5.77 Linear Feet, 5 ft. 9.25 in. (8 document cases, 5 in. each); (1 document case, 2.5 in.); (1 records carton, 15 in.); (1
flat storage box, 3 in.); (2 flat storage boxes, 1.5 in. each); (1 roll, 5 in.); (5 oversize folders, 0.75 in.)
Creator
Pietro, Thoney, 1877-1972
Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Language
English
, Italian
.
Abstract
Personal letters, business correspondence, account and time books, and Sons of Italy papers of Thoney Pietro, a member of
the Morgantown contracting company of Pietro Brothers. An addendum (2004 January) includes mostly business papers of the Pietro
Company, as well as some family papers and historical documentation of Morgantown, WV. Notable are the map and blue print
of the Pietro Castle grounds (later the Good Counsel Friary). Another addendum (2013 January) includes an accounting ledger,
financial documents, legal papers (some involving a dispute with a Franciscan monastery, circa 1950), and blueprints (1911-1917,
1941-1954). See Scope and Content Note and Historical Note for more details and additional addenda. For additional Pietro
family and business papers, see A&M 2768.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Thoney Pietro, Contractor, Papers, A&M 2836, West Virginia and Regional
History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Initial gift from DelSardo, Mary (thru Sue Ann Hyer), 1982/08/13
Thoney Pietro, born Ferdinando Pitassi in Ateleta, Italy on March 1, 1877, arrived at Ellis Island in 1896. First living in
Pittsburgh, Pietro met and married his first wife, Josephine Bell, who also immigrated from Italy with her family. Upon moving
to Morgantown, they had one daughter, Mary Virginia Pietro, born 1907. Josephine died in 1908. He married his second wife,
Blanche, who died in 1909. He and his third wife, Mary, had one child, George Henry Pietro, born 1910.
Pietro is noted for his work in construction, pavement, and excavation in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. In his
personal time, Pietro promoted Italian culture and language in the community- he was a founding member of the Junior Sons
of Italy Organization in Morgantown and a key player in the enactment of Italian language classes in schools. In 1934, he
was awarded a medal by the Italian government for what was translated to, "Diffusion of Italian Culture to Foreign," all of
which is noted throughout the collection. Throughout his life in Morgantown, Pietro built two homes– including a castle,
now belonging to the Good Counsel Friary, on Tyrone Road. Pietro died on July 21, 1972.
This collection holds the personal and business papers of Thoney Pietro, a Morgantown, WV contractor and president of the
Thoney Pietro Company. This collection highlights the social and business aspects and built landscape of Morgantown, WV and
its surrounding areas during the early to mid 20th century. The collection includes personal and business correspondence,
legal documents, time books and checkbook ledgers from the Pietro Company, business cards, blueprints, stock certificates,
photographs, documents pertaining to the Sons of Italy Organization, the WVU Libraries' Bust of Dante Alighieri, Thoney Pietro
Company Stockholders, and the implementation of teaching the Italian language in schools, among others. Other items of interest
include correspondence with Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War, to people of interest such as Jennings Randolph,
and letters to friends and family in Italy.
The addendum of 2004/01, held in boxes 7 through 11 and 13 and oversize folders, includes mostly business papers of the Pietro
Company, as well as some family papers of and historical documentations of Morgantown, WV. Notable items include the blueprints
and specifications of the Construction of his Pennsylvania Avenue residence, business correspondence, and photographs of construction
projects.
The addendum of 2013/01, held in box 12 and an oversize folder, includes an accounting ledger, which contains various financial
documents, legal papers, and blueprints. Items of interest include drawings and blueprints for the Pietro Castle.
The addendum of 2021-2022, in box 14, includes envelopes, cards, and business material.
During reprocessing in 2022, the arrangement of the collection was altered to improve housing of the materials for long term
preservation. In order to help users who have citations from prior to this reprocessing, we have below a list matching the
new boxes with the previous ("old") box content.
Box 1: Old Box 1 and Old Box 5 (except folder 3 containing the State v. Pietro and other correspondence which is in Box 3
now).
Box 2: Old Box 2 (except the unfoldered hardback ledger, now in Box 5).
Box 3: Old Box 3, and Old box 5, folder 3.
Box 4: Old Box 4.
Box 5: Ledger from Old Box 2.
Box 6: Old Box 6.
Box 7: Old Box 1 ADD 2004 (except for the plans for Penn. Ave. House, now in oversized folders).
Box 8: Old Box 2 ADD 2004.
Box 9: Old Box 3 ADD 2004.
Box 10: Old Box 4 ADD 2004.
Box 11: Old Box 5 ADD 2004.
Box 12: Old Box 1 ADD 2013 (except one map moved to oversize folder), and content from unnumbered OS box (added as Folder
2).
Box 13: Castle Blueprints (ADD 2004)
Box 14: new addendum from 2021-2022
Oversize folders: Old Oversized Box with no number [from original accession], plus additions of oversized material from previous
boxes.
The following books were forwarded to Harold Forbes for processing: Wheeling telephone directory (1934), Charleston telephone
directory (1934-1935), Morgantown telephone directory (1955), West Virginia tourism report (1937), and "Italian-American Who's
Who" (1935).
This series includes business correspondence sent to and from the Thoney Pietro Company; personal and professional correspondence
sent to politicians, such as Senator Jennings Randolph, President Coolidge's secretary, and Rush D. Holt, friends, local family
as well as family in Italy, his Sons of Italy chapter; and more.
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Personal and Business Correspondence
1925 September 17-1928 August 3
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Business Correspondence
1922 April 7-1926 December 28
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
Business Correspondence
1925 August 6-1927 October 28
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
Business and Legal Correspondence
1923 August 9-1927 January 17
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Business Correspondence
1907 January 2-1926 August 20
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Business Correspondence
1925 April 17-1926 October 4
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Cottage Construction Correspondence
1923 April 3-1924 September 13
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Italian Correspondence
1938 September 8-1939 October 8
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Business and Personal Correspondence
1928 October 8-1933 December 8
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Business Correspondence
1927 August 30-1933 July 5
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Business Correspondence
1916 May 23-1928 January 18
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Business Correspondence
1932 August 24-1933 November 2
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Business and Personal Correspondence
1940 March 12-1957 January 2
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
Government Correspondence and Miscellaneous Ephemera
This series includes miscellaneous clippings and photos, handwritten Italian documents, Pitassi family history papers, Morgantown
history information, as well as personal legal material. Also included is a folder labeled, "Lifesaver Thoney," which contains
accounts and letters of gratitude from several people Pietro rescued from drowning.
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
Miscellaneous Clippings and Photographs
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 1
Handwritten Papers in Italian
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 4
Pitassi Family History
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 6
"Lifesaver Thoney"
1946 June 17-1947 February 13
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 7
"Pietro versus Sons of Italy"
1936 May 6-1936 October 30
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 7
Morgantown Historical Information [1 of 2]
1908 August 24-1937 August 13
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 8
Morgantown Historical Information -- "Morgantown's Suburbs" [2 of 2]
This series includes miscellaneous ephemera such as business cards, campaign cards, employee time books, blueprints and drawings,
and the documents for the Pietro vs. Springdale lawsuit, in which Pietro claimed the borough of Springdale owed him $31,258.04
for construction work done.
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
Business Cards
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
Construction Business Cards [1 of 2]
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
Construction Business Cards [2 of 2]
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
Transportation Ephemera
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
Campaign and Business Cards
1905 April 6-1920 November 2
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
Business Cards
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 2
Time Book
1910 September 15-1911 August 27
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 3
Standard Weekly Time Book
1922 July 7-1923 August 10
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 4
"Money Paid Out" Hardback Ledger
1912 December 14-1914 October 29
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 5
Monthly Time Book
1924 January 1-1926 July
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 6
Monthly Time Book
1922 June 1-1922 November 15
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 1
"Pietro versus Borough of Springdale"
1916
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 2
"Pietro versus Borough of Springdale"
1916
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: Unknown
Accounts Ledger for "Work Done"
1901-1910
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 10 Folder: 1
Miscellaneous Blueprints and Drawings
undated
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 10 Folder: 2
Miscellaneous Blueprints, Drawings, and Photographs
This series includes the papers, photographs, and glass plate negatives from Morgantown, WV and Williamson, WV construction
projects, stockholders ledgers, and various business correspondence. Items of interest include a capital stock certificate
book and blueprints of the Pietro Castle.
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 1
Williamson, WV Project [1 of 6]
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 2
Williamson, WV Project [2 of 6]
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 3
Williamson, WV Project [3 of 6]
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 4
Williamson, WV Project [4 of 6]
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 5
Williamson, WV Project [5 of 6]
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 6
Williamson, WV Project [6 of 6]
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 9
Thoney Pietro Company Stock Certificates
1913 September 5-1964 March 16
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 10
Morgantown Jobs [1 of 4]
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 11
Morgantown Jobs [2 of 4]
1901 November 4-1909 November 20
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 12
Morgantown Jobs [3 of 4]
1903 September 15-1940 July 10
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 13
Morgantown Jobs [4 of 4]
1906 June 29-1911 March 20
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 14
Construction Project Photographs
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 15
Construction Project Negatives
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 16
Business Papers
1906 April 12-1982 December
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 17
Pennsylvania Avenue Residence
1924 May 17
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 18
Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Specifications
1924 January 16
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 19
Pietro Stockholders Ledger
1919 June 24-1924 February 2
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 20
Thoney Pietro Company Stationery
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 7 Folder: 21
Thoney Pietro Company Stationery
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 1
Thoney Pietro Company Correspondence
1904 July 8-1932 February 29
Mixed Materials Box: 9 Folder: 1-18
Glass Plate Negatives -- Construction Jobs
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: Unknown
Capital Stock Certificate Book
1919 June 30
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: Unknown
Ledger -- "Paid to" Pietro Paving and Construction Company
This series includes biographical information of Thoney Pietro, newspaper clippings, photographs, papers relating to the bust
of Dante Aligheri donated by Pietro to the West Virginia University library, and material related to the Pietro Castle.
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 2
Biographical Information
1904 June-1960 March
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 3
Newspaper Clippings
1932 September 26-1980 March 17
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 4
Bust of Dante Donation
1948 April 14-1948 April 15
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 5
Photographs
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 6
Unauthored Biography and Italian Diplomat Remembrance Booklet
1938 June 7 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 7
Pietro Castle Clippings
1949 October 15-1979 July 5
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 8
Pietro Castle Clippings
1961 September 16-1980 March 16
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 9
Pietro Castle Photographs
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 10
Pietro Castle Photographs
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 8 Folder: 11
Pietro Castle Documents
1926 May 21-1937 August 23
Mixed Materials Box: 10 Folder: 1
Italian Awards
1946 October 12 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 11 Folder: 1-3
Photographs of Pietro family and Castle (and Ateleta, Italy Construction Job)