The Valenti's Homepage
This Valenti family originated in Sicily...
...and immigrated to Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Click Here for Lake Hebert Pictures (be sure to have your speaker on)
Click Here for the Gibbons 2004
Welcome to Casa Valenti
(our virtual home on the internet)
| Click here for Valenti's Bragging Board |
You have reached the homepage of the Valenti family.
Our family's roots can be traced back to the mountains of Sicily in the
small village of Montedoro just west of the center of the island. Our
grandparents immigrated to the land of opportunity and settled in a small
anthracite coal mining town in northeastern Pennsylvania early in the
1900's. The "Napolitan Prince" sailed out of the port of Palermo,
Sicily and arrived at Ellis Island on June 2, 1906 with Carmelo and
Pasqualina along with their first born son.
Click here to see the ship's manifest.
Our grandparents brought 10 children into this world. This proud and hardworking family grew up in a small and very tightly knit community where everyone helped everyone. The men worked in the mines. The women worked in the dress factories. And, the kids did everything they could to contribute to the wellbeing of the family.
Seven of the ten children entered marriage and brought an additional 17 children to the family (I am one of the 17). I can still vividly remember gathering "at The House" (click here for a drawing), as it was referred to, every Sunday afternoon with my parents, brother, sister, aunts, uncles, and cousins (unfortunately I was too young when my grandparents passed to remember them). I and all the other kids would have a glass of orange soda or milk to go with my aunt's chocolate cake topped with her white icing and sprinkled with shredded coconut...simple yet outstanding. Meanwhile all the adults would drink their wine and coffee, eat their pointy and wrinkled olives, provolone cheese, nuts and cake, and discuss (argue) about any topic you could imagine.
Everyone in the family and the town celebrated the Procession of the Blessed Mother of the Rosary. The Procession was affectionately called "The Feast", and happened on the first Sunday of every October by parading the statue of the Blessed Mother through the narrow streets of this small town on the back of a small flatbed truck. Everyone sat on their large front porch which was just a few feet from the street's curb. As "The Saint" (as she was referred to) came down the street toward one's home, all the folks would come off their porch and pin their hard earned dollars on her streaming ribbons hoping for her blessing. I can still hear that well dressed gentleman, whom everyone knew, on the truck leading the chant "Viva La Beda Madri De La Rosario" which in English means, "Hail the Blessed Mother of the Rosary". Click here to see a few pictures from this special event. The proceeds of course went to the local Roman Catholic Church. "The Feast" is still celebrated today and culminated in the large field in front of the community men's club.
Most of the seventeen grandkids continued to proliferate the family with a large number of great grandchildren and great great grandchildren, of which I lost count. The Valenti family, which originated in that small village in Sicily, has now reached all corners of the United States of America with five generations, all within 100 years.
If you have stumbled upon this homepage, and are a Valenti with roots to Montedoro and northeastern Pennsylvania, you should recognize this brief history. If so, I would really like to hear from you. I would like a fuller understanding of our family, and where our family has extended.
Please email me to say hello at:
Salute' and Godspeed to all that visit this page.
(Please check back often...I will be updating our page regularly.