Mary (Ruffo) and T.J. Saluto

T.J. Saluto was born in Titusville, PA but his mother returned to Palermo, Sicily Italy (known as the area where the Mafia originated) when T.J. was a baby. He and his mom returned to the U.S. when T.J. was 9 years old. Hence, he always spoke with an Italian accent. Apparently he had relatives living in Naples who were in the Priesthood.

On the Ruffo side, Mary married T.J. Saluto and became Mary Ruffo Saluto. Her father was Frank Paul Ruffo and he married Josephine Petri whom he met while serving in France during WWI (as I recall from Nana). Frank's father was a customs officer whose mother was Spanish. Josephine's father was a French physician whose mother was German. Dr.Petri was the court physician to Napoleon Bonaparte!!!

Source: Albert A Mason, Jr