Gennaro De Lucia, who is now successfully engaged in the real estate and investment business in New Haven, was born October 18, 1878, at S. Maria Avico, Italy, of which place his father, the late Antonio De Lucia, was also a native. The father followed the occupation of farming as a life work and spent his years in Ms native land. He married Maria Carmina, who was also born in the place where Gennaro De Lucia's birth occurred. She came to America in 1902, making her way direct to New Haven, where she resided until her demise on the 27th of December, 1911, at which time she had reached the advanced age of eighty years. She was the mother of fifteen children.
     Gennaro De Lucia was the fourteenth in that family. He pursued his education in the public schools of his native country and started out to earn his own living at the age of fourteen years. Up to that time he had remained upon the farm and assisted in every possible way in its cultivation. His first employment after reaching America, where he arrived in 1896, was with Sargent & Company of New Haven and his services brought him a salary of three dollars per week. He remained with that company for a year and was next employed by Edward F. Thompson, of East Haven, at farm work, devoting more than four years to that task. He had complete charge of the farm and also of the real estate interests, the place comprising one hundred and fifty acres of land. Mr. Thompson treated him as a member of the family and was desirous of adopting him, but Mr. De Lucia preferred to pursue his own career. After leaving Mr. Thompson he took charge as foreman of the business of Upson & Graniss, contractors of New Haven, and remained in their employ for six months. He then went to work for the New Haven Pulp & Board Company as a machine tender, remaining with that company for a half year. He possesses much practical knowledge along mechanical lines and was given charge of the machinery department of the company. He next entered the insurance field. He became agent at New Haven of the Prudential Life Insurance Company of New York and during his connection with that corporation he reached a position of leadership in writing insurance in the field. His connection with the company covered eighteen months and during that time he was also manager for the North American Accident Insurance Company. In the year in which he entered the insurance field, 1902, he also took up real estate and gave much study to the subject, thoroughly qualifying himself for opportunities along that line. From 1908 until 1912 he was more or less closely connected with building operations, doing considerable speculative building, representing an investment of several hundred thousand dollars in New Haven. For the past thirteen years he has concentrated his attention entirely upon real estate, having withdrawn from the insurance field and is today one of the foremost real estate men of New Haven. He has a very extensive clientage and, moreover, he is recognized as an authority upon all questions relating to the real estate market. He is correct in his valuation of property, having studied the business from the standpoint of the purchaser and seller. He has thus been able to please his clients and has built up a business of gratifying proportions.
     On the 13th of October, 1901, Mr. De Lucia was married in New Haven to Miss Julia Banks, a native of Italy, who came with her parents, Antonio and Philimina Banks, to the new world when four months old. Nine children have been born of this marriage, Mary, Antonio, Nellie, Annie, Joseph, Fannie, Eva, Concetta and Esther, all of whom were born in New Haven.
     On coming to the United States Mr. De Lucia made application for naturalization papers and on attaining his majority in 1896 became an American citizen. He is in thorough sympathy with the spirit and ideals of this republic and has ever been most loyal to its interests. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire the honors or emoluments of office. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He also belongs to the Garibaldi Society and to the Circolo, an Italian Society, from which he received a gold medal in August, 1910, for his splendid work in the sale of tickets for charity. At that time he was president of the society and was chairman of its charity work. He belongs to the Calvary Baptist church and his entire life has been actuated by high and honorable principles. From his father he inherited a nice sum and thus carne to America with ample means. Starting out in the business world he proved his worth, working his way steadily upward through individual effort, and today he ranks with the most progressive real estate dealers of New Haven. In the conduct of his business he has ever so directed his affairs that his labors have constituted an element in the progress and improvement of the city as well as in the upbuilding of his personal fortune.