nuccia wrote:

Ok, so what was her husband's name and when was he born? The only Vincenzo Alia and Maria I found in the 1900 Census gave their births as Dec 1868 and Sep 1869 - then again, I found later census records (1910, 1930) that had Vincenzo born in about 1871 and Maria in 1875 ... What census records have you found and can you remember how they were indexed?

Vincenzo Ali...born in 1864 in Caulonia. I found the same two census records...1910 and 1930. I'm not sure what you mean by "how they were indexed"...

I'll catch up with you later on. Hope your day is going well!

Nuccia, I found this ship manifest on the Ellis Island website...it may be my MGGM, but I can't be sure. Line 23...Grigara, Maria...Are you able to read under column 16 where it says "husband ..., then 514 North Water?"

www.ellisisland.org/EI...&line=0023

Maria, born about 1875 (give or take a year) and it Looks like it could be Ali(a) and an abbreviated Vincenzo ! Also notice the persons she is traveling with in the above lines? Alia Teresa and son Domenico from Caulonia. This could very well be the link you've been looking for!

nuccia wrote:

Maria, born about 1875 (give or take a year) and it Looks like it could be Ali(a) and an abbreviated Vincenzo ! Also notice the persons she is traveling with in the above lines? Alia Teresa and son Domenico from Caulonia. This could very well be the link you've been looking for!

I was originally told that Maria was born in 1882...but maybe not! Yes, it sure looks like it could be Vincenzo Ali(a), my great-grandfather! As far as the two names above Maria's, I'm not sure what connection they may or may not have to Maria except that they're going to Syracuse and they're from Caulonia. So, what would my next step be to find out if this is, indeed, my great-grandmother?

Hi Lynne. Not to butt in but there are films available for Caulonia that you can order from the LDS. www.familysearch.org/e...di++Caul++ If Vincenzo was born in 1864 you won't find his birth because the films start in 1866 for births however, you may be able to find Maria's birth act. If you know of any siblings that Vincenzo had that may have been born after him you can always look for their birth acts and then you would know who his parents were (for sure).

Just thought I'd throw this out there.....hope you don't mind.

BillieDeKid wrote:

Hi Lynne. Not to butt in but there are films available for Caulonia that you can order from the LDS. www.familysearch.org/e...di++Caul++ If Vincenzo was born in 1864 you won't find his birth because the films start in 1866 for births however, you may be able to find Maria's birth act. If you know of any siblings that Vincenzo had that may have been born after him you can always look for their birth acts and then you would know who his parents were (for sure). Just thought I'd throw this out there.....hope you don't mind.

Nope, don't mind at all that you "butt" in, Elizabeth! The more the merrier, right?! Thanks for the link. How do I go about ordering the film that has Maria's birth act? As far as Vincenzo's birth act, is there any other possible way I can locate his birth act? I know Vincenzo had one sister, but that's all I know. I'm not sure she even came to America, but rather stayed back in Italy. I don't have a name, date of birth, etc.

If Vincenzo and Maria were married in the USA their parents names should be on their marriage certificate. I found my great grandparents names by contacting the funeral home that they were buried out of and they looked it up in their records....otherwise I'd be in the same boat as you. Their death certificates didn't list their parents and that's why I tried the funeral home.
Once you know his parents names, you can give a range of years for his birth and request a copy of his birth act from Caulonia. You can use a form letter as all requests must be made in Italian and supply them with a self addressed stamped (have to be Italian stamps) envelope so they can send your info. You can use this site for your letter www.circolocalabrese.o...civile.asp and instead of an extract copy you need to request an integrale copia of the birth act in order for it to list complete information. When I made requests I had to include a copy of my drivers license (front and back) along with my request.


Hope this helps out

Thanks so much for the info, Elizabeth. Did the funeral home give you the information over the phone or did you have to go there in person? (I do have the name of the funeral home that buried my great grandparents). In April of 2009, I sent a letter to the Stato di Civile in Caulonia requesting a copy of my great grandparents birth certificates (not integrale copia of the birth act, however), but never heard anything back from them. I did make the request in Italian and enclosed a self-addressed envelope and stamps. I will send a new letter and include the info you provided. Thanks again for your help! I'll let you know how I make out!

Lynn, Teresa Alia looks to be born about 1867 so perhaps she is a sister to Vincenzo? It would definitely be something I would look into.

lynne wrote:

Thanks so much for the info, Elizabeth. Did the funeral home give you the information over the phone or did you have to go there in person? (I do have the name of the funeral home that buried my great grandparents). In April of 2009, I sent a letter to the Stato di Civile in Caulonia requesting a copy of my great grandparents birth certificates (not integrale copia of the birth act, however), but never heard anything back from them. I did make the request in Italian and enclosed a self-addressed envelope and stamps. I will send a new letter and include the info you provided. Thanks again for your help! I'll let you know how I make out!

I got the info over the phone but the town is a very very small town and I was born and raised there so the funeral director knows me and my entire family so he had no problem looking it up and telling me over the phone. You can always try calling first to see if they'll give you the info over the phone and if they won't just ask what's necessary for them to look up or release the info to you.


In regards to requesting information. It took me several trys with mine too and one of my friends that lives in Italy got after them on my behalf and I got the info immediately. Give it another try and see what happens. If they still don't respond you can use the letter my friend wrote for me which quoted the law stating they have X amount of time to reply to me. Good luck and let me know how it goes

nuccia wrote:

Lynn, Teresa Alia looks to be born about 1867 so perhaps she is a sister to Vincenzo? It would definitely be something I would look into.

Nuccia,

After looking again at the first name, it looks to be (E)eresa, not (T)eresa. No matter. Do you know why there is an (X) to the left of her's and Domenico's names? Also, can you read what Eeresa's husband's name is...looks like Nicola is the first name? If this is, indeed, Vincenzo's sister, what would be my next step to finding this out?

Thanks to you and Elizabeth for your help. This is the furthest I've come in a long while!

Lynne, the name is definitely Teresa Ali (a). I am positive but I can not quite make out her husbands name! Not sure if it's Giansetta Nicola. I think this is a matter of
1. Asking one of out experts in Italian to try reading it
2. Looking through census records and ship manifests for possibilities. So far I have only looked briefly but I am sure we can find this!

Yes, the name of the lady is Teresa, we write the letter "T" that way. Eeresa is not a first name.
Her husband's surname looks Giacopetta but this surname doesn't exist. I also tried Giansetta but no way. So, I believe that the original surname was Jacopetta (also spelt Iacopetta) which was mispelled in Giacopetta. Jacopetta/Iacopetta exists as a surname in Caulonia and in nearby towns.


Ada

Thanks, Nuccia and Ada. So, it is Nicola Jacopetta or Iacopetta, then?

Getting back to Maria and Vincenzo, I always thought they married in the US. Now, I'm not so certain. In the 1910 US census, it lists Maria as the mother of 5 children, buy only three still living...Rosina (born in 1902 or 1903), Cristina (born in 1906), and Teresa-my grandmother (born in 1909). Any ideas as to if they were married in Italy or the US? None of my family is certain of this.

lynne wrote:

Nuccia, I found this ship manifest on the Ellis Island website...it may be my MGGM, but I can't be sure. Line 23...Grigara, Maria...Are you able to read under column 16 where it says "husband ..., then 514 North Water?" www.ellisisland.org/EI...ia%26nbsp% 3BGrigara&doa=Feb+12%2C+1901&port=Genoa&line=0023

I think, even though it's written, North W. str ...... it would be N. West Street.

Just a guess on my part. Also on the 1900 census if you look the page before Vincenzo and Maria there is a family called Gagare which could be your Grigare's. Again just a guess.