Nicolò’s father, Francesco Paolo, was the first one to emigrate on 1902, going to New Orleans, Louisiana, USA like many Sicilians before him.
On 1904 Nicolò follows his father step; the 1th October on SS Patria ship, Nicolò, with Dionisio SCONTRINO uncle also of Trapani ( final destination: Monroe, LA), and Donato BRUNO brother of Francesco Paolo father of Nicolò, left Napoli port, arriving the October in Ellis Island-New York port, catching up in Ruston, LA, Francesco Paolo father.
But Nicolò BRUNO and Dionisio SCONTRINO no desembarking and remaining for one day in Ellis Island port, why they was arrived with much delay the 1 October 1904 in Naples on the "Patria" ship embarking; Dionisio use of foods, composed from 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 suppers, Nicolò not eat. The 20 October 1904 to the 8,19 A.M. hours they are admitted in U.S.A.; whyle Donato BRUNO is "ADMITTED" why suitable result in second dialogue with supervisory committe of immigrants.
On 1905 his father, Francesco Paolo, comes back to Italy, where he stays until 1906 when he leaves again with his relative Antonino BRUNO. During this time, probably, father and son, decide to move to Ruston, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. On 1910 census I found Nicolò (as Nick) living in an house located at 202 North Vienna Street; Nicolò lives with Frank (unreadable last name) and his family. Nicolò was a shoemaker in a shoe shop.
On 1912 Nicolò moves to Monroe, Ouachita parish, Louisiana. Then he comes back to Italy for the military service in the Guardia di Finanza, where he says to be a motion picture operator.He his in the military service from June 6th 1912 to August 30th 1919. At the end of it, he decides to go back definitively to Louisiana.
He takes the ship “Patria” in Palermo on April 24th 1921 and arrives to Ellis Island, New York on May 7th 1921, touching the land two days later. I think he travelled in the steerage. At the arrival, he has $ 35, he declares to go to a friend Giuseppe LaMonica in New Orleans, to be a labourer, able to read and write Italian, has not the ticket for final destination, he was in tha States between 1904 and 1912, and he left to Trapani his mother Caterina VIRGILIO.
Nicolò meets Nellie G. GUERRIERO and gets married between 1924 and 1925.
On 1930 census he declares to be 37 years old, got married at 32 (so 1925) with Nellie G. GUERRIERO, to be naturalized, and having his name as Nicholas. During this time he is the owner of Bruno’s Electric Shoe Shop located downtown Monroe, at 106 N. Second Street, a progressive shoe shop. Local newspaper talk about him, as a respected and well known business man, and his shoe shop.
I don’t know when he built his nice house at 503 Alexandria ave. in Monroe; Mrs Suelynn SANDIFER, who kindly helped me in my research, told me the name of the street is now Roselawn ave.
On November 1930 the couple welcomes the first baby, Martha Jane, but unfortunately she dies next july. The pain is big so they decide to adopt a baby girl, Sara Ellen. About her I have not infos.
Even if the distance is big, uncle Nicolino, as his relatives use to call him, he is always in touch with his brothers and sisters back in Trapani. After the WWII he sends them all kind of goods, helping them who really appreciate what he does for them, because those times were very hard for everyone.
His sister Caterina on 1950 goes to Monroe to visit him, he was already a well known and respected business man.
In fact on November 17th , 1951 Nicolò writes to his newphew Francesco Paolo, using his business paper of Bruno’s Electric Shoe shop, not usual in Italy.
On 1953 Nicolò helps his newphew Francesco Paolo (brother of my dad) to emigrate to U.S. thanks to Refugee Relief Act, that allows to enter U.S. to everyone who were refugees during WWII. On 1956 Francesco Paolo leaves to America. About him my dad wrote a book “Sulle Ali di un sogno”.
Nicholas is in pension and after a long ill he dies in Monroe at the age of 70. He is buried at St. Matthews Cemetery in Monroe. A curiosity: the date of birth on the tombstonr is wrote wrong: February 10th, 1893 instead of February 15th , 1892 ...
