Early History

There was a mass exodus of the Bove and Nave families from Italy to the U.S. in the late 1890's and early 1900's from Casaldunii, Province of Benevento, Campania, Italy. On April 2, 1897, Domenico Nave arrived at Ellis Island on the ship S.S. Ferdinando de Lesseps and settled in Norristown, PA at 13 Chestnut Street. They had 6 children: Thersina, Maggie, Nicole, Congella, Joseph and Adalina. Domenico also had two step-children: Mary and John Penilla. John Penilla (Pinelli) who settled in Conshohocken and married an Italian immigrant, Julia D’Orazio, who had immigrated in 1906 and had the following six children; Rose, Julian, John, and Frances, Joseph and Theresa.  All these children were born in the United States.

                                     Bove Family

The Bove family settles in South Philadelphia. Angelo, a musician and his wife Rosa, with their child Carlo resided at 926 Montrose Street, having immigrated to the U.S. in 1897. Their son Carlo was born in the United States. Luigi Bove, a clothes presser, had immigrated in 1892 to the U.S. and settled at the turn of the century at 772 S. 7th Street, very close to the Philadelphia Italian market. Luigi and his wife Carmella had at least five children, all born in the U.S.: Antonio, Filomena, Emilia, Assenta, and Elena. Antonio was a printer.  

                         Possible Relatives

Vito Nave
Vito was born in Italy around 1891 and owned a music store at 276 Main Street in Norristown, PA. His wife Eda was also born in Italy and they had three children born in the U.S.: Salvatore, Joseph and Mary. 
:: 1930 Census

Carmine Nave
Carmine Nave was born around 1874 in Italy and lived at 20 Chestnut Street in Norristown in 1910, right across the street from Dominick Nave. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1904 and lived with his wife, Maria and his daughter Teresina. He worked at a stone quarry. 
.: 1910 Census

Cosimo Nave
Born in Casalduni on May 21, 1894, worked at Westinghouse in Lester.
:: WWI draft card

Charles Melchiorre
Born on March 3, 1875 in Italy. Worked for J.B. Siegfried & Sons Produce in Philadelphia.  
:: WWI Draft Card

Tino Melchiorre
Tino Melchiorre was born on June 13, 1893 in Teramo, Italy. He worked at Sun Ship in Chester.
:: WWI Draft Card

Maurice Bove
Maurice Bove was born on Nov. 3, 1891 in Italy and loved at 906 S. Fairhill Street in Philadelphia. He worked at Baldwin Locomotive in Eddystone.
.: WWI Draft Card

Joe Bove
Joe Bove lived at 748 Fitzwater Street in Philadelphia and was born in Italy on October 8, 1892. He was a bookkeeper for Philadelphia Electric Company. 
.: WWI Draft Card

Dominick Bove
Dominick Bove was born on Jan. 30, 1888 and lived at 922 Reed Street in Philadelphia.
.: WWI Draft Card

Angelo Bove
Angelo Bove was a musician who lived at 926 Montrose Street in Philadelphia with his wife Rosa and son Carlo. 
.: 1900 Census 

Frank Bove
Frank Bove was born on April 14, 1899 and lived at 1237 Ridge Pike in Blackhorse (nearby Norristown). His wife was Mary and he worked as a mechanic.
.: WWI Draft Card

Charles Bove
Charles Bove was born on January 23, 1897 and lived at 125 E. Main Street in Norristown. He was employed by American Equipment Company in Norristown and listed Louis Bove as his nearest relative who lived at 1237 E. Main Street in Norristown. 
.: WWI Draft Card

Eugene Bove
Eugene Bove was born on March 24, 1881 and lived at 622 Carpenter Street. He worked at the Arsenal at Broad and Washington Ave and his wife's name was Emil.
.: WWI Draft Card

Antonio Bove
Antonio Bove was born on Feb 1, 1894 and lived on a rural road in Norristown. He was a tailor by trade and worked for a company in Philadelphia. 
.: WW I Draft Card

        The Naves from Norristown: The beginning of the family tree

Dominic Nave was born around 1863 and married Frances Bove around 1884 in Casulandi, Italy. He brought his family over from Italy on July 10, 1910 and settled in Norristown. Dominic was a baker who worked at a local bakery in Norristown. He was a deeply religious man who studied in the seminary in Italy. Although he left the seminary to marry Frances Bove, he remained deeply religious and followed the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. He made his daughters carry the rosary on them and encouraged them to say the rosary while they were waiting at the bus stop.

Keeping to his religious beliefs, Dominick refused the family to eat meat on Fridays. He was once challenged on this doctrine by his daughter Frances, who told him that it was more of a sin to waste the meat. He finally agreed.

In the 1920's the family lived at 335 E. Penn Street, where Dominick was a baker. He kept a family bible with all the names on it which his grand-daughter Rose Madonna has in her possession. 

                            Family Tree 1800's- 1900's

                                Original Immigrants

Dominick Nave
1870- 06.07.1930
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Frances Nave
1870- 12.10.1948
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Children

Ralph Nave
12.22.1887 - 07.28.1947
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Augiola Maria Nave
1891- 08.21.1925  
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Virginia Nave  
05.12.1898- 03.1981
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Lena Nave
05.13.1900- 08.31.2000
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Lou Nave
1903- 
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Carmella Nave
03.20.1905- 07.12.2000
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Salvatore Nave
01.30.1910-09.16.1988
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