Early Life in Italy

Emedio Donatella was born on March 1, 1883, in the small mountain town of Ateleta, L’Aquila, Italy, to Francesco Donatelli, age 29, and Maria, age 23. He grew up in a large family, one of many siblings whose lives reflected both the joys and hardships of turn-of-the-century Italy. Several of his brothers and sisters passed away young, while others, like his sister Virginia Donatelli Vallillo, lived well into the 20th century.

Siblings:

Emedio’s family was large, though marked by both longevity and loss. His siblings included:

Virginia Donatelli (1878–1963)

Emidio Donatelli (1881–1882)

Giuseppe “Joseph” Donatelli (1883–1947)

Amedio Donatelli (1884–1884)

Americo Donatelli (1886–1887)

Americo Donatelli (1888–1889)

Americo Alesandro Donatelli (1890–1891)

Annie Donatelli (1894–1913)

Ottavio Severino Donatelli (1897–1990)

Dominic Antonio Donatelli (1899–1980)

Rosina Donatelli (1901–1908)

Donato Daniel Donatelli (1902–1961)

Domenican Tonio Donatelli (1888–1927)

Despite the many tragedies of early childhood losses, those who survived carried the Donatelli family story across generations.

When Emedio Donatella was born in 1883 in the mountain village of Ateleta, Abruzzo, life was shaped by both the beauty of the rugged Apennine landscape and the hardships of rural poverty. Families depended on farming, herding sheep and goats, and small trades to survive, often working long hours with little security. Italy itself had only recently unified (1861), and Abruzzo was one of the poorer regions, where economic struggles and limited opportunities pushed many to consider emigration. Daily life was close-knit and deeply rooted in tradition, with strong ties to family, Catholic faith, and village community, even as many young men and women began to dream of better prospects across the ocean.

Immigration

In the early 1900s, like many Italians seeking opportunity, Emedio left his homeland for Pennsylvania. He left Naples on June 30th, 1989 on the ss Ems and arrived at Ellis Island, New York on July 12, 1899. He was sixteen years old and had $60 in his pocket. He then traveled to Blairsville, Pennsylvania (about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh) where he and his wife lived for about 10 years before moving to Midland, Pennsylvania.

Marriage and Family Life

On October 4, 1904, he married Assunta “Susie” DeBiase in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Their marriage became the cornerstone of a family that would grow and thrive in America.

Together, Emedio and Susie raised 11 children over the course of 20 years:

Albina Donatella (1905–1957)

Elizabeth Donatelli (1906– )

*Dominic Daniel Donatella (1907–1977)

Mary Jane Donatella (Verzella) (1909–2002)

Oliver A. Donatella (1911–1976)

Jennie Donatella (Pantoni) (1913–1994)

Alexander Victor Donatella (1917–1987)

Irene Donatella (DiMaggio) (1919–2014)

Albert “Umbert” Donatella (1921–1993)

Victor Donatella (1923–1926)

Toddaline F. Donatella (Chiappetta) (1925–2012)

Their home in Midland, Pennsylvania, became a bustling center of life, echoing with the voices of children, grandchildren, and later, great-grandchildren.

Work and Community

Emedio worked as a shear operator in the open hearth department of Crucible Steel, one of the industries that gave western Pennsylvania its strong working-class identity. A devout man, he was a member of Presentation Catholic Church in Midland and actively involved in the St. Anthony Society, which supported faith and fellowship among Italian families in the region.

Later Years and Passing

After a life marked by dedication to work and family, Emedio passed away at home in Midland on June 13, 1958, at the age of 75. His obituary remembered him as a devoted family man, survived by four sons and four daughters, his sister Virginia, 33 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren.

He was laid to rest in Beaver Cemetery, Beaver, Pennsylvania, following funeral services at Presentation Catholic Church.

Legacy

From the mountains of Abruzzo, Italy, to the steel mills of Pennsylvania, Emedio’s life embodies the immigrant journey. His story is one of perseverance, faith, and devotion to family—a legacy carried on by the generations that followed.

*Dominic Daniel is my great-grandfather. Emedio was my 2nd great-grandfather.