James Pietro (1873-1956) Papers A&M 2768

James Pietro (1873-1956) Papers A&M 2768


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West Virginia and Regional History Center

1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu

Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History Center

Repository
West Virginia and Regional History Center
Identification
A&M 2768
Title
James Pietro (1873-1956) Papers 1849-2000 1909-1954
URL:
https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/208094
Quantity
5.75 Linear Feet, 5 ft. 8 1/2 in. (4 records cartons, 15 in. each); (1 document case, 5 in.); (1 document case, 2 1/2 in.); (2 oversize folders, 1 in. total)
Creator
Pietro, James, 1873-1956
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 and Italian
Abstract
Business papers of James Pietro, a Morgantown contractor and photographs and correspondence of the Pietro family. Also includes some material pertaining to Brian Pietro, his great-grandson. For additional Pietro family and business papers, see A&M 2836.

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use

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], James Pietro (1873-1956) Papers, A&M 2768, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift from Lawrence J. Pietro, Jr. and Gloria S. Cunningham, 1981


Biographical / Historical

James Pietro:

James Pietro (1873-1956), born Luigi Pitassi in Ateleta, Italy, immigrated to the United States in 1886. He first resided in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he married his wife Maria and had two children, Lawrence Pietro and Rose Pietro Salucci. In January of 1907, he moved his family to Morgantown, West Virginia, where he purchased land for a home, and established a contracting company with his siblings, headed by his brother, Thoney. Pietro fathered six more children with his wife in Morgantown, with three dying in infancy, including a daughter, Anna. His son, William died in 1915 at age 11. Two other children, Frank Pietro and Helen Pietro Broglie, are noted throughout the collection.

In 1912, Pietro became the foreman of Monongalia county. He left this position to work at the Pietro Construction Company established by his son, Lawrence. He was in the business of general contracting, basements, remodeling, underpiping, excavating and cement work, sewer construction and grading. He died at age 83 on October 5, 1956.

Brian Pietro:

Brian Pietro (1957-2003), the great-grandson of James Pietro, was an author and journalist. He is presumed to be the son of Lawrence James Pietro Jr. (grandson of James Pietro and son of Lawrence Pietro) and Patricia Jeanne Waugh. Born in Morgantown, West Virginia, Brian completed two years of a Journalism degree at West Virginia University before transferring to West Georgia College, where he earned a history degree in 1981. Notable parts of his collection include a manuscript, "Criminal Conspiracy," along with a sizable collection of correspondence with publishers. According to business cards within his collection, Brian held jobs as a district manager for several different publishing companies, a sales representative for Housing Network Magazines, and an account executive for Sports Trend. He died in Winter Springs, Florida in 2003, unmarried, with no next of kin. His father was an only child.

Scope and Contents

This collection holds personal and business papers of James Pietro (1873-1956), a Morgantown, West Virginia contractor, and photographs and correspondence of the Pietro family. Common items of interest include financial documents, business correspondence, personal mementos, and personal correspondence, including letters to his native country of Italy throughout the 20th century, and his son during World War II. Other items of interest, including receipts, invoices, and correspondence, consist of life in Morgantown West Virginia, including local businesses such as Morgantown Flour and Feed Company, Traction Electric Company, McClain Sand, Arkwright Coal, Stentz Service Station, and HC Baker Hardware Company, among others, as well as local clubs and social activities such as the Elks Club. Collection also includes many contracts and blueprints for Morgantown construction projects and the surrounding areas. Highlights include blueprints for sewers in the Etna borough, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (1904), blueprint for "plots situate in Morgan District, Monongalia County," and the Thoney Pietro Company certificate of incorporation (1919). Other inclusions, belonging to the family, include a scrapbook of the children of James Pietro from young adulthood, highlighting significant life events (box 3, folder 5), and a history paper (1949) by Lawrence Pietro Jr., about the history of Morgantown in which he recounts his father's telling of arriving in Morgantown for the first time.

Addendum of 2015-04-02: 1901-2000; 7 1/2 in. (1 document case, 5 in.; 1 document case, 2 1/2 in.) Box 5, containing the belongings of Brian Waugh Pietro, 1956-2003, great-grandson of James Pietro, was collected by his uncle, Douglas B. Broglie, grandson of James Pietro. It includes papers involving journalism and publishing businesses. Papers include correspondence and rejection letters from various publishing companies, and an unpublished manuscript called, "Criminal Conspiracy." Also included is a scrapbook of published newspaper articles written by Brian, as well as copies of his resume. Also collected by Broglie, Box 6 (1901-1911) contains several baptism certificates of Pietro's children from the Italian Catholic Church of Pittsburgh as well as Monongalia County Circuit Court documents petitioning for an official name change from Pitassi to Pietro. This document details how the Pietros were given their name and significant details pertaining to the Pietro family timeline.

For additional Pietro family and business papers, see A&M 2836.

Separated Material

3 photos separated to A&M 4168, Panoramic Photos Collection:

Copley Heirs Well No. 1, Sand Fork District, Lewis County, WV; 1900/09/23

Pietro Castle; undated

Pietro Castle; undated


Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Builders and contractors.
  • Italian-Americans -- West Virginia
  • Morgantown (W. Va.)
  • Pietro family
  • Pietro, Brian.
  • Pietro, James, 1873-1956

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Pietro, Brian.
  • Pietro, James, 1873-1956

Container List

Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Correspondence and Miscellaneous Documents
1912–1975
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Business Correspondence and Documents
1911–1944
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
Social Club Photos
1937
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
Official Documents
1915–1963
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Correspondence, Business and Personal
1916–1961
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Personal Correspondence
1934–1956
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Financial Documents, Business
1909–1918
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Financial Funeral Material
1915
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Financial Material
1909–1914
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Receipts, Traction & Electric Co.
1913–1915
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Notebook, Business
1903–1926
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Address and Financial Notebooks
1910–1945
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Printed Material: Event Programs
1936 December 6-1959 March 14
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
Italian Publications: Religious, Narrative
1872–1903
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Italian Religious Texts
1863–1880
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 16
Italian Religious Texts
1903
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 17
Italian Publications: Narrative
1849–1902
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 18
Italian Clippings
1918
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 19
Newspaper Clippings
1937 May 29-1969 December 24
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 20
Miscellaneous Clippings
1906–1916
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 21
Order of Elks Material
1937–1972
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 22
Miscellaneous
1918–1969
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
Wallet in Pieces
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
Miscellaneous Receipts and Financial Material
1926 October 1-1947 October 27
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
Miscellaneous Receipts and Statements
1926 February 1-1930 August 11
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
Miscellaneous Receipts
1926–1930
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
Miscellaneous Receipts
1926–1929
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
Bills
1929 January-1930 August
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
Financial Statements
1926 August-1929 March
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
Invoices
1926–1929
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 9
Miscellaneous Financial Material
1926 November 15-1930 July 31
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 10
Miscellaneous Financial Material
1925 January 27-1930 July 31
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 11
Miscellaneous Documents and Correspondence
1909 March 1-1956 December 14
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 12
Financial Notebooks (originally in letter box 2)
1903–1918
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 13
Timebook (originally in letter box 2)
1923 April-1924 May
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 14
Financial Material, Business (originally in letter box 2)
1909 February 11-1935 September 6
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 15
Financial Material, Personal (from "the Morgantown file" letter box 3)
1922 August 4-1937 January 1
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 16
Financial Material, Business
1904 May 30-1936 August 31
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 17
Miscellaneous Financial Material, Business
1922 August 14-1937 January 1
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 18
Financial Statements (from letter box 3)
1908-1936 September 3
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 19
Bills, Utility (from letter box 3)
1930 December-1936 October 17
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 20
Miscellaneous Business Documents and Newspaper Clippings
1917 July 15-1956 February 23
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 21
Schoolwork, History (history paper on Monongalia and Pietro family)
1949 July 5
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 22
Elks Magazines
1960 August-1960 November
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 23
Miscellaneous Financial Material
1930 August 1-1937 January 13
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 24
Standard Oil Company Receipts
1930 November 30-1931 December 30
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 1
Miscellaneous Business Correspondence and Documents (from envelope 1)
1938 October 17-1950 May 3
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 2
Business Documents, Contracts
1931 June 12-1951 July 23
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 3
Business Contracts and Correspondence (from envelope 2)
1939 March 1-1943 July 30
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 4
Business Contracts (from envelope 2)
1941 April 8-1941 September 27
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 5
Scrapbook of Family Newspaper Clippings
1913 November-1955 March 26
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 6
Italian Booklet
1901
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 7
Correspondence to Italy
1923 August 19-1939 August 15
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 8
Correspondence and Other Documents
1901 March 16-1974 March 29
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 9
Datebook
1951 January 1-1951 May 25
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 10
Payroll Envelopes and Business Cards
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 11
Newspapers
1941 January 9-1961 August 17
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 12
Family Photos and Ephemera
1929 July 4
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 13
Correspondence
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 14
Newspaper Clippings from Wallet
1914 December 21
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 15
Newspaper Clippings
1941 January 9-1961 December 19
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 16
Correspondence and Miscellaneous Documents
1901 March 19-1962
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 17
Italian Printed Material
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 18
Receipts, Central Automobile Corporation
1926 September 24-1927 April 23
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 19
Rolled Financial Material
1910–1919
Mixed Materials Box: 3 Folder: 20
Contents within "Evans Pipe Co." Envelope
1938 October 17-1944
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 1
Timebooks
1907 December 31-1913 July 31
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 2
Timebooks
1918 February 28-1930 October 15
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 3
Checkbook Ledger
1931 January 18-1931 October 7
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 4
Timebooks
1909 March 31-1917 December 31
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 5
Timebooks
1912 June 30-1923 June 30
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 6
Timebooks
1921 March 31-1926 November 30
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 7
Timebooks
1926 October 15-1928 April 30
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 8
Timebooks
1931 June 15-1936 August 15
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 9
Timebooks
1938 April 1-1948 July 30
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 10
Timebooks
1942 March-1955 May 31
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 11
McClain Sand Receipts (folder 1 of 3)
1926 August 9-1927 March 29
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 12
McClain Sand Receipts (folder 2 of 3)
1926 September 11-1926 October 9
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 13
McClain Sand Receipts and Invoices (folder 3 of 3)
1926 September 1-1927 July 30
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 14
Receipts Arkwright Coal & Stentz Service Station
1926–1927
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 15
Receipts and Invoice, HC Baker Hardware Company
1926 August 14-1926 November 11
Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 16
Timebooks
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 1
Miscellaneous Ephemera and Printed Material (Lawrence and Brian Pietro)
1930–1999
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 2
Iron-on Patches (many featuring international locations)
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 3
Criminal Conspiracy Manuscript
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 4
Correspondence with Publications
1998 September 28-2000 November 28
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 5
Writing Portfolio Album (clippings album)
1980 August 13-1981 September 1
Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 6
Writing Portfolio Album (clippings album)
1980–1981
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 1
Name Change Material and Baptism Certificates
1901 December 22-1911 July 27
Mixed Materials Box: 6 Folder: 2
Checkbook Registers
1925 March 17-1927 January 19
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 9 Folder: 1
Oversize Material
1904 April-1911 January 11
Scope and Contents

Includes Certificate of Incorporation for Thoney Pietro Company; various blueprints including section view drawing of Thomas Galinssons Company, Allegheny, PA, the site plan of Murray Place, Uniontown, PA, the site plans and elevation drawings of Angle Alley Sewer, Etna, PA including spenial inlet between Locust and Highstreet; plan view drawing of The Miller automatic flush tank, Chicago; group photo outside the Morgantown Glass Company, undated.

Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 9 Folder: 2
Oversize Material
1904 July-1950 July 1
Scope and Contents

Includes site plans for Morgantown Water Company, River Bridge, site plan of lots in Morgan District, storm sewer of Beechurst Avenue, section drawing of Morgantown Water Company, site plan for Etna Wilson Street, McLure and Maple, and more.