Hi all,
So many questions!

Here are the facts as I know them...

My great grandparents were from Angoli, IT and found a new life in Warren, PA. One question I have is whether anyone knows much about the settlement of Warren by so many Scalises! My grandfather emigrated in ~1883. I believe that puts him at the early end of the wave, right? How does one research ship manifests prior to Ellis Island?

I have the following dates to share, but I don't feel confident of their accuracy:

Francesco Scalise b. Jan 13, 1850. His parents were Giuseppe Scalise and Maria Mazzei. This week, I researched Angoli's birth records on LDS film # 1798204 from 1844-1854 and found only one set of parents matching those names. They had a boy, Francesco, as being born on Jan 23, 1849. Close enough?? They also had a daughter, Maria, b. Nov 18, 1854. My family has no knowledge of Francesco's siblings.

While searching for Francesco's birth, I also searched for his wife, Rosa Mascaro. I have her birthdate as Apr 12, 1853. I didn't find her at all. Her death certificate lists her father's name as Filippo. Family lore says that her parents died when she was young and she and her brother went to live with the Scalise family (above). Her brother reportedly became a priest (I find that hard to believe since they were not literate, but who knows). Does anyone know much about the Mascaros in the Angoli area at that time?

If it's relevant, Francesco and Rosa married in Angoli on Jun 29, 1872.

So, Francesco came to America in 1883 and then sent for his wife, Rose and their only surviving child, Giuseppe b. Sep 4, 1873 in Angoli (they had a son, Anthony in Angoli in 1875, but he died along with three other girls whose names I don't know). So far, the LDS records I've seen end in 1860 for the area. Is there a reason for that? Again, family lore says that Rosa's brother accompanied her on the voyage, but noone knows anything about him, which I find odd.

I know this is a lot to post all at once, but I figured it would be better to just get it all out than to go back and forth!

I have received Francesco's naturalization record from Warren, PA. How does one go about finding the Italian document that shows him renouncing his Italian citizenship? Does that exist?

OK, one last question and I'll leave you all alone! If I were to travel to Angoli, how would I gain access to the records in the area? Is one able to just walk in off the street, or is there some process there? I am relatively fluent in Italian, so that part doesn't intimidate me, I would just hate to travel all that way to discover I didn't have the right document.

Thank you so much in advance for your help!

Theresa

p.s. I have scans of ~175 documents from LDS film #178945 and would happily make more if they are of interest to any of you.

Ciao Theresa and Welcome to Gente!

My paternal great grandmother was Rosilia Mascaro, born on 9 Oct 1859 in the frazione of Polverini in Feroleto Antico which is just to the east of the frazione of Angoli. Her parents were Salvatore Mascaro and Mariantonia Nicotera. It's interesting that the frazioni of Polverini and Angoli are closer to one another than they are to the towns of Feroleto Antico and Serrastretta (scroll down a little on the map linked below).
www.comuni-italiani.it...mappa.html

Rosilia was married to Antonio Mancuso and they emigrated to Carbondale in northeastern Pennsylvania with children Francesca, Giuseppe and Fenicia, my grandmother. Giuseppe married his cousin Giulia Mascaro in 1914 shortly after Rosilia died. Giulia was also born in Polverini and initially emigrated to Belle Vernon PA where she joined her brother Eugenio.

Auguri,
Biff

Hi Thersea

Welcome to Gente. You were asking about researching manifest prior to ellis island - have you tried www.castlegarden.org ? I found these Scalise coming through:

castlegarden.org/searc...ubmit.y=18

I found who I think is your Francesco arriving 3 May 1883 (35 years old) putting his birth around 1848 so yes, 1849 is close enough )

FRANCESCO SCALISE
LABORER
35
M
3 May 1883
ARCHIMEDE
PALERMO ITALY
TO USA
CATANZARO

I was just going through the family trees on Ancestry? Did you create the one with Frank and Rose in it? It looks like they had a daughter who survived named #

Christine
Birth

o 12/25/1887
o in Warren, PA

* Death
*
o 05/10/1978
o in Akron, Ohio, USA
who married *

*

Wesley Downing Smith Sr
1898 – 1956

and they had children. Please let us know if you already have this information.

Nuccia,
Thank you so much for your post! I had never heard of Castle Garden. What a fun site! Do you know of others like it (prior to Ellis Island) for other ports of entry? One rumor said that he initially arrived in Canada. I have no way of verifying that.

The family tree you found is indeed my family. Christine was my grandmother's older sister. I haven't subscribed to ancestry.com, so I never saw it. I have an extensive family book for all that happened genealogy-wise once they arrived here. The unknown is all about their Italian life. As you know, they didn't talk much about it.

What do you know about naturalization records in Italy?

Thanks again!

theresa

You're welcome! I'm glad you found it useful. I'm not sure what you mean about naturalization records in Italy - perhaps one of our members living in Italy could help you with that.

You may also want to try www.olivetreegenealogy.com for some Canadian help.

What I am looking for is the Italian document that corresponds with the American document. My understanding is that when immigrants received their approved naturalization document in the States, Italy was notified of their change in citizenship. If that's right, how does one go about finding the Italian document that renounces their Italian citizenship?

Thanks!

Hi Biff!
Sorry, I didn't see your response until just now. It is good for me to hear about Mascaros in the other frazioni. I will be sure to check those out on the microfilm. I'm out of town at the moment, but I know I saw a birth record for a Rosilia Mascaro last week (it's on my computer at home). Do you have one for her or should I try to send it to you if it matches?

Thanks for sharing your information. Did your family talk much about their settlement in the States?

theresa

My Great-Grandmother Caterina Scalise was born in Angoli 29 OCT 1887 daughter of Antonio Scalise and Francesca Mazzei.

I've scanned some of the records of Serrastretta, which are hosted on Cathy's Catanzaro Exchange here... many would include Angoli, as it was a frazinone of Serrastretta...


Serrastretta Marriages

mascaro-scalise wrote:

I know I saw a birth record for a Rosilia Mascaro last week (it's on my computer at home). Do you have one for her or should I try to send it to you if it matches? theresa

I only have an extract not a copy of my great grandmother Rosilia's birth act so if you could scan a copy of the original I'd appreciate.

Best,
Biff

Biff,
Bummer. I got home and checked on the Rosilia birth act. This one was born to different parents (Achille and Felicia in 1851 in Angoli. I'll keep a look out when I go back to the library, though.

Sorry!


Jim,

Thanks for checking.

Auguri,
Biff