Scafidel Family Genealogy

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Scafidel Family Chart

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The Scafidel Family in America is very interested in their genealogy, or history.

The story of the Scafidels in America starts with Ben Scafidel. Ben Scaffidi came to America to stay in 190?. Born in Santa Belbo, Italy in 1884, he had been a merchant seaman since leaving home in 1900. Ben went to work at the sawmill in Natalbany, Louisiana. We believe that the paymaster at the sawmill mis-spelled the Italian name "Scaffidi" and thereby created the Americanized name "Scafidel".

Ben married Matilda Jones and had ten children:

Tony Scafidel	Mary Scafidel
Phillip Scafidel	Ben Scafidel, Jr
Russell Allen Scafidel	Kelly John Scafidel
ElmoreScafidel	Charlie Scafidel
Edd "Cotton" Scafidel	Annie Scafidel

All of their children were born in Natalbany except for Russell. When Russell was born in 1918, Ben had temporarily moved his family to Dubach, Louisiana. World War I was raging in Europe and the American government was rounding up Italians who were in America illegally. There was a sawmill operator in Dubach that would give Italians jobs and not report them to the government.

Early in the 20th century, on Ellis Island in New York City, the term WOP was created for illegal Italian-American's. It meant "With Out Papers". The term has since become somewhat of an ethnic slur.

After World War I was over, Ben moved his family back to Natalbany and went back to work in the Natalbany sawmill. All of Russell's siblings, those older and those that came after him were born in Natalbany, Louisiana.

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