What do you get when a deconstructionist joins the mafia ?

An offer you can't understand.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Allies of the Morgeti

As the first commentator on my posts observed, Rocco Perri was from Plati, the same village that the Papalias of Hamilton were from... a fact I was not unaware of, but should have clarified in my post (clauses within subclauses within parentheses et al.) I was focused on Perri's allies not on Perri himself, however, but Plati born he was.
It is my contention that the three main Calabrian 'locales' ('ndrinas) at work in Ontario are those from Plati, Siderno, and San Giorgio Morgeto. The Sidernese factions don't seem to have arrived in force until the 1950's. While the Morgeti were here at the turn of 20th century and the Plati immediately after. I mentioned the Raso-Albanese because the Silvestro's of both Hamilton and Guelph were closely related to the Rasos.
Domenic Sciarroni was from Calanna, his wife, Maria Calarco was from San Alessio, both villages a few miles west of the Grand Captain's hometown of San Stefano d'Aspromonte.

My book (Volume One) covers the arrival of the Morgeti in Guelph and ends with the death of Domenic Sciarroni (known as Joe Veroni in Guelph) in 1922. I cover events inside this city, which are placed in the context of events in the province and in Calabria. The death of Fred (Fortunato) Tedesco mentioned in other works on the mafia in Ontario (Dubro and Rowlands, Antonio Nicaso) is gone into in some depth, as are the related murders and attempted murders of more than half dozen other Morgeti and their associates. The Morgeti spread from Guelph to the Niagara frontier, settling in Welland, and moving east of Guelph to Woodbridge and of course to Toronto. I use extensive newspaper sources (the old Globe and Mails, Toronto Stars, and the Guelph Mercury) as well as Ancestry. com; the Ellis Island immigration & transit records, and the Canadian census of 1911.
I think you will find that I've done my home work.

Jerry

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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think anyone is questioning whether you have done you homework or not!

Im from Australia with both of my Parents from Plati, with close bloodlines to Rocco Perri (Perre) and was curious of other surnames from Plati that migrated to Canada.

You mention the Papalia's were there others?

Jerry Prager said...

Romeos, Serges were cousins of Rocco's living in Hamilton and working for him.

Anonymous said...

Were there any Barbaro's, Trimboli's, Calabria's, Zappia's..?

Jerry Prager said...

There were Barbaro's in Ontario but they don't seem to have been actively involved with Perri. I think the Sons of Italy in Toronto was started by a Barbaro, but his first name escapes me at the moment.
Zappia I haven't seen, nor Trimboli except on Calabrian websites, although there may be a Canadian marriage record, wives last names. Certainly not among the people I've been looking for.
The Papalia's themselves were linked by marriage to the Italianos
and the Pugliese among others.

Anonymous said...

do you have any background on the serges first names?

Jerry Prager said...

The Serge's listed in the index of "King of the Mob" and in the index for Nicaso's Rocco Perri book are Joe, Mike and his wife Mary and Tony and his wife Angelina.

As per my earlier comment, it was the Sons of Italy in Guelph that was started by a Barbero.

Anonymous said...

is there any movies or docamerty on rocco?

Anonymous said...

gerry is it no or is it yes?? thank you

Jerry Prager said...

Sorry, I thought I posted a response to your documentary question because I certainly remember writing one. Essentially I said that to my knowledge the only thing that exists in anything other than print is a CBC radio play on Rocco and Bessie by James Dubro and Robin Rowlands. I know that Dubro has been creating documentaries for the Canadian version of the History channel, but I think those works were on Domenic Racco and Paul Volpe. Dubro can be contacted at JamesDubroBooks@on.aibn.com if you want to ask him yourself.
Jerry

roc said...

I am The Rocco Perre, born again hoodlem only 2 b king again. The time is rapidly approaching for my arrival back into canada for unfinished business. I know what i want and when the timing is rite, ill take what is mine.

Unknown said...

dino tedesco say's....let us heal old wounds.... and get organized once again...niagaragallery@hotmail.com

❤ ❥❤ ❥ said...

Do you know if Perri and Romeos had family in Massena?

Jerry Prager said...

Bilo, not that I know of, but that doesn't mean they didn't. Antonio Nicaso went to Plati when he wrote his book about Perri, so he probably knows Rocco's family best.