Thomas Gangemi - Jersey City's Immigrant Mayor

New Jersey is pretty well known for its Italian population, thanks in part to shows like The Sopranos and Jersey Shore. However my husband’s Italian family has been in New Jersey long before Snooki and Pauly D were fist pumping down the shore.

Sebastiano Gangemi (1863-1929) arrived in America in October of 1912 to join his son Joseph (1892-1966) in Jersey City, leaving his wife Anna Maria and the rest of their 4 other children in Santa Cristina, Italy. In June of 1913 the rest of the family, including 9 year old Thomas, made the long journey to join the two men in New Jersey.

 Gangemi Family from left to right: Anna Maria (1894), Anna (1870),
Thomas (1903), Helen (1914), Sebastiano (1863),
Joseph (1892), Frank (1908)

Thomas, born in 1903, was the 4th child of the Gangemi family. At the age of 13 he joined the workforce starting as a salesman for a wholesale fruit and produce market. He would travel in his horse and wagon between Jersey City and New York City using the ferry boats to get across the Hudson River. Before he even turned 18 he became a partner with the Spada firm, which would become one of the largest growers and packers of produce in the US.

 New York City Produce Market in 1937

By 1931 Thomas had married Carrie Romano and they had 3 children together, Thomas Jr, Marie, and Anthony. Thomas’ career had flourished in the produce business but the Great Depression had taken a toll on his company. After the crash his company was 100k in debt. According to one newspaper source, “The firm could have declared bankruptcy as that was the easy out. But that’s not the way Tom Gangemi was built. It took nine years, but Spada and Co. paid off every one of its creditors.” By the 1940s business was doing well and he began to expandhis business operations. Thomas Gangemi became known as “the watermelon king” due to the fact that he was handling almost all the exporting of watermelon from Florida into NYC. 

Aside from his business Thomas was also very interested in the politics of Jersey City. He joined the old Calabria Democratic Club, a club packed with many of the Italian men in the neighborhood coming together to talk politics and ways to improve the city. Thomas, with his charismatic personality, became friends with many politicians. In 1945 he campaigned for Mayor Frank Hague, which opened the doors to his political career. In 1953 Gangemi ran for one of the 5 city commissioner seats but lost by 400 votes. In 57 he tried again but lost to a mere 156 votes. Later that same year, after a political alliance with the former mayor John V Kenny(who may or may not have been less then angelic when it came to politics) he was elected Hudson County supervisor. Finally in June of 1961 Gangemi was elected mayor of Jersey City.

“An impeccable dresser, a handsome man, with erect bearing, Mr Gangemi looked every bit the part of a big city mayor. He could walk into a crowded hall during a rally and not say a word, but hundreds knew that Tom Gangemi had just entered. In one word, this man had something called presence,” said one of the men who had been around Tom during his days in City Hall.

Carrie Gangemi receiving the good new of her husband's election

A little over two years into his four year term a series of unforeseen events changed Thomas’ life. While campaigning for mayor there were many questions about Gangemi’s citizenship status. He apparently swore up and down that he was born and raised in Jersey City. However, in 1963, he had to apply for a passport to visit Italy to escort a retired Italian Army officer named Christopher Columbus, who was to be the honorary grand marshal for the Jersey City Columbus Day parade. When he applied the U.S. Immigration office questioned his citizenship, saying they had no record of his birth in the U.S. Gangemi offered the State Department what little proof he had, such as affidavits from older relatives saying they remembered Gangemi’s birth in Jersey City. But they were not satisfied, and the problem grew.

 Thomas Gangemi (center) with a group of Jersey City politicians

Meanwhile, Thomas became ill after receiving his pre-trip inoculations. The day before the trip he was admitted to the hospital and announced he would be unable to make the trip due to poor health. Secretly behind closed doors he was making the biggestdecision of his career. The evening of September 25 Gangemi summoned the councilmen of Jersey Cityto his hospital room. No one had any idea what was about to happen.

Dressed in a bathrobe and slippers he announced he would be resigning from office. He claimed that while he had always believed he was born in Jersey City he did not want to put his wife, 3 children, and 16 grandchildren through the scrutiny of an investigation.

 Thomas Gangemi shaking hands with Lyndon B Johnson

Now obviously I wasn’t there, I don’t know what Thomas truly remembered, but I would think that since he was about 9 years old at the time that he would have remembered the long boat ride to come to America, and maybe even have memories of Italy. I know I have memories from my very early childhood so why wouldn’t he? He also said he had family members that remembered his birth in Jersey City, however his older brother (my husband’s great grandfather) was still alive and I would think knew that his brother was not born here and that only their youngest sister Helen was born in America. But as I said, I wasn’t there, I don’t know for sure.

Passenger List from the San Guglielmo ship which arrived at Ellis Island on June 9, 1913 with Anna Gangemi and her children

The following year Thomas became a naturalized citizen. He tried twice to run as mayor again but lost both time. His son, Thomas Jr, also made two unsuccessful attempts for the mayor’s office.

From everything I’ve read Thomas Gangemi was a man to be reckoned with. After his resignation he still remained active in the community, spending his remaining years of his life doing civic and charitable work. He was awarded two papal honors, Knight of Malta and Knight of St Gregory. He was also presented with the Star of Solidarity of the Italian Republic. He was active in helping the United Jewish Appeal and for the New York Archdiocese Catholic Charites, raising money and awareness for both. One of the last honors to befall the former mayor was being named honorary grand marshal for the annual Columbus Day parade. His business in the produce company continued as well, expanding the growth of citrus fiends in Florida as well as Arizona.

Thomas Gangemi passed away December 1, 1976 of an apparent heart attack at his home. He was survived by his wife of 51 years Carrie, three children, and 20 grandchildren. His funeral services were so large that the funeral home had to extend its visiting hours to fit all the friends, family, business partners, and politicians that attended. He was laid to rest in Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City where his parents and most of his siblings are also buried.

Thomas Gangemi with 17 of his grandchildren