Help reading a manifest

Poipu04 · Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:17 pm Post subject: Help reading a manifest

Can someone help me with the handwriting on this manifest:

www.ellisisland.org/se...569120162&

Line 3, Giacomo Insarda'....The part that I am having trouble with is that is says he is staying with his brother Giuseppe Antonio. I can't read what is under that as far as a location/address goes. I do see something penciled in about Park Ave., but the writing in cursive under Giuseppe Antonio, I can't make out.

nuccia · Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:48 am Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Looks like it could say... Bencotto Brooklyn

Eleven · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 9:56 am Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

I tried. I cant make it out either..even using a huge magnifying glass.

Poipu04 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Do you think it says Belsito, Brooklyn? That may make some sense in context? I would like to get a hard copy of it but I am wondering if there is a cheaper way than the $29 that Ellis Island charges. Do you think I can order a copy from the FHL photocopy service?

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

Here's a darker jpeg image from Ancestry. You can save, copy to a CD and have printed at a FedEx/Kinko's on a large format for a lot less.

img211.imageshack.us/i...da1904.jpg

Biff

Poipu04 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 1:45 pm Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Ooooh, Biff, you just save me $29!!!! party

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

Just wish I could be more helpful in reading the information you're trying to decipher. I'm curious about the word after Giuseppe Antonio which looks like it begins with "f." Could it be "fu" or "from" or neither?
If it's "fu" that would indicate a male name beginning with "B." If it's "from" then possibly a town.

Biff

Poipu04 · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Do you think it is fam. as in family. I am taking a big leap in logic but the Belsito family of Brooklyn sponsored Giuseppe Antonio's wife to come to America and perhaps they sponsored his brother as well?

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

A possibility. Now I'm wondering if Antonio is followed by "Co fam Belsito"---care of family Belsito. Could the person filling out the manifest in Italy have used "Co" a an abbreviation/shorthand for care of?

Do you have any other info on the Belsito family for me to check on possible census or other records to see if they lived on Park Ave? Names, ages, children, etc.

Biff

Poipu04 · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:12 am Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Biff: Yes, I have lots of info. The most likely sponsor is Domenico Belsito, 1861-1911, wife is Annunziata, children are Domenico and Giuseppe. He lived at 2 Union Place in Brooklyn. They were possibly owners of real estate and businesses. They were in the brewery business. Next likely character would be Fracesco Belsito1856-1925, wife Amelia Loeffler, child Teresa. He was also of Brooklyn. Last person: Angelina Belsito, 1855-1928, also of Brooklyn (single, no children). I have the 1909 and 1912 Brooklyn directories and there is no associated Park Ave. address. Hmmmmm......

nuccia · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 5:37 am Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Could be Belsito - that would make sense.

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

It looks like you've located the Belsito census records already. Like you, I can not tie in the Park Avenue address but both 465 Park Ave and 2 Union Place (renamed Havens Place between 1910-1930) are both in the Bed-Sty area of Brooklyn about three miles apart. Wonder if the 465 Park was an address for one of their businesses?

Interesting that they were in the brewery business. Do you know if that was through Amelia Loeffler's family?

Biff

Poipu04 · Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:43 pm Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

You know, I am not 100% sure of how they got into the brewery business. I am also intrigued with the Loeffler wedding because a Calabrian/German union must have been rare. I also think it was a Catholic/Protestant union. I have to dig up the marriage certificate.

I spent last night combing through the 1905 census, page by page online to ascertain who lived at 465 Park. I wonder if I was just plain tired because I could not for the life of my find that address. I got 467, 464, 466. Urgh! I used Steve Morse to figure out A17, A18 and A27 where the parts of the census to look through. I may take another look tonight.

Poipu04 · Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:46 pm Post subject: Re: Help reading a manifest

Biff: I found mention in the Brooklyn Eagle that there was a saloon at 465 Park, scroll to bottom of page: eagle.brooklynpublicli...e=GIF&GZ=T

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

If they were in both the brewery and saloon businesses, 465 might have only been a building housing a business with no residents and that's why it's not showing up on the resident census.

And an Italian Catholic/German Protestant wedding. Wonder what they served at the reception? Brats, beer, dago red and macaroni?!! Shocked

Best,
Biff