by kathymullins001 » 12 May 2010, 15:42
Hello there.
I am hoping someone can help me. I am researching my grandfather's side of our family tree and we really don't know much about his side at all.
I am posting to this thread because he and/or his family was either related and/or friends to the Pricolo family being discussed here so I was hoping maybe someone might know of my grandfather's family or any information that might help me out.
My grandfather's name was Angelo Ralph Sorrentino, born 1908. His mother was Maria Roselli, about 1880 (maybe) and his father was Antonio Sorrentino, born 1867 (maybe).
My grandfather came to America in 1921. His father and one brother were already over here. I know this through family knowledge. I found my grandfather's ship manifest record using ancestry.com's historical records search. I am sure it is his record because he lists his mother Maria Roselli (who I know stayed in Italy) as his closest relative in Italy and lists his father Antonio as the one he was coming to see in America. I also know my grandfather was 13 when he came over and the record shows that as well.
In the ship manifest record, it appears he was traveling with 4 other people. They all list the same destination address. The four other people were, Grazia Montensano-Sessagesimo, age 44 (in 1921), Giuseppe Sessagesimo, age 15, Guiseppe Ciuffo, age 35 and Antonio Ciuffo, age 71.
Everyone listed their birthplace as Saponara, Potenza. Everyone listed their last residence as Potenza. Giuseppe Ciuffo and Antonio Ciuffo listed there closest relative in Italy as Giovanni Pricolo which is Giuseppe's cousin and Antonio's newphew. They listed Carmela Melillo, born 1884, as who they were going to see in America which as Giuseppe's sister and Antonio's daughter. I found Carmela Melillo's ship manifest record. She was married to Raffaele from Moletenco?? Potenza. Carmela lists her birthplace as Saponara of gmmens, potenza.
So what is clear to me is that we have a link to this Saponara, Potenza place... but I can find no records of a Sorrentino or Roselli surname there. Complicating matters is that Saponara, Potenza no longer exists. I read in earlier info on this thread that Grumento Nova Province of Potenza, Region Basilicata was called Saponara until 1863, and Saponara di Grumento from 1863 to 1932. So what is Grumento Nova now used to be Saponara, but was Saponara split up and/or renamed into more than just Grumento Nova? I couldn't find anything about what "Saponara of gmmens, Potenza" could have been an abbreviation for (the gmmens part of it).
I know my grandfather had sisters that all stayed in Italy with their mother (Maria Roselli) and they never came to America - at least not in his life time. We know one of his sister's names was Carmela (or Carmella) Sorrentino and we THINK another one may have been Marie or Maria. Not sure. His brothers that came to America were Frank Sorrentino, born 1910 and John Sorrentino. In 1930, they lived in Buffalo, NY and I found their 1930 Census showing that. My grandfather stayed in Buffalo his whole life. My mother said growing up, she knew that her father (Angelo) sent a monthly check back to his mother in Italy, so I know she didn't die too young.
Thats pretty much all we know. I was able to tree out the Ciuffo/Melillo link some, but never found a clear link to my family. These may have just been family friends that he traveled with.
We have our tree complete for decendants of my grandfather and his two brothers over here, but we have nothing for his sisters, or his mother or his father, other than him and his two brothers. My aunt really wants to know exactly where my grandfather was born and if we can at least find that out, it would be some peace.
Does anyone know if Saponara, Potenza became anything else other than Grumento Nova? Or does anyone know of a Roselli or Sorrentino family from that region? Even if its not the exact people I'm looking for, if they are from that region, it may be a distant relative that I can link back through to find info on my family.
Thanks in advance for any help or info anyone can provide!!!!