First Papers and Naturalization

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
sacesta
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Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by sacesta »

I hope so! :)
Steve Acesta

Researching Calatafimi, Trapani
Surnames Aceste, Papa, Cusenza, Gruppuso, Sciortino, Sparacino, Zito, and Vona.

Researching Montevago, Agrigento (Girgenti)
Surnames Infranco, La Rocca, Mandina, Bilello, Cacioppo, and Cardino.
sacesta
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Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by sacesta »

I got the results from NARA today. That was quick! I sent the request on Friday and got Rocco's Certificate of Arrival, Declaration of Intent and Petition to Naturalize this afternoon.

It appears Camillo's daughter was correct about the year of Rocco's arrival (1922) but incorrect the ship he arrived on (the Giuseppe Verdi). Rocco arrived in New York on the SS Presidente Wilson on the 18th of August, 1922. I was incorrect also, about the date of his Declaration of Intent. Although the 1930 Census showed that Rocco had previously filed his intent (PA) the date on the document I received showed a date of 17 Nov 1941. I already had Rocco's Naturalization certificate and so I knew that Rocco was naturalized on the 13th of February, 1945 and this is confirmed in the documentation I received today.

I did not request information for Camillo. And I did not find Rocco on the passenger list for the Presidente Wilson arriving on in New York on August 18th so I do not know for certain whether the two brothers came to the States together. I'd still like to find Rocco on a passenger manifest. Not sure why he's not there.

Thanks all for your help!

Steve
Steve Acesta

Researching Calatafimi, Trapani
Surnames Aceste, Papa, Cusenza, Gruppuso, Sciortino, Sparacino, Zito, and Vona.

Researching Montevago, Agrigento (Girgenti)
Surnames Infranco, La Rocca, Mandina, Bilello, Cacioppo, and Cardino.
erudita74
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Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by erudita74 »

Steve
So happy to hear that you received Rocco's records so quickly. I have always received such rapid responses from the NARA. Several years ago I gave a talk to the genealogy club in my village about the NARA and was shocked to learn that people in the club, some who had been doing genealogy for many more years than I had (and I've been at it about 19 years), had never even heard of the NARA. These people are so into ancestry.com that they don't seem to ever search other resources, which I find so shocking and sad. Anyway, I'm sorry that Rocco isn't appearing on the passenger list. I looked through it just now, page by page, and didn't find him either. I guess there are also missing pages. What I did see though was that frames 428, 429, and 430 on Steve Morse's missing manifest option were for four men who had been deported and were listed as stowaways. Just wanted to post that info since we had the discussion about stowaways earlier. Maybe you should also send for Camillo's records, so that you will know for certain when he came to the U.S.
Erudita
sacesta
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Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by sacesta »

Erudita,

I did see the frames for the stowaways. Frame 428 lists four stowaways by name. Frame 429 is the facing page with more information. And frame 430 is a duplicate of frame 429. Neither of these persons are my ancestors.

The frames that Rocco and Camillo appear on must simply be missing.

I was very pleased with the service I received from NARA. I sent a similar request to DHS Genealogical Services almost 3 weeks ago. It cost twice as much, and other than the initial confirmation that they received my request (and that they billed my credit card!) I received nothing from them.

I think I will send for Camillo's information so I can ascertain whether or not they traveled together.

Thanks for your help,

Steve
Steve Acesta

Researching Calatafimi, Trapani
Surnames Aceste, Papa, Cusenza, Gruppuso, Sciortino, Sparacino, Zito, and Vona.

Researching Montevago, Agrigento (Girgenti)
Surnames Infranco, La Rocca, Mandina, Bilello, Cacioppo, and Cardino.
jennabet
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Location: Ancestral Homeland - Abruzzo Italy

Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by jennabet »

It's a common misconception among descendants born in Italy that their ancestors all left together and at the same time for America. But then again, they really wouldn't have any documents to prove otherwise. In my family, it wasn't until I had my citizenship recognized and moved back to live near my cousins in Abruzzo that they learned that three brothers all went separately to America, when they each reached the age of majority and the reason they did so was to join their father (my great-grandfather) who was already there. Apparently misinformation had been passed down through the subsequent generations in Italy by my great-grandmother who was left behind in Italy and never joined her husband and sons in America. More or less a "woman scorned" situation. But hey things happen and still do.
sacesta
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Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by sacesta »

It's wonderful that we have written records to substantiate our personal histories, as fraught with errors as they may be.

Camillo's daughter told my aunt that Camillo and Rocco came to America in 1922 aboard the Giuseppe Verdi. However, the 1930 Census and Rocco's death certificate indicated that Rocco came to America in 1923.

I spent many hours poring through passenger manifests for the Giuseppe Verdi from 1921 to 1924 to no avail. The Certificate of Arrival that I received from NARA yesterday shows that Rocco arrived on the 18th of August, 1922 aboard the SS Presidente Wilson. My aunt's cousin was correct about the year, but incorrect about the name of the ship.

It may be that Camillo arrived aboard the Giuseppe Verdi, but if that is the case, the two brothers arrived independently.

I just placed the order for the naturalization records for Camillo. Even though I am not descended from him, I would like to know as much about Rocco's arrival as possible. I know the two brothers were close. They were the two eldest of 8 siblings and the only two to come to America (two other brothers emigrated to Trieste). Rocco and Camillo lived about a mile from one another in Brooklyn and my aunt says they used to meet regularly at Knickerbocker Park to chat.

Jennabet, I can't imagine what it must have been like for your great grandmother to have been left behind.

Steve
Steve Acesta

Researching Calatafimi, Trapani
Surnames Aceste, Papa, Cusenza, Gruppuso, Sciortino, Sparacino, Zito, and Vona.

Researching Montevago, Agrigento (Girgenti)
Surnames Infranco, La Rocca, Mandina, Bilello, Cacioppo, and Cardino.
jennabet
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Location: Ancestral Homeland - Abruzzo Italy

Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by jennabet »

sacesta wrote:
Jennabet, I can't imagine what it must have been like for your great grandmother to have been left behind.

Steve
Hi Steve, actually, my great-grandmother and the two children (a daughter and a son) she raised after most of her family departed for America did very well in Italy. From what I can tell, none of their descendants want for anything and have no regrets that they didn't also get to grow up in America like I did although we did talk about what might have been.
sacesta
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Re: First Papers and Naturalization

Post by sacesta »

It's cool that you have connections in Italy.

I have distant cousins in Trapani, but I do not know them. I'm going to visit the region next year. I do have one distant cousin in Trieste. I spent an afternoon with her in 1971, when we were both kids. My father was attending a funeral for one of his cousins. She and I recently connected on Facebook.

Steve
Steve Acesta

Researching Calatafimi, Trapani
Surnames Aceste, Papa, Cusenza, Gruppuso, Sciortino, Sparacino, Zito, and Vona.

Researching Montevago, Agrigento (Girgenti)
Surnames Infranco, La Rocca, Mandina, Bilello, Cacioppo, and Cardino.
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