THE RECORD

JANUARY 29, 1944

Invading Corporal Renews Ties Between

Our First Ward And Little Italian Town

George Sellarole At Guardia di San Framenti

MOTHER'S HOME

Finds Many Familiar Names in Old Town ,

He tells Parents

BY PAUL CROMELIN JR.

Among the hundred or more Hackensack families of Italian antecedents whose ancestors lived in the same little village of Guardia di San Framonti, Province of Benevento, there will seem nothing strange in the twist of fate which has carried
Corporal George Sellarole Jr. back along a pathway traced 25 years ago by his father and to the native town from which his grandfather pioneered a way to Hackensack 60 years ago. They will understand the tug of the heartstrings which through generations binds their people to home no matter how long they may be away or how loyal to their new lands.

TOWN NOTED HERE

The first Sellarole in Hackensack was also one of the first three Italian families to settle in the First Ward in Hackensack . That was 60 years ago. Many from the same little town and Province have come here since. All have relatives or friends still in Italy and a common tie of interest which has established a close friendship among their families here.

George Sellarole Sr. was born and has lived his entire lifetime in the First Ward, where he has become successful as a contractor and a leader among his people. He has served a number of years as a member of the Hackensack Board of Education and chairman of its Building and Grounds Committee. He also is prominent as a member of Captain Harry B. Doremus Post 55, American Legion and has at various times held several of its chair offices, served as a member of its Executive Committee and is presently a member of the newly organized American Legion Committee for Rehabilitation and Re-employment of those being released from service in the present war.

While serving in the Army 25 years ago he had opportunity to visit in Italy in the birthplace of his father and met there
Adeline Di Crosta. On January 25 Mr. and Mrs. Sellarole celebrated their twenty – fourth wedding anniversary in their home at 233 Jackson Avenue by reading together a letter from their son George Jr. telling how he had visited Guardia di San Framonti and had found relatives and friends and relatives of many other Hackensack families well and happy to greet him and hear news of their loved ones.

“ It is a singular coincidence”, Sellarole said today, “ that when George and his brother, Second Class Gunner's Mate
Robert Sellarole, were last home together 18 months ago, they pledged that they would meet again next time in
Guardia di San Framonti. George has reached there. His younger brother is in the area serving on a destroyer with the United States fleet, and still hopes to be able to make it.”

CALLED IN JEEP

Corporal Sellarole was graduated from Hackensack High School and in 1938 was runner-up in the Bergen Evening Record Diamond Gloves boxing championships. He enlisted in the Army 3 years ago and for 15 months has been with the expeditionary forces as an anti-aircraft gunner. Both he and Robert have had several commendations for marksmanship. From his present station, the Corporal indicated, he will be able to visit frequently among relatives in the Province.

His trip to the little town with the big name was made by Army jeep with a friend who went for the ride. They found few inquiries needed to direct them to the home of Martini DiCrosta, brother of Mrs. Sellarole and uncle of the Corporal, a municipal employee of the town, where George was instantly recognized from photographs and given a royal welcome with wine and refreshment as a hero bearing glad tidings of distant relatives and friends. He confessed in his letter home that tears were shed on both sides in the joy of the union.

TOURS THE TOWN

A triumphal tour of the town followed with Uncle Martini as guide and master-of-ceremonies proudly introducing his American nephew to more distant relatives and friends and several hours spent in answering questions from both sides as to the health and welfare of mutual acquaintances both in Hackensack and Italy . Included among names mentioned as having been among those he met were members of the Foschini, Mancini, Toriello, Sanzari, Gambutt , Del Vecchio, Di Blasio, Benevento , and Giematis families which are all very familiar sounding to Hackensack . Many of these families followed the first Sellarole to this City from their native Province of Benevento to establish their homes and citizenship as Americans.

Corporal Sellarole wrote also of having visited the fountain where his father and mother first met on the visit of the former to Italy in uniform: and other spots recalling romantic incidents in their courtship days as well as of the later visit 11 years ago to the town by his father. “Mom sure was cute”, he said referring to a picture his uncle showed him of his parents before their marriage. With true Latin gallantry he added: “She still is”. He spoke also of other photos showing members of the family which his uncle possessed and of having in his turn left him additional later pictures which showed a family growing up almost beyond their comprehension.

A MAYBE SUGGESTED

A gift of small items which he could easily procure but which for the most part had been in the realm of unknown luxury for his uncle since war began was left by the Corporal before his reluctant departure together with a small gift of cash. Time would not allow him to accept the invitation pressed to remain overnight, he said but he promised and hopes soon to visit them again. He said - he still remembers the promise to meet Bob there and hopes the fates will be kind in permitting them to carry out that ambition.

One of the things which has made Mr. and Mrs. Sellarole happiest is the knowledge first that their son is all right and secondly that he has been able to visit his relatives and found them all in good health and spirits and not affected too seriously by the ravages of the war which mercifully has seemed so far to bypass their little village which has such close ties in Hackensack.

In the limited space of a letter Corporal Sellarole endeavored to convey through his parents to all of the several thousand Italian-Americans in Hackensack harking back in antecedents to Guardia di San Framonti and the Province of Benevento that all is well there and with their people.

So far he has not added post script which would make the story perhaps complete saying that he too had lost his heart to a maid at the village fountain and on his discharge will come home with a San Framanti bride, “cute like his mother.” Since he is going back, perhaps that too may come.