More details on the Sharamitaro family may be found here:
The Pietro Ciaramitaro Family Genealogy Timeline
And here:
The Pietro Ciaramitaro Family Memory Page
1920 is the date that Katie Sharamitaro is first mentioned in the Federal Census for St. Louis, Missouri, along with her mother, Laura Ciaramitaro and siblings at 6326 West Park, the home of Joe and Jenny Sharamitaro, Katie's older sister and husband.
In 1931 Caterina "Katie" Ciaramitaro, daughter of Pietro and Eulalia "Laura" Ciaramitaro, married James Sharamitaro, son of Guiseppe and Rosaria Ciaramitaro.
Following their marriage in 1931, Katie, and her new husband James rented a duplex at 6130a West Park, just a few doors away from her sisters home. The couple were upstairs neighbors of her cousin "Sadie" Sharamitaro (and husband Peter) Palumbo.
From top left: Peno Sharamitaro, James Sharamitaro (groom), __________, and Joseph Sharamitaro, step-brother of the bride.
Sitting from left: Sadie Sharamitaro (LoGrasso), Sadie Sharamitaro (Palumbo) , Catarina "Katie" Sharamitaro (bride), Stella Parisi (Genovese) __________, and ________.
Flowergirls from left: Rose Sharamitaro (Fresta), Laura Bruce, and Mary Antal.
Ring bearer: Peter Sharamitaro
Joseph Sharamitaro never married and sadly died at only 24 yrs old.
James J. Sharamitaro Jr. married Lonna Leidner, they had three children; James III, Annette and Catherine "Katie" (named for her grandmother) Sharamitaro.
Peter C. Sharamitaro married Mary Grant, they had two daughters; Mary Grant "Mimi and Christina "Christy" Sharamitaro.
James J. III as a small child, per his Uncle Pete, needed watching before and after school, and therefore spent most of his growing-up years in his grandparents home at 1111 Art Hill Place.
The James and Catarina "Katie" Sharamitaro Family Story
Not long after her husband died of a heart attack in 1912, Laura Bommarito Ciaramitaro, widowed at 30 years old, packed up her six children; Jennie, Fannie, Grace, Joseph, Katie and Pino and moved to St. Louis.
Laura's sister Rosaria Bommarito Sharamitaro was married and living in St. Louis, Missouri. Laura must have accepted whatever living quarters she was offered at first, but she eventually found employment in the garment district and was able to purchase a four family flat of her own.
I'm not certain that Laura Ciaramitaro ever lived at the flat on Walton Avenue, but both daughters, Grace and Fanny, after they married were happy to have apartments together at 1011 Walton Avenue.
Following her marriage in 1917, Jenny Sharamitaro, the eldest daughter, welcomed her mother and her younger siblings into her home at 6328 West Park. The same home where she and her husband Joe Sharamitaro, son of Rosaria and Guiseppe Ciaramitaro, operated a corner fruit and produce market.
James and Catarina "Katie" Sharamitaro celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1981. Sadly James died of a heart attack in 1982. They are buried together in Resurrection Cemetery, Affton, Missouri.
The following notice was published in the May 1931 St. James the Greater parish bulletin
Joe Sharamitaro's vegetable store in Tamm Ave. was closed for two days to make space for a wedding celebration when Mrs. Sharamitaro's sister, Katie , on April 12th married Joe's brother. Nearly everyone of "The Hill" who has had any dealings at the store was invited and as the marriage took place on Sunday, few refused the invitation. There was a six-piece orchestra and "lashing and leavings" of everything. Unlike most Italian weddings a majority or the guests were Americans and they apparently enjoyed the lavish hospitality of their host and entered whole-heartedly into the fun and merriment. With permission of Father O'Connor, the marriage took place at St. Charles Borrorneo Italian Church where the groom resides.
Note: The same notice seems to have taken a few literary liberties, meaning that not all the information was accurate. The couple did receive Father O'Connor's permission, but records prove that the marriage of Cesare and Caterina Ciaramitaro actually occurred on 19 April 1931 at Our Lady Help of Christian's Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri.
Sharamitaro Family Memories
From James J. Sharamitaro (1941-2006), middle son of James and Katie Sharamitaro (from notes taken during a 2002 phone call):
My father was actually named Cesare Vincenzo Sharamitaro, but chose the Americanized version "James".
My Grandmother Laura Ciaramitaro worked on Washington Avenue in the Clothing District until she was unable to work. She never learned to read or speak English. She learned to watch for the bus number that would take her downtown to work and back.
James J. Sharamitaro Jr. served as A1C (Airman First Class)for the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam.
From Peter C. Sharamitaro, youngest son of James and Katie Sharamitaro:
I was told that back then (when his parents, James and Katerina married in 1931) all family wedding celebrations were two days long. The first day was the band and food and the second day people stopped in again. My father said on the third day they took the money and went around and paid for the food, music and photographer. They paid for the whole wedding themselves.
Pete said that his father worked first for Pupillo Fruit Co., then Hartman Produce, and then A.G. (Associated Grocers). The A.G. warehouse was located on East Road behind St. Louis U High. After he retired, he worked for (his brother) Uncle Joe, picking up orders from Commission Row.
Pete recalled walking over to A.G. after school (St. Louis University High School) to get the car, and then would pick his dad up after he got off work.
There was a stable behind the house (1414 7th Street) for the horses to pull the wagon for the peddlers in those days. My father told me that as a child it was his job to clean the stable before he could go school, but I am sure everyone heard that about their father.
My mother, Katie, must have lived on 7th street at some time because she said she would take the street car to go downtown to go out with her friends. She also told me she was engaged before my father. She said when he took her home he would go out with other girls and she gave him back his ring.
I gathered my grandfather, Guiseppe Sharamitaro, was not the nicest of people. My father told me he would take the title of my father's car and get a loan then give the loan papers to my father to pay it off.
There was a pecking order on naming your kids. Fannie had a Laura (Lovena) Vogel; Jenny had a Laura (Bruce); Peno had a Loretta (Baum); Gracie had Laura (Ashley). They were all supposedly named after the grandmother (Laura Ciaramitaro).
Note: This was a well established Italian "naming tradition", and though Peter did not mention it, there were nearly as many Rosaria's (Sadie's), Guiseppe's (Joe's) and Pietro's (Peter's) in this large and extended Sharamitaro family.
I don’t know when she (Grandma Laura) started living there (6328 West Park) but I always assumed that my mother lived there too. She always told the story that Jenny made her quit school to watch Sadie and Laura so Jenny could work in the store. I think my mother only went to 5th grade but not sure of that. My mother always said she raise those two girls.
The duplex they (his parents) rented was owned by Sadie's husband's father (Dominic Palumbo) but it was not left to them. Pete Palumbo (her husband) was one of 5 and the duplex was sold and split. Sadie and Pete (Palumbo) lived on the first floor and we lived on the second floor.
As the story goes, my mother's dad (Pietro Ciaramitaro) was a fisherman in Boston and died of depression following the drowning death of his son. Her mother (Laura) took the children and moved to St. Louis and moved in with her daughter Jenny. That is how they ended up in St. Louis
Again as the story goes, when my grandparents came from Sicily they only spoke Italian and never learned English so my parents talked to them in Italian. They were subject to how the custom people wrote their papers which is why there is two spelling for the last name. 7th Street (St. Louis) was all Italians. The corner grocery store (grocer) spoke Italian, so there was no need to learn another language.
Note:It's quite possible that James Sharamitaro Sr, the youngest son, who was very close to his mother, Rosaria Sharamitaro, took on the role as translator for his parents at family gatherings, ie., weddings, funerals, etc., as well as whenever an official translator was needed.
From Rosalie Sharamitaro Kiernan, daughter of Katie's sister Grace and Charlie Sharamitaro:
Grandma Laura never lived in Gloucester, MA. She lived in Boston until her husband died, then moved, with her children to St. Louis to live near her sister, Rosaria. My mother (her daughter Gracia) always said she left Boston when she was around 7 years old. That would be 1912.
Aunt Katie and Uncle Jimmy, lived in a two family flat, living upstairs and Aunt Jenny's daughter, Sadie (Palumbo), lived downstairs, on that same side street (West Park).
After many, many years Aunt Katie and Uncle Jimmy bought a house on Art Hill Place, it is right across the street from Mary Jane and Joe Wiss.
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