passenger Lists for February 1910 for Steamship Alicia from Palermo to New York City.
• Porter County Indiana Marriage Records, March 20, 1910.
• 1910 United States Federal Census, for Gary, Ward 5, ED 37, Indiana, USA
• 1920 United States Immigration and Naturalization Index of newly naturalized citizens at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Office for Northern District of the State of Illinois, records for Rosario Centanni born May 19, 1920 in Italy. - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PQ7-NP1?i=2315&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXKLV-N4H
• United States Federal Census, 1920, for Gary, Indiana - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R6Q-SXL?i=56&cc=1488411&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMFWC-8Z1
• World War I Draft Registration, September 12, 1918 for Rosario Centanni of Gary, Lake County, Indiana - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-81WP-YW8?i=894&cc=1968530&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3A7HF5-XFN2
• World War II Draft Registration for Ross Centanne, Gary, Lake County, Indiana, 1942.