The Falco and Emmite Families

Giovanni “John” Falco immigrated in 1884 from Poggioreale, Trapani, Sicilia. We don’t have any documentation as to how where he gained entrance to the US. His wife Rosa, immigrated in 1894, through the Port of New Orleans, aboard the ship San Giorgio from the Port of Palermo, Sicilia, Italy. They had 8 children – Rosalie (1898), Carlo (1899), Angeline (1902), Pauline (1905), Josephine (1908), Lenora (1910), Madra (1911), and Matthew (1915). The Falco’s were farmers and settled in Dickinson, Texas on the Falco family farm which was a 12-acre plot of land located between Timber Drive and Hwy 3. Falco Street runs the length of what used to be the farm today and part of the property is now the location of the Dickinson Water Company which was originally built by the Falco and Emmite Family and was the First Water District in Galveston County.

The Falco’s were farmers and the well provided much-needed water to all the residents of Dickinson, for both residential and agricultural purposes. John was a major monetary contributor to St. Joseph’, a small wooden mission church located in the heart of Dickinson and now goes by the name of Queen of Angels. St. Joseph is dear to the Sicilian people and alters erected to God in his honor on his feast day, March 19, are a tradition that is observed to this day, as evident with the Dickinson Little Italy Festival of Galveston County. The building is now the community room and is the one recognized with the landmark designation. Additionally, the funds John contributed, allowed for the construction of the nunnery around 1936.

Carlo Falco owned the first Casino on the mainland of Texas, running it with the assistance of his sister Angeline and brother Matthew. One of the Managers for the Casino was Frank Fertitta, whose son, Frank Fertitta, Jr. would later make his way to Las Vegas and found the Station Casinos. Carlo Falco was married to Rose Emmite in the 1920’s. Carlo and Rose had two boys, John (1927-1978) and Franklin (1940-1994). Carlo died in 1951 at the age of 52. 

Rose Emmite was the oldest child of Frank and Vinzy Emmite. She lived in Dickinson Texas her entire life and managed several properties in Dickinson up until her death in 1977. She was best known as the proprietor of Falco’s Restaurant, in downtown Dickinson, where clientele ranged from senators and congressmen to celebrities… all who came in for a slice of her famous pies. 

Frank (Emite, Immite) Emmite and Vincithia Imbragulio were married in Galveston, Texas in 1903. They had 7 children – Rose (1904), Tony (1906), Katie (1908), Raymond (1911), Sam (1913), Lena (1915) and Josephine (1918). Frank Emmite was born in Poggioreale, Trapani, Sicilia in 1882 and arrived in the US in 1897. He died in 1967 at the age of 85. At the time of his death, he lived in Giovanni (John) Falco’s house on the corner of Hwy 3 and Falco Street, right next door to his daughter, Rose, and son-in-law Carlo Falco. The two homes are still there today and Carlo Falco, the Grandson of Carlo Falco, still lives in the Falco house. 

Several of the Emmite children ran businesses in Dickinson. Frank Emmite retired as owner of the first Dickinson Ice and Fuel Company, located in front of the water tower on Highway 3, that was built on his property. Rosie owned the property across Hwy 3 from the Icehouse and her husband Carlo built Falco’s drive-in there. Raymond owned the movie theater that still stands there next to the building that used to be the drive-in and is called the Harbor House Playhouse.  Sam Emmite was the owner and operator of Superior Cleaners, on Hwy 3, across the street from where Falco’s Drive-in Restaurant was located. Tony owned a car lot there on Highway 3 as well, and at one time all of them had homes that were back-to-back down Holly Street, which is where the Original Emmite home sits today on the corner.  The Falco and Emmite Families have been one family since 1920 and continue to work together today. 

Today, the Falco family from Carlo and Rosie’s side of the family are survived by the following living grandchildren:

John Falco’s Children… Sons - Chriss, Greg and David Falco. Daughter- Lucia McCreight

Franklin's Children… Sons - Carlo and Michael Falco

Carlo Falco’s Brother, Matthew Falco also has living relatives in the Dickinson area… his son Matthew, his wife Kathy, and their daughter Ashley… they have a beautiful family lineage that includes the Liggio family