The Palazzo Family: From Italy to Sandusky, Ohio

Clementi and Marian Palazzo were natives of Italy. On the 1920 U.S. Census Marian stated that she immigrated to the U.S. in 1910, and Clementi first came to the U.S. in 1898. When he died in 1920, from pneumonia, Clementi Palazzo’s death record indicated that his employer had been the Farrell-Cheek Steel Company. Between 1912 and 1918, the Palazzos had six children, three daughters and three sons. So, at the age of 28, Marian found herself a widow with six children. To support the family, by 1930, Marian Palazzo and her two daughters worked as seamstresses at the Jackson Underwear Company in Sandusky.

In the 1940 U.S. Census, Marian did not list an occupation. She was living on Central Avenue with a daughter, two sons and a granddaughter. By the 1950 Census, Marian was living with one son, and she stated her occupation was a “scrub woman” at a local theater. 

Marian Palazzo died in January of 1960, after a lengthy illness. She was survived by her six children, twelve grandchildren, and a brother who lived in Italy. She was buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery next to her husband Clementi, who was sometimes listed as Charles Palazzo.

Several members of the Palazzo and Sidoti families were associated with the Palazzo Sidoti Sohio Station, and later the Palazzo-Sidoti Motors dealership, on Hayes Avenue.

This is an advertisement from the February 12, 1976 issue of the Sandusky Register for a 1970 Torino for sale at Palazzo-Sidoti Motors, Inc.:

Though Palazzo-Sidoti Motors is no longer in business, most people of a certain age will remember seeing the business on Hayes Avenue for many years. Clementi Palazzo came to the United States for a better life. Though he died in his 30s, his widow and descendants worked hard, and left their mark on Sandusky, Ohio.

If you take a walk through St. Joseph’s Cemetery, you will see the names of many Italian American and Irish American families whose final resting place is in Sandusky.