Natalina Scrugli
Natalina Scrugli was born in Italy sometime in the 1850's to Antonino Scrugli and Caterina Cipollina. Her father was a politician who was transferred from Tropea to a political position in Cortale at some point between 1860-1875. Natalina married Giuseppe Maiuolo in Cortale. Another spelling of this name is Majuolo. Giuseppe was the son of Domenico Maiuolo and Maria Frontera and was born on 7 December, 1854. He held a political post in Cortale while married to Natalina and they owned their home in Upper Cortale (Donnafiori). Giuseppe and Natalina had at least 4 children together. They had 2 daughters named Caterina. The first born Caterina died after eating poisoned berries around the age of 4. Their other children were Maria born in 1887, Domenico Francesco born in 1894 and Caterina born in 1898(?). Giuseppe Maiuolo died in Cortale. Since I am not sure when he died, my best guess would be between 1897 (after his youngest child was conceived) and 1905, the year his wife and childreen left 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 became Natalina's boarding house. The lower level was a butcher shop. Within blocks of their home was a park, Our Lady of Pompeii Church and most of the family. Natalina sponsored many Italians so they could emigrate to America. She rented 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. Most of the Scrugli's, Maiuolo's (changed to Maiola in the United States) and Bertuca's lived within 8 blocks of each other. The families remained close. Natalina died in 1932 of complications from a broken arm and cervical cancer. The picture of her here was taken shortly before her death. It is the only photograph I know of that has survived.
Giuseppe Maiuolo
Giuseppe Maiuolo was born on 7 December, 1854 in Cortale. His parents were Maria Frontera and Domenico Maiuolo. He had a least one brother named Antonio and one sister named Rosaria. His brother was named Antonio and was born in 1852. His sister Rosaria was born in 1849. Little else is known about him or his family. According to stories passed down he had a job as a town official.
Giuseppe Maiuolo's grandparents were Pietro Maiuolo and Rosaria Parisi and Antonio Frontera. His father Domenico worked as a notary.
Family surnames from Cortale:
Maiuolo, Scrugli, Frontera, Parisi