WEBVTT
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Baccelli: Do you remember the Sacco-vanzetti? Bartolomucci: Yep. Baccelli:
What do you remember about it?
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Bartolomucci: I remember reading so much about him in the paper, and my
parents thought that they were not guilty of any of the things that they
were uh, uh, you know committed they did not commit any crime because my
parents never believed it.
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Baccelli: Mm. And what was the consensus of opinion of the other Italians
in your area? Did they feel the same way?
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Bartolomucci: They used to get in quite an argument over that. They did
not think that they were guilty. Baccelli: Did they feel there was a
discrimination-- Bartolomucci: Right in the Italians because they were
Italians.
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Baccelli: Okay. Do you remember Justice Musmanno at all? Bartolomucci:
Yes. Baccelli: What do you remember about him?
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Bartolomucci: Oh, I've heard him speak that he was a fighter. There were a
lot of things that he did I enjoyed. Baccelli: What? Bartolomucci: I mean,
for the Italian people. I mean, he was always a fighter for the Italian
people. And I enjoyed that. Has been an Italian.
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Baccelli: He had some specific ideas about Leif Erikson and Christopher
Columbus. Do you remember that?
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Bartolomucci: I remember that. And that was when Harvard University
claimed that he did not discover America.
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Baccelli: Did you hear him speak about that? And how did you feel about
that?
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Bartolomucci: I thought it was real good because I felt as though that he
must have had some facts going back in history that there was something to
it, that Columbus did discover America.
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Baccelli: Do you remember your parents or any other immigrants talking
about Saint Peter's Church in downtown Pittsburgh?
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Bartolomucci: No. That wasn't. Baccelli: That wasn't from your area.
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Baccelli: What did you think of the American invasion of Italy in 1943?
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Bartolomucci: Well, I didn't like it because just because of one man,
Mussolini, that controlled all of Italy and did the things he did. However,
there was one thing that I did like about Mussolini before he went to war
that he did a lot for the Italians in Italy. I mean, he pulled them out of
some deep problems they had there. At least people were able to go and work
and make a living. But when he started the war, I had no use for Mussolini.
And my parents did either. Baccelli: They did not. Bartolomucci: No, not at
that time.
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Baccelli: How did the other Italians feel about him? Do you recall
their--
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Bartolomucci: Yes when they get together and all that, they'd always come
back and say about all the good things he'd been doing. Why this? You know
when he got involved with Hitler.
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Baccelli: They felt he took one step he shouldn't have. And then. Well,
how do you feel about them now?
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Bartolomucci: Mussolini? Well, actually, I thought the man was trying to
do a job for the country he was running, but he got involved with some
people that just turned him around and go the other way. But I think the
man for Italy, he did something for the Italians. Mussolini himself.
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Baccelli: What do you think most Americans think of Italians?
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Bartolomucci: Well, I've heard the good and the bad. A lot of Americans.
We care less about an Italian wouldn't have anything to do with them. And
then there are others. Why feel completely differently.
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Baccelli: Do you think there's any majority of opinion one way or the
other?
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Bartolomucci: No, I think that no it's not a majority. No, not today. It
was but not today.
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Baccelli: The majority of people disliked Italians?
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Bartolomucci: I think in the past, the majority of the people had no use
for the Italians. But I don't see that today. Not. Not at least not what I
think.
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Baccelli: Okay. What do you think most Americans think about the Mafia?
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Bartolomucci: They call me that.
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Baccelli: Oh, no. They call you Mafioso.
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Bartolomucci: Oh, yes. Yeah. No, most of them, it just makes a joke out of
it, you know? They think that the Mafia is just an organization and they
think it's an organization that the it's got a bunch of crackpots in it,
you know, and so on, and that's it. They make a joke out of it. Baccelli:
That's a joke. Bartolomucci: Right.
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Baccelli: Okay. Do you remember any kind of Italian language schools in
your area? You know, where the Italian language was taught?
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Bartolomucci: No. I don't know any of them no.
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Baccelli: What do you think about communism in Italy?
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Bartolomucci: I have no use for it and it shouldn't be there.
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Baccelli: Do you see it, though, as something a trend?
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Bartolomucci: I have seen it when I was there. Baccelli: Is that right? In
your area? In the-- Bartolomucci: No, it was actually it was more in Rome
than anyplace else. But in the area that I was in, there wasn't too much
talk about it. But in Rome. You could really see it there. You know, people
talk about it. You know about the government in Rome.
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Baccelli: Do you know any other businessmen, successful businessmen such
as yourself that are of Italian American origin.
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Bartolomucci: Yeah. [inaudible] which is a contractor in Greensburg.
[inaudible] is up here at the supermarket. Uh. You say do I know any of
them personally? That's what I'm talking about. Personal. Personal.
Jeannette Importing company Italians that I know them personally.
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Baccelli: How do you think they're regarded in the community?
Bartolomucci: Very high. Baccelli: Because you mentioned before some people
called you mafioso. No, the.
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Bartolomucci: No, the people I'm talking about, they would call us, call
me that or people that. Uh. I would say is when we go on a tour, something
like that it's mixed people. You have Italians, Germans and so on and so
forth. And when they know that you're an Italian, oh, you must be connected
with the Mafia. I mean, that's the only time you ever hear it. It wasn't
that often, but you would hear that they would tell you that.
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Baccelli: There are a lot of Italians in this community in this area? What
would you estimate would be the percentage Italian Americans?
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Bartolomucci: I doubt, its very few Italians here now. Soeaker1: In Irwin.
In Irwin I mean. Bartolomucci: No. Jeannette. Jeannette. I would say
Jeannette. Jeannette is highly Italian, but not Irwin. I would say probably
Jeannette must be at least 30%.
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Baccelli: Um, and you talked a little bit about the leaders that you knew.
The, the, uh, the Delows and the other people that you knew that are
successful businessmen. How do you think they got that way?
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Bartolomucci: Well, Paduti his father was a contractor and his son took
over which is Joseph Paduti now, [inaudible Paduti now. Jeannette Importing
Company, his father came from Italy and he started the importing business.
He used to import Italian food and he turned it over to his son. And his
son is doing the same thing. Diallo is the same way. He he came and he
worked for Jeannette Importing Company, and he thought there was a things
that he could do there. So he decided to go on his own and he opened up
this big super supermarket. He went on his own. But it was an effort put on
each one of their each each part of them themselves. It was there. And so I
give them a lot of credit for what they did and how they did it, because
here you had Jeanette Importing Companies. Sebastian was his name, and he
came here and he could hardly speak English or anything like that. And he
opened up a little store in Jeanette, and then he turned it over to his son
and he still living. He's 87 years old and he's still living. And they have
what they call a Jeanette importing. Company out here on Route 30. And he
serves stores and so on like that you know. Baccelli: What's his last name?
Bartolomucci: Uh. I only know by saying we're doing it. Sebastian's his
first name. I can't think, what's his last name?
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Baccelli: Um, did your parents or did you ever have any problem getting
credit anywhere? Bartolomucci: No. Baccelli: Never did? Bartolomucci: As a
matter of fact, between you and I, I think there were a lot of people who
wants me to join one of their credits or take one of their credits. I mean,
I have no problem. I get credit almost anywhere.
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Baccelli: There was one thing I neglected to get and that's your mother's
first name and her maiden name.
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Bartolomucci: Oh, Crociffica. By the way, that name is supposed to be a
Christian name. And as a matter of fact Bartolomucci is supposed to be
something to do with Christians. I don't know where, but they tell me that
when I was over there and crociffica we had it spelled two different ways.
That's why I wanted to get it the right way. But it's C R O C I F F I C A
That was her first name, and her maiden name was De Poalo, D E P O A L O.
De Poalo.
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Baccelli: Did your and what was your father's first name? Bartolomucci:
Marco, M A R C O Baccelli: What did your father call your mother around the
house? Did he have a nickname for her or what did he say? Bartolomucci:
Crociffica he called her always.
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Baccelli: He always called her by her full first name.
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Baccelli: And did she call him also Marco, or did she refer to him as Papa
or how did you-- Bartolomucci: No, no, Marco.
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Baccelli: It was always Marco.
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Bartolomucci: Yeah, by his name. There was no such thing as Papa, Mama.
No, not between them.
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Baccelli: Did they? They did learn to speak English somewhat, but they
spoke broken--
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Bartolomucci: Broken English. In other words, you would have so many words
in English and so many words in Italian. You were to put them together.
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Baccelli: Right. And gather some meaning from it. Yeah, sure. A lot of us
have experienced that. Let's talk a little bit more about your father now.
You mentioned that your uncle sent for him, sent them money, and then he
repaid your uncle. Then sent money over for your mother and a sister.
Bartolomucci: That was my sister. Yes, his daughter. Baccelli: Okay. And
then when they came here, they moved into a three--
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Bartolomucci: It was a three room house that they had moved into. It was
right next door to my uncle's place.
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Baccelli: You wanted you wanted to make a correction on the date that your
father came?
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Bartolomucci: Right '98.
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Baccelli: 1898. Bartolomucci: Right. Baccelli: Okay. And then your mom
came over in 1904 with one child. Bartolomucci: One child. My sister.
Baccelli: Okay. And then they settled in a three room house here in a in a
little Italian--
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Bartolomucci: It was an Italian neighborhood.
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Baccelli: Okay. Do you remember any your mom saying anything about
adjusting to life here?
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Bartolomucci: No. I don't remember any time that she ever said anything
about how she adjusted to life. I always known this that she had to work
hard. Because having small babies and having more borders, which were all
relatives, that she had to work hard, that I've always talked to, she
always talked about how hard she had to work during her life.
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Baccelli: But maybe she sounds like she wasn't a complaining, whining kind
of a person she just she just did it.
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Bartolomucci: She did the work and that was it.
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Baccelli: How about your father? Did he ever talk about his first
impressions of this country and how he made them? He liked this country.
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Bartolomucci: He enjoyed it. Oh, yes. What he had in Europe. And when he
came to this country, regardless what it was, that dollar was it I mean,
he'd never see it over there, but he did here. And oh, he enjoyed
everything in this country because, matter of fact, he didn't want to go
back to Europe until any at no time until right before the
Italian-ethiopian war. And that's when I was coaching him. Why don't we go
over?
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Baccelli: Was he more have a little lighter, jovial personality than your
mother? Speaker3: Yes. Bartolomucci: No. Baccelli: If there, was there that
difference she seemed to be more of a serious type?
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Bartolomucci: She was the serious type. Baccelli: Yeah. Bartolomucci: My
father was the opposite. Baccelli: Is that right? He was just more joking.
Okay.
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Baccelli: Can you think of anything else you'd like to add? You'd like to
say it, or any memories that come to mind that you'd like to include? Or do
you feel you want to say anything more at all?
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Bartolomucci: I certainly can't think of anything. Probably after you
leave something will come to mind.
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Baccelli: Yeah, something will come to your mind.
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Bartolomucci: But right now, I can't think of anything. You did not
cover.
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Baccelli: You did say that you went back to the village that your father
and mother were born in. Um, what kind of a greeting did you have when you
went back?
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Bartolomucci: Very happy greeting. It was kisses. Bye. Nose One squeezes
in one hand. I mean, it was just very happy.
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Baccelli: And did they then take you to the house where your father was
born and your mother? Bartolomucci: Yes, we went through the whole area.
Baccelli: Were you invited to dinners at the homes?
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Bartolomucci: Oh, yes. Even to sleep. But we didn't stay because we had a
motel, a hotel in [inaudible].
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Baccelli: How far is that away from L'Aquila?
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Bartolomucci: About 30 miles.
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Baccelli: Oh its not too far. You said that the village is now mainly
older people, right? Bartolomucci: That's true. Baccelli: The young people
have gone on to cities?
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Bartolomucci: Young people have gone to the cities to work.
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Baccelli: Because there just isn't anything, I guess, for them to do.
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Bartolomucci: There isn't that thing that they do there. Baccelli: No
industry of any kind? Bartolomucci: No.
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Baccelli: Okay. Well, I think that pretty much concludes everything. I
can't think of anything else that I might have missed. But if I do, I'll
call you up and get the information. I'll tape record the information over
the telephone. But I really do appreciate your taking the time to talk to
me. Very informative.
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Bartolomucci: Well, I'm glad Uh, share some thoughts with it, you know,
and. I mean, what I've been through and what I've seen. I mean. Baccelli:
How do you feel about being Italian-American today? Bartolomucci: I feel
happy about it. I mean, I'm glad that I'm an Italian, an Italian American.
Because I've had opportunities in this country that I don't think I would
have in any other country. I mean, I've done things in this country that
still free. I mean, in spite of all the things that the bureaucracy we have
in Washington, what have you. I still think that out in the area, an
individual can do things if he puts forth enough effort and get it done.
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Baccelli: Okay. Well, thank you very much again for your time. I really,
really enjoyed meeting you and your family. Bartolomucci: Thank you.
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Bartolomucci: He thought that was the worst place to work in the mines.
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Baccelli: Your father was recounting some of the work in the mines. What
did he say about it?
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Bartolomucci: He thought it was the worst, the most dangerous place for an
individual to work in. He didn't enjoy it.
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Baccelli: How long did he work there? Do you remember? Bartolomucci: Since
1915 until 1929.
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Baccelli: Did he get any kind of compensation for the years of service he
put in?
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Bartolomucci: No. Because he he left the mine in '29 and that's when I
bought this place over here. And then he's been out all the time. And, you
know, when I had the plant I brought him in there, even as old as he was.
And he was a handyman, you know, taking care of cleaning up. And what have
you.
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Bartolomucci: He thought it was great. And he used to brag about it, he'd
get together with all the Italians, you know, he was in his glory, you
know, thinking, Well, I have a son that can do all these things, oh yes.
He'd brag about me all over. I mean, any place we'd would go. For example,
we had relatives in Detroit and I would drive up to Detroit and we'd go up
to see them, you know, and we slept in our relatives home all the time. And
he would always bring me out. I was the main one in the family. I mean,
that did anything of any of my brothers or sisters.
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Baccelli: Did he ever mention to you. How he felt about the fact that you
own your own business and your own
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Baccelli: And how do you come in birth order?
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Bartolomucci: Uh. I have a sister that's 72, and I have a brother that's
70. Then it was four of them died in between them. Then I came in and I
have another sister she's no longer, she died. Then I have one more sister
that. And there's a. Uh, two boys and then another boy. And then the
youngest one is a girl. No, the youngest one is another girl and another
boy.
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Baccelli: What did your sisters do? Did they all marry here?
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Bartolomucci: Yes. One was. She worked at Westinghouse and she got
married. And she passed away about three years ago now. She had cancer. I
have a sister. Works for Westinghouse now. She's not married. She's a
widow. And then I have another sister who's married to her brother. They
live at Export. And I have my brother lives in Perryopolis. He was a miner.
He's been a miner all his life, by the way. And he's retired. And then I
have another brother that works for Westinghouse. Then I have three of them
that works for Everledger, which is the company I used to run, I started.
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Baccelli: Well, the Westinghouse that you referred to is that
Westinghouse-- Bartolomucci: Pittsburgh. Baccelli: East Pittsburgh. And you
mentioned that some of your brothers and sisters died before. And how did
they die?
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Bartolomucci: They were very young. Babies. Baccelli: They were babies. Do
you know what happened to them? That they died? Bartolomucci: No. I never
heard them talk about it all I know is that they were very small babies
just born, I guess, and. And they were buried in a cemetery in Braddock and
they were all baptized in Braddock.
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Baccelli: If your mom had to call a doctor in Universal. Who did she
contact? Bartolomucci: No one. Baccelli: Did she ever. There wasn't any
doctors available. Bartolomucci: None.
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Baccelli: How did she get any kind of medical assistance?
00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:24.000
Bartolomucci: Always midwife. She was more or less of a doctor and
everything. I mean, whatever she said, that was it.
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Baccelli: And she was Italian?
00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.000
Bartolomucci: No, the midwife wasn't. She was German.
00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:34.000
Baccelli: She was German. That's right. But she. I must have understood
Italian.
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Bartolomucci: She did. Because she was in an area that was nothing but
Italians. There were some Polish people there. Irish. There was a few Irish
families. I imagine the bulk of them were Polish and Italians.
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Baccelli: When you were growing up, your little your friends, your little
schoolmate friends, were they all different kinds? All different groups.
Did you stick mainly with Italians? Did you feel more camaraderie with
those-- Bartolomucci: No they were different groups.
00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:04.000
Baccelli: Were all different ones.
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:24.000
Bartolomucci: There were Italians, the bulk of them were Italians. I mean,
when I say Italians, they weren't bruises. They were other Italians from
like Tuscany and humid days and people I mean, there were just a mix
because they were all Italians that worked in the mines and so on.
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Baccelli: When you were young. And you wanted to associate with your
little friends. Did it matter to you what kind of last name they had?
Bartolomucci: Never come to mind. They were human beings. And that was it.
00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:41.000
Baccelli: And had some of that had to rub off from your family, too. They
must have had that kind of philosophy.
00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:44.000
Bartolomucci: The relations you had at home.
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Baccelli: So anyone was welcome in your house? Bartolomucci: Right.
Baccelli: Whether he'd be Irish or German. Bartolomucci: Right. Baccelli:
You could bring any little, little friend that you wanted in your home.
Bartolomucci: Right. Baccelli: Were they ever invited for dinner?
00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:10.000
Bartolomucci: No. There was no such thing. I mean, invited for dinner
except as they got older. Then they came and they were with you. They asked
me if you want something to eat or something to drink or something like
that.
00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:14.000
Baccelli: And when times were hard, that was a little bit different. You
didn't invite for dinner then. Okay.
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Bartolomucci: We used to exchange food. In other words, with one family or
the other. Uh, maybe we say, well, we'll give you a plate of spaghetti and.
And if they were Americans, they were hunters and fishermen and everything.
Maybe they'd bring some of their food over, particularly turkey soup. I
never eat turkey soup. I mean, not turtle. Take turkey soup. I mean turtle
soup. I never ate it in my life. And it was delicious. It exchanged food or
something like that, you know. Baccelli: They sort of help one another out,
would you? Bartolomucci: Right. That's just the purpose of one another.
00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:49.000
Baccelli: Well would you say they stuck together as well?
00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:56.000
Bartolomucci: Oh, yes. Yes. They were very friendly. Going to visit each
other's home.
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Baccelli: Did your mom ever go to another nationality type? Did she ever
go to an Irish home or a German home or-- Bartolomucci: German. Germans
were more prominent in my parents life then anybody else's. I mean, besides
Italians. Okay, so it was.
00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:29.000
Baccelli: Okay, so it was those two ethnic groups that they associated
with mainly. Bartolomucci: Mainly. Baccelli: Okay. Thank you.
00:23:29.000 --> 00:24:29.000
Baccelli: The correct spelling of Mr. Bartolomucci's parents home town in
Italy is as follows. It is Barisciano or Barisciano, and it is spelled B,
as in Boy A R I S C I A N O. As he stated, it is in the province of
L'Aquila, which is spelled L Apostrophe capital A Q U I L A.
