Peter was born in Casacalenda, Italy, and sailed from Naples to New York City's Ellis Island on July 10, 1923, with his brother Paul. Both told authorities they were planning to go to Montreal, Canada, looking for work. It turns out Montreal was a destination of choice for Casacalenda immigrants.
Casacalenda to Cleveland
However, Peter actually settled in Cleveland, Ohio, joining a large community from Casacalenda already living in that city. During 1923, the year Peter arrived, Casacalenda immigrants in Cleveland formed the Kalena Club, an organization still going strong today (and active on Facebook).
I don't know whether Peter joined the Kalena Club but he certainly would have known many members and felt at home in Cleveland with people from his native town nearby, just as his brother would have found many from Casacalenda friends and neighbors in Montreal.
Ooops! Fix that typo
Peter started the process of becoming a US citizen in 1939. He filed a Petition for Naturalization in 1943, but there was a brief delay and a flurry of amendment paperwork on the day he was scheduled to become a US citizen.
As shown at top, the amendment was necessary because Peter's surname had a typo in item (1) of his original petition document. His signature was correct, all other references to his surname were correct, but Peter couldn't become a US citizen before the court officially corrected the name with an amendment to the original petition.
After signing that amendment correcting his petition's typo, Peter became a naturalized citizen on May 11, 1944.
Today, on the 46th anniversary of Peter's death in Cleveland, Ohio, I'm remembering him by documenting his life.
