Joseph Lonardo
AKA:
Big Joe
Birth Name:
Joseph Lonardo
Birth Date:
October 20, 1884
Birth Place:
Licata, Sicily, Italy
Death Date:
October 13, 1927
Place of Death:
Octavio Porrello Barber Shop, 10902 Woodland Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio
Age:
42
Cause of Death:
Mob hit - gunshot wounds
Cemetery Name:
Calvary Cemetery
Claim to Fame:
Crime and their Victims
Associates:
Joseph “Big Joe” Lonardo was an Italian-American organized crime figure who became the first major boss of the Cleveland Mafia during the early years of Prohibition. Born in Licata, Sicily, he immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s and eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he established himself as a successful businessman. Initially involved in legitimate businesses, including fruit wholesaling and confectionery, Lonardo gradually became involved in organized crime alongside his brothers Frank and John. When Prohibition began in 1920, he recognized the enormous profits available through the illegal liquor trade and established control over Cleveland’s corn sugar supply, a key ingredient used in producing bootleg whiskey. Through his business, his operation generated substantial profits and helped him establish a powerful criminal organization known as the Mayfield Road Mob. Lonardo maintained his authority through business alliances, intimidation, and violence, eventually becoming one of Cleveland’s most influential underworld figures. However, his dominance was challenged by the Porrello brothers, former associates who established a competing corn sugar operation and sought control of the bootlegging industry. In 1927, after briefly traveling to Sicily, Lonardo returned to Cleveland amid growing tensions. On October 13, 1927, he and his brother John were ambushed and murdered while attending a meeting at a barbershop owned by the Porrello family. His assassination marked the beginning of a violent struggle for control of Cleveland's underworld, commonly known as the Corn Sugar War, and allowed the Porrello faction to assume control of the city's bootlegging operations.
Fun Fact
At the time of his death, Big Joe Lonardo lived at 3289 Warrington Road in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The home is still standing and a private residence.
Cemetery Information:
Final Resting Place:
Calvary Cemetery
10000 Miles Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio, 44105
USA
North America
Map:
Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio
Grave Location:
Section 47, Lot 234Grave Location Description
As you enter the cemetery, stay to the right and drive straight back to the maintenance yard. Look for the tunnel under the bridge and drive through and make an immediate left turn out of the tunnel. Drive straight back to the edge of the cemetery to Section 41 and park. Look for the large Lonardo memorial statue about 150 feet off the road. Mob boss Joseph and his wife are directly in front of the statue.
Grave Location GPS
41.442313, -81.611085Visiting The Grave:
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FAQ's
Joseph Lonardo was born on October 20, 1884.
Joseph Lonardo was born in Licata, Sicily, Italy.
Joseph Lonardo died on October 13, 1927.
Joseph Lonardo died in Octavio Porrello Barber Shop, 10902 Woodland Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.
Joseph Lonardo was 42.
The cause of death was Mob hit - gunshot wounds.
Joseph Lonardo's grave is in Calvary Cemetery
Read More About Joseph Lonardo:
Videos Featuring Joseph Lonardo:
Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo - How his death led to the historic Sugar Wars!
Cleveland Stories: Rick Porrello
Sugar Wars - The Rise of the Cleveland Mafia - Award Winning Documentary
History of the Cleveland Mafia
The Rise and Fall of Cleveland's Mafia: A Hierarchy Explained Who's the boss of the cleveland mafia
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