Michael Maggio

Birth Name:

Michael Maggio

Birth Date:

July 21, 1889

Birth Place:

Campobello di Mazzara, Sicily, Italy

Death Date:

March 14, 1959

Place of Death:

Miami, Florida

Age:

Cause of Death:

Natural causes

Cemetery Name:

Holy Cross Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Crime and their Victims

Michael Maggio was one of the original Philadelphia organized crime figures beginning in the 1910s. The leader of "the Greaser Gang" in south Philadelphia, he quickly ascended to a leadership role in the Philly crime family. Known in the city as a wealthy cheese importer, manufacture and businessman, we was also a leader in the criminal underworld who did not hesitate to use violence as a means to the end. In his early 60s. Due to health reasons, he turned the family operations over to his son Peter. He sponsored future Philadelphia Organized Crime Boss Angelo Bruno for membership into the Philadelphia Family during the 1930s who gradually ascended to the role of mafia Don. Michael died of natural causes in Miami, Florida at age 69. After mobster Michael Maggio died in March 1959 his protege Angelo Bruno used the Maggio Cheese Company on 11th and Washington Streets in Philadelphia, PA as headquarters from which the mob boss then ran his numbers racket

Fun Facts

In the summer of 1934, Michael Maggio, 44, commuted between his Philadelphia cheese importing business and the home on Pillings Lake he shared with his second wife Anna, 34, their four children, Anna’s father, and Michael’s son from a previous relationship – Joseph, age 21. Arriving in Clementon well after midnight on June 29th, Michael found, according to the Courier-Post, “…his wife and son [Joseph], both nude except for a pair of socks worn by the son.” Maggio fired five fatal shots into Anna and two into Joseph before fleeing the scene. He was later tried and found guilty of the double homicide and received 5 1/2 years in prison.

The M. Maggio Company was started in 1916 by the Maggio brothers, Sicilian immigrants. The first Maggio cheese “factory” was located on a rented farm in Columbus, NJ. They operated their cheese business out of this location for several years before relocating to Philadelphia. After seven years and three moves later, the M. Maggio Company finally settled into operations at 9th and Montrose Streets in South Philadelphia. By this time, only one brother – Michael or “M. Maggio” – was left running the business. The business is still in operation today.

Peter Maggio was associated with Angelo Bruno’s Philadelphia crime family. His father, Michael, was a grocery store owner who also ran a dairy and cheese business during the early and mid 20th century. FBI surveillance recorded Maggio’s meetings with Bruno and other mafiosi. Aside from being a Mafia capo Peter Maggio was also extremely involved in legitimate businesses. Among these were Maggio Cheese Company, M.Maggio Company and Michael’s Dairies in Philadelphia. He married Angelo Bruno’s daughter Michelina.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Holy Cross Cemetery

626 Baily Road

Yeadon, Pennsylvania, 19050

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylavania

Grave Location:

Section 38, Range 1, Maggio Family Plot

Grave Location Description

Enter the cemetery off of Baily Road and drive about 150 feet and look to your right at the 5th private mausoleum for the impressive final resting places of one of Philadelphia’s original gangsters Michael Maggio.