Dominic Fortunado Ruffalo, Grandfather

[Rufio5]

Trying to do some research on my grandfather. From Calabria, Italy. Immigrated to US around 1900. Married to Mary Reda. Lived in Pennsylvania.

[Tessa78]

Welcome to the forum!

Do you have an approx. date of birth?

Children's names?

Do you know his occupation?

T.

[Rufio5]

From 1930 Census: He was 54 at the time. Estimate birth date: 1876. Immigrated to US in 1900. Children's names: Josephine, Robert, Alfred, Ralph, Earnest, Myron.

Occupation: Heard tell that back in Italy he worked on a vineyard or farm. He was pretty good as a gardener. I never really knew what he did for a living here in US. When he came over, my father told me he worked on the railroad. Made moonshine in the hills of Pennsylvania. From what I understand, he was quite a playboy. Hard to tell what is fiction and fact.

[Tessa78]

Is this your grandfather? Living in OHIO in 1930 Census...
Owned his own home and was working as a laborer in a steel mill
Oldest child, Josephine, was born in Italy. Looks like she and her mother immigrated in 1910 -
Other children born in Pennsylvania, except granddaughter who was born in Ohio.
Her mother is probably Josephine who is listed as Divorced.

1930 United States Federal Census about Domonic Ruffolo
Name: Domonic Ruffolo
Gender: Male
Birth Year: abt 1876
Birthplace: Italy
Race: White
Home in 1930: Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio
View Map
Marital Status: Married
Immigration Year: 1900
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Ruffolo
Father's Birthplace: Italy
Mother's Birthplace: Italy
Household Members:
Name Age
Domonic Ruffolo 54
Mary Ruffolo 52
Josephine Ruffolo 28
Robert J Ruffolo 15
Alfred A Ruffolo 11
[10]
Ralph L Ruffolo 10
Earnest P Ruffolo 6
Myron F Ruffolo 4
[4 6/12]
Helen Nudo 6 (listed as granddaughter)

Click to enlarge and again to magnfy



T.

[vj]

Hey T!
I'll bet that's the correct census .

Mahoning County Ohio is awfully close to PA:

Lawrence County PA (to the East)
Mercer County PA (to the Northeast)
and
Beaver County PA (to the Southeast)

Valarie

[vj]

Domenico Ruffalo's wife and children?

pg 1
http://imageshack.us/a/img593/2649/1911cs.jpg
pg2
http://imageshack.us/a/img835/5341/1911b.jpg

Ship Name: Berlin
Arrival Date: 3 May 1911
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Port of Arrival: New York, New York

US Citizens
by Domenico Ruffalo papers Circuit Court Pittsburgh

Giuseppina Reda 32, abt 1879
- joining husband Domenico Ruffolo in Belle Vernon,PA
Antonio Ruffalo 11, abt 1900
Giuseppina Ruffalo 9, abt 1902

note: Antonio is lined-off
edit: correction (thanks T) Antonio and everyone else are lined-off due to being US Citizens. Their names may have been moved to a US Citizen manifest page

[vj]

Petition for Naturalization from Fold3
http://imageshack.us/a/img31/9661/petit ... izatio.jpg

Publication Number: M1537
Publication Title: Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Publisher: NARA
Record Group: 21
State: Pennsylvania
Short Description: NARA M1537. Naturalization petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and the Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Roll: 121
Court: Records of the US Circuit and District Courts: Declarations of Intent and Petitions for Naturalizations, Oct 1820-Jan 1931
Year: 1910

Date: 1910-12-30
Immigrant Full Name: Domenico Ruffalo
Document Type: Petition for Naturalization
Home Country: Italy

Witness Full Name: A Trozzo
Year Immigrated: 1903

edit added:

Notes:

Domenico Ruffalo
Residence Belle Vernon (Fayette County) PA
Occupation: Glass Worker
Born 11 Mar 1877 in Mendicino (probably Cosenza, Calabria)
Arrived US 16 Jan 1903
Declaration of Intention 6 Apr 1908 in Uniontown PA
Wife: Giuseppina in Mendicino
Children:
Antonio 12 Jun 1899 Italy
Giuseppina 24 Aug 1902 Italy

[Tessa78]

Hi Valarie!

Great records!

Giuseppina Reda 32, abt 1879
- joining husband Domenico Ruffolo in Belle Vernon,PA
Antonio Ruffolo 11, abt 1900
note: Antonio is lined-off
Giuseppina Ruffolo 9, abt 1902

I appears that Antonio is not lined-off, but rather nationality is changed from Italian to US Citizen. What do you think?

T.

[vj]

T, you're right
Antonio is lined off on pg 1, but not on pg 2
Good catch !

[vj]

Ruffalo/RUFFOLO

Interesting

I checked the Cosenza Archives for Domenico Ruffalo b abt 11 Mar 1876-1877 without success
http://88.59.143.158/ascs_web/index.fac ... D0FF.node1

It appears that original spelling may have been Ruffolo

Valarie

edit:added

Possible Death Records

SSDI

first name: Dominic
last name: Ruffolo
birth date: 11 March 1876
social security number: 273-10-2476
place of issuance: Ohio
last residence: South Gate, Los Angeles, California
zip code of last residence: 90280
death date: July 1970
estimated age at death: 94

CA Death Index

Name: Dominic F Ruffalo
Social Security #: 273102476
Sex: Male
Birth Date: 12 Mar 1877
Birthplace: Italy
Death Date: 21 Jul 1970
Death Place: Los Angeles
---

CA Death Index

Name: Mary J Ruffalo
Social Security #: 273102476 (same as Dominic)
Sex: Female
Birth Date: 16 Nov 1878
Birthplace: Italy
Death Date: 22 Sep 1966
Death Place: Los Angeles
Mother's Maiden Name: Segrita

[Rufio5]

Absolutely awesome! Thank you.

[vj]

I'm so glad we could find some records for you!

Sep 1918 WWI Draft Registration Card
http://imageshack.us/a/img196/6430/1918m.jpg

Domenico Ruffalo
Green Street, ZBelle Vernon, Fayette, PA
41 yrs, born 11 Mar 1877
Naturalized Citizen
Glassworker
American Window Glass Co. Belle Vernon
Giuseppina Ruffalo in Belle Vernon
Lump on Left Wrist