An Angel of Vastogirardi
Eva Cenci
di Gloria Marchione Talarico
Eva was a girl about nine years old. She did not know, but plans were underway for her to migrate to
America, sponsored by her father and countrymen from Vastogirardi, who had preceded her to America.
Her name was Eva Cenci.
She departed with her father Nicholas, about 37 years old at the time, and her mother Laura Venditti Cenci,
who was traveling with her very small sister Elsie, just two months old. They sailed from Naples
(south ENS pier), to embark the big ship - The “Augustus”.
After sailing two days, they arrived at night into a quay of the port, which was already full of immigrants hoping to
leave for the new world. This was their last possibility of hope. Eva’s mouth fell open at the size of the big ship.
It had twin propellers and developed a velocity of 19 knots (35 kilometers per hour.)
It could transport 1675 passengers, referring 375 to first class, 300 to second class,
and the remaining 1000 to sail in third class – standing, sitting or lying wherever they could.
Eva said that she went to movies everyday with Grandma, so they must have been first or second class.
This ship (together with the ROMA) was considered one of the world’s largest steamers AND was completed for sailing
December 13, 1926. The AUGUSTUS ship lasted until it was sunk by the Germans in the port of Genoa, September 1944.
Back to the Cenci family, little Eva and her family embarked on September 7, 1929.
It was a Saturday and was still very hot in southern Italy. They arrived in New York at dawn on September 17th.
Little Eva finally saw the Statue of Liberty. They had heard so much talk in
Vastogirardi from family friends and relatives, who had already arrived in America.
Nicholas (Eva’s father) had made several trips to America, and eventually was provided his passport number
(621361), and was no longer considered an immigrant. He was now a U.S. Citizen. His passport was released
March 7, 1928 by the authorities of Washington. Nicholas made his first crossing in 1911 aboard the CINCINATTI,
departing from Naples November 29, 1911 and arriving at Ellis Island, New York on December 6th. He was very young,
just nineteen years old, when he arrived. Records from the Immigration Office, indicated that he was a
Tailor and had thirty ($30) dollars and that we was traveling to Steubenville, Ohio to join a priest, Father Raffaele.
In the years that followed, Nicholas came to New Philadelphia, Ohio. The date on his naturalization papers was
September 19. 1927. He established his Tailor business with his wife Laura and two children.
In addition to Eva and Elsie, Nicholas Cenci had two more sons, Anthony and John, and two more daughters, Norma and Martha.
Before his death on August 19, 1939 (at the age of 47), he resided in New Philadelphia, Ohio.
Eva was married in Ohio and had no children. Elsie retired and still resides in New Philadelphia,
after working many years in a department store in Ohio and Indiana.
As of this writing, Anthony (Tony) married to Carol Endres - still carries the Cenci name, and Martha
(married) to Tom Bearducci, both live in Dover Ohio.
The Cenci Family
Eva’s father, Nichola Lamberto Cenci, whom we called Nicholas in Eva’s bio – was the son of Custoda Colucci Cenci,
and Filomeno Cenci. He was born October 14, 1892 in Vastogirardi, Italy and died August 19. 1939 in New Philadelphia,
Ohio.He came to the United States a few times before bringing his family in September, 1929.
As stated in Eva’s bio, his first trip was in 1911 (at the age of (19) nineteen) – and the second trip was in 1921
(at the age of (29) twenty-nine.) Prior to that time, he had served in the Italian Army.
He joined the Tailor Union in November, 1921. He had a bank account at Ohio “Savings with account forward of $2000.15,
as of December 31, 1927. He became a United States citizen on September 19, 1927. He had a “work permit”
dated May 1, 1937. He was 47-years old when he died. His records indicate that he purchased a houseful of furniture from
The S.M. Earle Furniture Co. for $801.50 on September 30, 1929. No passport papers have been found,
just naturalization papers. However, a passport number is recorded in Washington, according to the Vastogirardi archives.
Eva’s mother, Laura Filomena Venditti Cenci, was the daughter of Maria Lucarino Venditti and Giovanni Venditti.
She was born November 17, 1895 in Vastogirardi, Italy
and died February 19, 1984 in New Philadelphia, Ohio.
She was 34 years old when she came to the United States and died at the age of 89.
Laura became a United States citizen September 13, 1940.
Nicola and Laura were married October 26, 1914 in Vastogirardi, Italy.
Nicola was 22 yrs. old and Laura was 19-yrs. old.
Similarities of the Marchione and Cenci Families.
Both Nicola Cenci and Arcangelo Marchione were born in Vastogirardi. Both were business owners and were trained for their business in Italy. Nicola as a Tailor and Arcangelo as a Shoe Maker. Both had six children – four daughters and two sons. Both died too young, Nicola at the age of 47 and Arcangelo at the age of 45. Both had the same wedding anniversary date - (Nicola October 26, 1914 and Arcangelo October 26, 1929, just a month after the Cenci family arrived in the United States.) Both Laura and Carmela were widowed young, Laura age 43 and Carmela age 34. Both Laura and Carmela died at the age of 89.
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