Discuss Roseto/Bangor

[Phil Falcone - Site Admin]

I think we have the right amount of current and former Roseto/Bangor members to have a common area to share stories. Many of you are having that "OMG" moment where you're connecting with other members one-to-one; just imagine if you could uncover even more of those because your stuff is in one common spot for ALL to reply to.

[Jim Cistone]

It is kind of strange how different the generations of Roseto are. My grandfather came over around 1888, and my dad was born and raised in Roseto/Bangor (he would have been 99 last month). He never ventured very far away from Roseto, but he did go quite a bit further than most of his siblings. He went to college and law school in Philadelphia, and ended up working in Philadelphia while commuting from Bangor and then Bethlehem Township for almost 20-years. So, here his parents came all the way across the ocean, and he probably didn't go further than 200 miles away from Roseto in his entire life (I think Washington, DC was the greatest distance away). And then our generation sprang loose and have traveled afar. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Roseto, PA was their new home, and they cherrished it. Even when we moved to Bethlehem Township, so he would be closer to the Philadelphia train, he would alwyas come back to Roseto for a visit on weekends. Any similar observations or is it just me?

[Phil Falcone - Site Admin]

Jim, I think you nailed it pretty much. It may be a generational "skipping" habit where one ventures forth and the next sets down roots in the new locale. When I moved out west and my family asked why, I could only recall both my maternal and paternal grandparents packing it in and moving to America, never to return to Italy; never seeing their cousins again. Starting over seems to be inherent.

[Lynda Matthews]

I think sometimes too Phil it's about the ones being left behind. I remember when Craig and I were moving to Peterborough from the Hamilton area - I mean it is a whole 2 hour drive, but I had never lived anywhere else but around Toronto/Hamilton; my mother was quite upset. Then I reminded her that it wasn't just a few years before that she had been talking about moving to Phoenix, Arizona. Hello!

[Jim Cistone]

Here is a Bangor/Roseto story that I heard time and again at the dinner table. It wasn't so funny at the time, but it has a happy ending.
As many of you know, in my dad's era (1909-1976), many residents of Bangor were of Welsh and German heritage, my mother being one of the latter. Her American-based ancestors went back to the days of the American Revolution. Roseto, on the other hand, was almost all Italian, many just off of the boat. As my dad went to high school in Bangor, there was some "ethnic friction" between Bangor and Roseto, and my dad actually changed his name from "Salvino" to "Sullivan" because that is how most of the teachers would actually pronounce it. Dad always said: "If you can't beat them, join them!", in jest, of course. My dad and mom were married in 1941, and their union raised some eyebrows in Bangor, as was typical for "mixed" marriages at that time. My mother's family warned her not to marry my dad for all of the right reasons:"They all beat their wives, they don't bathe, their skin is oily, and they can't speak English!". Well my dad and mom were married, and I can never remember them even arguing with each other, and dad went on to college and law school and represented the US Government with great eloquence in court on many occasions. In fact, he was honored by UNICO as one of the first three professionals to come out of Roseto.
Well, the happy ending was a long and happy marriage for my parents, my mother’s mother moved in with them, and my sister and I were born. Eventually, my mother’s family warmed up to their new addition, and dad had many friends in Bangor and Roseto of all ethnic backgrounds. By the time I got to school in Bangor in the 50’s and 60’s, things were pretty well intertwined, and I didn’t observe much of the friction from the prior generations. In fact, I had a very happy childhood in Bangor that I sincerely missed when we moved, and will always remember with great fondness.

[Valentino Bozzelli]

I noticed the posting from Daniel Confalone the mayor of Roseto, PA and am wondering about his roots and if we may be related. Would his family be from Philidelphia, PA and his father's name Liberato and grandfather Domenico from Roseto Valforte ? My grandfather was Pasquale Confalone, Domenico's brother. Waiting a reply. Valentino Bozzelli

[Daniel Confalone]

Valentino, my father was Pasquale, born in Roseto Valforte, he had a brother Nicholas, and two sisters, Filomena (Mamie) and Carmela.

My grandfather Michale, had six brothers, Giovanni, Francesco, Filppo, Leonardo, Nicola, Liberato and four sisters, Carmela, Rosa, Maria Grazia, and Maria Donata.

My great grandfather was named Pasquale.
My great great grandfather was named Liberato.

So, it appears we are related.
Daniel Confalone, Mayor of Roseto

[Peter Confalone]

Daniel,
I joined to find out more about the Confalones of the Rosetos. In my search for my roots I traced the Confalone family to Ravello Italy in the 13 century. When I visited Ravello I was lucky enough to meet a clan of Confalones who were having a family reunion that week. At this event I met Anjelo Tajani (now living in Sweden) who wrote the book, "CONFALONE Patrizia della costa d'Amalfi". His mother was a Confalone from Amalfi. I have been in touch with him ever since that trip. He actually told me about The Two Rosetos, by Carla Bianco that is how I found this website. Lately I got this email from Angelo.

"It should be very interesting to know more about these branch of the family. To know
especially if someone has made searches concerning the first established Confalone to Roseto.
Can You help me, dear Peter, to having some contact for knowing if someone of Rosseto in America or Puglia has made searches in purpose?
I have l' complete genealogico tree of the family from 1300 but in order to deepen the searches
I must at least know a name of a living Confalone to Roseto in this period.
Cari saluti
Angelo"

Peter Confalone

[Donna Wright]

Great story Jim! So many of us experienced the same. There were in our era families who still would not allow their sons or daughters to date Italians (1961 Bangor High School).Saluiti Donna DeFrank Wright

[Jim Cistone]

Hi Donna,
Great to hear from you again. I didn't recognize your name, but when I read your profile, BINGO! I get to see Karen about once a year for our annual Class Reunion, although we missed her at the last one. I recall that you parents were in the same ethnic boat as mine, but as far as I can tell, us "mixed marriage" children look pretty good to me!
Take care,
Jim

[Ken Rosato]

Jim,
My "mixed marriage" daughter Alyssa, who is 1/2 Italian, 1/4 Lithuanian, 1/8 Irish, and the rest German and French, looks pretty good to me, but that's probably more because of her mixed marriage Mom (all of the above except the Italian) looks pretty good to me, too. And I am the non-Catholic in our family.
Ken

[Jim Cistone]

Ken,
We also ended up in the non-Catholic column. Legend has it that my grandfather, Peter, was one of the band of rebels who broke away from the Catholic Church and founded the Roseto Presbryterian Church. I do remember some Catholic discrimination in Bangor when I was young, but I also experienced the reverse when I was getting married to my (now) ex wife in Philadelphia. Being non-Catholic and getting married to a local Italian girl didn't go over too well with the church, so we were married at the chapel at Muhlenberg College.

[Lynda Matthews]

My family is related to two Sabatino families in Roseto, Pa - and one is Catholic and one non-Catholic. I will relate a cute story to you with regards to when I was getting married here in Ontario. When my grandmother first met "my then" future husband she asked my mother if he was Italian - and when told he was not, she thought for a minute and then said "well is he Catholic then". When my mother said "no he's not" nonna's response was "Oh well he's a nice-a boy anyway". That was in the late 60's and it was still a little dicey with regards to mixed ethnicity and religion.