Calabria, the home of the CRISPO family, is an agricultural
region at the southwestern tip of the Italian penninsula. It is bordered
on the east by the Ionian Sea, to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and to
the south by the Straits of Messina. It is a land of rugged mountains and
wooded areas sandwiched between two strips of sea coast.
Throughout history Calabria was sought after by the mightiest of conquerors.
Hordes of foreign invaders swept through this region and greatly influenced
the customs, dialect and food of the people. For centuries most of the
population lived in poverty.
By 1799 Napoleon ruled Italy. At this time the fedual system still existed
in Calabria. Feudalism was declared illegal and officially abolished in
1806, but because of the lack of major land reforms, much of the property
remained in control of a few powerful families. Sadly, the plight of many
Calabrians did not improve.
The last forty years or more have seen rapid industrialization of Italy
and increasing prosperity. This was not the Italy that our ancestors knew.
They experienced hardship and oppression for centuries. Unfortunately,
many did not have benefit of formal education, but just to have survived
these trying times is evidence of their skills and wisdom.
The documented progenitor of the CRISPO family is ANTONIO
CRISPO who was born about 1750. His wife was ANNA CARMINE. They
lived in Corigliano, a small city located in northeastern Cosenza. Their
son, FRANCESCO CRISPO, married VITTORIA FERA.
Francesco and Vittoria's son, FRANCESCO, was born in Corigliano;
however, as a young man he moved to Lago.
There he married EUGENIA MAGLIOCCO. Eugenia's parents were CLEMENTE
MAGLIOCCO, and DOMENICA NACCARATO. The Naccarato and Magliocco
families have lived in Lago for centuries.
Francesco and Eugenia's grandson, GUISEPPE CRISPO, married MARIA
NICOLANNA PULICE in 1888 in Lago. Maria was the daughter of MICHELE
PULICE and TERESA FEDERICO. The Federico family lived in the
small village of Domanico
in the Province of Cosenza. Little is known about the Pulice family; however,
it is known that they lived in nearby Carolei before moving to Lago.
Although our Calabrian family left behind all that was familiar, they brought with them many traditions, values and ideas from the "old country" which they knowlingly or unknowlingly passed on to their children and grandchildren. It is these very things that now form the sum and substance of their descendants rich Italian heritage.
A genealogy database for the MANGIFESTA/CRISPO family can be viewed
in the reports Section of Our
Grafted Family Tree, and some early photographs are included
in Our Family
Photograph Album.
Ships They
Sailed - 1888-1928 contains a brief overview and links to specific
information about our immigrant ancestors' arrivals in the United States.
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