ANTONINO BARBIERI   1874 - 7/11/1953

Antonino is shown here in Italy in a sailor's uniform with his brothers. He is about 20 years old here, which makes the date of the picture about 1894.

In 1906, when he was 32, he was summoned from Villa San Giovanni by the family to come to New York to be the husband of Guiseppina (Josephine) Aldore, 16 at the time.

Antonino was doubly blessed since, two years after he arrived in New York, many of his siblings still in Italy were killed in a violent earthquake on December 28 1908 in which an estimated 200,000 people died, including 500 of the 1000 souls who lived in Villa San Giovanni.

Two of the brothers are Joseph (Giuseppi) and John (Giovanni). They also came to New York, married and raised a family.

This site shows many postcard scenes of the area after the quake.

 

The picture above was not labeled and not dated. Comparing the pictures below suggests that the sailor is Antonino.



Antonino as a young sailor Antonino Barbieri

Antonino with priest on roof.

This picture (undated and unlabeled) is on one side of a circular pocket mirror. The locale is probably the roof of MacDougal Street in Little Italy. The identity of the priest, who is wearing a birretta and a satin coat, is unknown.



About 1945.
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