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Meet The Scovotti's


1909 Wedding Picture
Benedetto Rosario Scovotti was an Italian emigrant who came to America in the late 1800's. Actually he immigrated a couple of times to the United States. This is his genealogy and much much more.

The wedding picture to the left was taken March 7, 1909. The picture shows my grandfather 'Rosario' and my grandmother 'Maria' on their wedding day.

As a child I visited my grandparents home weekly. Time spent there was always enjoyable and many times an adventure. On special holidays during the year the whole family would get together for dinner which took grandma and the aunts days and days to prepare. More on the family get togethers later. Having moved away shortly after getting married, most of my now grown children didn't experience that peace that I had when visiting my grandparents home. I will never regret the move, but I will always regret the fact my children will never have those memories. I am hoping that by learning more about them, they maybe will be able to share in my childhood memories. Not seeing my grandparents, also implies not spending a lot of time with my parents. Flying back and forth from one coast to another made it difficult for my children to visit.

My grandfather visited Italy many times. The major mode of travel was by boat.My parents also had a number of opportunities to travel to Europe which also included stops in different parts of Italy. Some of the same roads and sites my grandfather remembered as a child were visited by my parents as well as by a brother and others in the family. I hope someday to also visit the farmhouse my grandfather grew up in and travel the paths he may have traveled and see the sites he might have seen when he was just a boy growing up in a small village in Italy.

The story begins, with the marriage of my grandparents. There will be times that we will need to jump around but it is hoped that all in all the layout will be helpful in learning about two wonderful people.


Ross and Mary Scovotti spent some sixty four years together. Thats a lot of time.

Breaking time into decade slots seemed to be the way to accomplish the coverage of this history.
And so lets see how this works out.

1890 - 1899
  1. The first U.S. Open golf tournament took place in 1895.
1900 - 1909
  1. The first World Series was held on the 1st of October 1903.
  2. Henry Ford introduced the Model T on the 1st of October 1908.
  3. William Howard Taft became the 27th President of the United States 1909 - 1913.
  4. The first child and first son, Donato was born on 23 December 1909. He died the following year.

1910 - 1919
  1. Approximately 1910, grandma's mother Rose Bregante Scovotti passed.
  2. The second child and second son, also named Donato, was born May 1911. He lived one year. Donato was grandpa's fathers name and that was probably why the same name was tried twice.
  3. 15 April 1912, the British luxury liner "Titanic" sank in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland, less than three hours after striking an iceberg. About 1500 people died.
  4. The third child, and the third son, Louis was born 22 December 1912.
  5. Woodrow Wilson became the 28th President of the United States 1913 - 1921.
  6. The fourth child, and the first daughter, Grace was born 24 January 19__.
  7. The fifth child, and second daughter, Rosemary was born 30 July 19__.
  8. Approximately 1917 grandpa contracted spinal meningitis. When grandma was telling this story, no specific dates were used. Though the actual cause was never discovered, it was guessed that grandpa kept working while sick, and that may have been the cause. The end result was that grandpa became totally deaf. Ross was working for the railroad, and being deaf would have been an ample reason for termination. Because of his good work record, the company kept him on the payroll during his sickness and was going to lay him off except for the intersession of grandma on grandpa's behalf with the 'powers to be'. Grandpa was never layed off and he never was told of grandma's boldness. When fully recovered, he was given a different job with the Interboro Rapid Transit and stayed with them until he retired.
1920 - 1929
  1. The sixth child, and fourth son, Michael was born 4 February 1920.
  2. The seventh child, the fifth son, Anthony was born 12 October 1921.
  3. Warren G. Harding became the 29th President of the United States 1921 - 1923.
  4. Calvin Coolidge became the 30th President of the United States 1923 - 1929.
  5. 1927 Charles Lindbergh fly's alone nonstop from New York to Paris in 33.5 hours.
  6. Also 1927 brought about the era of talking pictures. Al Jolson featured both silent and talking scenes.
  7. The following picture is of the house at 1749 Jarvis Avenue while underconstruction. The back of the photo indicated only the year, 1928. The brick work in the front is done. The windows and front door had not yet been installed. The side of the truck indicates the general contractors who were doing the construction. The sign reads

    MEROLA BROTHERS, GENERAL CONTRACTORS
    ( Anthony, Billy, Joe, John, Jimmy and Aphonse )

    New home in progress.
    This is the house the brothers built.

    There is more to this house than bricks and mortar. A short time after Mary married Ross, Mary's mother passed away. With nine children still at home, the father, a relatively well to do business man at this time, remarried. His new bride was a woman who herself had four children of her own. This marriage did not go over well with the older children (especially the boys ages 14,15 & 16). The father was not a poor man, and could have certainly afforded day help in managing the house, meals etc. Mary in relating this story, believed her father married out of a need for companionship than for any other reason. Some time had passed. Some of the Mary's siblings moved in with her and Ross while others (Billy, Joe and Angelina) moved to an aunts house in Englewood, New Jersey. Anthony, the oldest boy in the family was about 20 and was in the serivce. Ross and Mary were living in an apartment that the father owned and all ready had three children of their own, (Louie, Grace and Rosemary). About 1919, Ross and Mary moved into a seven room apartment. In those days that was about $25.00 per month. The aunt in Englewood couldn't keep the other siblings any longer and so they to came to live with their older sister and her family. There is a lot of things going on during these years. A war was started and finished. Ross became sick and because of it became deaf. His job was uncertain. Grandma had three children of her own and took in all of her siblings at one time or another.
    During this time, the boys agreed to pay Mary $3/week to help cover their room and board. These were hard times and the boys just didn't have the money. However, Mary said they did keep an account of it. When Anthony was discharged from the service, he and his brothers started their own busines. There is more to this story but for now, lets put it to rest.

  8. This picture of Mary Scovotti had no information on the back.

    In front of home. This picture was taken in front of the house at 1749 Jarvis Ave. The look on grandma's face is just beautiful. It would be interesting to know what she was looking so please about? If you know the date of this picture, or the reason for the smile, please share.
    Bronx, New York
1930 - 1939


  1. Herbert C. Hover became the 31st President of the United States 1929 - 1933.
  2. 'Dick Tracy', created by Chester Gould made its debut.
  3. 3 Mar 1931, The Star-Spangled Banner officially became the national anthem of the United States.
  4. 30 Jan 1933, the first episode of the "Lone Ranger" radio program was broadcast on station WXYZ in Detroit.
  5. Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the 32nd President of the United States 1933 - 1945.
  6. Grandpa with an Italian policeman Grandpa with Anthony Merola.
    Grandpa with an Italian policeman, in Italy.
    Circa 1930.         		Grandpa with Anthony Merola, grandma's brother on board a ship to Italy, circa 1930.



  7. 18 November 1934 Grace Scovotti married Joseph.
  8. Grandma visiting grandpa.

    Grandma visiting grandpa as he reads the Italian paper in the driveway of the 1749 Jarvis Avenue home. As a child on most occasions when visiting, if it were early afternoon during the summer, grandpa would be sitting on the shady side of the house, the driveway side. In addition to having a cool place to read his Italian paper, this position afforded a vantage point. Grandpa liked to keep his eye(s) on who was doing what around the neighborhood and more particular near the house. The picture had the year as 1935, but I think that was the wrong date. Driveway visit.
    Driveway on Jarvis Avenue.


  9. 02 August 1936 Rosemary Scovotti married Joseph.
  10. 1937, Italy withdrew from the League of Nations.
1940 - 1949
  1. Germany and Italy declared war on the United States in 1941.
  2. 27 September 1942 Michael Scovotti married Camille.
  3. 20 May 1943 Louis Scovotti married Ruth.
  4. Harry S. Truman became the 33rd President of the United States 1945 - 1953.
  5. U.S. President Harry Turman announced that the secret of the atomic bomb would be shared only with Britian and Canada.
  6. Grandpa sledding with neighborhood children in the driveway at his home in the Bronx. Circa 1945.

    Grandpa sledding on Jarvis Avenue Grandpa sledding with children on Jarvis Avenue
    First child standing to the right of grandpa may be Peter.


  7. 28 December 1947 Anthony Scovotti married Tina.

  8. 1949 Boat trip to Italy On the left grandma and grandpa on board a ship. On the right, Aunt Angie, (Mary's sister), Ross, Mary, Louise Picarillo, (another of Mary's sisters), Antoinette Antico, (not sure how she fits in nor am I sure of the spelling of the last name) and Grace LiVolsi, (one of Mary's daughters) aboard what we will assume is the same ship. 1949 Boat trip to Italy
    Aboard ship, circa 1949 . Aboard ship, circa 1949
1950 - 1959
  1. Dwight David Eisenhower became the 34th President of the United States 1953 - 1961.
  2. Grandpa was 56 or 57 when he retired. This was approximately 1953-1954.
  3. Grandma and Grandpa on board the Christopher Columbus bound for Italy. It looks like
    the both of them are enjoying this 1956 trip.
  4. In 1957, "Sputnik" the Soviet's first man made satellite was put into orbit.
  5. In 1958, the first trans-Atlantic passenger jetliner went into service.

    Grandma and Grandpa on the Christopher Columbus












  6. First artificial satellite of the Earth (Sputnik 1, 1957).
  7. First animal in space (Sputnik 2, 1957).
  8. 31 Jan 1958 The United States entered the Space Age with its first successful launch of a satellite into orbit, Explorer 1.
  9. The 50th wedding anniversary celebration, 1959.
    The wedding couple They are still dancing.
    The Bride and Groom Cutting the rug.


    The children.
    A 1959 Family Picture.

  10. First spacecraft to escape from the Earth's gavity (Luna 1, 1959).
  11. First artificial planet of the Sun (Luna 1, 1959).
  12. First spacecraft to impact another world (Luna 2, 1959).
  13. First spacecraft to photograph the far side of the Moon (Luna 3, 1959).


1960 - 1969
  1. John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States 1961 - 1963.
  2. First human in space (Vostok 1, 1961).
  3. First human to orbit the Earth (Vostok 1, 1961).
  4. First spacecraft to fly by other planets (Venera 1, 1961; Mars 1, 1962).
  5. President Kennedy announced an air and naval blockade of Cuba, following the discovery of Soviet missile bases on the island in October 1962.
  6. First woman in space (Vostok 6, 1963).
  7. John F. Kennedy was assasinated while president, November 1963.
  8. 30 Jan 1964 the United States launched Ranger 6, an unmanned spacecraft carrying television cameras that was to crash-land on the moon.
  9. Lyndon Baines Johnson became the 36th President of the United States 1963 - 1969.
  10. First multiperson space mission (Voskhod 1, 1964).
  11. 27 Jan 1967, Astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee died in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo One spacecraft at Cape Kennedy, Fla.
  12. 21 December 1968, Apollo VIII was launched on a mission to orbit the moon.
  13. On 24 December 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the
    Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve television broadcast.
  14. 3 Mar 1969 Apollo 9 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a mission to test the lunar module.


1970 - 1979
  1. Richard Milhous Nixon became the 37th President of the United States 1969 - 1974.
  2. 31 January 1971, astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell and Stuart A. Roosa blasted off aboard Apollo 14 on a mission to the moon.
  3. First manned roving vehicle on another world (Apollo 15, 1971).
  4. First spacecraft to orbit another planet (Mariner 9, 1971).
  5. 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, winding up the Apollo program of manned lunar landings.
  6. First dual-planet mission - to Venus and Mercury (Mariner 10, 1974).
  7. Gerald R. Ford became the 38th President of the United States 1974 - 1977.
  8. The Soviet Union launched 2 cosmonauts aboard a Soyuz capsule for a rendezvous with the Salyut 6 space laboratory.
  9. James Earl Carter, Jr. became the 39th President of the United States 1977 - 1981.


1980 - 1989
  1. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was shot to death.
  2. First close-up study of Saturn, its rings and moons (Voyagers 1 and 2, 1980-1981).
  3. First manned reusable spacecraft (STS-1, 1981).
  4. Ronald W. Reagan became the 40th President of the United States 1981 - 1989.
  5. First satellite to be retrieved, repaired and redeployed in space (Solar Maximum Mission, 1980-1984).
  6. Space shuttle Challenger astronaut Kathy Sullivan became the 1st American woman to walk in space.


1990 - 1999
  1. George Herbert Walker Bush became the 41st President of the United States 1989 - 1993.
  2. William 'Bill' Clinton became the 42nd President of the United States 1993 - 2001.
  3. 1998, President Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House for perjury and obstruction of justice. (He was later acquitted by the Senate.)


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