Angelina (Dagastine) Hanby
b.1921

Angelina "Lena" Hanby  is the daughter of Italian immigrants who settled in the farming community of Port Norris known as "Little Italy".   She was raised on Strrawberry Avenue, in the same house where she would raise her own family, and where she still resides today. 

The youngest of fourteen children, Lena worked for the family trucking and busing business Dagastine's Transfer for fifty years.  This business was the first to transport local oysters by truck to destinations in the Midwest, creating new markets for the then thriving oyster industry in Bivalve and Shellpile.  Dagastine's Transfer also provided bus service for generations of school children in Commercial Township.

Lena has been an lifelong member of St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church in Port Norris.  

With her crystal clear memory, Lena has been able to recall with great detail what life was like in Port Norris' "Little Italy".  Her memories go back to the 1920's, providing invaluable information on a part of town that no longer exist as such.  Her stories are as personal as they are unique. This year, the Port Norris Historical Society created an oral history DVD of Lena's stories, to preserve and to pass on to future generations.  On November 22, 2009, Lena Hanby was recognized as a Living Legend of Port Norris.

source: Lena Hanby