Ready to give up...

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
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DeFilippis78
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Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

Im lacking two of the most important documents and have tried every way to get them and nothing turns up. Im sure you all have heard that Ive tried about 20 different routes to obtain the birth town of my GG grandfather.

Now on top of that, my hope in a marriage certificate for him and my grandmother flew out the window. Not only was I hoping to get the marriage certificate thinking it would have his birth town but also because I need it. Seton Hall University holds the archives for the Diocese of Newark. They searched the Italian churches of Jersey City and nothing came up. They've always lived in Jersey city but they must have lived and married somewhere else. I have no way of finding this out. He came here in 1892 and a 1900 census is nowhere to be found, even by NJ archives. She came here in 1901, met him and married. So Im truly stuck.

I dont know where he was born, I dont know where he lived from 1892-1910, I dont know where his wife lived from 1901-1910 and now I have no idea where they met and married.

Alicia
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misbris
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by misbris »

I would not depend on what a researcher who has no stake in the outcome says. I gave you the Family History Center list of the churches in Jersey City in another post. I would suggest you rent the microfilm and look yourself. Do you know the church they attended? He was probably buried from the same church.

(If I may also suggest) you have a number of posts with bits of info in each one. Why don't you repost the info you have on Beniamino Passaro, all in one place so we can look at it and make suggestions which could be helpful. it will also give you a chance to look at this info in a new light and perhaps you will see something you missed. :D :D :wink:
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DeFilippis78
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

delete
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by Italysearcher »

Has it occurred to you that they never married? If Giuseppa's husband didn't die (have you looked for his death?) maybe she wasn't free to marry and just lived with your Grandfather. If he simply left her to join the Gold Rush or something and never came back. Or mistreated her and she left him she wouldn't be able to remarry civilly or in the church.
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Dual citizenship assistance, and document acquisition, on-site genealogical research in Lazio, Molise, Latina and Cosenza. Land record searches and succession.
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VaDeb
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by VaDeb »

Alicia,

I have been where you are and it is fustrating. As misbris suggested a summary is a good place to start. Try and add links to the documents so it is easy for review.

I also find a timeline is a tremendous help when trying to find missing records. It helps me organize places and dates. I like to use an excel spreadsheet so it is easy to add facts as I find them. This way you can re-sort the list as you look at options.

I use columns for:

Date, Place of Event, Document, Misc Info

List all facts on a document. As an example a birth record will give multiple entries. The date of birth of the person and where they were born. Also a info on each parent.

One thing I don't see you have searched is city directories. By looking at each year you may narrow down their arrival to the area. Also directories can provide a way to follow the changes in a surname. Don't give up, you need to keep researching. Whenever possible do your own research and don't depend on the officials. I can tell you from personal experience that it pays to look for yourself. Be open to evaluating records. Due to errors in recording names you can look at an index and not even recognize what you need is there, the spelling is just horrendous.

Debbie
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DeFilippis78
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

delete
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by JamesBianco »

I just thought I would throw this in as a suggestion...

Have you tried looking for a naturalization for Giuseppa?

I know my great grandfather died very young (34) and his widow later in life submitted a petition and became a citizen. On HER citizenship petition was listed her late husbands name, place and date of Birth in Italy and their date and place of marriage.

Just an idea... and even if you think she never did naturalize, check for a petition anyway, you just NEVER know!
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DeFilippis78
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

VaDeb wrote:Alicia

One thing I don't see you have searched is city directories. By looking at each year you may narrow down their arrival to the area. Also directories can provide a way to follow the changes in a surname. Don't give up, you need to keep researching. Whenever possible do your own research and don't depend on the officials. I can tell you from personal experience that it pays to look for yourself. Be open to evaluating records. Due to errors in recording names you can look at an index and not even recognize what you need is there, the spelling is just horrendous.

Debbie
Im waiting to hear from a librarian on the Jersey City directory but havent heard from him yet. Im not sure how to check directories myself for Jersey City and Manhattan.

Alicia
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by mler »

They may have married in Italy. It's a good bet that if she lived on Mulberry Street, any marriage took place in her diocese. That's what usually happened, so you may have to search New York records.
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DeFilippis78
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

JamesBianco wrote:I just thought I would throw this in as a suggestion...

Have you tried looking for a naturalization for Giuseppa?

I know my great grandfather died very young (34) and his widow later in life submitted a petition and became a citizen. On HER citizenship petition was listed her late husbands name, place and date of Birth in Italy and their date and place of marriage.

Just an idea... and even if you think she never did naturalize, check for a petition anyway, you just NEVER know!
Thats a very good idea. Ill give it a try!

Alicia
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by mler »

NYC will do a marriage record search for you. I gave them a window of three years, but I think that, for an extra fee, they will look through more records.
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DeFilippis78
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

I will try that also through vital records. I also just sent out emails to the churches that are on Mulberry and Mott who served the Italian immigrants at that time. For NYC I saw you can order online but Im not sure if thats for archives too.

Alicia
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by mler »

It is. I ordered all my family's records on line, several from the early 1900's.
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DeFilippis78
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by DeFilippis78 »

Thanks for that tip, I'll get to it right away. I will send a request to NJ vitals too!

Alicia
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Re: Ready to give up...

Post by cargor »

On www.italiangen.org

Nicola Monzo
age 43 yrs. date of death May 17, 1925
certificate # 13496 in Manhattan
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