Natalina Scrugli
Natalina Scrugli was born in 1866 somewhere in Calabria or Sicily. We do not know where exactly but I am working on that. We do know that Gaetano, Carmela, Maria and Natalina were not born in Cortale. Their father was a politician. He was transferred to a position in Cortale at some point. The Cortale records after 1861 no longer exist but we do know from the records that Gaetano and Carmela were not born there. It is possible that they came from Tropea. But the family stories indicate Sicily. I am currently researching this. At some point Natalina married Giuseppe Maiuolo. Another spelling of this name is Majuolo. Giuseppe was the son of Domenico Maiuolo and Maria Frontera and was born on May 13, 1854. He held a political post in Cortale while married to Natalina and they owned their home in Upper Cortale. Domenico and Natalina had 4 children together. They had 2 daughters named Caterina. The first born Caterina died after eating poisoned berries. Their other children were Maria born in 1887, Domenico Francesco born in 1894 and Caterina born in 1899(?). Giuseppe Maiuolo died in Cortale.
Life In America
In December, 1905 Natalina arrived in Chicago at the home of her brother in Chicago's "Little Italy" section. The address listed for him on the ship manifest was 143 South Polk Street. She bought a three flat on Loomis Street where she lived in the first floor flat with her children and rented the upper flat which provided her with an income. Natalina sponsored many Italians so they could emigrate to America. She ending up renting that flat to a young man named Giuseppe Napolitano who would marry her daughter Caterina in April, 1919. After their marriage the couple moved to the third floor of the 3 flat. When Caterina gave birth to her third child, the couple decided that it was time to move. They purchased a house around 1925 at 1232 South 59th Avenue in Cicero. The house was a perfect location for the young family. Across the street was a school for the children. On the corner was an Italian grocery store called "Mary's". And within a block from there was the streetcar which took Giuseppe to his job in downtown Chicago. So, Natalina sold the 3 flat and moved in with the young couple. Caterina's sister who could not bear living so far from her sister, moved a block away. Natalina died in 1932 of complications from a broken arm and cervical cancer.
Giuseppe Maiuolo
Giuseppe Maiuolo was born on May 13, 1854 in Cortale. His parents were Maria Frontera and Domenico Maiuolo. He had a least one brother and one sister. His brother was named Antonio and was born on January 8, 1852. His sister Rosaria was born on August 18, 1849. Little else is known about him or his family. According to stories passed down he had a job as a town official and had a drinking problem which contributed to his early death.
Family surnames from Cortale:
Maiuolo, Scrugli, Frontera, Bertuca, Mungo