Martin Novák

From San Cataldo to Pittston - The Ormando Family in the Wyoming Valley Martin Novák

Between 1903 and 1914, twenty members of the Ormando family made the journey from San Cataldo, Sicily to Pittston, Pennsylvania. Most of those who came left loved ones behind that they would never see again. The family members were either sulfur miners, or peasant farmers. They were all poor. In coming to America, they were looking for a better life - if not for themselves, then for their future generations. This is the story of why they came to America, the challenges they faced as immigrants, how they lived, and the family traditions that supported them. Many of their experiences were the same as other Sicilians that immigrated to America to find work in Pennsylvania's coalfields. Some of their stories were unique. The biographical vignettes highlight some of those unique experiences. Nestled in the heart of Luzerne County is the Wyoming Valley. Formed over millions of years by the movement of the earth, the Susquehanna River runs through the valley. This valley possesses a unique beauty, and for some it is home for generation after generation. My Sicilian ancestors came to the Wyoming Valley and settled into several of the many towns that dot the landscape. Places like Wyoming, Wilkes-Barrè, Scranton, Exeter, Yatesville, Browntown, Dallas, Harvey's Lake, and Pittston were where the Ormando family settled and many of their descendants still reside.