Simone CofrancescoSimone Cofrancesco (known as "Uncle Sam") was born in 1867, and according to the US Census records, immigrated to the United States in 1889, apparently the first child of Ferdinando and Maria Cofrancesco to make the journey. He was processed through the Castle Garden immigration facility in New York.  Simone Cofrancesco He was living at 86 Hudson Street, New Haven, Connecticut in 1903 and 1904, and at 60 Adeline Street in 1910, according to the New Haven Directories.
The 1920 Census shows a Samuel (Simone), age 53, and his wife Teresa Izzo, age 52, living at 109 Truman Street in New Haven, with five children and his father, Frederick (apparently Ferdinando), age 83.
Subsequently three additional children were born. Simone worked as a steel hardener at the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, and according to the 1928 New Haven Directory, lived at 119 Frank Street.
He died in 1949 from prostate cancer. His wife died in 1959. They are buried in St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven, Connecticut.
His grandson, Simon Cofrancesco, named after his grandfather, recalls that Simone served in the Italian army as a carabiniere, or military policeman, and has seen a large a photograph of him in uniform on horseback. He remembers visiting his grandparents as early as the 1930’s at 128 Lambert Street in New Haven.
He also recalls that their son William started boxing at the age of 15, and fought under the name of “Willi Coe”. He had a long career and was reputed to be an excellent fighter. |
Our Family 
