Welcome to La famiglia Selvaggio of Springfield, Illinois;
St. Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan
An Italian/American Heritage
Created in the memory of my Grandparents Leonardo and Anna (Fiasconaro) Selvaggio
It all started when four of Leonardo Selvaggio and Giuseppa Viviano seven sons (Giuseppe, Vito, Antonio, and Alexandro) came to America from Terrasini (PA), Sicily to build better lives for themselves and their families. I have yet to verify the actual arrival date of my g-grandfather Giuseppe Selvaggio but I have a hunch it may have been 1902 at the age of 48. I also stongly beleive that Giuseppe may of went to Detroit prior to establishing his family in St. Louis. Giuseppe was in St. Louis when his son Leonardo arrived in 1903. I do know that Giuseppe had made three (3) trips back to Terrasini (Sicily) to check on his wife and possibly to be at the weddings of his daughters. One of those return trips (line 16) to America took place on April 17, 1909 at the age of 55. Giuseppe wound up starting his new life in St. Louis. Giuseppe's children, three sons Leonardo, Francesco, Gaspare and three daughters Maria (1886), Giuseppa (1888), and Vittoria (1892) all came to America to live. Maria came over married and Giuseppa and Vittoria returned to Sicily to marry then returned to Amerca. Giuseppe's children would eventually settle in Springfield, IL., St. Louis, MO., and the Detroit, MI. area. Giuseppe was working on bringing over his wife Provvidenza Alfano my Great-Grandmother when it has been said she took sick and Giuseppe left America for the last time never return again. It is not known to me what prevented Giuseppe from returning but it is believed that the death of his wife may of been the reason. That is how and why Leonardo (My Grandfather) came to America. I have been able to verify that Leonardo also went back to Sicily (Terrasini) on at least one occasion and on April 28, 1914 he returned (line 1, 2, & 3) with his brother Gaspare age 16 and a sister Vittoria age 22. At the time of the second trip Leonardo brother Francesco Paulo (both my Father and my namesake) was already living in St. Louis. It is also apparent that according to this manifest Giuseppe was back in Terrasini at this time.
Giuseppe Selvaggio had 6 brothers, Vito, Antonio, Gaspar, Carlo, Salvatore, Alexandro, and a sister Laura (Lauretta). As mentioned three of his brothers Vito , Antonio , and Alexandro emigrated from Terrasini, Sicily to Detroit, Michigan area. Like Giuseppe, Vito, Antonio, and I assume Alexandro worked for the RailRoad.
The family lineage of Guiseppe Selvaggio, father to Leonardo Selvaggio.
Printable version of Selvaggio Family Tree
Anna Fiasconaro, daughter of Guiseppe Fiasconaro and Nicoletta Prestigiovanni arrived with her brother Mariano at Ellis Island on November 18, 1920 from Castelbuono (PA), Sicily and from there traveled to St. Louis to live with their Uncle Pasquale Prestigiovanni. (Later to be shortened to Presti) Anna's brother Mariano returned to Castelbuono about 1 year after arriving in America. Anna also had four other brothers Nunzio of Castlebouno (Nunzio's son is Guiseppe), Pasquale, Santi,Vincenzo, and one sister Vincenzia (Virginia) in Detroit which Anna kept in close contact with her entire adult life.
Giuseppe Fiasconaro family tree is under construction but should be of interest.
The ships shown on this page along with their manifests are of the ships that transported My Grandfather and Grandmother to this country from their native land of Sicily.
Built by William Denny & Brothers Limited, Dumbarton, Scotland, 1889.
5,205 gross tons;
410 (bp) feet long; 48 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engine,
single screw. Service speed 14.5 knots. 1,202 passengers (154 first
class, 48 second class, 1,000 third class).Built for Compania Transatlantica Line, Spanish flag, in 1902 and
named Montevideo. Spain-South America till 1902, then Barcelona-New
York-Caribbean service. Name restyled from Monte Video to Montevideo.
Laid up 1936. Scrapped in Spain in 1940.
Manifest of Montevideo dated May 23, 1903.
Note: Line 2, though it appears that the last residence is written to be Terrafini I beleive this is an error in the writers part. I have determend the last residence is actually Terrasini which is in the province of Palermo. Do not confuse this Terrasini with what appears to be a town on the main land of Italy.
To see Ships Manifest
Anna Fiasconaro-Selvaggio:
Birth Date: 14 Apr 1900Ship discription:(Dante Alighieri)
Built by Societa Esercizio Bacini, Riva Trigoso, Italy, 1914. 9,757
gross tons; 503 (bp) feet long; 59 feet wide. Steam quadruple
expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 16 knots.
2,185 passengers (100 first class, 260 second class, 1,825 third
class). Built for Transatlantica Italiana Line, in 1915 and named Dante
Alighieri. Italy-New York service. Sold to Japanese buyers, in 1928
and renamed Asahi Maru. Damaged in collision in the Inland Sea,
Japan, on February 5, 1944. Laid up and scrapped in 1949.
Manifest of Dante Alegheire dated November 18, 1920.
Note: Line 5 and brother Mariano Line 4.
Fiasconoaro is the second most common surname in Castelbuono.
To see Ships Manifest page 1 of 2
To see Ships Manifest page 2 of 2
To learn more on Terrasini
Pictures from Terrasini (Double Click on picture to enlarge]
To learn more on Castelbuono
Pictures from Castelbuono (Double Click on picture to enlarge]
I want to send a special thank you to my
Cugino Leo Selvaggio of St. Louis, cugino Leonard Salvaggio his father Gaspare Salvaggio, cugino Anthony Selvaggio, Sal Rubino, and Vito Salvaggio all from the Detroit area.
Thank's to my cugina Rosaria Fiasconaro of Castelbuono, Sicily my cugino Giovanni that now lives in Brescia, Italy and thank's to my friend Mario Fiasconaro and his Father Rosario Fiasconaro also of Castelbuono, Sicily
RINGRAZIAMENTI
You are visitor 
To see a detailed map of the province of Palermo. Locate the city of Palermo and follow the coast line West (left) to locate Terrasini. Follow the coast line East (right) from Palermo and locate S. Ambrogio then drop down to locate Castelbuono
Flag of Sicily
The naming of America
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