The Families of Acri, Italy

Enduring three recessions since arriving in America, Mary's father, Antonio, was out of work and had few prospects for finding employment. In 1908, shortly after the birth of Mary's brother Joeseph, Antonio, Concetta, Mary and Joe returned to Antonio's home town of Acri, Cosenza, Calabria, Italia. When they arrived, they found the economic situation even worse than in America. If times were tough in America, they were brutal in Italy. Antonio and Concetta had little choice but to set their hopes on America once again.^242,244,250

Concetta and the two children stayed behind in Acri while Antonio looked for work in America. Finally, after a two years separation, he sent for them and Concetta, Mary, and Joe sailed aboard the S.S. America from Napoli, Napoli, Campania, Italia on 07 February 1911, arriving at New York, New York, New York, United States on 17 Feb 1911.²⁴⁴

The family settled in White Plains, Westchester, New York, United States. They lived in a decrepit tenement house where Concetta dealt with cockroaches on a daily basis. Sometime in 1911, there was a fire in the building. While the family was not hurt, they lost most of their possessions (including Concetta's wedding dress).

Out of work again during yet another recession (the Panic of 1910–1911), Antonio heard there was work in a quarry near Bradford, Washington, Rhode Island, United States. The family moved to Bradford where Antonio found work operating a jackhammer at the Sullivan Granite Quarry. They rented a room in a house owned by the Cofone family.

In 1918 or early 1919, Antonio and Concetta purchased a house on Buckeye Brook Road in nearby Charlestown, Washington, Rhode Island. It was a mid-nineteenth century, one and a half story built of stone. In the family, it became affectionately known as the Old Stone House and would remain in family hands for many years. The property was large enough to have a large garden as well as maintain livestock. They raised chickens, pigs, and even a goat.

The Old Stone House was rather isolated deep in the woods. In the winter, the snow would get so deep that the children needed help getting to school. Before going to work, Antonio would lead the way to school as the children followed walking in his boot prints. The children slept three or four to a bed. On more than one occasion, a glass of water left on the windowsill of a bedroom would be frozen in the morning.

During World War II, Mary and Mike's oldest son was a sailor stationed in San Francesco, San Francesco, California, United States. In 1943, Mary and Mike moved to San Francesco to be near him. They lived there for a few years. After the war, the family moved to Downey, Los Angeles, California, United States. They were the first in the family to move west, eventually being followed by Mary's brother, Joseph Algiere and sister, Julia Algiere.

In the early to mid 1960s, Mary and Mike owned a motel in Palm Springs, Riverside, California, United States. They eventually moved back to Downey living on Gallatin Road.

Mary died on 19 Nov 1984 at Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island, United States. Mike died in Downey on 25 Dec 1989. They were both buried at Saint Sebastian's Cemetery in Westerly, Rhode Island.