Vincent Formusa, a successful business man of Chicago, was born February 23, 1864, and is a son of Pietro and Teresa (Catalano) Formusa, of Termini Imerese, Province of Palermo, Sicily. The father when a young man learned the jewelry business which he followed for a period of about fifty years. He died September 29, 1888, aged seventy years. His widow died March 12, 1908, being seventy-eight years of age. They were the parents of the following children: Salvatore, Antonino, Vincent, Rev. Joseph, of the Italian church in Bagheria; Joseppa and Lucia, all of whom reside in Termini, except Rev. Joseph and Vincent. Lucia died December 6, 1900.
Vincent spent five years of his youth in the public schools and then entered a technical school where for three years he studied mechanics. At the age of fifteen years he began learning watchmaking and music, and having mastered the former, followed the same in Termini for thirteen years. In 1892 he came to Chicago and was employed at his trade for a short time, but he opened business on his own account as a watch maker, jeweler, and commission merchant. For three years he was located at 75 Grand avenue, near Milwaukee avenue, engaged in importing olive oil, macaroni, etc., on commission and doing a profitable business. In 1895 he began an independent business along the same line, but two years later went to Italy and was there married on June 12, 1898, to Grazia Formusa, of Termini, Italy. Upon his return to the United States in 1898, he located at his present address, 710 Grand avenue, and ever since has done a large business. He now owns a three-story brick building, 22x68 feet, consisting of one storeroom and three flats. He makes a specialty of importing olive oils of the name Pietro E. Vincenzo Formusa, macaroni, and other staple Italian products. In connection with this line he conducts a jewelry store and a steamship and foreign exchange agency. He and his wife carry insurance policies in the New York Life and the Prudential Insurance companies, respectively. He is a member of the Frinacria Benevolent Association, Italian Chamber of Commerce, Italian Steamship Agents' Society, honorary member of the Imera Benevolent Association, and other organizations. He and his wife have had four children, three of whom are now living--Teresa, Pietro and Giuseppe. They reside at 710 Grand avenue.
From: History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits, from the earliest settlement to the present time
by ANONYMOUS. Published 1909.
