Francesco Alampi Fred Alderson Walter Blyth Andrew Dow

By Josephine Aristone and Effa (Genoeffa) Rizzo

Giuseppe (Joseph) Alampi, in his 50's, and his son Francesco (Frank) Alampi(18) came through Ellis Island in the late 1890's from Pellaro, Reggio Calabria, Italia. They arrived in the Crowsnest Pass in 1900. Giuseppe, after a short time went back to Italy and Francesco stayed in the area and mined coal at Lille and in Coleman. Francesco became a Canadian citizen in 1905 when Alberta was still part of the Northwest Territories and was soon called Frank by all who knew him. Frank went back and forth to Italy many times, once to marry Angela Oliva in 1907 another time in 1909 after the horrendous earthquake in Southern Italy to help his family rebuild their home. His father and mother were two of the thousands of people killed in the town of Pellaro and area.

He found himself visiting Italy in 1914 when the First World War started and he joined the Italian Armed Forces that were allied with the British Commonwealth against the Kaiser of Germany. He returned to Canada in 1919, worked at International Coal and Coke mine and made return trips to Italy at other times.

In the early 1900's Francesco was a founding member and at times was part of the elected officials of the Crowsnest Pass Chapter of the Italian Society as he could read and write Italian. The Italians in the Crowsnest Pass were at first part of the Societa Italiana di Mutuo Soccorso (Italian Society) under the Grand Lodge (Confederazione Columbiana). They later withdrew from the Grand Lodge to form their own Canadian Grand Lodge (Ordine Indipendente Fior D'Italia at Fernie, B.C. This Lodge encompassed Italian members from Fernie, B.C. through to the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. Frank was a member throughout his life and as well all of Frank's children belonged to the Italian Society and enjoyed banquets, dances and parties in the Italian hall as well as picnics in the summertime.

Frank's daughter Giovanna Alampi (Joanne 21) and his son Giuseppe (Joe 14) came to Coleman in 1929. Following in 1931 were his wife Angela Oliva, and his other four children, Genoeffa (Effa/Jenny 21) Francesco(Frankie 13), Anna 12, and Giuseppa (Josie 4). The first home of the Alampi's was in West Coleman and the second home(in 1933) was on Main Street in Coleman and still is the Alampi residence in 2004. The Alampi family had post office box No. 33 since the opening of the Post Office in Coleman and is still registered in the Alampi name.

Giovanna Alampi married Giorgio Aristone in 1929, George came to Canada from Pellaro, Reggio Calabria in 1921 at the age of 17 and left behind his mother, brother and stepfather. He mainly mined Coal at International Coal and Coke. He loved to fish and garden and was also a member of the Italian Society. George died in 1962 a young man of 59. Giovanna died in year 2000 at the age of 92.

Giuseppe Alampi (Joe) mined coal at International Coal and Coke until the sixties, at which time he was in a horrific mine accident. Not able to work since then, he bore his handicaps with great fortitude until he died in May of 2003. Catharine Mascherin-Alampi still lives in the Main Street House. Frank Alampi (Jr) also worked at International Coal and Coke until his death in 1946.

Genoeffa Alampi married Pietro Rizzo, also from Pellaro, in 1931. Joe Alampi married Catarina Mascherin, Anna Alampi married Jack Marconi, Josie Alampi married Harvy Swanson and then Andrew Hurtak of Hillcrest. Descendants of the Alampi children are:

Giovanna--Josie Aristone, Genoeffa--Gino Rizzo, Joe--Nidia and Vivia Alampi, Anna--John and Arlene Marconi, Josie--Danny and Diane Swanson.

Giovanna, Giuseppe and Francesco Jr. as well as Francesco Alampi Sr. and his wife Angela Oliva are now deceased. The matriarch of the family is now Genoeffa (Aunty Effa/Jenny) Alampi-Rizzo, now living at York Creek Lodge in Blairmore and who is in year 2004 approaching 94 years of age.

The Alampi family were related to the Oliva Family of Italian Town, through Angela Oliva-Alampi.

Angela Oliva Alampi's brothers, Leandro and Giovanni Oliva owned the Italian grocery store in Italian town in the early years, called "J. Oliva & Cousin" It was later sold and became Topanno's. Her uncle was Francesco Oliva of Italian town and he and his wife Teresa, all from Pellaro, raised their family in Coleman.

This article is extracted from Crowsnest and Its People, Millennium Edition (Crowsnest Historical Society, 2000). The Heritage Community Foundation and the Year of the Coal Miner Consortium would like to thank family and the Crowsnest Historical Society (a member of the consortium) for this contribution. Authors are Josephine Aristone and Effa (Genoeffa) Rizzo. The Heritage Community Foundation and the Year of the Coal Miner Consortium (of which the Crowsnest Historical Society is a member) would like to thank the author and the Crowsnest Historical Society for this material.