Perrone dell’avvocato

Giusvalla’s resident noble family was “Perrone dell’avvocato” - no relation to the various other Perrone families of Giusvalla. Though not technically of aristocratic stock, these Perrones were locally quite influential since the 16th century and married into other socially prominent families from Savona and Genoa. They became lawyers, judges, notaries and acted in various official capacities in town affairs. The younger Perrone sons pursued vocations in the Church. Rev. Michele Antonio Perrone served as pastor in Giusvalla’s parish church of San Matteo for many years until his death on March 14, 1803. Don Perrone had a natural interest in history and it is said that he compiled a 1000 page account of the genealogies of all the families in Giusvalla. Unfortunately for us, it seems Don Perrone’s research of the families in his parish has been lost to time.

Michele Perrone was just one of several descendants of this family to tend to the ecclesiastical needs of the flock in Giusvalla. Don Perrone's nephews Francesco Antonio and GioBatta Perrone served the parish in Giusvalla for many years during the early 19th century.

Rev. Angelo Perrone was born in Giusvalla on November 2, 1874 and was a son of Gerolamo Perrone and Angela Sambolino. He was ordained in the diocese of Acqui and was sent to the United States to serve the diocese of Chicago. He arrived at Ellis Island on October 24, 1911 aboard the “Rochambeau.” In 1923, Rev. Perrone was transferred to the diocese of Scranton (Pennsylvania) to serve as pastor of the Italian parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Carbondale, where he became a much beloved spiritual leader and friend to the families there.

Rev. Perrone died suddenly on March 16, 1927 at St. Joseph’s hospital in Carbondale after an operation to remove his appendix. He was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Carbondale on March 21. Rev. Perrone left a sizeable estate, which included a bequest to the town of Giusvalla with instructions that a kindergarten be built there and directed by the Sisters of the diocese of Acqui. Rev. Angelo Perrone is the only known descendant of the “nobile stirpe” of the Perrone family to come to the United States.

Like many local families, by the 1950s the family “Perrone dell’avvocato” had all but disappeared from Giusvalla. Descendants had relocated permanently to Genoa and Milan. All that remains of Giusvalla’s noble family today is their family tomb in the little cemetery behind the church.

In the picture: Tomb of the noble Perrone family in the Giusvalla town cemetery.