Photo Gallery

Weddings & Couples

Caterina Cavallone & Frank Merenda wedding, 22 May 1927, with ring bearer Giovanni Cavallone and flower girl Maria Rispoli — Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955) & Frank Merenda (1894–1983) — wedding, 22 May 1927. Giovanni Cavallone (1921–1996), ring bearer, at right of Caterina; Maria Rispoli (1920–2012), flower girl, at left of Caterina.

Catherine Merenda & Frank DiFoggio, with Frances Matroci seated 2nd from right -- 1952 wedding — Catherine Merenda (1928–1978) & Frank DiFoggio (1932–2014) with Frances Matroci (1922–1996) seated 2nd from right — 1952 wedding

Frank DiFoggio & Catherine Merenda -- 1952 wedding portrait — Frank DiFoggio (1932–2014) & Catherine Merenda (1928–1978) — 1952 wedding portrait

Vincenzo Cavallone & Valeria "Violet" Trumblay — wedding, about 1945 — Vincenzo Cavallone (1913–1990) & Valeria "Violet" Trumblay (1915–1950) — wedding, about 1945

Vincenzo Cavallone & Phyllis Cusimano wedding, 22 Nov 1936, with flower girls Rose Cavallone and Catherine Merenda — Vincenzo Cavallone (1913–1990) & Phyllis Cusimano (1916–1996) — wedding, 22 Nov 1936. Flower girls: at right, Rose Cavallone (1930–2018), daughter of Joseph Cavallone (1911–1982); at left, Catherine Merenda (1929–1978), daughter of Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955).

Laverne McKibbin & John Libretti -- wedding, about 1944 — Laverne McKibbin (1928–1995) and John Libretti (1926–1993) — wedding, about 1944

Giovanni "John" Cavallone & Frances Matroci, 11 Feb 1941 — Giovanni "John" Cavallone (1921–1996) & Frances Matroci (1922–1996), picture dated 11 Feb 1941

Rose & Jack Rogers -- wedding reception, with the bridal party

Rose & Jack Rogers -- wedding reception, with family

Daniel Libretti & Antoinette Petrizzo -- wedding portrait, 6 June 1948 — Daniel Libretti (1919–1986) and Antoinette Petrizzo (1922–2014) — 6 June 1948, courtesy of the Antoinette Libretti collection

Family Portraits

Vincenzo Rispoli & Josephine Cavallone with their children, at Caterina Cavallone & Frank Merenda's wedding, 22 May 1927 — Vincenzo Rispoli (1888–1946) & Josephine Cavallone (1901–1940) with children (from left) Maria Rispoli (1920–2012), Frank Rispoli (1925–2007), Sabatino Rispoli (1926–1963), Antonio Rispoli (1922–1980). Taken at Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955) & Frank Merenda's (1894–1983) wedding, 22 May 1927.

Caterina Cavallone, Catherine Merenda & Frank Merenda — Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955), Catherine Merenda (1928–1978) on lap, & Frank Merenda (1894–1983), taken about 1930

Rose Rispoli, Josephine Cavallone Rispoli & Emilia Rispoli, 1935 — Rose Rispoli (1931–1942), Josephine Cavallone Rispoli (1901–1940) & Emilia Rispoli (1933–1994), 1935

Vincenzo Rispoli and Josephine Cavallone, 1937 — Vincenzo Rispoli (1888–1946) and Josephine Cavallone (1901–1940), taken 1937, courtesy of the Maria Rispoli (Marie Jordan) collection

Joseph Cavallone & Maria Biancamano children: Guy, Frank, Rose and Antonia, about 1941 — Joseph Cavallone (1911–1982) & Maria Biancamano (1910–1994), children: Gaetano "Guy" (1938–2022), Frank (1932–1997), Rose (1930–2018) and Antonia (1935–2007), taken about 1941, from the Rose Rogers Mateicka collection

Maria Biancamano, Antonia, Rose, Frank and Joseph Cavallone, at Vincenzo Cavallone & Phyllis Cusimano 1936 wedding — Maria Biancamano (1910–1994), Antonia (1935–2007), Rose (1930–2018), Frank (1932–1997) and Joseph Cavallone (1911–1982), at Vincenzo Cavallone & Phyllis Cusimano's 1936 wedding

Rose Santora & Sarah Santora, 1925 — Rose Santora (1906–1976) and Sarah Santora (1908–2007), taken 1925, from the Justine Casey collection

Filomena Giordano, 1867–1948, with family

Antonia "Dora" Cavallone, portrait — Antonia "Dora" Cavallone (1909–1955), taken about 1930

Cavallone and Rispoli family gathered in the kitchen, 1946 — Francesco Cavallone (1875–1953) and Rosa Libretti (1879–1956) against the wall; next to Rosa is Frank Cavallone (1932–1997), his arm around Frank Cavallone (1936–2008), then Antonia Cavallone (1935–2007), Anna d'Agostino (1920–2001) holding Billy Rispoli, Gaetano Cavallone (1938–2022), Robert Rispoli, and Jimmy Rispoli (1940–2022) in coats — taken 1946, courtesy of the Rosemary di Miele collection.

Family gathering with the Cavallone and Rispoli families, about 1945 — (From back left) Dorothy Davidson (1926–2004) held by Frank Rispoli (1925–2007), Anna d'Agostino (1920–2001), Antonia "Dora" Cavallone (1909–1955), Robert Rispoli, Jimmy Rispoli (1940–2022), Anthony Rispoli (1922–1980). (Far right, moving back to left) Francesco Cavallone (1875–1953), Rosa Libretti (1879–1956), Carlo Dal Cerro (1900–1996) standing, Vincenzo Cavallone (1913–1990) with arm around Valeria "Violet" Trumblay (1915–1950) — taken about 1945.

Celebrations & Anniversaries

Cavallone-Libretti 50th Wedding Anniversary -- family group, front, seated, and standing rows — Cavallone–Libretti — 50th Wedding Anniversary Francesco Cavallone & Rosa Libretti, three generations of family gathered to celebrate
**Front row:** Jack Rogers (1927–2006), Rosa Cavallone (1930–2018), Jimmy Rispoli (1940–2022), Billy Rispoli, and Bobby Rispoli (sons of Antonio & Anne Rispoli), Frank "Chick" Cavallone (1942–2013), and Frank "Little Bit" Cavallone (1936–2008).

**Second row, seated:** Vincenzo Cavallone (1913–1990); Antonia Cavallone (1909–1955), holding Rosemary Cavallone; Francesco Cavallone (1875–1953) & Rosa Libretti (1879–1956), celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary; Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955); Michele Cavallone (1917–1980), holding Charmaine (1939–2017).

**Third row, standing:** Anna d'Agostino (1920–2001) and Violet Trumblay (1915–1950), with Antonio Rispoli (1922–1980) between them; Carlo Dal Cerro (1900–1996); Joseph Cavallone (1911–1982); Maria Biancamano (1910–1994) and Frances Matroci (1922–1996), with Ginny Harrington (1931–2000) & Sabatino Rispoli (1926–1963) between them; Francesco Merenda (1894–1983); Giovanni Cavallone (1921–1996); John Corcoran (1919–1980); Catherine Merenda (1928–1978); Rita Hede (1919–1990).

Francesco Cavallone and Rosa Libretti 50th Wedding Anniversary -- family seated and standing — Francesco Cavallone & Rosa Libretti — 50th Wedding Anniversary. (Seated, from left) Vincenzo Cavallone (1913–1990), Antonia "Dora" Cavallone (1909–1955), Francesco Cavallone (1875–1953), Rosa Libretti (1879–1956), Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955), Michele Cavallone (1917–1980). (From back) Frances Matroci (1922–1996) holding Rosemary; (seated in shadows) Maria Biancamano (1910–1994). (Standing) Joseph Cavallone (1911–1982), Francesco Merenda (1894–1983), Giovanni "John" Cavallone (1921–1996).

The wider family, same golden wedding anniversary celebration

Maria De Lisa & Giovanni Libretti -- 50th Wedding anniversary, 1958 — Maria De Lisa (1890–1977) & Giovanni Libretti (1887–1961) — 50th Wedding anniversary, 1958

Daniel Libretti, Antoinette Petrizzo, Laverne McKibbin, John Libretti, Giovanni Libretti and Maria De Lisa -- Empire Room, Palmer House, Chicago, 1952 — Daniel Libretti (1919–1986), Antoinette Petrizzo (1922–2014), Laverne McKibbin (1928–1995), John Libretti (1926–1993), Giovanni Libretti (1887–1961) and Maria De Lisa (1890–1977) — Empire Room, Palmer House, Chicago, 1952, courtesy of the Antoinette Libretti collection

Giovanni & Maria Libretti family, 1949 — (Standing, from left) John Libretti (1926–1993), Michael Libretti (1917–1980), Daniel Libretti (1919–1986), Anthony Libretti (1924–2001). (Seated, from left) Linda Libretti (1948–2008), Laverne McKibbin (1928–1995), John Libretti (1945–1994), Antoinette Petrizzo (1922–2014), Giovanni Libretti (1887–1961), Maria De Lisa (1890–1977), Patricia Clarke — taken in 1949, courtesy of the Antoinette Libretti collection

Family gathering, Francesco Cavallone with bottle of wine and others, about 1947 — (from left) Francesco Cavallone (1875–1953) with bottle of wine, unknown woman, Frank Cavallone (1932–1997), Frank "Chick" Cavallone (1942–2013), Giovanni "John" Cavallone (1921–1996), Carlo Dal Cerro (1900–1996), Frank Merenda (1894–1983) drinking wine, (behind Giovanni) Frances Matroci (1922–1996), Rita Hede (1919–1990), Antonia "Dora" Cavallone (1909–1955) with hands up, taken about 1947, from the Rosemary di Miele collection

Faith & Milestones

Rose Rispoli (1931–1942) — First Communion, 1937

Rose Cavallone and Catherine Merenda, flower girls at Vincenzo Cavallone's wedding, 22 Nov 1936 — Flower girls at Vincenzo Cavallone's wedding, 22 Nov 1936: at right, Rose Cavallone (1930–2018), daughter of Joseph Cavallone (1911–1982); at left, Catherine Merenda (1929–1978), daughter of Caterina Cavallone (1906–1955).

Military Service

Giovanni "John" Cavallone -- Germany, 1945 — Giovanni "John" Cavallone (1921–1996) — Germany, 1945

Joseph Rispoli, serving in Korea, 1951 — Joseph Rispoli (1929–2023) — serving in Korea, 1951

Frank Rispoli -- U.S. Army Military Police, WWII, 1943 — Frank Rispoli (1925–2007) — U.S. Army Military Police, WWII, 1943

Vincenzo "James" Cavallone -- U.S. Navy, WWII — Vincenzo "James" Cavallone (1913–1990) — U.S. Navy, WWII

Keepsakes & Heirlooms

A mourning brooch holding a portrait of Michele Libretti, father-in-law of Francesco Cavallone and one of the earliest Sassanesi to reach Federal Street — see the founding story on the Home page.

Michele Libretti, 1857–1920 — mourning brooch

Everyday Life

Many of the candid shots in this section were taken by the Rispoli boys — Antonio (1922–1980), Frank (1925–2007), Sabatino (1926–1963), Jerry (1928–2022), and Joseph (1929–2023) — who took up photography as a shared hobby. Sabatino brought some professional grounding to it: he served in World War II with the 3264th Signal Photo Service Company, working with the Army Pictorial Division to photograph events for War Department publication and files, including the Nuremberg trials, before returning home to Federal Street in November 1946.