1st Italian settler in America

A Venetian immigrant to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and is regarded as the first Italian settler in what is now New York State. 

Pietro was born on the island of Malamocco in 1608 at the height of Venice’s commercial power. Pietro was a member of the influential and powerful Alberti family and the son of the secretary of the Ducal Treasury, At the end of the Thirty Years’ War (1618 -1648), which resulted in eight million deaths from military engagements, famine and plague, Pietro decided at the age of 27 to seek a new life in the New World.

Pietro signed on as a merchant seaman and sailed on July 10, 1634. and arrived in New Amsterdam on June 2, 1635. In the New World, Pietro became Peter. Four years later, he secured the deed of ownership for tobacco land from the Director General and Council of New Amsterdam. In 1642, he married a woman named Judith Manje and had seven children. The family lived in a home on Broad Streetand later moved to Alberti’s plantation property on Long Island (now Fort-Green, Brooklyn). They farmed the 100 acres until Pietro and Judith were killed in an Indian raid on November 9, 1655.

The original plaque of bronze on granite was dedicated in 1959 to the Italian American explorer Peter Caesar Alberti. It has since been stolen.

The city of Venice is proud to join the Italian historical society of America in participating in the commemoration of New York State's "Year of history" by contributing this bronze plaque honoring the name of the first Italian immigrant Peter Caesar Alberti native of Venice, who, in the year 1635 settled in what is today known as New York City, in the wall street area, and later in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn. Placed today, June 2, 1959 by the Italian historical society of American

Replaced by a granite marker on plinth after the original marker was stolen.

'Peter Caesar Alberti first Italian settler landed in N.Y. on June 2, 1635 through the efforts of John N. Lacorte founder of the Italian Historical Society of America June 2, has been proclaimed "Alberti Day"