St. Louis – This article appeared in the March, 1972 edition of the Hill 2000 newspaper.

Calogero Mugavero

Those of us over 30 share common memories of events and people on the Hill, when the Hill and we were younger.  Memories like stealing ice from the ice wagon, fireworks after church bazaars and the circus on Kingshighway and Bishoff.  People stand out too: Joe Ariotto with his band, Gianin della Borsa (Johnnie with his bag of goods to sell), and Mr. Mugavero. The one I remember most clearly is Mr. Mugavero with his white hair and white mustache-a devout churchgoer, a beloved father, and a generous neighbor.

Calogero Mugavero was born in Caltavoturo, Sicily, on March 22, 1876. He had one sister, who like her brother also had 12 children. None of them came to America. Calogero came in 1893 at the age of 17with a cousin Joseph Fontana. For a short time the two of them traveled Canada, Seattle, Louisiana – laying rails for a railroad company.  While in Canada they even learned a little French. By 1894, however, they were settled in St. Louis.  Calogero, along with many of his fellow immigrants, went to work in the brick yards. His pay was $1.00 a day! Anxious to improve himself he went to night school in the public library on 2100 Marconi where Miss Eagar taught him to read and write English.

In 1940 he married Annie Catanzaro and they moved into a small house on 5200 Daggett.  By this time Calogero had quit the brickyard and was engaged in selling – a job he held the rest of his life.  Moving his three-room house to 5212 Wilson (it is still there), he opened up a modified grocery store in the two front rooms while he and Annie lived in the rear. Eventually they bought the corner lot at Wilson and Marconi where he erected in 1912 the present building, since by now his family had become large.  Downstairs was a grocery store (Martin Garavaglia) and a barber shop (Mr. Grana) and upstairs were 7 rooms. This has been the family home since then.

Although Calogero held down many jobs, he was always engaged in selling and in dealing with the public. At various times he had a bakery shop on Cooper Street, a shoe store at Wilson and Marconi, and an ice cream parlor. He sold Maytag washers, life insurance for John Hancock and General American Life, and Hill top lots. His gregarious nature, affability, and honesty enabled him to do well in this type of business. “He was a salesman par excellence,” his daughter Frances said. “He could sell ice boxes to Eskimos.” As a result he got many awards and prizes for his salesmanship.  “We were the first family to have an electric phonograph because of his ability,” Frances continued proudly.

Besides his’ fondness for selling, Calogero had three other loves: his family, his music and his faith. All three often overlapped. “God first, then the honor of the family,” was a favorite motto.

The Mugavero family was the largest family on the Hill. There were twelve children, five boys and seven girls.  Calogero had always said he wanted a family like Jacob. The family was not rich in material comforts but there was always food on the table, lots of love and respect, and Christian example. Every Sunday after Mass the family gathered around the formally-set and heavily laden dining room table at which Papa Mugavero presided. There were always guests who were greeted with “Sa Benedica” (You bless us) which was answered with “Santa and Buona” (It is holy and good).

Calogero had a great love for music as did his wife Annie and they passed this love on to their children. He played the guitar – in fact, he courted his wife with one.  The family often listened to operatic records or gathered around their player piano to sing.  Calogero’s tenor could often be heard above the other voices.

In church Calogero combined his love of music and God.  He joined the St. Ambrose Church choir when Father Carotti was pastor and sang under the organist Professor Longo. When Miss Rose Oldani became organist “He sang for every funeral and many weddings as well as for the masses,” Rose said. “He was a most faithful choir member.” He would often intone the litany at 5:00 A.M. Sunday mass for the women there. It was his way of showing his love for God.  He was a daily communicant. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and St. Francis of Assisi. “God was most important to him,” Frances said, “and he taught us to feel the same way.” His favorite saying was, “A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.” His faith permeated his daily life and it is for this that most people remember him.

He died on June 1, 1952, at 76 years of age. His wife is still living in the home they built at 5204a Wilson. One daughter Marie Spinnicchi died three years ago. The other eleven children, all married with children and all in St. Louis, are: Blase, Frances Gitto, Ageline Giannino, Larry, Judy Merlo, Matt, Tony, Herman, Agnes Kerstring, Rosalie Patrick, and Claire Baehler. There are 33 grandchildren and over 40 great-grandchildren.

Men like Calogero Mugavero were the builders of the hill, physically as well as morally. To them we owe thanks. May their example guide us.

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