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Ugo “Luke” Tiribilli
By Karen Cuccinello 10/2020

Ugo came to the USA at about the age of 21 from Italy in 1886 and lived in NYC for about 10 years before coming to Stamford. Throughout my research I found his name spelled numerous ways, as was often the case with Italian names: Tiribelli, Terribilla, Turibilli, and Terribelli.
I believe the correct spelling was the one I found on his 1892 declaration to become an American citizen as Ugo signed it. “Be it remembered. That on the 8th day of December in the year of the Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety two personally appeared Ugo Tiribilli in the Court of Common Pleas for the City and County of NY, and made his declaration on intention to become a Citizen of the USA.” In the declaration he had to renounce all allegiance to the King of Italy. Ugo became a citizen in 1895.
The first census I found Ugo in was 1910 Stamford. He is a 46-year-old single guy living with and working as a hotel clerk for Samuel I. Brown, possibly at Brown’s boarding house Greycourt. In the 1915 census he is boarding with a family (I could not read the handwriting of the family name) on Roosevelt Ave. and lists his occupation as stone mason.
I found the following articles in the “Stamford Happenings” section of the Roxbury Times – March 3, 1912 – The Stamford Inn has now opened for business with Joseph Govern as proprietor and Luke Terribilli, the well known and popular hotel clerk, attends to the desires of the patrons. – July 27, 1912 – Luke Terribilli, the expert stone cutter and bridge builder of Harpersfield was a town visitor over Sunday, staying to attend the first ball game of the season. He formerly was clerk at Hotel Hamilton and has many friends in town and vicinity. – June 21, 1913- Luke Terribilli spent a few days of last week with friends in town, he is an expert stone cutter and is engaged with Commissioner James Henderson of Harpersfield. Mr. Henderson is one of the foremost road builders in this section. – August 16, 1913 – Luke Terribilli, the expert stone cutter and concrete man, is resting from his labors for a season and is spending his vacation in town with Justice C. L. Murdock. He was in the employ of R. H. Barner fourteen years. – May 11, 1918 Ugo Tiribilli, who has been spending the winter at Datona, Fla., with N. P. Young, returned to Stamford on Sunday. He reports that it is not an easy matter to get passage as freight takes preference.
In the 1920 Stamford census he is one of four boarders living with Mrs. Myrtle (Swift) Saxton, age 37 and her 13-year-old daughter Leah at Cottage Hotel 3 Academy Street (the house is still there). In this census he lists his occupation as gardener. Ugo is still living with Mrs. Saxton in 1925 and 1930 and lists his occupation as stone mason. Mrs. Saxton married one of her boarders, Edmund/Edward L. Eisenrick, of Denmark, about 1929 and sadly died two year later. The Cottage Hotel was sold at auction in 1931 so at some point he moved in with William Jones of Stamford where he died April 15, 1943 age 78. Burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery.