Archangelo Abbaticchio

ARCHANGELO ABBATICCHIO. The career of this well-known and popular citizen of Latrobe, Westmoreland county, illustrates what is possible of accomplishment on the part of the honest and earnest man who comes to our shores from foreign lands and here puts forth his best efforts in making his way to the front. Mr. Abbaticchio came from his native land to America without financial reinforcement or influential friends, and by industry and good management has gained a position of no questionable prosperity, while he has so ordered his course as to commend himself to the confidence and good will of those with whom he has come in contact in the various relations of life. He is now the proprietor of the Latrobe Hotel, where he offers excellent accommodations to the traveling public and where he has built up a large and prosperous business, being one of the successful hotel men of this section of the state.

Mr. Abbaticchio is a native of the famous city of Naples in the fair land of Italy, where he was born January 26, 1842, the son of Nicholas and Pauline Abbaticchio, who there passed their entire lives, the father having been a grocer. Archangelo was reared to manhood in his native land, in whose schools of none the highest order he secured his education. He followed the trade of a barber from his fourteenth year until 1873, when he, by having a friend in Monastry, near Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was induced to seek higher fortune in the New World. He landed in New York City, July 16, I873, and soon found his way to Westmoreland county, where he operated barber shops in Latrobe, Greensburg, Scottdale, Connellsville, Indiana and Derry for a period of seventeen years. His was the first Italian family to settle in Latrobe, where now so many of his countrymen reside. While working the above period at his trade he had carefully conserved his resources in a financial way, and having higher ambitions he engaged in the hotel business at Latrobe, where he purchased "The Latrobe House," a good property upon which many additional improvements have been made in the intervening years. He has succeeded in building up an excellent business, having given his personal attention to every detail during the past sixteen years. His motto has ever been "honesty and uprightness." Indeed he may well be called a model, and his actions may well be patterned after by not only the foreign born but native born citizens. Since he landed on our shores his theory has been to save something from his earnings each year, be that more or less, hence with the passing years he has added to his resources, and has always been wise enough to invest in real estate properties within his own county and generally in his home borough. From good investn1ents in realty he has year by year added to his fortune, which has come to be a handsome competency. He now possesses thirty-five residences and business houses in Latrobe, from which he draws an excellent income. Besides this he is materially interested in local coal mine speculations and is accounted among the best financiers of Latrobe. Politically, Mr. Abbaticchio is a supporter of the Democratic party in national politics. The family including himself are of the Catholic faith.

Concerning his domestic relations let it be said that in 1858, beneath the sunny skies of Italy, he married Mary Sorrentino, born in Italy, August 24, 1842, and who accompanied her husband on his removal to America. Mrs. Abbaticchio came from a family of high standing and from which came senators and superior officials in Italy. Of their eight children, three are still at home. The following are the names of the children: 1. Nicholas, born in Italy, 1859, is now a practicing physician at Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He married Georgia Williamson, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and they have one daughter, Marie. 2. Albert, born in Italy, 186o, is now conducting a brokerage and exchange business and sells steamship tickets at Latrobe. 3. Pauline, born in Italy, 1862, was educated at St. Xavier College, taught two years and then took the sacred vows of a Sister of Mercy. 4. Horace, born in Italy, 1864, is a merchant in Elwood City, Pennsylvania. He married Bessie Cartright, of that place. 5. Edward, born at Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 1877, became a prominent professional base-ball player, following it for the last nine years, and for the past three years has been with the Boston National League team. He married Annie Connor, of Nashville, Tennessee, and they have one son, Edward, born October 27, 1904. 6. Caroline, born at Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 1881, at home. 7. William, born at Latrobe, 1882, now engaged in the wholesale liquor trade at McKeesport, Pennsylvania. 8. Raymond, born at Latrobe, 1883, now taking his post-graduate course in law at Georgetown (D. C.) College, from which institution he graduated in 1904. He was graduated in law with the class of June, 1906. Too much praise cannot well be given to one whose educational advantages in a foreign land were very limited, but who upon becoming an adopted citizen of the United States practiced even much self-denial in order that his own children might enter and continue in colleges of a high class until fitted to graduate with high honors. Of such foreigners this country can never have too many, for in their hands will our free government ever be secure.

Source: History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Volume II, by John N. Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906, Page 272-3.
Transcribed by Carol C. Eddleman for the Westmoreland County History Project.
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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