Over the years tourist groups from Italy have visited this cemetery just to see this monument.

[The following text excerpt, author unknown, was found in cemetery archives from a dedication speech for the entrance to St. Anthony’s Cemetery.]

 

“In 1937 in the City of Schenectady, an association was formed by founders Joseph Bruno, Joseph De Gasperis, Joseph Balasco, Anthony Garofalo, Frank Cappiello, Salvatore Orlando, Claude Rizzicone, and Peter Torio.

With funds from their first banquet they were able to buy uniforms for a drum corp. They won many prizes and marched in parades all thru this area. For the first time we had an Italian-American band with the colors, Red, White, and Green.

War came, and we were dormant for four years. In 1946 we started again. We resumed our yearly banquets and with the funds accumulated we were able to extend a helping hand to those in need: three motherless children; flood victims in Longarone; tornado victims in Sicily; orphans in Italy.

In 1964 came the idea to erect a monument of the Italian Soldier. It was then decided to put it in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. The land was donated by Monsignor Bianco. It has been a land mark for Schenectady County. In 1966 and 1972, tourists from Italy came especially to see this monument, the only one in the United States. Each time a luncheon and reception was held. The first group that came presented this Association with a bust of the Great poet and soldier, Gabriel D’Annuzio.

In 1967 a banquet was held honoring three Supreme Court Justices of Italian descent, D. Vincent Cerrito, Arthur Aulisi, and Felix Aulisi. We presented them with a small remembrance of the “Vittorio Veneto”. In 1970 we celebrated the unity of Italy with Rome as its capital and commemorated the centennial of the nation.

Today, once again, we try to honor the Italian name, through dedicating this entrance to St. Anthony’s Cemetery. We hope that it becomes a perennial remembrance for all our benefactors and contributors.”

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Unfortunately, we have yet to discover further information on the history of this monument, but would love to learn more.

Do you have further information on the monument to the Italian soldier, or relatives listed on this impressive monument? If so, please contact us, and/or share your loved ones story with us for our “Stories of Our Dearly Departed” series.