Does "Cuisinzin, Calabrio" exist?

[Fran_K]

I've been researching family history and found some paperwork for my great grandfather that lists his birth (1878) taking place in "Cuisinzin, Calabrio, Italy". He was illiterate and was not a great English speaker and I assume that the person who took down the words probably had no idea of proper spelling and guessed at it.

I've been unable to find such a place on any map or in any reference books I have available. Does such a place exist, and if so, where is it? Otherwise, any idea of what place it might actually be? I'm guessing that Calabria was intended, but I cannot think of what the correct spelling of Cuisinzin might be. Any ideas?

Thank you!

[PippoM]

An immediate guess could be Cosenza...

[johnnyonthespot]

Cosenza would be a good guess, but do keep in mind that Cosenza is both a city and also a province which includes the city of Cosenza as well as 154 other comuni of varying sizes and populations.

If your great-grandfather emigrated to the US after the mid-1890's, there is a good chance that any of several available documents (passenger manifest, draft registration cards, naturalization papers) will show his correct place of birth. If you would care to share his full name, we may be able to locate something for you.

[Fran_K]

Thanks to you both, yes, Cosenza seems a very likely transliteration, I'll happily add that to my notes.

My great-grandfather was listed on the US April 1930 census, and other documents, as Frank Magnone. Frank was short for Francisco, I believe, and I was named Francis after him. He was born on 2 Apr 1878 and that census says he emigrated in 1904.

Interestingly I found a May 1910 census for a small town in the next state that lists Francisco Magnon, also born in 1878, emigrated in 1904 and is listed as married, but is living in a boarding house with two other Magnons. First is Magfonia (?) age 18 which would have his birth year around 1892, and he came in 1908. And Vinanos (which looks like Vincenzo to me) age 21, which would have his birth year around 1889, who came in 1910. These two are both single. I speculate that this Francisco was my great-grandfather and his brothers or cousins.

There is no clear sign of his wife in 1910, Rose or Rosa Muta, who was listed in the April 1930 census as being born in Italy on 17 Jan 1892. She arrived in 1910 (but I also have 1900) and was listed as married to Frank in 1910, I have no record of their wedding in the local records, so they may have been married in Italy or another state. Their children were all born here, but the oldest, John, is listed as being born here on 4 Oct 1909, before her reported arrival and wedding date, so I suspect 1910 is too late.

Online I have found a passenger listing which might be his arrival:

Name: Francesco Magnone
Arrival Date: 24 Aug 1904
Birth Year: abt 1877
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Prinzess Irene

The dates and names are the closest I have found.

I have also found a record which could be my great-grandmother:

Name: Rosa Muto
Arrival Date: 23 Jan 1914
Birth Year: abt 1891
Birth Location: Italy
Birth Location Other: carlopoli
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (South) (Italian)
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Cincinnati

This may or may not be her and certainly is not the arrival date on the census record, but I suppose she might have made another journey or the date was wrong.

They both lived well into their 90s and we visited them every Sunday when I was a child. I remember them fondly and would love to know anything you might uncover. Thank you for your kind offer.

--fran

[PippoM]

About the manifest of Prinzess Irene, it states he was from Altilia.
It is a small village in the province of Cosenza.
So, if that was your GF, you might try to write to the Commune.

[suanj]

By Cosenza Archive, the draft registration card:

Codice SIAS IT-ASCS-F680258
Ufficio Leva della Provincia di Cosenza, Liste di Leva della classe 1883.Registro numero 191,
atto numero 73 di pagina 184 sezione c

Francesco Antonio Magnone, commerciante iscritto il 25/07/1903
nato il 19/04/1877 a ALTILIA
da Giuseppe Magnone e da Elisabetta Patella

Francesco Antonio MAGNONE born in Altilia on 19 apr 1877, sailor, son of Giuseppe Magnone and Elisabetta Patella


It could be your ancestor??
suanj

[Tessa78]

Following suanj's lead (Hi, suanj! ) -

Here is a brother of Francesco-
Footnote on this record is that he enlisted on 1/8/1911
Interesting to note the spelling on mother's surname

SIAS Code IT-ASCS-F680258
Ufficio Leva della Provincia di Cosenza, Enlistment year 1879.Volume number 160,
document number 90 page 198 section c
Michele Magnone, negoziante enlisted on --/--/----
born on 07/06/1879 to ALTILIA
son/daughter of Giuseppe Magnone and of Elisabetta Padella
Notes:
Arruolato il 01/08/1911

T.

[Tessa78]

Is that your Family Tree on Ancestry?
Wonderful pictures!

On that site Rosa's parents are listed as Teresa Gagliardi and Giuseppe Muto...
With that in mind - have you seen this manifest?

Arriving 1908 to NY
Teresa Gagliardi, from Amantea, Cosenza (Leaving father Antonio in Amantea)
Going to husband Giuseppe Muto in Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania
Traveling with Teresa are children:
Rosa Muto
Gennaro Muto

Lines 25, 26, 27
Page 1

Page 2


T.