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cetta (Salonia) Adorno. His father was
a clothing and flour merchant ; he died in
August, 1917, and is still survived by his
wife. The public schools of his native
home afforded Mr. Adorno his early edu-
cation ; at the age of eighteen years he
came to America and settled in Middletown,
which city has continued to be his
home, and where he has attained his success.
It was imperative that the young
lad secure work soon after his arrival
and at that time there was not the demand
for labor such as now. His first position
was in a tin shop, where he received two
and one-half dollars a week. Soon after
he acquired a little knowledge of the
language and fortified by his ambition to
better himself, he changed his work and
went into the brickyard of the Tuttle
Brothers Company, where he received
one dollar and thirty-five cents a day.
He remained there for seven months, and
out of his salary not only supported him-
self but sent money home to his parents
as well. Mr. Adorno was all the time improving
himself in every respect and applied
for a position with the Russell Man-
ufacturing Company. He was success-
ful in obtaining the work, and for seven
years remained in their employ as a
weaver. He has the distinction of being
one of the first of his nationality to work
there.
By being thrifty and adding to his
small competence, Mr. Adorno was able
to engage in business for himself as a
manufacturer of macaroni, in connection
with which he also conducted a small
grocery. This might be called the turn-
ing point in his career, as it was from this
date that his success was rapid. From
small beginnings the business grew until
two thousand pounds of macaroni was
the daily output. This part of the busi-
ness was disposed of eventually and his
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
whole attention given to the grocery end.
In 1913, this was also given up, and in
the same year Mr. Adorno opened a the-
atre known as the "Star." In consideration
of its size, it was successful enough,
but it was not large enough to accommodate
very many patrons. Mr. Adorno
then purchased the Crescent Theatre, as
well as the ground, which is now used
as a store and apartments. In 1915 he
built and opened the "Grand" on a site of
which he has a twenty-year lease. He
conducted this theatre himself until 1919,
when he leased the theatre for a term of
years. In 1919 he bought the Mitchell
Block, which embraces three stores and
two floors of apartments.
During the World War there were
many demonstrations of allegiance to
their adopted country by those of foreign
birth ; the cause of America and the Allies
was their cause, and particularly notable
was Mr. Adorno's activities in this direction.
He was a member of the War
Bureau of Middletown, and donated the
use of the theatre for both the Fourth
and Fifth Liberty Loan drives, on both
of which occasions Middletown went
199
"over the top." He also gave a benefit
performance and donated the gross re-
ceipts, amounting to eight hundred dol-
lars, to the Men's Service Club. He received
several flattering cards commend-
ing him for his patriotism, among them a
letter from the president of the Hartford
Manufacturers' Association. It is to be
naturally expected that a man of Mr.
Adorno's prominence is active in the
social and civic life of Middletown. His
political views are those of an independ-
ent, but he is always ready to give his
support to the best man. Fraternally he
is a member of Council No. 3, Knights of
Columbus, Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, Loyal Order of Moose,