Crowsnest Pass Italians mentioned in local history Crowsnest and Its
People:
Francesco Alampi and family-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 World War 1
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 #
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.
Frank Amatto-Lived 1891-1971.
He emigrated from
San Giavanni-in-Fiore, Italy in 1904 with 2 brothers.
Frank eventually settled in Blairmore after having worked
for CPR in Corbin B.C., Blairmore, Vancouver, Creston,
Nordegg & Grouard. He also worked in coal mines and in
construction for Charlie Sartoris, and became a "rum
runner'' for Emilio Picariello in 1917. He Married
Victoria Lonetti in 1914, and had 3 children, John, Rossi
& Katie, before Victoria passed away of a sudden
illness. He married Marietta Misuraca in 1923 with whom
he had 10 children - Clara, Julia, Dora, Eleanor, Joe,
Lucy, Roccy, Donald & Robert.
Frank Amatto
Family-Frank and his
wife were both born in Italy, but met and married in
Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1898 where 2 sons were born. Moved
out west to work in coal mines at Michel and Hosmer, B.C.,
and Frank and Blairmore in Alberta, for the West Canadian
Collieries Ltd. until his death in 1933. Mrs. Amatto,
midwife, passed away in 1962. Of the 11 children
they had, six survived:
James, born in Brooklyn, married Mary
Carevetti, 1921, had 3 children and moved to
Vancouver;
Joe, born in Brooklyn, married
the late Nancy Galeoti in 1935 with whom he had 2
children who live in Blairmore, remarried Helen
Neratko of Bellevue;
Julia, born in Michel, married the
late Emmanuel Mereu in 1928, had 3 children and moved
to London, Ontario;
Ernest was born in Michel;
Mike was born in Hosmer;
Charlie, born in Blairmore, married
Mary Pyplacz in 1945, had two children, reside in
Blairmore.
Joe and BrigidaAschacher-Both born in
Macugnaga, Province of Novara, in northern Italy. Joe in
1884, Brigida in 1883. Joe came to Lille in 1905 where he
started a 45 year mining career. He went back to
Italy in 1910, married Brigida, had a daughter Olga
(married name Martini) then returned to Canada & lived
in Bellevue where 2 sons Martin and Henry (d.1968) were
born. In 1916 the family moved to Blairmore where
Joe brought 3 of his brothers Battista, Pete & John
over - Matthew remained in Italy; they all worked at
Greenhill Mine for West Canadian Collieries - Joe, until
he retired in 1950. He was an original member
of the Coleman Italian Society founded in Lille, and
served on Blairmore's Town Council. He passed away in
1959, and Brigida died in 1978 at the Crestview Lodge in
Pincher Creek.
Peter and Mary
Aschacher-Peter born 1893
(d.1969) in the village of Domodossola, Province of Novara,
Northern Italy, of German-Dutch-Swiss descent, joined
brothers Joe, Battista & John in the mines of
Blairmore in 1920. Married Mary Emelia Brunetto in
1920. She was born c1902 in the town of Brosso,
Province of Torina, Northern Italy and emigrated with
parents, Maria and Alessio, to Bellevue in 1906.
Peter and Mary had 5 children, Eleanor (Mrs. Emil Blas),
Alvirna (Mrs. Peter Graham), Natalie (Mrs. R. Heembrock),
Michael, and Marilyn (Mrs. K. Barbour); the family was
active in St. Anne's parish and other community
organizations.
David Avoledo-David was born in 1888 (d.1958), in
Valvasone, Udine Province, in northern Italy; came to
Canada with 2 brothers in 1905, coal mining in Hosmer,
B.C. Returned to Italy for 3-year military duty,
married Elisabetta Lucia Nocente, returned to Canada
alone, mined at Lille where he helped establish the
Italian Society, then worked for West Canadian Collieries
in Blairmore & Bellevue until retirement in
1950. Wife, Elisa was born in the same town as David
in 1890 (d.1959). Came to Blairmore in 1913 when
David sent for her and had 3 children Gueriono Umberto
"Jerry" (b.1914 in Blairmore, married Grace
Goodwin in 1941), Alberto Luigi (b.1917 in Frank, married
Marguerite Cornez from Coleman in 1946), and Berta
Caterina (b.1921 in Bellevue, taught school, married Bruno
Alec Yagos in 1943). The family took in boarders,
mostly relatives, and survived difficult times in the
1930s.
Paul
Baratelli-Paul was born NW Italy c.1884
(d.1970), and apprenticed as a blacksmith. He emigrated to Canada
in 1900. Paul worked for CPR at Michel, B.C., and
blacksmithed at mines & logging camps throughout southern B.C.
& NW states. His mail-order bride came from the
same area of Italy in 1908 (b.1892) and they had 2 sons, Paris
and Arnold, in Corbin, B.C., an isolated company town
comprised of many nationalities. In 1920 the family moved
to Blairmore where Paul was blacksmith for West Canadian
Collieries and in his own shop.
Joe Basso-Joe emigrated from Italy
in 1911, and worked for the CPR at Hosmer, then the mines as Lille, Police
Flats, Hillcrest & Bellevue as electrician, retiring
in 1956. Mrs. Basso joined Joe in Bellevue in 1920
with two of their children, Joe Jr.(d.1969) and Elda
(married Guerino Marcolin, widow, remarried Nick Renyk),
had 3 more, Lino (married Marie Huges in Wainwright) ,
Elio (married Emilia Fidenato in Bellevue) & Lydia
(married Don Acorn, Edmonton & Whitehorse), and died
shortly after, in 1925. Joe moved to Cadomin in 1932
where he remarried Maimie Dotto; died 1963.
Battel Family-Angelo left his family in
Itay and came to Canada in 1906, but returned shortly
after. In 1912 he & son Pete (1895-1967; married
Anglina Morrello, widowed, remarried to Grace Pagnucco)
emigrated to Utah where son John (1897-1976; married Rosa
Leon) joined them in 1914, before moving to Lethbridge in
1916 and then to Frank in 1920 whereupon they were joined
by wife Justina Zol, 2 daughters Maria (b.1903; married
Umberto Pagnucco), Anna (b.1910; married Angelo Pasutto)
and a son Battesto "Tito" (b.1911; married Eda
Marcolin). In 1921 the family moved to Blairmore
where Angelo worked for West Canadian Collieries.
John (Etimio)Berlingieri-John
wasborn 1906 in
Campobasso, Italy. He worked as cook at Hillcrest upon
arrival in Canada c1923. John moved to Coleman in 1924,
and worked at
McGillvray mine. He married Mary Ferrara in 1931
(d.1950) and had 5 children, Marie (Mrs. Victor Cervo of
Blairmore), Josie (Mrs. Peter Kroeker of Lethbridge),
Ferucio ("Fiore", married Anita Van Leuken of
Lethbridge, 1959, and moved to Edmonton), Louie, and
Florence (deceased, married Tony De Lauw). In 1934
he opened a grocery & dry goods store with father-in-law
Mike Ferrara. In 1936 John built & operated a 16 room
apartment house on Second Street (known as Italian
Town). He also worked in mines at Michel and Blairmore.
After he became widowed, John married Adelina Monaco from
Italy; retirement spent in Coleman.
Abbondio (Slim) Bevilacqua-Slim came to Canada
1922, and worked for CPR in Crowsnest area. He
returned to
Italy in early 1930s, married, returned to settle in
Hillcrest, and died very young before his wife and
daughter came to Canada.
Palmo Carmen (Charles)Biafore-Palmowas born in 1888, and emigrated to Canada in the early 1900s from the town of
Pietrafitta, district of Cosenza, province of Calabria,
Italy. All of his mother's (Conchetta Maida's) 7
siblings emigrated to the Okanagan Valley area of
B.C. Charles mined in Kimberley, B.C. before moving
to Blairmore where he started a fruit & vegetable
business. He returned to Italy 1920, and married childhood
sweetheart Marietta Imbrogno (b.1899 in Pietrafitta), then
returned to Blairmore to continue business. Their son, Luigi
Antonio (b.1921; married Helen Siska of Coleman, 1946),
and wife joined Charles in 1927. It wasn't a warm
reception when Charles went to greet his family on the
train in Medicine Hat - for one, it was one of the coldest
Canadian winters on record, and two, 6 year old Louis,
having never seen his father before, kicked him when he
put his arms around his wife to greet her! "It
was quite some time before I [Louis] accepted him as my
father." Five more children were born to the
family, Frank (b.1928; married Marianina Acquino of
Toronto), Angelina (b.1929; Mrs. Hector Rae of Blairmore),
Dora (b.1930; Mrs. Stanley Kiselczuk), Anna (passed away
at childbirth), and Rocchi (b.1934 - on the day of his
father's funeral). Marietta died in 1970, and a tragic
accident claimed the life of Rocchi in 1972. Both
Louis & Rocchi had singing talent with their baritone
voices. Louis had the honor of being the only
non-Welshman in the Welsh Choir in Blairmore.
Vincenzo Bifano-Vincenzo (Jim) Bifano immigrated to Canada on his own. He was one of the earliest miners in the Nordegg area, working there in 1911, when the mines first were begun. He and his wife, Eva, had three children, all born in Nordegg: Irene (1920), Jim (1921), and Peter (1923). In 1927 or 1928, the family relocated to Rossland B.C. The youngest son, Pete, returned to Nordegg in 1942 to work for Brazeau Collieries. He married Elsie
Grabek.
Peter Bodio-Peter was born 1903 in northern Italy
into a large farming family. He came to Canada as a
sojourner, hoping to stay 3 years to earn enough to pay
off family debts. Peter arrived in Blairmore in 1920;
worked a very short time for West Canadian Collieries Ltd.
because of language difficulties. He then worked for his Uncle,
Charles Sartoris, driving team horses in logging
business. He returned to Italy in 1930, and came back again in
1932 to marry Lena Marrette & settle in Blairmore.
Peter logged for Uncle Sartoris, mined for West Canadian
Collieries Ltd., and started a sawmill with cousin Pete
Sartoris and continued running it with son Joseph (b.1937;
married Mary Miklusek of Hillcrest) until lumber markets
failed in 1964. He still kept a team of horses as a
hobby on the property where the sawmill had been (known
fondly as the "Ponderosa").
Andy Bosetti-Andy was born 1891
in Italy, and came to Hosmer B.C. in 1914, the year
the mine closed. He stayed in Fernie, B.C. until the mine
explosion in 1917, and then settled in Hillcrest & worked in
construction as a bricklayer. Married Chiara, who
came from Italy, in 1919 and had 2 daughters, Enis (Mrs.
Louis Petrini of Bellevue) and Cara.
Louis & Elida Bossetti-Louis was born
in 1901, and grew up on a farm north of Milan. He emigrated to
Blairmore in 1920 after hearing stories from Mr. Malnati,
a railroad worker on the Crowsnest Line who came to Canada
in the 1880s and returned to Italy in 1903. Louis
worked in construction for E.J. Pozzi and later for West Canadian
Collieries Ltd. until Greenhill mine closed in 1958.
Elida, Mr. Malnati's daughter, and Louis' were childhood
sweethearts. She joined & married Louis in Blairmore in
1925. They had one daughter. Louis died in 1977.
John Bovio-John arrived in Bellevue from Italy
in 1910. He was a miner, and played in Bellevue Band.
His wife, Irene,
arrived in 1912,. They had 3 children, Johnnie (drowned 1927,
year of his high school graduation), Eva (Mrs. John
Raymaker), and Vera (Mrs. Joe Krkosky, husband killed in
Greenhill mine in 1944, remarried Richard Vernon).
John died 1938, Irene, 1959. Both are buried in
Bellevue.
Paul Caletti-Paul was born in 1879,
at the town
of Mornago, in northern Italy. He emigrated 1904 to Frank,
Alberta. He worked as a railworker, and miner in
Frank & Hillcrest. In 1910
sent for & married Virginia (b.1892). They raised hay
& horses (in partnership with Tony Cortinovis &
Mike Tenconi) for the Army, RCMP, and the local mines.
Virginia became a midwife, and friends of native Indians &
many other nationalities in the Burmis area. They
had 3
children, Candida (b.1911, marriage in 1929 was first
performed in the Burmis church), Peter (b.1913, stayed on
family farm), and Louise (b.1915, married, resides in
Coleman). Paul died in 1961.