Janet Salvati article on 1907 Monongah tragedy to be published

Janet Sue Salvati, Class of 1960, who lived in Monongah during her high school days and is a Fairmont State professor emerita, has co-authored an article about lives affected by the 1907 Monongah mines explosions that killed 362.

It will appear in a future issue of the Journal of Appalachian Studies.

Janet was born in Monongah. At MHS she was one busy girl: Fashion show, class tournaments, Junior Red Cross, Glee Club, Journalism Club, newspaper staff, yearbook, National Honor Society, Girls State, Social Studies Award, class play business manager, Latin banquet, prom committee, Christmas program, Student Council, North Four Student Council Conference.

The information came from retired George Washington University professor Joseph Tropea, who has done extensive research on the 1907 Monongah tragedy.

Joe’s cousin Rose is a granddaughter of Tony Tropea and wife Rose Loss Tropea, who ran the Tropea Grocery in the building next to the one that housed Julie and Gene Carlot’s restaurant across the street from Monongah High.

Tony Tropea's father was in the military under General Giuseppe Garibaldi in the successful fight to unify Italy in the mid-19^th century.  Tony and Rose left Monongah briefly, moving to Argentina, but Rose didn't care for the Pampas so they returned to live out their days in Monongah.

Tom Salvati is Class of 1958.

The Salvati family has a long history in Monongah.

Raymond Ernest Salvati, who was born in Monongah in 1899, after graduating from WVU before becoming superintendent over five Island Creek Coal Company mines, then vice president of Pond Creek Pocahontas vice president and American Mining Congress president. In 1959 he was named West Virginia Son of the Year.

 

The late Dr. Eugene P. Salvati, who was born in Pursglove in 1923, was a son of Nicholas P. Salvati of Vacri, Italy and Mary Pellegrini Salvati of Monongah.