The Venella Family of Camden

This is another in a series of pages about families that lived and thrived in Camden. Anthony R. Venella has been kind enough to send many pictures depicting his family at events in and around Camden, some going as far back as the 1920s. The Venellas are of Italian descent, and their story is in many ways the story of the many Italian families who first pursued the American dream in Camden.

Of course, families with lots of children produce lots of marriages, and the Venella family is related through marriage to the Tantone family, the LoRusso family, the Del Rossi family, the Speno family, the Coratolo family, the Burgo family, the Martinelli family, the Decampli family, the Fattore family, the Palimeno family, the DiMattia family and many others.

Rocco Venella was born in Italy October 26, 1869 to Antonio and Andonetta Vinelli and was brought to America as a very young boy. At some point he began using the surname Venella. Arriving in New York on March 15, 1873, he was sworn in as Citizen in Philadelphia on September 9, 1880. At that time he lived at 737 Bainbridge Street in South Philadelphia. His witness was Ferdinando Bartolucci, who lived across the street at 720 Bainbridge. Rocco Venella would in 1897 marry a girl who lived at 722 Bainbridge Street, Marguerite Lorusso.

His future bride, Marguerite Lorusso came October 15, 1887 from Bologna, Italy on HMS Britannic, a ship that brought many immigrants to America in its 29 years at sea. She was born on February 12, 1881 in Bologna, the daughter of Canio “Thomas” Lorusso and his wife, the former Rose Marie Colangelo. Canio Lorusso had been a tailor in Italy, but found work in a stone quarry upon arriving in America. He apparently passed away prior to World War I.

Rocco Venella was living at 726 Fitzwater Street in South Philadelphia when he married Marguerite on May 24, 1897. The Venella family was living in Camden by 1904, at 1824 Van Buren Street, as the family is listed in the City Directory of that year. Rocco and Marguerite Venella were both born in Italy. The couple wed in 1897, and by 1910 six children had been born, five of who were living. The living children were Edmund Anthony (some of his nephews and nieces called him Uncle Tony), Mary, Harry, William, Mildred (Millie); another son, Daniel, sadly had died prior to the 1910 Census enumeration. As soon as Harry, then 7 years old, had been born in Pennsylvania, it would appear that the family first came to Camden shortly before the 1904 Directory was compiled.

Rocco Venella worked as a laborer in these years; he also worked over the years for a plumber, William J. Kelly, whose business was at 675 Ferry Avenue, and as a huckster. William Kelly’s father Daniel Kelly had operated a saloon at 671–673 Ferry Avenue from the 1890s through the 1910s; he was succeeded over by John Asbert, and in turn by the Knast family, who would remain in business there until the 1950s.

On October 28, 1996 Julius “Shill” Venella wrote the following to his nephew Anthony R. Venella:

Pertaining to my Dad’s work, he was a Plummer & worked for William J. Kelly Co. The work shop & office was at the corner of Ferry Ave. & Van Buren St. He worked in the basement making lead traps fittings.

As for my Mom, she was like a Seamstress work at home sewing coat sleeves on coats & making button holes & sewing linings on jackets. All work was done By Hand. The company will deliver & pick up the work she did, the company’s name was ‘De Palma Clothing Co.’

As evident from his draft card, pictured below, by September of 1918 oldest son Edmund Anthony had gone to work as a shipper at the Eavenson & Levering wool scouring plant at South 4th and Jackson Streets.

The family was still on Van Buren in January of 1920. The 1920 Census shows the following, at 1824 Van Buren Street, just south of Ferry Avenue in what was then called the Eighth Ward. Nearby at 1811 Van Buren Street was an early location of Antioch Baptist Church; at 650 Ferry Avenue lived politician Mikey Brown. Constantino Piraine lived at 676 Ferry; he would later own the bar at 1944 Broadway which became American Legion Post 274; his wife Mamie Piraine was politically active in the 1930s. After 1924 Stephen Haday would follow William J. Kelly at 675 Ferry Avenue and operate a grocery there well into the 1960s. Four more children had been born: Daniel, Maria Rosaria “Rose”, Julian, and Dominick. Daniel, born on October 17, 1910 as Donato Venella, bore the name of his departed brother, as was the custom of Italian families of that era. The Venellas “Americanized” the given name of Daniel when it was time for him to enter school. They did the same for his brother Julian, who was renamed Julius, and Maria Rosaria was known simply as Rose.

When the census was taken Rocco and Marguerite Venella resided on Van Buren Street with eight of their children: Antonio (his correct name was Edmund, but some of his nephews and nieces called him Uncle Tony), Harry, William, Millie, Daniel, Rose, Julian, and Dominick. Daughter Mary had married James Angelastro.

Nearby at 1644 South Sixth Street, at the time of the 1920 Census, lived William and Mary Anderson with their children, twins Katie and Lester. Katie Anderson and Edmund Anthony Venella married; a son, Edmund Anthony Venella Jr., was born on December 6, 1924. Lester Anderson later became a Camden fire fighter.

Sadly, on March 7, 1923 Rocco Venella passed away.

On January 19, 1997 Julius “Shill” Venella wrote to his nephew, Anthony R. Venella:

Julian was changed by the state of N.J. in the Six Grade to Julius — Three youngest Children received state help from the State $4.00 per month. Also changed Danny’s name from Donato.

The Venella family was still living at 1824 Van Buren when the census was once again taken, in April of 1930. At that time sons William, Daniel, and Dominic still resided there, as well as daughter Rose, and daughter Mildred and her husband Dominic DeCampli, who had married in September of 1928. William W. “Willie” Venella married Theodora “Dora” DiMattia on October 17, 1931.

Over the following years there were many more weddings, births, and sadly deaths. Marguerite’s mother Rose Marie Lorusso died in Camden on May 11, 1934 at the age of 77. Marguerite Venella joined her husband Rocco on June 29, 1948.

Thanks to Anthony R. Venella for his help in creating this page.

23 Girls, 21 Boys, Will Get Certificates for Hatch Junior High Today

Forty-four pupils of the Mickle School, Sixth and Van Hook Streets, will graduate from the B-A grade at commencement exercises to be held in the school auditorium at 11 a. m. today.

The class is comprised of 23 girls and 21 boys. They will enter Hatch Junior High School in November.

Those promoted are as follows:

Helen Wasiluk, Ellen Turner, Sophia Bandaruk, Herbert Backskas, Catherine Clements, Andrew Christy, Eleanor Cloud, Americk DiGiacoma, Olga Evfimenko, Frank DiGiacoma, Marie Faiola, Richard DiGiacoma, Mary Flacco, Armond Driscoll, Roslyn Hait, Wallace Durszynski, Stephany Harris, Charles Flacco, Teresa Hisbacker, Russell Hunter, Elsie Hickman, Frank Kozak, Olga Kolody, Gilbert Krown, Elva Krown, Paul Krueger, Blanche Markiewicz, Anthony Mammoci, Catherine Melniczak, Howard Mason, Helen Pasco, Edward Mathews, Dorothy Prader, Alfred Narducci, Helen Pukas, John Patrick, Margaret Raditch, Stephen Pipito, Freda Rosen, Walter Ramick, Mary Russo, Dominick Venella, Carmella Sparano and Michael Volishyn.

My Paternal Grandmother was Marguerite Lorusso Venella. This wooden chair was hers and she could often be seen sitting in it. From what I have heard I believe the original color was more of a cream tone rather than this bright yellow which my paternal cousin Margaret Angelastro painted. When my Grandmother passed one of the items was passed on was this chair. My Grandmother’s 2nd eldest daughter Millie asked her sister Mary who was the eldest daughter if she wanted the chair and she accepted. When Aunt Mary passed Cousin Margaret inherited the chair and Cousin Margaret will pass it down to me.

Thanks Phil for allowing me to Share with you…

Your Friend, Anthony Venella
February 4, 2012