The Gennas were Sicilian brothers who occupied the Taylor Street section of Chicago, known as Little Sicily and were dubbed in the newspapers as "The Terrible Gennas". Peter and Sam Genna arrived to Chicago in April of 1906, having been sponsored by a brother in law and both being described as farmhand/laborers. Theyir four brothers would later follow them to America where they would form a powerful prohibition era gang known as the "Genna crime family". Peter was a saloon keeper on the West Side but soon became involved in bootlegging and other organized crime activities with his brothers. Peter is believed to have been either the oldest or second oldest of the Genna brothers (their dates of birth are all unconfirmed). The Genna's had several homes and establishments in Chicago.