Grace (Grazia) Cafarelli was born Grazia Sarubbi in Accettura, Matera province, Basilicata, Italy, on 17 April 1858 to Giuseppe Maria Sarubbi and Giulia DiLorenzo, residents of Accettura. Giuseppe was originally from the town of Stigliano, also in Matera province. Grazia married Vincenzo Cafarelli, son of Domenico Cafarelli and Maria Gaetana Mastronardi, in Accettura on 28 February 1876. Vincenzo emigrated to New York City in 1886 and brought Grazia and their children to the U.S. in 1893, after which they Americanized their names to Vincent and Grace. Grace died in West New York, New Jersey, on 28 October 1936 and was buried two days later at Holy Name Cemetery.

Sources for this information include Grace's original birth and baptismal records from Accettura, her original marriage record from Accettura, the 21 June 1893 passenger list of the S.S. Chandernagor, Grace's original New Jersey death certificate, cemetery records, and original vital records from Italy for Grace's parents and grandparents. The names Mary Grace (from the death certificate and cemetery office) and Marie Grace (from the gravestone) do not appear on Grace's birth, baptismal, or marriage records nor passenger list and census records created during her life and are likely to be errors made by the informant and possibly the stone cutter. The date of birth reported on Grace's death certificate, 12 April 1861, and the 1861 on her tombstone are also errors.

This biographical sketch, posted to www.FindAGrave.com on 29 June 2012, is based on original research and was authored in 2012 by Lesley K. Cafarelli. It may be used for personal or professional, non-commercial genealogical research purposes provided that it is used in its entirety and accompanied by a full source citation crediting the author and this memorial page.