A hefty bank account doesn’t always indicate a man’s wealth. Sometimes it’s the rich legacy he leaves behind. For Frank Frisk, an Italian immigrant from Salerno, the prospects of a new life — and work — in America was beckoning.

Born Jan. 6, 1864, as Pasquale Fresca, he arrived about 1886 in the United States, where his name was Americanized to Frank Frisk. He left behind his wife, Rose Lordi, who was expecting their son, George, in Italy until he could send for them 7 years later.