Hi, my name is Valerie, I live in the US. I am fairly new to genealogy and would like to learn more about my Italian family. My grandfather, Raffaele came to the US May 19,1899 on the Trojan Prince, his name was spelled Valente. I became interested in learning about my family a few years ago, not soon enough to ask my aunts, uncles about the family. There are only cousins left and we know only a little bit about our grandparents and nothing about those left in Italy. I am not retired and have a little bit of time to do some serious researching, but going about it seems to be difficult. Any suggestions/help would be appreciated. I listed the Valenti’s and spouses in my first message. Valerie (Val)

Hi Valerie and welcome to Gente.

We'll try and help you with your research but maybe you can tell us what you already have (other than the manifest for your grandfather). Have you been able to place him on a Census? The best thing I can advise is to start with yourself and work backwards using US records. You would be surprised at what you can find this way.

I have the following information for Raffaele Valenti, some times went by Fred
1910 Census index of Morgantown, West Virginia
Fred age 45
Catterina age 33
Larry age 14 born in Italy
Stella age 2 born in West Virginia
Patsy ( Pat) age 4 born in PA
Fortunata (Catheine) age 3 born in PA
920 West Virginia MONONGALIA 3-WD; MORGANTOWN; MORGAN 1008 Fayette St. Series: T625 Roll: 1964 Page: 1008 Fayette Street
VALENTI, FRED 56 Italy
Valenti, Catherine 41 "
Valenti, Larry 23 "
Valenti,. Patrick 14 Pennsylvania
Valenti, Fortuna 12 "
Valenti, Stella 11 West Virginia
Valenti, Dominick 9 West Virginia
Valenti, Ralph 7 "
Valenti, James 4 "
Valenti, Joe 3 (my father)
1930 Census Gary, Lake, Indiana
Valentine, Fred View Image Online
Age: 64 Year: 1930 marriage at age 38
Birthplace: Italy Roll: T626_598
Race: White Page: 1A
State: Indiana ED: 7
County: Lake Image: 0771
Township: Gary
Relationship: Head Valentine,

Valentine Catherine wife 53 married age 17
Valentine, Dominic son Age: 19
Valentine, Stella daughter 21
Valentine, James son 14
Valentine, Joseph son age 12

notice the surname is Valentine on the 1930 census

Birth information" The Birth Certificate / Extract of the Register of Births of RAFFAELE VALENTI, born in Riace on 01/25/1863, son of DOMENICO VALENTI (father) and FORTUNATA PAZZANO (mother);

I only have birthdate information on my great grandparents all in Italy

I hope this helps a little.

I was not able to locate Raffaele on the 1900 census, he was in the states at that time. He came here 1899 in May. Raffaele died in Gary, Indiana 1933.

Val,
I don't understand.
You already have his birth record? or you just have his date of birth?
Also, what would you like to know? Who were his siblings? or you would like to contact any descendent of possible siblings of him
Please be specific, so I can tell you what to do
bye Riccardo

Thank you for your reply,
Yes, I have my grandfathers date of birth, I would like to know his siblings, his parents and their children. I am just beginning researching and would like to learn all I can about my ancestors. I don’t know if my grandfather’s siblings came to the US if so, are there any I could communicate with. My father did not know much about his parents, nothing about his aunts and uncles. I hope this is a better understanding of what I am looking for.

Have you seen this manifest for Flario Valente and his mother, Armorida, Catonia (should be Caterina and I'm sure the last name is spelled incorrectly as well).



First Name: Catonia
Last Name: Armorida
Ethnicity: Italy
Last Place of Residence: Riace
Date of Arrival: Mar 13, 1905
Age at Arrival: 28 Gender: F Marital Status: M
Ship of Travel: Buenos Aires
Port of Departure: Naples
Manifest Line Number: 0029


First Name: Flario
Last Name: Valente
Ethnicity: Italy
Last Place of Residence: Riace
Date of Arrival: Mar 13, 1905
Age at Arrival: 9 Gender: M Marital Status: S
Ship of Travel: Buenos Aires
Port of Departure: Naples
Manifest Line Number: 0030

www.ellisisland.org/se...2366070360

Hello,
first of all send a request (written only in italian) in order to get Raffaele Valente copy from real birth record

Comune
Ufficio di Stato Civile
Piazza Municipio
89040 Riace (RC)
Italy

The same record can be requested to

www.archivi.benicultur...O+CALABRIA

In that record you know the age of his parents, so you will try to understand when they got married (if in Riace)
The marriage date is a starting point for the registrar in order to see the birth records of every single kid of the couple (siblings of your Raffaele)


If you want to know about any living descendento of sibling of your Raffaele, you have to write in italian to Ufficio Anagrafe (same address as Ufficio di Stato Civile - as a bove)

I hope it helps
bye Riccardo

Thank you Nuccia, this has to be my grandparents, I recall my uncle being called Flario by his wife, I thought it was a nick name. We called him Uncle Larry.
Riccardo thank you for your suggestion. We believe my grandfather had a brother who came to the US I have found an Antonio who came to the states in 1886 who could possibily be my grandfather's brother, but of course am not sure. Thank you

Could this be Uncle Larry then?


World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Larry Valenti
Name: Larry Valenti
City: Not Stated
County: Monongalia
State: West Virginia
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 8 Nov 1896
Roll: 1992864
DraftBoard: 0

Having trouble linking the image. Will ask Carole for help...says his from Calabria and lists Catherine, his mother as next of kin.

Yes, this would be my uncle, thank you so much. Valerie

Could this be your Raffaele?


1900 United States Federal Census
about Raffaele Valerio
Name: Raffaele Valerio
Home in 1900: Robeson, Berks, Pennsylvania
Age: 40
Birthplace: Italy
Race: White
Immigration Year: 1899
Relationship to head-of-house: Boarder
Occupation: View Image

BORN about 1860... possibility maybe?

Thank you again, I am not sure this would be my grandfather, he was born Jan 1863. When my grandmother came to this states this is what what listed: Armorida, Catonia age 28 Riace, Italy, March 13, 1905 Naples - Manifest for Buenos Aires
Sailing from Naples going to Union Town Pennsylvania to her husband's Rafaele Valenti.
I do not speak nor write Italian therefore writing would not be possible for me to do.

Well so far, from what you have said this could be a possibility then. Three years is not a big difference (they never got their ages correct since many lied about it or just didn't think it was important.) Some didn't even know when their birthdays were..

The census is in Penns..another positive, and the name is similar. I think I'll follow this guy once I get back from the airport and see where he ends up. Maybe he will end up with Caterina..who knows? Then again, it may be a false lead but we won't know until we try, right?

Be back later..off to pick up Simona from the airport in a few minutes.

nuccia wrote:

Could this be Uncle Larry then? World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 about Larry Valenti Name: Larry Valenti City: Not Stated County: Monongalia State: West Virginia Birthplace: Italy Birth Date: 8 Nov 1896 Roll: 1992864 DraftBoard: 0 Having trouble linking the image. Will ask Carole for help...says his from Calabria and lists Catherine, his mother as next of kin.

[img=http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/9051/imagexx4.th.jpg]

Click on link to open, then again to enlarge.