NO_Canatella

The Canatella Family

   I'm very grateful to Ray Canatella for sharing these wonderful family photos and stories with us. The pictures on this page were salvaged after the flood and we're fortunate to have them.
   Each family's history is so valuable, not only to the family itself, but, to the community as a whole. Every family's story adds to and enriches the story of New Orleans.
   To me, all New Orleans stories are interesting. But, even I have to admit that some are more interesting than others. Such is the case with Ray's family history.

~ Canatella, Revon, Cusimano, Dupas ~

Ray's g-grandfather, Nicola (or Cola) Revon. Mr. Revon was a well-known duelist, who killed several men in duels in the days when duels were legal. Ray sent a copy of the 1904 article printed in The New Orleans Item at the time of Mr. Revon's death. It was titled, "Life History of Cola Revon" and sub-titled, "Desperate 'Bad Man' of Plaquemines Parish - Alleged He Killed Seven Men in His Day."

Louise Revon, Cola Revon's daughter, Ray's grandmother; age 15, 1883.

                   Ray's grandfather, Frank Cannatella, 1896. Note from Ray:
    "My grandfather and a friend of his founded "Horse Shoe Pickle Works" and my grandfather was the creator of Louisiana Hot Sauce (it was bought out long ago by Rex Seasoning Company and then by another company). After they mixed the sauce, the only bottles they could afford were obsolete, skinny tonic bottles, which cost five for one penny. In later years, the skinny bottles became the standard for all hot sauce made in Louisiana.
   "As the story was told to me, Grandpa Frank Cannatella came over from Sicily with his brother and a cousin. The brother was a blacksmith and went to Texas because he felt there might be more horses there. The brother sent a horse shoe to my grandfather for good luck in his new business, hence the name, "Horse Shoe Pickle Works.
   "My grandfather was told that a lot of Texans loved hot food, so he went to Texas to sell his hot sauce at county fairs and groceries. When they asked him what he called his sauce, he told them it was Louisiana Hot Sauce, because that's where it was made."

Left, wedding photo of Sara Cusimano and Frank Cannatella, 1896; above, Sara Cusimano's mother, abt. 1890.

Note from Ray: "My G-Grandfather, Rocco Cusimano, started the Cusimano Fruit Peddling business. They were from Milan, Italy. The Cusimano's and Cannatella's met in this country. When my grandfather first saw Sara, he wanted to marry her, so he had to go see my g-grandfather, Rocco Cusimano, and ask for permission. In those days, the young men who were interested in any Italian girl, couldn't court her unless the father approved. My grandfather had to prove he had enough money to take care of my grandmother or it was no deal."

Uncle Leon Cannatella and bride, Margaret, 1923.

Left, Ray's parents, Rocco and Thelma Dupas Canatella, with Ray and sisters (note that Ray's dad dropped an 'n' from Cannatella), Mardi Gras, 1940; above, Ray, older brother, Frank, and two sisters, Joyce and Lois.

Ray's grandfather, Frank Cannatella, and his daughter,
Ray's Aunt Theresa,
Jackson Square, 1926.

Ray's mom, sitting on the steps of her house on Chartres Street, 1923.

Left, Cola Revon's grandnieces and one granddaughter (Ray's mom, in dark dress); right, Cola Revon's grandnieces; both photos were taken at the airport in Chalmette, just off St. Bernard Hwy., 1923.

Ray's uncle, Ross Cannatella

Above, Ray's Aunt Tina (on right) and friend in City Park, 1926; right, Cola Revon's son, Joe, and 3 granddaughters of Cola Revon (Ray's mother on right); Montegut Street, 1940.

Left, friends of Frank Cannatella, 1926;
above, Ray's uncle and his cab, 1930.

The link to this page is: http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_Canatella.html

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Ray's mother, Thelma Dupas Canatella's baptismal certificate, 1906. CLICK IMAGE to see a larger version (depending on your computer, you may need to click imagine once more when it opens to see maximum size).