JOHN DE ANGELO and his Sons
Written and researched by: William Carl De Angelo submitted by: Kenneth De Angelo
JOHN DE ANGELO
John De Angelo was born February 2, 1845 and died on November 19, 1917 at the age of seventy‑two. John was married to Mary Louise Depresto who was born in 1844 and died in 1897. They had seven children, Frank, Steve, Joe, George, Elizabeth, Louise and Annie. John and Mary immigrated to the United States in 1881 from Sorrento, Italy, a sea coast town about ten miles from the city of Naples. On arrival in New York, John changed his name from Giovanni DeAngelis to John De Angelo. This was an effort to Americanize his name or indicate a political association with Italian royalty. The story is that John had an agreement with a firm in the state of New York for a management position in their shipyard. On arrival in New York, a misunderstanding developed as to pay and travel remuneration. This is easy to understand, as the De Angelo family numbered over one hundred. John considered as part of his family the D'Antoni family, the Gentile family, the Russo family, and the Kilbas family. On the firm's refusal to honor their contract, John moved to Moss Point to be near his friend Gaspara Romito. Romito's relationship with Hilaire E. Delmas remains a mystery. It is believed that this is the H. E. Delmas that was married to John's daughter, Elizabeth De Angelo Segerblom Delmas. The De Angelo homes were constructed in a two block area, in Moss Point, bounded by McInnis Ave., Payne St., Oak Ave., and Railroad St. The homes they built in this area had an unusual roof design and were easily recognizable. The roof appeared to be extra tall in relation to the house as if to keep off a heavy snow load. John, his children, Steve and Elizabeth, rented houses in this area many years. On arrival in Moss Point, the De Angelo's discovered there was no Catholic Church in the city. They maintained their Catholicism by building a church at there own expense and invited a priest. The D'Antoni Family moved from New York to New Orleans, Louisiana. Carmelo D'Antoni, a pioneer in the banana business, was a member of the board of directors of Standard Fruit and Steamship Company from the time it organized in 1926. At the age of eighty-nine of the board of the company. Carmine and Carmela Russo returned to Sorrento, Italy. Their six-month-old son is buried next to Elizabeth De Angelo Segerblom Delmas. A building south of the cinema in Moss Point is believed by some to be named the Russo Building. Giovanni Baptiste Gentile settled in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The Gentile home was built on Lake Ave. with a $700.00 loan from John De Angelo. The property is now the home of Janice Gentile. The John Kilbas family lived in Moss Point where they operated a business on Main Street. John used an unusual rowboat for this area. He faced forward in a standing position when he rowed his boat. John De Angelo, who had a degree in Marine Architecture, came from a family of shipbuilders in Italy. As soon as he was settled in Moss Point he established the Italian Shipyard on the west bank of the Escatawpa River. The yard site was north of Moss Point where the James Walker Marine Shipyard is now. Arthur V. Smith wrote, "John De Angelo, a native of Italy, came to Moss Point about 1882 (1881) and probably built and repaired more barges, schooners, and tugs in his yard on the Escatawpa River than any other old time shipyard". The history book, Four-Centuries on the Pascagoula by Cyril Edward Cain states, "The yard was established in 1881 and operated until 1934. During the year 1917 several shipbuilding companies of the construction of some thirty-four vessels at a cost of over twelve million dollars made announcements. Some of these Companies were Piaggio, Dierks Blodgett, and John De Angelo. The Italian Shipyard letterhead stated they would take contracts for wooden ships, schooners, barges, and tug boats at fair and reasonable prices. The yard did not use modern blueprints, but worked with scratch boards and half-models, some of which remain to this day. A scratch board was as its name states - a drawing of ship dimensions on a piece of lumber by an awl. The workers in the yard used the boards and the paper drawings were used in the office and loft. The half-models were built to scale and also used in the loft to make wooden patterns for use by the workers in the yard. The two "main" workers or supervisors at the yard were his two sons, Frank and Steve. Steve was in charge of the loft, patterns and design. Frank was in charge of construction. One of the largest ships built by the Italian Shipyard was a three mast sailing vessel named the RACHEL. The barges built by the yard were special shallow draft wooden barges to haul pulpwood from the north part of the county to the new Southern Paper Company in Kreole, Mississippi. Language was not a problem at the shipyard, but on one occasion it may have been the cause for a hard and fast rule at the site. The De Angelo's were moving a barge from the river onto the ways-when it began to twist on the way. Cables were strung to each side of the barge to maintain a straight pull. As the barge would twist they would pull harder on one cable to make the barge straight on the way. On this day things were not going right and the barge continued to slip to the side. The story is that with a lot of Italian from John, sons Frank and Steve giving orders to the men, confusion reigned and the barge fell off the way. Henceforth, "No new work would be started on a Friday".
FRANK DE ANGELO
Frank De Angelo the son of John De Angelo, was born May 4, 1870 and died on January 23, 1969 at the age of ninety-nine. Frank was married to Angie Elizabeth Williams (a Native American) who was born May 20, 1866 and died February 14,1959 at the age of ninety-three. They had six children, John, Tony, George, Joe, Frank, and Mary. Angie also had one son, Henry Morgan by a previous marriage. Frank immigrated to the United States in 1881 with his father, John. Frank was one of those wonderful characters for which grandchildren and friends can never stop telling the humorous stories he created. A man who enjoyed life and who added a smile to all he came in contact with. Frank was intelligent, quick-witted person who was a delighted in conversation. With these thoughts, we present his story. At the turn of the century, the entrepreneurs of this area purchased bananas to be shipped from New Orleans by schooners. Frank was one of these merchants. The problem with his business was the condition of the fruit in relation to the sailing time of the schooners. Fair weather, the bananas were hard and green; slow sailing time and the bananas were over-ripe Apparently, the bananas were purchased from Carmelo D'Antoni of New Orleans, a "family" member, and Frank only paid for those he sold. Frank sold his bananas from a fruit stand on Main Street in Moss Point. His sons described the location as "where the trolley turned". A better description would be the alley, south of the cinema, and next to the Russo Building. Frank De Angelo not only purchased bananas from New Orleans but also his family's groceries. This habit grew into a grocery store being operated by his wife, Angie. The store building was located next to Frank's house in East Moss Point. The store was one of those old general merchandise stores of that era. As you stepped through the door the candy and sweets were in glass containers, tilted just right for removal of contents, and a glass display case on the left side of the entrance. The groceries were on shelves behind the counter, as were the bins for beans, rice and lard. The hardware and clothing was on the right side with seed and feed in the rear. The center of the store was the location of the "pot bellied" stove. Angie's grandchildren remember that wonderful piece of candy you were given on each visit. Frank worked as a supervisor in his father's Italian Shipyard located in Mass Point. Men who worked at the yard say he was a perfectionist who demanded excellent craftsmanship. This type of supervising for quality produced wooden ships and barges known throughout the south. It is said they were constructed so perfect that they did not need ballast after, they were launched. Following the accidental death of his father, John De Angelo, Frank and his brother Steve operated the yard many years. In World War II Frank ended his retirement to work as Yard Foreman in a barge yard in front of Moss Point City Hall. The barges constructed here were built for the United States Navy. The vessels were all wood oil' barges, pegged together, so as not to attract magnetic mines. Frank told everyone that Navy specifications did not produce a De Angelo quality barge. The Navy project produced a story that is told by every one who remembers the few things to laugh about during the war years. With Frank's broken English he instructed his grandson, Orville De Angelo, to "go get that saw". Orville knew not to tarry and quickly produced a rip saw. Orville handed the rip saw to Frank who immediately returned it, as he wanted a crosscut saw. He then stated to Orville, "that saw no good, throw him overboard". With that instruction, Orville cast the saw into the river. Frank looked once at the river and once at Orville and said, "get that saw". Without hesitation and oblivious to the winter cold, Orville jumped in the river and retrieved the saw. Frank De Angelo and E. H. Bacot were the only two men in Jackson' County known to wear Borsalino felt hats from Italy. Frank also only wore Romeo-style dress shoes with thick socks. Young men have been known to learn a few new curse words by telling him he had on bedroom slippers and the socks were going to wrinkle his feet. At Frank's home, his wife, Angie, always served each person's dinner plate from the stove. She placed the amount of food on your plate that she expected you to eat. Frank always asked, "is this all for me?". Sometimes Angie would answer and sometimes she would not. However, Frank always ate it all without comment. STEVE DE ANGELO
Stephen De Angelo, the son of John De Angelo, was born December 26, 1872 and died on October 1, 1957 at the age of eighty-five. Steve worked in his father's Italian Shipyard where he was in charge of the loft, patterns, and design. Steve was known to sit in a swing on his front porch thinking about a boat and drop to his knees and scratch the preliminary design into the porch floor with an awl. The brothers Steve, Joe, and Frank signed for incorporation of Moss Point on April 29, 1901. JOE DE ANGELO
Joe De Angelo, the son of John De Angelo, was born September 11, 1875 and died October 24, 1913 at the age of thirty-eight. Joe was the lumber buyer for his father's shipyard, the Italian Shipyard, and traveled to Belize, C.A., then known as British Honduras to purchase the best hardwoods available. It was the use of South American mahogany that produced the quality wooden ships and barges built by the De Angelos. Joe died from an unknown fever contracted in South America. GEORGE DE ANGELO
George De Angelo, the son of John De Angelo, was born February 24, 1886 and died February 18, 1952 at the age of sixty-six. George was married to Silence Elizabeth Ashcraft who was born September 29, 1892 and died June 18, 1928 at the age of thirty-six. They had six children, Louis, Earl, Harold, George, Carl R., and Mary Louise. George worked at the family shipyard until the accidental death of his father, John De Angelo. Following this, George became a licensed marine engineer on ships operating out of Mobile, Alabama. Louis followed his father in the maritime profession and also became a marine engineer. Written and researched by: William Carl De Angelo
Employee Payroll Sheet No. 1, Dec. 14, 1918 Employee Payroll Sheet No. 2, Dec. 14, 1918 Employee Payroll Sheet No. 3, Dec. 14, 1918
More photos on Jackson County from Ken De Angelo Escatawpa Sewing Club
Right to Left.
1. Amelia Nelson
2. Willie Pearl Robinson (Mrs Joe Roberson)
3. Mary Lousie (Greenough) Emerson
4. Effie Graham (Mrs. Henry Graham)
5. Winnie (Graham) Greenough (Mrs. Maxwell Greenough)
6. Maude Lynd
7. Fannie Greenough (Mrs Albert Greenough)
8. Mrs Hulbert
9. Mrs Dickson (Tommy Dickson's mother).
Boys:
Buddy Graham
Earl Greenough (Ret. Pastor 1st Met. Church, Pascagoula) Southern Paper Co. Band Moss Point FootBall 1940 | 
