Joseph Barbara (mobster)

Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara (August 9, 1905 – June 17, 1959) was a New York state mobster who became the boss of the Bufalino crime family. Barbara is most notable for hosting the abortive Apalachin Conference in 1957. He was the father of mobster Joseph Barbara, Jr.

Born Giuseppe Maria Barbara (bar-BEAR-uh) in 1905 in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Barbara immigrated to the United States in 1921 at age 16. He was soon working as a hitman for the Bufalino crime family in their Northern Pennsylvania territory. During the 1930s, Barbara was arrested for several murders, including the 1933 murder of rival bootlegger Sam Wichner. Wichner had gone to Barbara's house for a business meeting, where Barbara allegedly strangled Wichner to death. However, as with the other murders, law enforcement never obtained enough evidence to prosecute Barbara. It is also speculated that in 1940 Barbara murdered Pittston, Pennsylvania mob boss John Sciandra in order to take over his criminal organization.

Barbara married Josephine Vivona on May 24, 1936 in Endicott, New York, and fathered three sons, Joseph Maria Jr., Peter, and Angelo; and a daughter, Angela S.

In 1944, the newly wealthy Barbara bought a 58-acre (23 ha) tract of land in the rural town of Apalachin, New York and built an estate on it for a total of $250,000. Barbara soon involved himself in local business circles and philanthropy. When Barbara applied for a New York handgun permit, the police chief of Endicott, New York served as a reference. In 1946, Barbara was convicted of illegally purchasing 300,000 pounds (140 t) of sugar (intended for the manufacture of bootleg alcohol). This would be Barbara's first and last criminal conviction. Soon after this, Barbara entered the soft drink distribution business, buying a Canada Dry bottling plant. Barbara eventually gained control of the beer and soft drink market in the Binghamton, New York region.

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