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Duca Degli Abruzzi
Fondata il 26 Settembre 1909
in
Caspian, Michigan
Stati Uniti d’America

A Brief History

The Dukes of Abruzzi community center is one of the oldest organizations in Caspian, the clubhouse has been recognized for its National importance as it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The organization antecedent was one of the Italian mutual benefit associations created in the flurry of organizing Italy in the 1870’s and was named for the Duke of the province of Abruzzi.

Full History

The above announced the beginning of one of the oldest organizations in Caspian, The Duke of Abruzzi. Their clubhouse has been recognized to be of National importance as it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
The organization antecedent was one of the Italian mutual benefit associations created in the flurry of organizing Italy in the 1870’s and was named for the Duke of the province of Abruzzi. It has often been said that “Italian people revered him like a saint.” He was well known for his military experience in World War I when he commanded the Italian fleet and Allied naval units in the Adriatic.
The Mutual Benefit Association had several regulations. Any individual born in the regions of Italy, colonies, pertinent territories, or born outside of Italy with at least one Italian parent was eligible and was introduced by two members who would recommend him. A vote was taken by the membership. Each member voted by placing a white (yes) marble or black (no) marble into a voting box. Following the vote, the marbles were counted to determine acceptance of the new member. Membership application had to be accompanied by the certificate of a competent physician and two dollars.
Membership entitled the member to certain sick, accident and death benefits. If sickness or an accident was at least 5 days duration, the victim could be paid at the rate of one dollar a day from the beginning up to the period of one year. Rules, however, were stringent. A convalescing member could not leave town without the authorization of his physician and he was closely observed to see that he should not be doing any work of any kind–which might mean a task as simple as working in the garden or mowing the lawn. Benefits were given up through 1980. The last recipient of insurance was Victor Trepasso.
Accidental loss of body parts was also included in the insurance. Loss of a hand, foot or an eye gave the insured the right to a payment amounting to one dollar from each member. If he should lose both hands, feet or eyes, he had the right to two dollars paid by each member. A member who had a chronic illness also had the right to two dollars from each member.
The death benefit was $100.00 so long as the member was not three months in arrears with dues. The member also had the right to a $1.00 head assessment from the day he was sworn in. This dollar was to be contributed within 90 days of the death. Honorary guard for the body was also required either at the funeral home or the home of the deceased if he lived within a radius of 8 miles. All members within the 8 mile radius were obligated to attend the funeral and accompany the body from the home of the deceased or from the funeral home to the cemetery. Otherwise he would be fined $5.00. A roll call of members could be taken at the cemetery. A bulletin board was found at both the clubhouse and the Caspian Post Office to notify members of a death. Funerals were large and single men often lay in state at the clubhouse rather than in a home. Funerals placed a big dent in the working force, but the mines never closed for them, however, the mine superintendent requested forewarning so that he could make adjustments in operations.
Social functions of the lodge were as important as funeral and sick benefits. The clubhouse canteen is in the basement and open evenings so members can play cards, smear or tresette (3-7) or in summer bocce ball can be played on the courts in the clubhouse yard. There was a fine for drunkenness. Bartenders served wine which the members themselves made. Each fall the lodge pressed fifteen to twenty tons or more of grapes which fermented in the wine cellars of the clubhouse. In winter the former wine cellars present an interesting scene with poles loaded with suppressa, curing in the ideal temperature that the cellar room provided.
The Lodge’s grandest display of Italian identity traditionally has taken place at the annual Columbus Day celebration. As early as 1914, members met on October 12th and paraded through town carrying American and Lodge flags and towed a replica of the Santa Maria. The festivities culminated with a dinner at the clubhouse at which time local politicians or mine officials expounded on the Italian contributions to American life, Christopher Columbus, how to become a good citizen, or mine safety. In early days, tables were set for as many as 500 in the main hall, but in present times, this has been reduced to 200. Officers are puzzled on how so many could be squeezed into such a small space.
Besides the Columbus Day celebration, a festival, now discontinued for several years, was scheduled around Father’s Day. Picnic food–porchetta and all manner of pasta–was prepared by the wives, or chickens were baked at the local bakery (Angelo Marana was reputed to be an excellent cook). Men and children participated in games and relays which included chasing greased pigs and climbing greased flagpoles at the top of which was placed a hoop hung with such desirable prizes as live chickens, five dollar bills, and bottles of wine. Joe Passamani was head of the boxing ring for years. Bocce tournaments were also held and these still survive today.
In addition to the bar in the basement, the wine cellars–one subterranean, and the main hall with stage, there was a caretaker’s apartment of six rooms. Some of the early caretakers were Frank Ardwin, Guisseppi Maggrio and Sam Pascenti. The last was Ed Medovich who served for over 8 years and completed his service in about 1970.
The hall originally stood on a 40 acre tract of land and the organization had a hundred year lease. In about 1961, however, the property was turned over to priests in California. When taxes were no longer paid, the city acquired the property and the Dukes reduced their land to 4-½ acres, the remainder being taken over by the Masuga Mill Works.

Original Members

  • Giovanni Capozzo
  • Luigi Selmo
  • Adolfo Caliari
  • Filiberto Carmine
  • Giuseppe Roncalato
  • Antonio Brunello
  • Giovanni Cocco
  • Giuseppe Selmo
  • Battista Tassuni
  • Pietro Nicolato
  • Luigi Pieromattei
  • Francesco Serafini
  • Antonio Leonardi
  • Leone Sacchiero
  • Domenico Tibaldo
  • Natale Vicentini
  • Pietro Tassoni
  • Valentino Cocco
  • Battista Cocco
  • Antonio Bochese
  • Marcello Zigiotto
  • Bartolo Martinelli
  • Bartolo Pettine
  • Nori Angelo
  • Eugene Cestegnaro
  • Luigi Formolo
  • Giuvanni Sgaggio
  • Domenico Rigoni
  • Francesco Vicentini
  • Leopoldo Portinari
  • Giovanni Nicolato
  • D’Angelo Panfilio
  • Angelo Camp Silvano
  • Giuseppe Brendolan
  • Candido Lucato
  • Luigi Leonardi
  • Francesco Orlandi
  • Luigi Giacchetti
  • Giuseppe Notari
  • Angelo Carnale
  • Bartolo Lora
  • Antonio Virgilli
  • Valentine Fioraso
  • Silvestro Tiziani
  • Luigi Rigoni
  • Girolamo Zamboni
  • Agostino Lunari
  • Antonio Callotto
  • Pietro Bochese
  • Eliseo Sartorelli
  • Angelo Zamboni
  • Cesare Zorzin
  • Resia Dani Silvano
  • Bottilio Ghirardini
  • Giovanni Brutomesso
  • Giuseppe Cocco
  • Pietro Fochesato
  • Massimiliano Mazzucco
  • Matteo Brendolan
  • Antonio Bauce
  • Ettore Meggiolaro
  • Antonio Rigoni
  • Giuseppe Romio
  • Alessio Bozzolo
  • Florino Mazzocco
  • Domenico Russi
  • Domenico Cararo
  • Arcangelo Stocchiero
  • Pietro Nardi
  • Giuvanni Peloso
  • Angelo Sgaggero
  • Pietro Carraro
  • Benvenuto Vicentin
  • Luigi Paseto
  • Adriano Webber
  • Pietro Bastianello
  • Giuseppe Castegnaro
  • Vicenzo Giorgi
  • Battista Mero
  • Selle Giuseppe
  • Lorenzo Vendrame
  • Augusto Vezzaro
  • Policarpo Peoropan
  • Arturo Calliari
  • Giacomo Albiero
  • Bartolo Roviaro
  • Aurello Mosele
  • Angelo Danuso
  • Angelo Virginio
  • Giuseppe Tassuni
  • Enrico Grimandi
  • Pietro Romiti
  • Reodolfo Tibaldo
  • Giovanni Brandellero
  • Silvio Bastianello
  • Liberale Carraro
  • Nazerno Tiburzi
  • Giuseppe Arduin
  • Floralanti Pellizzaro
  • Alessandro Vezaro
  • Ettor Manti
  • Nori Pietro
  • Giovanni Rontegnaro
  • Antonio Camp Silvano
  • Sgaggio Antonio
  • Paolo Campani
  • Giuseppe Lucato
  • Vittorio Sterni
  • Gioacch Virginio
  • Silvio Peloso
  • Giralamo Sgaggero
  • Luigi Marcantonio
  • Eugenio Dalla Riva
  • Angelo Tadiello
  • Isacco Marconi
  • Antonio Casagrande
  • Giovanni Campa
  • Pasquale Serafino
© Duke of Abruzzi 2021
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