VAL M. ANTUONO TAKEN BY DEATH AT AGE OF 66
Well-Known Cigar Manufacturer Had Been Tampa Resident Since 1887
Val M. Antuono, 4024 Bay-to-Bay Blvd., known throughout the United States and abroad as one of Tampa's foremost cigar manufacturers, died this morning after a long illness.
He was 66 years old, and was president of Val M. Antuono cigar manufacturing firm and of the Val M. Antuono Distributing Co., brewers' agent.
Born in Italy.
Mr. Antuono, who was born in Italy and came to America in 1886, worked for a short time in New York before coming to Tampa in 1887. He opened his first cigar factory in a little back room on Lafayette St., where he worked with one or two co-laborers. His "C.H.S." brand of cigars soon found a considerable market locally, and in time he was able to build his present plant.
He was active in civic work in Tampa and helped promote the bond issue that was voted to build the Fortune Street Bridge. He served as Lieutenant Colonel and aide on the personal staff of former Governor Doyle Carlton. In 1922 he was the first president of the Italian Commission of the South Florida Fair.
He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men, the Rocky Point Golf Club and a charter member of Tampa Lodge of Elks. He married Miss Jennie Geraci in 1896.
Bank President.
Mr. Antuono made application for the charter of the International Bank of Tampa in 1926, and was president of the bank for several years.
He is survived by a son, Fred Antuono; a daughter, Mrs. Hale R. Hampton; two grandsons; seven brothers: Lawrence M. Antuono, Florentine M. Antuono, John M. Antuono, Anthony M. Antuono, Joe Antuono and Sebastian M. Antuono, all of Tampa, and three sisters: Mrs. Angelina Toffaletti and Mrs. Mary Crabtree, Tampa, and Maria in Italy.
The Tampa (FL) Times
Wednesday, April 2, 1941; Page 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Submitted by Rattlebox, Contributor #46597167:
Italian cigar magnate and Mafia opponent. Instituted profit sharing with his Florida factory workers.
Once decorated by Benito Mussolini for his opposition to the mafia and promotion of Italian goods, Antuono came to the US and started what would become the largest cigar manufacturing firm of its time. Antuono's factory, located on Tampa's Spring Street, produced the very popular Duke de Belcourt and CHS cigars. By 1924, Antuono was the wealthiest cigar magnate in the US.
Antuono was well-known for his treatment of workers, and he was one of the first company executives in Florida to institute profit sharing. Because of this, his workers never unionized, even though the labor unions were very strong at the time.
Antuono was a patron of the arts and a cornerstone of the Italian immigrant community that helped to put Tampa and Ybor City in particular on the map.
Well-Known Cigar Manufacturer Had Been Tampa Resident Since 1887
Val M. Antuono, 4024 Bay-to-Bay Blvd., known throughout the United States and abroad as one of Tampa's foremost cigar manufacturers, died this morning after a long illness.
He was 66 years old, and was president of Val M. Antuono cigar manufacturing firm and of the Val M. Antuono Distributing Co., brewers' agent.
Born in Italy.
Mr. Antuono, who was born in Italy and came to America in 1886, worked for a short time in New York before coming to Tampa in 1887. He opened his first cigar factory in a little back room on Lafayette St., where he worked with one or two co-laborers. His "C.H.S." brand of cigars soon found a considerable market locally, and in time he was able to build his present plant.
He was active in civic work in Tampa and helped promote the bond issue that was voted to build the Fortune Street Bridge. He served as Lieutenant Colonel and aide on the personal staff of former Governor Doyle Carlton. In 1922 he was the first president of the Italian Commission of the South Florida Fair.
He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men, the Rocky Point Golf Club and a charter member of Tampa Lodge of Elks. He married Miss Jennie Geraci in 1896.
Bank President.
Mr. Antuono made application for the charter of the International Bank of Tampa in 1926, and was president of the bank for several years.
He is survived by a son, Fred Antuono; a daughter, Mrs. Hale R. Hampton; two grandsons; seven brothers: Lawrence M. Antuono, Florentine M. Antuono, John M. Antuono, Anthony M. Antuono, Joe Antuono and Sebastian M. Antuono, all of Tampa, and three sisters: Mrs. Angelina Toffaletti and Mrs. Mary Crabtree, Tampa, and Maria in Italy.
The Tampa (FL) Times
Wednesday, April 2, 1941; Page 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Submitted by Rattlebox, Contributor #46597167:
Italian cigar magnate and Mafia opponent. Instituted profit sharing with his Florida factory workers.
Once decorated by Benito Mussolini for his opposition to the mafia and promotion of Italian goods, Antuono came to the US and started what would become the largest cigar manufacturing firm of its time. Antuono's factory, located on Tampa's Spring Street, produced the very popular Duke de Belcourt and CHS cigars. By 1924, Antuono was the wealthiest cigar magnate in the US.
Antuono was well-known for his treatment of workers, and he was one of the first company executives in Florida to institute profit sharing. Because of this, his workers never unionized, even though the labor unions were very strong at the time.
Antuono was a patron of the arts and a cornerstone of the Italian immigrant community that helped to put Tampa and Ybor City in particular on the map.
VAL M. ANTUONO TAKEN BY DEATH AT AGE OF 66
Well-Known Cigar Manufacturer Had Been Tampa Resident Since 1887
Val M. Antuono, 4024 Bay-to-Bay Blvd., known throughout the United States and abroad as one of Tampa's foremost cigar manufacturers, died this morning after a long illness.
He was 66 years old, and was president of Val M. Antuono cigar manufacturing firm and of the Val M. Antuono Distributing Co., brewers' agent.
Born in Italy.
Mr. Antuono, who was born in Italy and came to America in 1886, worked for a short time in New York before coming to Tampa in 1887. He opened his first cigar factory in a little back room on Lafayette St., where he worked with one or two co-laborers. His "C.H.S." brand of cigars soon found a considerable market locally, and in time he was able to build his present plant.
He was active in civic work in Tampa and helped promote the bond issue that was voted to build the Fortune Street Bridge. He served as Lieutenant Colonel and aide on the personal staff of former Governor Doyle Carlton. In 1922 he was the first president of the Italian Commission of the South Florida Fair.
He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men, the Rocky Point Golf Club and a charter member of Tampa Lodge of Elks. He married Miss Jennie Geraci in 1896.
Bank President.
Mr. Antuono made application for the charter of the International Bank of Tampa in 1926, and was president of the bank for several years.
He is survived by a son, Fred Antuono; a daughter, Mrs. Hale R. Hampton; two grandsons; seven brothers: Lawrence M. Antuono, Florentine M. Antuono, John M. Antuono, Anthony M. Antuono, Joe Antuono and Sebastian M. Antuono, all of Tampa, and three sisters: Mrs. Angelina Toffaletti and Mrs. Mary Crabtree, Tampa, and Maria in Italy.
The Tampa (FL) Times
Wednesday, April 2, 1941; Page 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Submitted by Rattlebox, Contributor #46597167:
Italian cigar magnate and Mafia opponent. Instituted profit sharing with his Florida factory workers.
Once decorated by Benito Mussolini for his opposition to the mafia and promotion of Italian goods, Antuono came to the US and started what would become the largest cigar manufacturing firm of its time. Antuono's factory, located on Tampa's Spring Street, produced the very popular Duke de Belcourt and CHS cigars. By 1924, Antuono was the wealthiest cigar magnate in the US.
Antuono was well-known for his treatment of workers, and he was one of the first company executives in Florida to institute profit sharing. Because of this, his workers never unionized, even though the labor unions were very strong at the time.
Antuono was a patron of the arts and a cornerstone of the Italian immigrant community that helped to put Tampa and Ybor City in particular on the map.
Well-Known Cigar Manufacturer Had Been Tampa Resident Since 1887
Val M. Antuono, 4024 Bay-to-Bay Blvd., known throughout the United States and abroad as one of Tampa's foremost cigar manufacturers, died this morning after a long illness.
He was 66 years old, and was president of Val M. Antuono cigar manufacturing firm and of the Val M. Antuono Distributing Co., brewers' agent.
Born in Italy.
Mr. Antuono, who was born in Italy and came to America in 1886, worked for a short time in New York before coming to Tampa in 1887. He opened his first cigar factory in a little back room on Lafayette St., where he worked with one or two co-laborers. His "C.H.S." brand of cigars soon found a considerable market locally, and in time he was able to build his present plant.
He was active in civic work in Tampa and helped promote the bond issue that was voted to build the Fortune Street Bridge. He served as Lieutenant Colonel and aide on the personal staff of former Governor Doyle Carlton. In 1922 he was the first president of the Italian Commission of the South Florida Fair.
He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men, the Rocky Point Golf Club and a charter member of Tampa Lodge of Elks. He married Miss Jennie Geraci in 1896.
Bank President.
Mr. Antuono made application for the charter of the International Bank of Tampa in 1926, and was president of the bank for several years.
He is survived by a son, Fred Antuono; a daughter, Mrs. Hale R. Hampton; two grandsons; seven brothers: Lawrence M. Antuono, Florentine M. Antuono, John M. Antuono, Anthony M. Antuono, Joe Antuono and Sebastian M. Antuono, all of Tampa, and three sisters: Mrs. Angelina Toffaletti and Mrs. Mary Crabtree, Tampa, and Maria in Italy.
The Tampa (FL) Times
Wednesday, April 2, 1941; Page 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Submitted by Rattlebox, Contributor #46597167:
Italian cigar magnate and Mafia opponent. Instituted profit sharing with his Florida factory workers.
Once decorated by Benito Mussolini for his opposition to the mafia and promotion of Italian goods, Antuono came to the US and started what would become the largest cigar manufacturing firm of its time. Antuono's factory, located on Tampa's Spring Street, produced the very popular Duke de Belcourt and CHS cigars. By 1924, Antuono was the wealthiest cigar magnate in the US.
Antuono was well-known for his treatment of workers, and he was one of the first company executives in Florida to institute profit sharing. Because of this, his workers never unionized, even though the labor unions were very strong at the time.
Antuono was a patron of the arts and a cornerstone of the Italian immigrant community that helped to put Tampa and Ybor City in particular on the map.
Gravesite Details
The Antuono family are all interred in a standing mausoleum at Myrtle Hill Cemetery.
Family Members
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