Archives West Finding Aid

Recorded by Phil Notarianni, this transcript is subject to copyright restrictions. Subjects include Italian writer Luigi Barzini, Italian rally particapants, the film The Godfather, Mafia gang war, the size of the Italian-American community, ethnic crime, clanishness in Sicily, Southern Italy, the immigrant experience, the Arkansas Italian community, Prohibition and the Mafia, and the shooting of Joe Columbo. 21 pages.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include a biography of Barber, his travels in Canada, his first job, his brother Louis in Garfield, and his work experiences in Garfield. Barber also talks about his reasons for coming to the United States, the treatment of Italians in Garfield, differences between Greeks and Italians, unions, the strike of 1922, the Ku Klux Klan, Italian social life and lodges, World War I, working on the railroads, and Monsignor Alfredo Giovannoni. 29 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Recorded in Magna, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include Bernardo's early life in Italy, his jobs in Spring Canyon and Salt Lake, Little Italy, construction work, and strikes in Bingham. He also talks about working a non-union job for forty-three years, the Ku Klux Klan, Prohibition, the Columbus Lodge, and union recognition. 35 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Phil Notarianni conducted this interview. Topics covered include Bertolina's early life in Italy, her father's farm work and politics, her father's education, her family's move to Helper, her brother's store, and her marriage in 1916. Bertolina also talks about the fire in the family store in 1919, their new store, activities concerned with the grocery business, oil drilling in Moab, lodges, and her brother's return to Italy in 1923. She also discusses building tenants such as the Success Market and Pigly-Wigley, success with the family market, her move to Salt Lake, the economic decline of Helper, social life in Helper, Italian weddings, their lodge building, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Masons. 37 pages.

Recorded in Price, Utah, in November 1979 by Floyd O'Neil. Subjects include Bonza's childhood in Tubigo, Italy, the Patron Saint Vincent, her employment in Castle Gate, coming to the United States, and Paulina Ruggeri. She also talks about the family farm in Woodside, Utah, crops, their move to Sunnyside, her children, and her experience with the unions. She discusses the treatment of Italians, Italian cooking, Italian families, and her return to Italy. 35 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include Calfo's father's work in the mines, his own work for the Union Pacific, working for Kenny Coal Company, striking the coal company, working for Kennecott, and other mining experiences. He also talks about his education, his marriage, and Italian visiting customs. He recalls living in a box car as his first home, his religious life, starting a motel, various company sick policies, conditions on a boat from the Olympic line, and politics. 32 pages.

Recorded in Price, Utah, in June 1972, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include Cannariato's personal history, the strike of 1913, his arrival in Utah, the strike of 1922, getting into the business of goats, the Black Hand, a lynching that took place in 1925, the WPA, celebrations, and Italian beliefs and superstitions. 18 pages.

This interview by Phil Notarianni includes biographical information on the couple, recollections of joining the local lodge, their social activities, and Italians on the west side of Salt Lake. Mr. Chiodo discusses becoming a United States citizen, returning to Italy to find a wife, working for the Denver Rio Grande, and attending church at Saint Patrick's in Salt Lake City. 19 pages.

Recorded in Helper, Utah, in February 1972, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include the 1903 strike in Castle Gate, union organizers, brutal company guards, and the move of the strikers to Helper. Dalpiaz also talks about Italian lodges, Northern versus Southern Italians, lodge celebrations and benefits, the Columbian Federation's benefits, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Black Hand in Carbon County. 42 pages.

Recorded in Magna, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include Favo's biography, his army experiences, his marriage, a gold medal he received, village life in Italy, and his immigration to the United States. He talks about his residence in Magna, Utah, prejudices towards immigrants, the Ku Klux Klan, social life in Magna, his market, gaining citizenship, the black market in Europe, and Salt Lake's neighborhoods. 39 pages.

Phil Notarianni talks with Fratto about her experiences as a midwife, Italian superstitions, the loss of customs due to acculturation, medical cures, social activities, wine making, dowry presentation, celebrating the feast of Saint Lucy, and mourning traditions from the old country.

No tape recording was made of this interview. The transcript is based on Phil Notarianni's hand-written notes from a conversation with Josephine Caputo in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the niece of Monseignor Alfredo F. Giovannoni. Subjects include Josephine Caputo's background, her impressions of Msgr. Giovannoni, observations about Giovannoni's personality, Giovannoni's birthplace and education, his ordaination, a chronology of events in Giovannoni's life, and his time spent as chaplain to Italian prisoners of war during 1943-1947. 8 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

This interview, conducted by Phil Notarianni in Price, Utah, covers Guadagnoli's arrival in America in 1910, his father's experiences in South America and the United States, Guadagnoli's work for the Denver Rio Grande, and the Colorado Coal Fields Strike of 1913 and 1914. He also talks about the town of Sunnyside being shut down, the strike of 1922, the tent colony and working conditions at Sunnyside, Frank Bonacci, strike grievances, opposition to unions, wage practices and incentives, and the union reorganization in the 1930s. He remembers militiamen in Helper during the strike of 1922, and Sunnyside's involvement in that strike. He also discusses the National Mine Workers and the United Mine Workers. 62 pages.

Subjects in this second interview conducted by Phil Notarianni include the starting of Sunnyside Band, their first performance in Sunnyside, various Greeks in the band, the Dante Periodio Club, Fourth of July celebrations, the operas, Guadagnoli's reasons for joining the band, getting uniforms, Italian Day, trombones, and band practices. 17 pages.

Recorded in Tooele, Utah, in August 1974, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include Mr. Leonelli's father's life, people of various nationalities in Tooele, and early wages and union activities in Tooele. The Leonellis remember Italian parties, celebrations, and music, their experiences during the Great Depression, the unions of the early 1930s, Italian businesses, Old Town and New Town, jobs performed by various nationalities, boarding houses, Italian Prisoners of War, Catholic priests, old-fashioned remedies, Italian cooking, and wine making. 50 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Interviewed in Magna, Utah, by Phil Notarianni, the Lewis brothers describe their family background, their father's occupation, Colorado and Utah during the early 1900s, discrimination in Utah, and name changes. The talk about unions in Magna, discrimination in hiring, Little Italy, current Italians in Little Italy, their associations with other mines, the 1920s, working in the mines, the Ku Klux Klan, and Italian families versus Greek families. They remember discrimination in the mines, the pay scale in the 1930s, their involvement in unions of different nationalities, social activities, discrimination by Mormons, and the Mafia. They talk about the interaction between Italians and other minorities, discrimination they experienced in the Army in the 1940s, intermarriage, the Catholic Church in Magna, and the cities of Magna and Bingham in general. 43 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

In a continuation of the previous interview, the Lewis brothers remember discrimination in the mines, the pay scale in the 1930s, their involvement in unions of different nationalities, social activities, discrimination by Mormons, and the Mafia. They talk about the interaction between Italians and other minorities, discrimination they experienced in the Army in the 1940s, intermarriage, the Catholic Church in Magna, and the cities of Magna and Bingham in general. 26 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Recorded in Helper, Utah, by Kent Powell and Phil Notarianni. Subjects include Litizzette's personal and family history, the 1903 strike, the Castle Valley settlement date, working in various mines, the Padrone System during immigration times, the differences between Northern and Southern Italians, discrimination, Mormons versus Italians, social activities, and boarding houses. 25 pages.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Helen Papanikolas. Subjects include stories of Lupo's parents before coming to Utah, descriptions of her family, her father's early labor activities, the strike of 1922, the tent cities, and her father's journal of union activities. She also recalls threats against the family, the communist element, competition between two unions, the arrest of strikers, the blacklisting of her father, the effect of the Wagner Act of 1933, her father's political life and work for the CIO, and the saving of Carbon College. 41 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

This interview took place in Pueblo, Colorado, in September 1974, and was conducted by Phil Notarianni and Joe Stipanovich. Subjects covered include Massari's family life in Italy, his father's work and his grandfather's farming, the labor union strikes his father was involved in, the Socialists and labor in Italy, his father's emigration in 1897, Ellis Island, advertising for immigrants, the Colorado coal mines, mining hazards, and the United Mine Workers strikes in 1898 and 1914. 43 pages.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Floyd O'Neil and Phil Notarianni. Subjects in this first interview include biographical information on Merabelle, his business experiences, joining a lodge, his social life, and his railroad interest. Merabelle talks about his contact with the Italian Council in the United States, World War I, going through citizensihp applications, and gives his reactions to present-day youth.

Phil Notarianni conducted this interview with Merabelle, who recalls lodges and social activities in the Italian-American community. Topics covered include the Christopher Columbus Lodge, Columbus Day, the Sons of Italy, the Christopher Columbus Society, lodge membership, July 24th parades in Utah, and the Columbian Federation of Italian Societies. Merabelle also talks about his respect for the lodges, feelings between lodge members, and other related subjects. 23 pages.

Recorded in Midvale, Utah, by Mary Peterson and Phil Notarianni. This interview includes a discussion of Nicoletti's original village in Italy, the family business, Nicoletti's uncle, coming to America, and economic conditions in Italy. 6 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

This interview was recorded in Sandy, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include the melting pot of Bingham, Jewish families, the Ku Klux Klan, Nielsen's social activities, and his background in Bingham. He also recalls an old story of a man named Lopez either lost or hiding out in the mine, talks about Mexicans in Coperfield, the conflict with languages among immigrants, contentions with Puerto Ricans, the Americanization classes, labor strikes, the union, and Joe Dispenza. 32 pages.

This interview includes biographical information about Notarianni, his work experience in the United States, his uncle's business, working for the Union Pacific, learning English, joining a lodge, his social activities, gaining citizenship, and the culture shock of moving to the United States and Utah. He also gives a biographical history of Mrs. Notarianni, talks about getting along in the United States and attempting to keep older social traditions. 21 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include the early life of Pelligrino's parents, the strikes in Carbon County, his early childhood, religious bigotry, and his two maternal grandfathers. Pellegrino also talks about Prohibition, various Italian social activities, religion and superstition, Catholic celebrations and feasts, the influence of various priests, the Ku Klux Klan, Northern versus Southern Italians, Italian societies and clubs, and the Italian community in Salt Lake County. 51 pages.

Recorded in Magna, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Percerelli discusses his biographical information, his experiences during World War I, working for the Union Pacific Railraod and in a coal mine. He also talks about his lack of social life, business life in Carbon County, his experiences during World War II, and coming back to America after the war. 24 pages. RESTRICTED, no photcopying.

This interview was conducted by Phil Notarianni in Magna, Utah. Subjects include biographical data on this father and son, their first and second trips to the United States, various work experiences, and their treatment at Kennecott. Rocco talks about his marriage and Paul discusses his father's life, gaining United States citizenship, recollections of the treatment of Italians in Tooele. 17 pages.

Recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, by Phil Notarianni. Subjects include his father's immigration to the United States, his father's saloon business, the railroads and mines, the restaurant business, and his earlier years as a child in Salt Lake City. He also recalls discrimination, his experiences during World War II, the Italian-American Civic League, Italian customs, and his brother in politics. 19 pages. RESTRICTED, no photocopying.

Phil Notarianni interviewed Tome in Sandy, Utah. Subjects include his early years in Italy, his family's move to the United States in 1913, Ellis Island, and the ship to the United States. Tome recalls his first jobs, playing in an orchestra, working in Nevada, having currency in gold, and his military service. He talks about Lodge No. 68, single men, lodge activities, and his blacksmith work. He also discusses various ethnic populations in Bingham, Utah, Prohibition, the Ku Klux Klan, the Lopez incident, the Depression, and World War II. 76 pages.

Recorded in Helper, Utah, by Kent Powell and Phil Notarianni. Subjects include a personal history of Veltri, his memories of Ku Klux Klan activities in Helper, the Carbon County mine strike, union feelings, intergration into Utah culture, Italian foods, social activities, superstitions, home remedies, religion, local Columbus celebrations, and Italian attitudes about authority and education. 32 pages.