BONAFILIA/BONOFILIA

[fangll02]

Looking for any information on my GGrandfather Pasquale Bonafilia/Bonofilia. In doing a search, I saw this last name in the area of Catanzaro. Not sure if they are related as the search pulled up this town under the BONOFILIA spelling as opposed to the BONAFILIA spelling which my Mother and Grandfather used. Thought maybe the spelling got changed somewhere down the line. I beleive he was born in Italy c. 1967 and he came to North America sometime before records were kept at Ellis Island. If not, he then went directly to Canada but don't know how to search Canada's immigration records to find out. He was single when he came to North America and married a French Canadian woman named Rosanna Tremblay. They then stayed in Canada until maybe the early 1900's when they move to either Upstate New York, Vt., or Mass. If anyone has any information on this family, I would greatly appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Patricia McCoy]
Ptrcmcc6@aol.com

[suanj]

Looking for any information on my GGrandfather Pasquale Bonafilia/Bonofilia. In doing a search, I saw this last name in the area of Catanzaro. Not sure if they are related as the search pulled up this town under the BONOFILIA spelling as opposed to the BONAFILIA spelling which my Mother and Grandfather used. Thought maybe the spelling got changed somewhere down the line. I beleive he was born in Italy c. 1967 and he came to North America sometime before records were kept at Ellis Island. If not, he then went directly to Canada but don't know how to search Canada's immigration records to find out. He was single when he came to North America and married a French Canadian woman named Rosanna Tremblay. They then stayed in Canada until maybe the early 1900's when they move to either Upstate New York, Vt., or Mass. If anyone has any information on this family, I would greatly appreciate it.
Sincerely,

Patricia McCoy]
Ptrcmcc6@aol.com

probale exact spelling is BONFIGLIO; Bonofilio or Bonafilia not existing in Italy..more: born in 1967 or 1867??? regards, suanj

[ptimber]

I am sending you the website for Canada immigration records and USA border crossing records as well. at the sxame time file form 81 (www.genealogylookups.com/narchives.htm ) and send the form to their main office in Washington DC> Peter

[ptimber]

How do you now he came in before Ellis Island records were initiated if you don't even know how to spell his family name??? You did not mention how you know he entered USA before ellis island records?? Peter

[Essgee]

It would appear that Pasquale arrived from Italy through Ellis Island and probably transferred directly to Canada. The ship was the India and arrived on May 15, 1893...the age is 27, and the town of origin is Riardo. This matches the other info available, so this is probably the right listing.

In 1910, they were living in NY., Clinton
Patsy Bonafiglio, age 44, married 12 years, born Italy, arrived in US 1896, Alien
Rosa, age 29, married 12 years, had 8 children, 8 children still living, born Canada, arrived 1899
Harry, age 12, born Canada, arrived 1904 (???)
Andrew, age 11, born Canada, arrived 1904
Rosa, age 9, born Canada, arrived 1904
Lena, age 7, born Canada, arrived 1904
Elizabeth, age 6, born NY
Antoinette, age 4, born NY
William, age 3, born NY
Bertha, age 1y 7 months, born NY

In 1920, Hampden, Ludlow township, ED 76, page 8B
Patrick Bonafilia, age 53, born 1866, born Italy, widow, Alien, Barber
Lena, age 17, born Canada
Elizabeth, age 15, born NY
Antoinette, age 14, born NY
William, age 13, born NY
Bertha, age 11, born NY
Lawerence, age 7, born MA

1930 living in Hampden, Holyoke, Ma, ED 7-27, page 6B
Patsey Bonafilio, age 68, married at age 30, born Italy
Ida, wife, age 44, born Mass., parents born NY, married at 16 (She was probably married before)
Lawerence, age 14, born NY

Now if the town is indeed Riardo where they came from....well, the civil records...the birth, death, and marriage records...are available on microfilm at the Family History Library. Go to www.familysearch.org and search the library for Riardo.

Hope this helps....
There are some of this family listed in the Social Security Death Index as well.

[suanj]

Hi, well essgee....!! really, probable just surname is BONAFIGLIA; Riardo town is an Common in Caserta province-Campania region...;
but Catanzaro area is in Calabria region last of Caserta...

this URL are ship's manifest with many Bonafiglia/Bonofiglio(etc) Pasquale names misspelled

http://stevemorse.org/goulnik/match1.ph ... e=1&fail=0

but I've an double..the year of birth, and year of emigration...on this list are only 3 persons coming from Calabria region(Cosenza and San Giovanni in Fiore-Cosenza); but an probable ( for year of birth and age) Bonafiglia Pasquale age 27 in 1893 coming from Riardo(Caserta province), and an other Bonafiglia Pasquale age 36 in 1893 are listed coming from "di Luca": really this town not exist, probable means son of Luca, normally in Italy this citation, in homonymus case...sorry this ship manifest not is available for reading, for me...
For better search, is necessary other details..
regards, suanj

[fangll02]

Thank you Susanj.........that would be my family. How did you find him on Ellis Island records. I checked every alternate spelling that they had and couldn't find anything. Thank you so much. Most of the other information i already have when it comes to his family. Andrew was my Grandfather and I knew who all his siblings were. I was trying to find out where in Italy he had come from and when he arrived in the U.S. Like I said.........I checked all the alternate spellings and found nothing. Thank you so much for finding it for me.

Peter: I know how my Mother spelled her name and like I said above....when i searched Ellis Island under that spelling it came back with nothing. I even searched the alternate spellings and still nothing. I didn't think to spell it Bonafiglia although my Mother suggested Buonafiglia as she feels this would be the appropriate way to spell it in Italian. After not turning up anything.......I thought that maybe he had come here before they had started keeping records of the manifests or.......that he went directly to Canada. The only record i found on him in the U.S. is the 1930 census and the Social Security Death Index.

Anyway, I am glad that I found out where he came from and when he came to the U.S. I can continue my search from there.

Thank you to all of you for your help!!

Sincerely,

Patty McCoy

[kbona]

I"m a Bonafilia and I live In West Springfield Massachusetts. My Grandpas great grandpa's name was Pasquale and I remember my aunt telling me that his family went to Canada after arriving in Ellis Island. I don't know much more about this but I do know some of the family. Please e-mail me for details at kbona24@yahoo.com.

[timbo126]

I'm a Bonafilia and my Dad Valentine always went over Pasquale's house in N.Y. He owned a Barber shop there, Pasquale's dad was a shoe maker.
my dad was 13 when he went to see his grandfather..He told me he was a
great guy....My dad has pics.of Pasquale and his family.My grandfather was William I am sure your grandfather is in it to.They are standing in front of his Barber shop...He went to canada and got married there then went to N.Y. where he opened his shop... his first wife died at 38 from to many kids...and he died in his early 80's I believe my dad said he is buried in miami FL.My dad could answer any questions you have about him ....he knew him well......my Dad is 87 now..