Domenick Gatti was the third of seven children of Teresa Massara and Philip Gatti. The S.S. Republic sailed from Naples, Italy on April 2, 1908 and the ship's manifest lists "Domenico Gatti, age 17, Italian South - from Gioia del Colle, Bari, Italy arriving in the port of New York on April 16, 1908 - final destination Scranton, PA. (His father and uncle Vito Angelillo were in Scranton seeking work as stone masons.) On Oct. 31, 1913, he enlisted at Fort Slocum in New York and served in Battery E, 19th Field Artillery. (Army serial number 1,044,643.) His residence was given as New York, New York. His March 1918 petition for citizenship shows him as a private in Battery E, 19th Field Artillery at Fort Myer, Virginia. He stated he was single and had been in the United States continuously since April 1907 rather than the 1908 date on the ship's manifest. He became a citizen of the United States on Oct. 31, 1919 (certificate of naturalization no. 1123404) Documentation of Domenick's Army grades lists: Mec May 5/1917; Chief Mec July 2/1917; Pvt March 18/1918; Pvt 1cl Jan 8/1918; Mec Nov 1/1919 as well as overseas service from March 4/1918 to July 22/1919 and his honorable discharge on June 4, 1920 due to "abolishment of the regular Army reserves". He used to tell stories of his service with Pershing at Fort McIntosh near Laredo, TX. He received the Silver Star for gallantry in action during his WWI European service. Army records were destroyed in a fire, but the award may have been earned during the Battle of Belleau Wood in France in June 1918. He married Elvira "Effie" Grippo on Feb. 6, 1921 in Scranton PA. The 1930, '32, '36 and '37 Scranton city directories list Domenick's occupation as policeman. The 1940 Scranton directory shows the Gattis at 121 Masters, a home they built. Domenick, who was listed as "Danl", was a stone mason and Effie was a weaver at Samuel J. Aronsohn (Petersburg) silk mill located 0.2 of a mile from their house on Masters. Domenick and his oldest daughter, Theresa, were the first to move to Bristol in search of job opportunities. The rest of the family joined them renting at 103 Pine Street. In the 1941 Bristol, CT directory, Dominick, Effie and their daughter, Theresa are listed at 20 Fenn Street. Domenick was an inspector at Wallace Barnes Co. The Gattis stayed at the 20 Fenn Street house until 1949 when the Bristol directory shows them at the home they purchased at 446 King Street. After Effie's death, Domenick moved to Florida and married a woman named Martha.
Domenick always had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and fruit trees. He was a proud American who cherished his citizenship and proudly displayed Old Glory in his front yard.
Domenick always had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and fruit trees. He was a proud American who cherished his citizenship and proudly displayed Old Glory in his front yard.
Domenick Gatti was the third of seven children of Teresa Massara and Philip Gatti. The S.S. Republic sailed from Naples, Italy on April 2, 1908 and the ship's manifest lists "Domenico Gatti, age 17, Italian South - from Gioia del Colle, Bari, Italy arriving in the port of New York on April 16, 1908 - final destination Scranton, PA. (His father and uncle Vito Angelillo were in Scranton seeking work as stone masons.) On Oct. 31, 1913, he enlisted at Fort Slocum in New York and served in Battery E, 19th Field Artillery. (Army serial number 1,044,643.) His residence was given as New York, New York. His March 1918 petition for citizenship shows him as a private in Battery E, 19th Field Artillery at Fort Myer, Virginia. He stated he was single and had been in the United States continuously since April 1907 rather than the 1908 date on the ship's manifest. He became a citizen of the United States on Oct. 31, 1919 (certificate of naturalization no. 1123404) Documentation of Domenick's Army grades lists: Mec May 5/1917; Chief Mec July 2/1917; Pvt March 18/1918; Pvt 1cl Jan 8/1918; Mec Nov 1/1919 as well as overseas service from March 4/1918 to July 22/1919 and his honorable discharge on June 4, 1920 due to "abolishment of the regular Army reserves". He used to tell stories of his service with Pershing at Fort McIntosh near Laredo, TX. He received the Silver Star for gallantry in action during his WWI European service. Army records were destroyed in a fire, but the award may have been earned during the Battle of Belleau Wood in France in June 1918. He married Elvira "Effie" Grippo on Feb. 6, 1921 in Scranton PA. The 1930, '32, '36 and '37 Scranton city directories list Domenick's occupation as policeman. The 1940 Scranton directory shows the Gattis at 121 Masters, a home they built. Domenick, who was listed as "Danl", was a stone mason and Effie was a weaver at Samuel J. Aronsohn (Petersburg) silk mill located 0.2 of a mile from their house on Masters. Domenick and his oldest daughter, Theresa, were the first to move to Bristol in search of job opportunities. The rest of the family joined them renting at 103 Pine Street. In the 1941 Bristol, CT directory, Dominick, Effie and their daughter, Theresa are listed at 20 Fenn Street. Domenick was an inspector at Wallace Barnes Co. The Gattis stayed at the 20 Fenn Street house until 1949 when the Bristol directory shows them at the home they purchased at 446 King Street. After Effie's death, Domenick moved to Florida and married a woman named Martha.
Domenick always had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and fruit trees. He was a proud American who cherished his citizenship and proudly displayed Old Glory in his front yard.
Domenick always had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and fruit trees. He was a proud American who cherished his citizenship and proudly displayed Old Glory in his front yard.
