Family Card - Person Sheet
NameGiuseppe Joseph Rugo 
Birth26 Mar 1871, Tramonti Di Sopra, Tramonti Di Sotto, Italia
Death21 Nov 1942, Brookline, Massachusetts
OccupationStone mason, general contractor
FatherGiovanni Battista Rugo (1843-1930)
MotherGiulia Catterina Varnerin (1848-1935)
Spouses
Birth8 Aug 1870, Tramonti Di Mezzo, Tramonti Di Sotto, Italia
Death15 Oct 1914, Boston, Massachusetts
FatherGiovanni Ferdinando Bidoli (1828-1896)
MotherAnna Zannier (1843-1920)
Marriage11 Apr 1897
ChildrenGuido Lawrence (1898-1984)
Emilia (1900-1993)
Joseph F. (1901-1986)
Edith K. (1902-1988)
Leonardo / Lennon (1904-1904)
Leonard Paul (1905-1982)
Anna Rita (1907-1993)
Angelina (1912-1912)
Giovanni B. (1914-1914)
Notes for Giuseppe Joseph Rugo
RUGO GIUSEPPE nato nel 1871 a TRAMONTI DI SOPRA da GIOVANNI BATTISTA e VARNERIN GIULIA
IT/ASUD/LEVA/1871/E.001/SPL/P-383
Headstone says he was born in 1871 as does the Friuli archive; an italian family tree says 1869. Both agree on March 26th. (His son Guido said that Giuseppe was born in Venice. No indication of why he believed that and the Friuli archive says Tramonti di Sopra. A "Situazione di Famiglia di Rugo Gio Batta fg Giuseppe” in the possession of Julia Rugo Blevins does not show Giuseppe or his sister Maddalena, the two oldest children, but does show the three younger children and says that they were born in Tramonti di Sotto, so perhaps the two older children were in fact born elsewhere (or maybe in di Sopra as above?).
January 2005, Maryanne Tirinnanzi says: “ He left Italy at 16 on a ship to South America. He worked in either Bolivia or Argentina, saved a lot of money, but lost it in one of the many revolutions down there. I recall my father telling me about his grandfather Joseph Rugo killing a huge snake with a pistol when he was down there. He then took a ship to America and ended up in Boston. “
Her father, Peter Tirinnanzi had previously said that Emilia Rugo related that Giuseppe had gone to Argentina at age 17 (ca. 1888) but lost all his savings in a financial/political collapse of some sort. Peter Volante also heard a similar story from his mother, Anna.
Appears to have come through Ellis Island on May 30, 1892 at the age of 21 along with Giovanni Corrado, age 33, a painter, on the Chateaux Lafite from Bordeaux, FR. This may be his first trip to the USA, based on information given on his 1897 entry through Ellis Island, although in the 1900 Census he is shown as arriving in 1889. Citizenship Declaration dated 15 September 1896 says he first came to the US on 28 May 1891 and that he was born in Venice.
Ellis Island entry for arrival on June 20, 1897 on La Gascogne having sailed from from LeHavre on June 12th identifies him as being age 26, married, from Udine, a mason and having previously been in the US for 5 years, from 1892 to 1897. Birth of son Guido in Italy was nine months later. Marriage date was two months prior to this return trip.
The 15 June 1900 Census shows them living at 9 Franklin Court, which is off of Norfolk Avenue directly across from 321 Norfolk Ave. in Dorchester. A few months earlier, when Amelia was born, the birth record says that she was born at 8 Franklin Court. The family is listed as “Rugal” in the 1900 Census. Says that he is a naturalized citizen.
In 1904, at time of birth of Lenin, the family lived on Piotti Place which was off Franklin Court. Piotti Place no longer exists, all of the area having been acquired by Boston Edison (NStar) over the years.
Became a US citizen on March 13, 1905, living at 11 Piotti Place, gives birth date as 6 March rather than 26 March. This differs from the 1920 census which says 1904 and an apparent Ellis Island arrival which says that he is a citizen in 1897 and the 1900 census which says he is naturalized.
Later lived at 173 Magnolia St., near Uphams Corner. Deed for purchase of 173 Magnolia Street recorded on 26 May 1908 in Suffolk County Book 3283, Page 148. He is also shown as the owner in 1910 Bromley atlas.
In 1915 and 1919 he acquired about 24,000 square feet of land on Homes Avenue, Meetinghouse Hill, Dorchester for his construction business. In January 1924 he applied for a permit to build a large storage shed at the rear and in March for permits to build two three-family homes at the front, which he sold in September, leaving a thirteen foot wide strip of land to access the rear lot from the street.
1920 Census: Joseph Rugo living at 173 Magnolia St. with children, Amelia 19, Joseph Jr. 18, Edith 17, Leonard 14, and Anna 12. He is 47, came to US in 1898 and naturalized in 1904. (age and naturalization differ from other information) There is also an Italian couple with a child renting in the house.
March-April 1926 sailed from Cherbourg to New York with son Leonard and daughters Anne and Emilia, returning to 173 Magnolia Street. With them was Pietro Furlan age 50, married, naturalized in Boston in 1925, also saying he was going to Magnolia Street.
Bought 2 lots on Hinckley Road in Milton, MA June 29, 1926 (Norfolk Registry Book 1702, Page 165). It appears that eventually his two eldest sons built 2 houses at # 36 and #46 Hinckley Road. Actual date of construction is hard to determine. 1930 Atlas shows the houses without street numbers, suggesting that they were new or under construction at the time.
Rugo Construction, Inc. was apparently incorporated in 1928 with his sons as the three officers.
Became ill late in 1929 and went into a nursing home in Brookline. Was listed in the 1929 city directory at Magnolia Street, but not in the 1930 directory.
“The formal opening of Brighton High School took place Oct. 2, 1930, with a banquet that also marked the kickoff event of the four-day Allston-Brighton District celebration of Boston's Tercentenary (1630 to 1930). The massive U-shaped Modern Gothic style Brighton High School was designed by the architectural firm of O'Connell & Shaw, which had earlier designed the Brighton Municipal Courthouse on Chestnut Hill Avenue. The contractor was Rugo Construction Co. Much controversy surrounded the design of this building, possibly owing to the onslaught of the Great Depression. The building was widely characterized as elaborate, palatial and extravagant by its critics and was subjected to no less than four protracted public investigations.”
Said to have had a summer home at Point Allerton, Hull, MA. Peter Tirnnanzi says it was a two story stucco house. That is consistent with a photo of sons Joseph and Guido and their families, but unable to find a record at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds. Peter Volante says his older brother Bill drove him by the house at one time, but he doesn’t remember exactly where it was.
Attorney Arthur Santry as guardian of Joseph sold 173 Magnolia St. in June 1931. Also sold another property in Dorchester on School St. in September at which time he describes Joseph as “an insane person.”
Older sons took title to houses on Hinckley Road, Milton in 1945, Norfolk Registry of Deeds, Book 2542, Page 502. Probate Docket #310,052 Norfolk County.
IT/ASUD/LEVA/1871/E.001/SPL/P-383
Headstone says he was born in 1871 as does the Friuli archive; an italian family tree says 1869. Both agree on March 26th. (His son Guido said that Giuseppe was born in Venice. No indication of why he believed that and the Friuli archive says Tramonti di Sopra. A "Situazione di Famiglia di Rugo Gio Batta fg Giuseppe” in the possession of Julia Rugo Blevins does not show Giuseppe or his sister Maddalena, the two oldest children, but does show the three younger children and says that they were born in Tramonti di Sotto, so perhaps the two older children were in fact born elsewhere (or maybe in di Sopra as above?).
January 2005, Maryanne Tirinnanzi says: “ He left Italy at 16 on a ship to South America. He worked in either Bolivia or Argentina, saved a lot of money, but lost it in one of the many revolutions down there. I recall my father telling me about his grandfather Joseph Rugo killing a huge snake with a pistol when he was down there. He then took a ship to America and ended up in Boston. “
Her father, Peter Tirinnanzi had previously said that Emilia Rugo related that Giuseppe had gone to Argentina at age 17 (ca. 1888) but lost all his savings in a financial/political collapse of some sort. Peter Volante also heard a similar story from his mother, Anna.
Appears to have come through Ellis Island on May 30, 1892 at the age of 21 along with Giovanni Corrado, age 33, a painter, on the Chateaux Lafite from Bordeaux, FR. This may be his first trip to the USA, based on information given on his 1897 entry through Ellis Island, although in the 1900 Census he is shown as arriving in 1889. Citizenship Declaration dated 15 September 1896 says he first came to the US on 28 May 1891 and that he was born in Venice.
Ellis Island entry for arrival on June 20, 1897 on La Gascogne having sailed from from LeHavre on June 12th identifies him as being age 26, married, from Udine, a mason and having previously been in the US for 5 years, from 1892 to 1897. Birth of son Guido in Italy was nine months later. Marriage date was two months prior to this return trip.
The 15 June 1900 Census shows them living at 9 Franklin Court, which is off of Norfolk Avenue directly across from 321 Norfolk Ave. in Dorchester. A few months earlier, when Amelia was born, the birth record says that she was born at 8 Franklin Court. The family is listed as “Rugal” in the 1900 Census. Says that he is a naturalized citizen.
In 1904, at time of birth of Lenin, the family lived on Piotti Place which was off Franklin Court. Piotti Place no longer exists, all of the area having been acquired by Boston Edison (NStar) over the years.
Became a US citizen on March 13, 1905, living at 11 Piotti Place, gives birth date as 6 March rather than 26 March. This differs from the 1920 census which says 1904 and an apparent Ellis Island arrival which says that he is a citizen in 1897 and the 1900 census which says he is naturalized.
Later lived at 173 Magnolia St., near Uphams Corner. Deed for purchase of 173 Magnolia Street recorded on 26 May 1908 in Suffolk County Book 3283, Page 148. He is also shown as the owner in 1910 Bromley atlas.
In 1915 and 1919 he acquired about 24,000 square feet of land on Homes Avenue, Meetinghouse Hill, Dorchester for his construction business. In January 1924 he applied for a permit to build a large storage shed at the rear and in March for permits to build two three-family homes at the front, which he sold in September, leaving a thirteen foot wide strip of land to access the rear lot from the street.
1920 Census: Joseph Rugo living at 173 Magnolia St. with children, Amelia 19, Joseph Jr. 18, Edith 17, Leonard 14, and Anna 12. He is 47, came to US in 1898 and naturalized in 1904. (age and naturalization differ from other information) There is also an Italian couple with a child renting in the house.
March-April 1926 sailed from Cherbourg to New York with son Leonard and daughters Anne and Emilia, returning to 173 Magnolia Street. With them was Pietro Furlan age 50, married, naturalized in Boston in 1925, also saying he was going to Magnolia Street.
Bought 2 lots on Hinckley Road in Milton, MA June 29, 1926 (Norfolk Registry Book 1702, Page 165). It appears that eventually his two eldest sons built 2 houses at # 36 and #46 Hinckley Road. Actual date of construction is hard to determine. 1930 Atlas shows the houses without street numbers, suggesting that they were new or under construction at the time.
Rugo Construction, Inc. was apparently incorporated in 1928 with his sons as the three officers.
Became ill late in 1929 and went into a nursing home in Brookline. Was listed in the 1929 city directory at Magnolia Street, but not in the 1930 directory.
“The formal opening of Brighton High School took place Oct. 2, 1930, with a banquet that also marked the kickoff event of the four-day Allston-Brighton District celebration of Boston's Tercentenary (1630 to 1930). The massive U-shaped Modern Gothic style Brighton High School was designed by the architectural firm of O'Connell & Shaw, which had earlier designed the Brighton Municipal Courthouse on Chestnut Hill Avenue. The contractor was Rugo Construction Co. Much controversy surrounded the design of this building, possibly owing to the onslaught of the Great Depression. The building was widely characterized as elaborate, palatial and extravagant by its critics and was subjected to no less than four protracted public investigations.”
Said to have had a summer home at Point Allerton, Hull, MA. Peter Tirnnanzi says it was a two story stucco house. That is consistent with a photo of sons Joseph and Guido and their families, but unable to find a record at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds. Peter Volante says his older brother Bill drove him by the house at one time, but he doesn’t remember exactly where it was.
Attorney Arthur Santry as guardian of Joseph sold 173 Magnolia St. in June 1931. Also sold another property in Dorchester on School St. in September at which time he describes Joseph as “an insane person.”
Older sons took title to houses on Hinckley Road, Milton in 1945, Norfolk Registry of Deeds, Book 2542, Page 502. Probate Docket #310,052 Norfolk County.