Looking for information of Sferra Family Origin

[nicolecat]

Angela (Angie) Sferra (1889-1917), daughter of Pasquale (I've also seen this spelled Pasqule) Sferra (1863-1942)
Her mother may have been a Grazia (or Grace) Cesta (1866?-?)....not 100% sure though.

She was born somewhere in Italy.
I believe, Campobasso area or Palermo area...but, again, I'm not sure.

I believe I found that she came over on the ship, Entella in 1891.
She would have been 10mo. old at the time of arrival.
Arriving along with 3 Men bearing the same last name as her.
Domenico Sferra - 16y
Nicola Antonio Sferra - 28y
Salvatore Sferra - 33y
I believe these would have been family, because I haven't been able to trace these names as of yet.
I didn't see her father on this ship.

I found this info on
www.italianimmigrants.org
But couldn't find her on ellisisland's website.
I did find her name on 8/17/1900 on the ship, Trojan Prince...but the age is wrong.

Any info would be awesome.

[vj]

Welcome to the Forum!
Here's the 1891 manifest from ancestry.com
It appears to match the information you have on her mother.
Did you need any help with locating other US records?
Valarie

1891 Ship Manifest
http://imageshack.us/a/img11/7871/1891s.jpg

Name: Angela Sferra Arrival Date: 11 May 1891 Birth Year: abt 1890 Age: 10/12 Gender: Male Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian Place of Origin: Italy Port of Departure: Naples, Italy Destination: New York Port of Arrival: New York Port Arrival State: New York Port Arrival Country: United States Ship Name: Entella

line 36
Angela Sferra (W-female) 11mos, abt 1890
her probable mother would have been on line 35
Orazia (Grazia) Testa (W-female) 23, abt 1868

[vj]

Pasquale Sferra and Grazia Testa's records on Find A Grave indicate they may have been from Carovilli (a comune in the Province of Isernia, Molise region)

Do you know the person who posted the information - Robin Falasco Tami?

She has a link on the pages
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... 81&df=all&

Pasquale Sferra
Birth: Oct. 9, 1862
Molise, Italy
Death: Sep. 1, 1942
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA

Burial:
Calvary Cemetery
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA
Plot: sec 40

Created by: Robin Falasco Tami
Record added: Sep 05, 2005
Find A Grave Memorial# 11685981

---

and a bit more on Grazia Testa memorial page
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... =11651708&

Grazia Testa Sferra
Birth: Oct. 9, 1866
Molise, Italy
Death: Jan. 20, 1949
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA

Grazia purchased a large gravesite for many of her family members. She is buried with her husband Pasquale and some of their children and their families. The gravestone is engraved with "Testa."
Grazia and Pasquale came here from Carovilli, Italy

Burial:
Calvary Cemetery
Cleveland
Cuyahoga County
Ohio, USA
Plot: Sec 40

Created by: Robin Falasco Tami
Record added: Aug 31, 2005
Find A Grave Memorial# 11651708

[nicolecat]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
That manifest was being elusive.
What is the best way/source to search for Italian birth certificates?
Obviously I would need their name...my concern is having 50 possible matches, and how to diferentiate.

Robin Falasco Tami is family.
Angela Sferra married a Falasco and had 4 children, Robin is the child of the boy, Roger.
(She would be my great aunt...I believe I met her what I was very little)
I saw that she posted that info...and saw reference to the Molise region.
I just found it odd because family has always said we were Sicilian. (maybe from a smaller section than was originally thought)

I did hear a story that Pasquale Sferra kept chickens in the basement and when it was time for dinner, he would just go slaughter one. I guess this was about par for the time?

Thank you so much for all your help.
It's great to see so much gusto in finding our roots.

[vj]

...
What is the best way/source to search for Italian birth certificates?
Obviously I would need their name...my concern is having 50 possible matches, and how to differentiate...

Your Welcome !
I'm so glad it's your great aunt that posted the memorial - it appears that she has done some interesting research.
It only takes one record to confirm names and where your Sferra family was from.
Perhaps writing to the comune for Angela's birth and/or Pasquale and Grazia's marriage record would be good start?
For more in-depth research, the FamilySearch (LDS) Library has records for Carovilli (formerly in Campobasso) from 1809-1899 on microfilm.
Valarie

Research in Carovilli by writing to the comune:

Italian form letter generator with instructions:
http://www.circolocalabrese.org/resourc ... civile.asp

Or other helpful form letters:
http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... tters.html

Address:

Ufficio di Stato Civile
Comune di Carovilli
Via Costa Ospedale 1
86083 Carovilli (IS)
ITALY

http://www.tuttitalia.it/molise/74-carovilli/

note: you may want to include a self-addressed envelope and a copy of your picture ID for the comune's convenience