Andrea Russo was born January 11, 1859, and is a son of Nunzio and Rasaria (Di Vittorio) Russo, natives of Termini Imerese, Sicily, Italy, a city of about 25,000 population, where the father was engaged in the flour and grain business. His business was established in 1850, becoming very extensive and was continued until his death in 1880. In 1874 he added the manufacture of macaroni and this branch of the business is still extensively conducted by his son Antonino. The mother died in 1877. Their children were Antonino and Andrea.
The latter was educated in the schools of Termini, but did not secure a liberal education as he had intended owing to ill health. As his brother was in the army at the time the father died, Andrea, at the age of twenty years, took charge of the business and had sole management for one year. On December 22, 1881, he married Marina Mercurio, of Termini, Italy. Upon the return of Antonino from the army in 1881, Andrea sold out to him and engaged in the flour business on his own account, but was unsuccessful, then tried other pursuits and still failing, concluded to come to the United States.
He left his family in Italy and arrived in Chicago with only $35. He at once engaged in the fruit business, selling baskets from house to house and was thus engaged for about eighteen months. With his savings he then opened a fruit store at Milwaukee avenue and Peoria street, but in 1886 moved to Chicago avenue and Kingsbury street, and at the same time brought his family from the old country. In 1893 he sold out and engaged in the grocery business at Archer avenue and 20th street, continuing three years. He then moved back to the old stand on Chicago avenue, where he engaged in the wholesale grocery business, importing many Italian products. He has imported macaroni and olive oil every year since 1885. In 1908 he imported over 28,000 gallons of olive oil and over 60,000 cases of macaroni. In addition he handled 40,000 cases of domestic macaroni. The firm of A. Russo & Company, established since 1885, of which he is the head, is the largest in the city which imports Italian products. In 1908 he was elected by the local Italian colony to attend the Italian congress in Italy, the object of which was to improve the conditions fo the Italians in the different cities of the United States. At the same time he represented the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Chicago, of which he is the vice-president. He has endeavored to have modern Italian taught in the public schools and was one of the organizers and members of the Unione Siciliana, of which he was the treasurer for several years. He is a member of the Trinacria Fratellanza Siciliana Society, one of the first formed here, and was treasurer of the same for several years. Mr. Russo and wife with their children Nunzio, Cosimo, Rosa and Emmanuela, reside at 946 Edgecomb Place.
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.
