When people think of Italian mafia families, they imagine places like Chicago or New York. One state that definitely does not come to mind is West Virginia. But the residents of Clarksburg, WV who are wise to local history, know that their city — and nearby Fairmont — were once mafia towns. In fact, one prominent American Prohibition-era organization grew to such heights in the early 1900s that many of the most famous Italian mobsters of the age were afraid of them.
Today, Clarksburg is a fairly unassuming town. Established in 1785, this city has seen its share of violence, mostly during the Civil War. However, the early part of the 20th century saw a different kind of violence in the area.
Flickr/Jon Dawson
During the Prohibition era, Famiglia Vagabonda (“the wandering family” in English) was an organized crime syndicate operating in Clarksburg and nearby Fairmont.
Pexels Led by “Big Joe” Cenetti, Its members were comprised of Mafiosi, Camorristi, and Black Handers. The Fairmont division of the crime ring was under the leadership of James Urso. Originally formed to protect Italian who were new to country, the group evolved into a protection racket that extorted the Italian and other communities for profit.
Although they were known by local detectives as Famiglia Vagabonda, the media called them the Black Hand, which refers to a network of extortion rackets practiced by a number of other Italian and Italian-Americans in the U.S.
Pexels Technically, the Black Hand was a method of extortion, not a criminal organization. Most often, individuals would send threatening letters to victims, warning of bodily harm, or even murder. A specified amount of money needed to be delivered at a “certain time and place” to ensure the victim’s safety. Letters were then decorated and signed with a variety of symbols, including daggers, pistols, and - of course - a black hand insignia.
However, these Black Hand letters eventually became a mafia calling card of sorts, and came to symbolize all mob-related crime in Little Italy. For many, the receipt of a letter was synonymous with death.
But the Black Hand practiced far more than extortion. They were also involved in gambling, drug trafficking, bootlegging, prostitution, kidnapping, and racketeering.
Pixabay This crime family in West Virginia gained national attention, which ultimately led to the ring’s downfall.
In 1923 and 1924, after 15 years of crime and mayhem, several members of the family were arrested or executed for the murder of Frank Naples.
Flickr/maxfisher During January and February of 1924, Phillip Connizzaro, Nicholas Salamante, Richard Ferri, and Samual Muratore were all executed for the crime. That year is regarded as the last time the syndicate was considered active, although remnants of the organization still remain to this day.
It just goes to show that organized crime can occur anywhere if there are enough people in an area who are willing to earn a living outside the confines of the law.
Flickr/Jon Dawson
Pexels
Led by “Big Joe” Cenetti, Its members were comprised of Mafiosi, Camorristi, and Black Handers. The Fairmont division of the crime ring was under the leadership of James Urso. Originally formed to protect Italian who were new to country, the group evolved into a protection racket that extorted the Italian and other communities for profit.
Technically, the Black Hand was a method of extortion, not a criminal organization. Most often, individuals would send threatening letters to victims, warning of bodily harm, or even murder. A specified amount of money needed to be delivered at a “certain time and place” to ensure the victim’s safety. Letters were then decorated and signed with a variety of symbols, including daggers, pistols, and - of course - a black hand insignia.
However, these Black Hand letters eventually became a mafia calling card of sorts, and came to symbolize all mob-related crime in Little Italy. For many, the receipt of a letter was synonymous with death.
Pixabay
This crime family in West Virginia gained national attention, which ultimately led to the ring’s downfall.
Flickr/maxfisher
During January and February of 1924, Phillip Connizzaro, Nicholas Salamante, Richard Ferri, and Samual Muratore were all executed for the crime. That year is regarded as the last time the syndicate was considered active, although remnants of the organization still remain to this day.
Did you know that the mafia had ties in West Virginia? What else can you add about WV’s mob-related history? Feel free to comment below and join the discussion.
To learn more about West Virginia and see history truly come alive, visit the town in West Virginia that was turned into a state park.
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Address: Clarksburg, WV, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Mafia in West Virginia & Related Info January 03, 2023 Jennifer Are there any museums in West Virginia? West Virginia is chock full of both colonial and modern history. Fortunately, dozens of museums around the state capture these centuries of stories, beauty, and art of WV in unique and modern ways. Many of West Virginia’s most unique museums are located in historic homes and feature specialty collections, while others document the history of the unique small towns in which they are located. Some of the best and most popular museums in West Virginia are:
Avampato Discovery Museum, Charleston Beverly Heritage Center, Beverly Bituminous Coal Heritage Foundation Museum, Madison
Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History, Parkersburg
Greenbrier Historical Society, Lewisburg
Heritage Farm Museum and Village, Huntington Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington Hinton Railroad Museum, Hinton Mountaineer Military Museum, Weston Museum Of American Glass, Weston Watts Museum, Morgantown West Virginia Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, Mt. Clare West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, Matewan West Virginia Railroad Museum, Elkins West Virginia State Farm Museum, Point Pleasant West Virginia State Museum, Charleston Youth Museum of Southern WV, Beckley
What are some of the weirdest museums in West Virginia? In addition to its many phenomenal art and history museums, West Virginia is also home to a number of unique small-town and local specialty museums. Some of the weirdest museums in West Virginia are:
Archive of the Afterlife: National Museum of the Paranormal, Cameron Flatwoods Monster Museum, Sutton John Brown Wax Museum, Harpers Ferry Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum, Wheeling Mothman Museum, Point Pleasant Museum of Radio and Technology, Huntington West Virginia Bigfoot Museum, Sutton
The OIYS Visitor Center
Mafia in West Virginia & Related Info
January 03, 2023
Jennifer
Are there any museums in West Virginia? West Virginia is chock full of both colonial and modern history. Fortunately, dozens of museums around the state capture these centuries of stories, beauty, and art of WV in unique and modern ways. Many of West Virginia’s most unique museums are located in historic homes and feature specialty collections, while others document the history of the unique small towns in which they are located. Some of the best and most popular museums in West Virginia are:
Avampato Discovery Museum, Charleston Beverly Heritage Center, Beverly Bituminous Coal Heritage Foundation Museum, Madison
Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History, Parkersburg
Greenbrier Historical Society, Lewisburg
Heritage Farm Museum and Village, Huntington Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington Hinton Railroad Museum, Hinton Mountaineer Military Museum, Weston Museum Of American Glass, Weston Watts Museum, Morgantown West Virginia Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, Mt. Clare West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, Matewan West Virginia Railroad Museum, Elkins West Virginia State Farm Museum, Point Pleasant West Virginia State Museum, Charleston Youth Museum of Southern WV, Beckley
What are some of the weirdest museums in West Virginia? In addition to its many phenomenal art and history museums, West Virginia is also home to a number of unique small-town and local specialty museums. Some of the weirdest museums in West Virginia are:
Archive of the Afterlife: National Museum of the Paranormal, Cameron Flatwoods Monster Museum, Sutton John Brown Wax Museum, Harpers Ferry Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum, Wheeling Mothman Museum, Point Pleasant Museum of Radio and Technology, Huntington West Virginia Bigfoot Museum, Sutton
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
West Virginia is chock full of both colonial and modern history. Fortunately, dozens of museums around the state capture these centuries of stories, beauty, and art of WV in unique and modern ways. Many of West Virginia’s most unique museums are located in historic homes and feature specialty collections, while others document the history of the unique small towns in which they are located. Some of the best and most popular museums in West Virginia are:
- Avampato Discovery Museum, Charleston
- Beverly Heritage Center, Beverly
- Bituminous Coal Heritage Foundation Museum, Madison
Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History, Parkersburg
Greenbrier Historical Society, Lewisburg
- Heritage Farm Museum and Village, Huntington
- Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington
- Hinton Railroad Museum, Hinton
- Mountaineer Military Museum, Weston
- Museum Of American Glass, Weston
- Watts Museum, Morgantown
- West Virginia Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, Mt. Clare
- West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, Matewan
- West Virginia Railroad Museum, Elkins
- West Virginia State Farm Museum, Point Pleasant
- West Virginia State Museum, Charleston
- Youth Museum of Southern WV, Beckley
What are some of the weirdest museums in West Virginia?
- Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History, Parkersburg
Greenbrier Historical Society, Lewisburg
Greenbrier Historical Society, Lewisburg
- Greenbrier Historical Society, Lewisburg
In addition to its many phenomenal art and history museums, West Virginia is also home to a number of unique small-town and local specialty museums. Some of the weirdest museums in West Virginia are:
- Archive of the Afterlife: National Museum of the Paranormal, Cameron
- Flatwoods Monster Museum, Sutton
- John Brown Wax Museum, Harpers Ferry
- Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum, Wheeling
- Mothman Museum, Point Pleasant
- Museum of Radio and Technology, Huntington
- West Virginia Bigfoot Museum, Sutton
