How prominent/well known were/are Fertitta/Maceo families in Houston/Galveston (Brownsville: crime, elementary school)

[NJ Brazen_3133]

How prominent/well know were/are the Fertitta and Maceo families in the Houston and Galveston areas? Were they and are their descendents considered A-listers in the Houston Galveston Metro? Were they prominent in public life?

I ask because I am an organized crime buff. I first heard about this crime family from Texas when reading an online MMA forum. There was someone discussing the Fertitta Brothers who own the UFC, and their family connections to organized crime.

I found it strange that there was an italian mob in Texas. Is this family are large part of Houston/Galveston historical urban lore as much as the five families are in NYC?

[texas7]

Fertitta maceo and salvato families were prominent in Galveston country history. There's a guy who runs a bingo parlor in Galveston who used to work for them. He has some great stories. Fertitta and maceo famies are very prominent families. Don't hear much of salvato any more. Shouldn't be a surprise that we had organized crime here. Wasn't on a huge scale. Galveston was an immigration port back in its history.

[detachable arm]

A lot of Italians landed on the Gulf coast of Texas from Beaumont to Brownsville. That was my great great grandmother but they were farmers and we eventually mixed with Spaniards and Anglos and Germans. Shouldn't be a surprise that a mafia was here. You don't hear much about it though. (You hear more about the Vietnamese mafia nowadays-- shrimp and marijuana.)

Another prominent name is Moody. I had a teacher in elementary school with that last name, and she was obviously loaded.

[Corridor Chick]

Nowadays Fertita is more well-known for his restaurant empire. I assume you're speaking of Fertitas of the past?

I graduated from Kempner High School many years ago, and I was surprised when I learned much later that I. H. Kempner's name was tied to the Galveston mafia.

Of course his Wikipedia article doesn't mention that.

[kittyhawk]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

How prominent/well know were/are the Fertitta and Maceo families in the Houston and Galveston areas? Were they and are their descendents considered A-listers in the Houston Galveston Metro? Were they prominent in public life?

I ask because I am an organized crime buff. I first heard about this crime family from Texas when reading an online MMA forum. There was someone discussing the Fertitta Brothers who own the UFC, and their family connections to organized crime.

I found it strange that there was an italian mob in Texas. Is this family are large part of Houston/Galveston historical urban lore as much as the five families are in NYC?

Houston, no. However, my family is originally from Galveston going back to around 1900. From the stories my grandparents told, in the early part of the century Galveston was one hell of a place--and these families ran the town. This is a good article about the "Free State of Galveston"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_State_of_Galveston

Here's another great article on the subject.

One Last Shot - Texas Monthly

Nowadays, Fertita has too many legit business to need any blatant criminal activity although between him, the Moody family, and the George Mitchell foundation, they seem to own half the Island. Galveston has one of the most fascinating histories of any US place and certainly birthed some interesting characters.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

When did Houston overtake Galveston? Besides Tillman and Lorenzo, are there any other well known members of the family still around today?

[crone]

Those families were well known to anybody south of Arkansas back in the 40-50s.

The urban rumor was that the Ship channel is what gave the development to Houston rather than Galveston.

We lived OTI years ago. There was plenty of talk about the short sightedness of the Moody family being the cause. The new church did not stop the talk.

[curbur]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

When did Houston overtake Galveston?

This article explains it pretty well.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

When did Houston overtake Galveston? Besides Tillman and Lorenzo, are there any other well known members of the family still around today?

The 1900 storm.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Then Houston overtook Galveston long before the Fertittas/Maceos showed up. And when the Maceo/Fertittas came, it was basically a tourist destination.