Brief Life History of Rita
When Rita Piacenza was born on 5 January 1896, in Italy, her father, Ettore Piacenza, was 36 and her mother, Maria Cerliani, was 31. She married Thomas Hart Benton on 14 February 1922, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. She immigrated to New York City, New York, United States in 1938 and lived in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States in 1920 and Jackson, Missouri, United States in 1940. She died on 9 April 1975, in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri, United States, at the age of 79, and was buried in Unknown Island, Western Australia, Australia.
Photos and Memories (0)
Do you know Rita? Do you have a story about her that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account
Family Time Line
Sources (25)
- Rita Benton, "United States 1950 Census"
- Legacy NFS Source: Rita Piacenza - Published information: birth-name: Rita Piacenza
- Rita Piacenza, "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940"
Spouse and Children
Parents and Siblings
World Events (8)
1898 · War with the Spanish
After the explosion of the USS Maine in the Havana Harbor in Cuba, the United States engaged the Spanish in war. The war was fought on two fronts, one in Cuba, which helped gain their independence, and in the Philippines, which helped the US gain another territory for a time.
1913 · The Woolworth Building Opens as the Tallest Building in the World
At 792 feet above Broadway, the Woolworth Building became the tallest building in the world and held the record for 17 years. The Woolworth Building was overshadowed by the Chrysler Building at 1,046 feet in 1930 and the Empire State Building at 1,454 feet in 1931. Retailer and mogul Frank W. Woolworth commissioned the Woolworth Building in 1910 with the intent of his namesake building to be the tallest in the world. The 13 million dollar project was financed in cash by Woolworth which allowed him freedoms in the design and construction of the ornate, gothic building. An opening ceremony was held on April 24, 1913 at which President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button from the White House and lit the historic building in New York City.
1917
U.S. intervenes in World War I, rejects membership of League of Nations.
Name Meaning
Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Carlo, Dante, Domenic, Romano.
Italian: habitational name from Piacenza, in Emilia Romagna, so called from Latin Placentia (neuter plural of the present participle of placere ‘to please’).
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Discover Even More
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.