Rocco Fanelle
ROCCO FANELLE was born in Italy on June 23, 1885 to Andrea and Rosa Fanelle. He came to America from Accettura, Italy, leaving from Naples aboard the S.S. Victoria, and arriving in New York on December 8, 1903. Rocco Fanelle joined his uncle Donato Fanelle in Philadelphia. By 1906 Donato Fanelle had established a rag business at 214 Division Street in Camden.
After working for his uncle, Rocco Fanelle in 1908 went into the scrap paper and metal business, or, as it was called in the parlance of the day, the junk business for himself. When the Census was taken in 1910 he and his wife, the former Rocchina (Rose) Lavecchia, were living at 325 Spruce Street with a year and a half old son, Andrew (who was also known as Vito). Uncle Donato Fanelle lived across the street at 322 Spruce Street. A few houses down at 339 Spruce lived the Harry Neutze family; their son Frank Neutze, then studying law, would later become a judge. Across the street at 322 Spruce Street lived uncle Donato Fanelle, who by 1914 had moved his rag business from 214 Division Street to 263–265 Cherry Street, where it would continue into the 1940s.
By 1917 Rocco Fanelle was living at 701 Locust Street, the corner of Locust and Line Streets, where he also had his scrapyard. By 1924 the property extended up Line Street to 210–212 Line, where the business maintained its offices. Around the corner at 702 South 2nd Street in the late 1920s and early 1930s was Luigi Cinaglia, who was then operating a saloon there. The Cinaglias later moved to 4th and Chestnut Street, where son Pete operated Pete’s Cafe for many years. The 1929 City Directory shows the residence for the Fanelle family at 701 Locust, but by April of 1930, when the census was taken, the address given was 212 Line Street.
Rocco Fanelle and his wife went on to raise a family of ten children, seven boys and three girls. All seven of the Fanelle sons, Andrew, Benjamin, Daniel, Dominick, Joseph, Peter, and Rocco Jr., all were involved in the family business at one time or another.
By the late 1930s the old Donato Fanelle junkyard at 263–265 Cherry Street was being run by a Rocco Fanelle. This may have been Donato’s son Rocco.
The 1947 Camden City Directory shows the Rocco Fanelle & Sons business at 217–221 Line Street, while the Rocco Fanelle and Brother Junkyard was at 210–212 Line Street, the corner of Line Street and Bath Street. Rocco Fanelle was then living with wife Rose at 1347 Princess Avenue in the Parkside neighborhood of Camden NJ. The sons listed as being involved in the business were Andrew, Benjamin R., Dominick, Daniel, Joseph, Peter, and Rocco Jr.
Rocco Fanelle passed away in the late 1948 in Haddon Heights NJ. His son Andrew then became head of the family business.
Rocco Fanelle’s great-granddaughter, Giovanna “Gigi” Fanelle, wrote in January of 2008:
After Rocco’s death in the late 1940’s his eldest son Andrew, or “Andy,” took over the business with his six brothers working under him. Through the years some of the brothers branched out and worked elsewhere; some grandsons worked for the company. Present owner Tom Fanelle is one of Rocco Sr.’s and Roccina (Rose) Fanelle’s grandsons, also the only son of Peter Fanelle. Tom started working in the yard in his early teens in the 1960’s.
In 1968, the warehouse had a large fire causing the family to rebuild. Andy Fanelle died in 1972, at which time Peter, or “Petey,” stepped into the role of “President” of R. Fanelle’s Sons. While Pete was running the company the City of Camden forced the sale of the property at 2nd and Line Streets for the development of business at the Port (today, that property is vacant).
By 1980 R. Fanelle’s Sons was fully operating at 1466 Ferry Avenue. From the beginning of the 1990’s Pete and his son Tom ran the business. Later, Tom bought one hundred percent of the business from his father and his remaining relatives who held shares within the company. He is now the sole owner of R. Fanelle’s Sons where he employs approximately thirty people, including his daughter Giovanna and his son Thomas P. Fanelle.
Photos
Named: Rocco Fanelle, R. Fanelle & Sons, 217, and 221 Line Street (New Jersey Bulletin, 1955).
Rocco & Roccina Fanelle
Six of the Fanelle Brothers — Daniel is missing, and on the top left is Frank Viggiano, a worker who was employed by the Fanelle’s for over fifty years.
Sign at 1466 Ferry Avenue
Real Estate Transfers
Philadelphia Inquirer —
COLLINGSWOOD—Lot 11, plan of Frank B Pyram—Turner E McMullin to John M Starr, $1.
CAMDEN—N side Atlantic, 220 ft E Norris—Rudolph Detwyler to Max Schoemen et al, $350.
CAMDEN—1129 Penn—Frank H. Smith to Mary Facht, $875.
CAMDEN—W side 35th, 220 ft N Herrison—Alfred Cramer, Jr. et als, excrs. to Charles W Lang et ux. $200.
CLEMENTON—Six acres, Emily Hawkes et al to Mary Carless, $400.
COLLINGSWOOD—Cor of Atlantic and Dayton—J Edward Fagen to Frank A Knight, $1100.
HADDON TOWNSHIP—S W cor Wyoming & Pine—Charles Bauer to Tillie Lieberstein, $4500.
CAMDEN—845–847 and 849 S Third—G Frank Travis to Joseph Palese. $13,000.
CAMDEN—321 Cherry—Rocco Fanelle to Domenico A Loscalzo, $1180.
GLOUCESTER CITY—S side Market, 60 ft E Third—Annie E Powell to Mary Lynch. $1650.
WINSLOW—10 acres—Joseph Torrieri to Seraffino Angeline et ux, $1.
Boy Admits He Hurled Brick in Woman's Face
Camden Courier-Post —
Boy Admits He Hurled Brick in Woman's Face
Ten-year-old Donald Pollard, of 779 Baxter street, stood before Police Judge Bertman today and admitted hitting a 49-year-old woman in the face with a brick.
He was sentenced to five days in the Detention Home.
Mrs. Rose Fanelli, 212 Line street, testified Donald and other boys had been throwing stones against her front window. She said she rebuked them and Donald swore at her. Donald then picked up a brick and threw it at her, the stone striking her forehead, she testified.
The youthful defendant told the court he “wouldn’t have thrown the brick” if Mrs. Fannelli hadn’t “called him an ugly name.”
Acting Chief Hurt in 3-Alarm Blaze
Camden Courier-Post —
Acting Chief Hurt in 3-Alarm Blaze
Camden Junkyard Swept; Couple Forced to Flee as Fire Menaces Home
Two persons were forced to leave their home last night when a three-alarm fire damaged a junkyard owned by Rocco Fanelle and Sons at 263 Cherry street. Patrolman Marshall Thompson, one of the first on the scene, warned George W. Jackson and his wife, Flora, living at 265 Cherry street, of their danger and aided them in removing part of their furniture in the living room to the dining room.
Acting Battalion Chief Leonard Megee was injured slightly when he fell while inspecting the damage.
The first alarm to be turned in came from the fire box at Third and Spruce streets at 8.18 p.m. When Chief John Lennox arrived on the scene and discovered flames issuing from both floors of the storage building he ordered the second alarm pulled at 8.35 and at 8.46 p.m. another was ordered.
Firemen were hampered in fighting the blaze due to the great amount of smoke caused by the burning rags and paper bailed and stored on the two floors. Six hose lines were played on the building. Deputy Chief Walter Mertz said the flames were under control after a half hour’s battle.
The damaged furniture in the Jackson home was covered partially by insurance, Jackson said.