Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Week 47 - Wrong Side of the Law (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks)

 At a family reunion of my mom's paternal side of the family, I heard a story that I had never heard before.  My Mom's cousin took me aside and asked if I'd ever heard this and proceeded to tell me about his grandmother, my great grandmother.  

Her name was Rose (Dicello) Bonadio.  She was born in Italy in 1879 and came to America about 1905 to join her husband who was already here.  The years passed and Dennis, our cousin, was told a story one day by friends that Rose used to sell bootleg moonshine of some kind out of her basement to the railroad workers who would pass by her home on their way home from work. He said that she was arrested for this crime.  This happened in 1930 during Prohibition.

Quite a few years later, I found a news article that said her husband, Pasquale Bonadio, was the one arrested for bootlegging.  I think he may have taken the blame, rather than have his wife charged. Rose never did learn to speak English. I imagine it would have been hard for her to go through the process.  But the article proved the story.  He pled guilty, was indicted and given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for two years.

This is the kind of story you love to hear about ancestors, good or bad.  



Rose & Pasquale Bonadio



Oct 10, 1930 - The indictment of Pasquale, in the article his name is Patsy Bonady of Mill Hall,(Clinton Co, Pa.)




Nov 13, 1930 - Pasquale's sentence 





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