Bona Vita of Corbara

[vramos11]

I am researching my Great Grandfather's family. Enrico Andrea Bona Vita left Corbara for the new world in 1898 and obtained citizenship in 1901. He returned to /italy in 1918 to help out the family during the war and died there.

He was marredi to Elizabeth 'Bettina.' They had numerous children Enrico, Josephine, Charles, my Grandfather, who was born in Italy around 1897.

Charles Bona Vita also sent letters with money to relatives in Italy during the Great Depression from New Jersey. He was known for hie generosity and tried to help Italian relatives who were in need.

Any information on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Alternate spellings are Bona Vito and Bounaa Vita.

Thanks,

Victor Ramos

[pink67]

For references, is this 1920 census correct? from Ancestry.com:

1920 United States Federal Census
about Elizabeth Bonavita
Name: Elizabeth Bonavita
Home in 1920: Brooklyn Assembly District 8, Kings, New York
Age: 48 years
Estimated birth year: abt 1872
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Widow
Race: White
Sex: Female
Year of Immigration: 1898
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 978
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Elizabeth Bonavita 48 head, widow, born in IT, immigr. year 1898
Henry Bonavita 30 son, born in IT
Charles Bonavita 20 son, born in NY
Joseph Bonavita 14 son, born in NY
Ralph Bonavita 9 son, born in NY

image:
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqA_vX9

Laura

[vramos11]

Thank you Pink, that was very nice of you and too quick! This one I have. Elizabeth 'Bettina' became a confectioner after Enrico went back to Italy and died. She operated a sundry store out of the family shoe shop Enrico had started downstairs.

I have to access, somehow, the church records of Corbara for older info. Henry junior lists it as his place of birth on his draft registration. Napoli is probably the port of departure from Italy.

Corbara is a tiny town overlooking hill country across the bay from Naples and halfway to Casa del Mari. It looks like about 500 poeple live there, and a search of the phone book yields no Bona Vitas. Maybe they moved on in 130 years.

Thanks again!

Vic Ramos

PS: Enclosed is Charles as I remembered him in the 1970's before he passed. Grand mother was Edith Ida Masone, from Naples.

[pink67]

You're welcome Vic!

Enrico Andrea Bona Vita left Corbara for the new world in 1898

Possible first arrival for Andrea Bonavita on April 1899:

Buonavito Andrea, age 36, married, shoemaker, from Carbore (possible Corbara) to Brooklyn to join his cousin Gerardo Apuzzo

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0019

from Ancestry.com:

1900 United States Federal Census
about Andrew Buonavita
Name: Andrew Buonavita
[Andrew Buanadita]
Home in 1900: Brooklyn Ward 8, Kings, New York
Age: 38
Birth Date: Jun 1862
Birthplace: Italy
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1899
Relationship to Head of House: Head
Father's Birthplace: Italy
Mother's Birthplace: Italy
Spouse's name: Bettina
Marriage Year: 1886
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 14
Residence : New York City, Kings, New York
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Andrew Buonavita 38 head, born in IT, immigr. year 1899
Bettina Buonavita 34 wife, born in IT. immigr. year 1899, mother of 6 children among whom only 4 living.
Henry Buonavita 13 son, born in IT (march 1887)
Joesephina Buonavita 5 daughter, born in IT (Dec. 1894)
Eugene Buonavita 3 son, born in IT (Jan. 1897)
Louis Buonavita 6/12 son, born in NY

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqCCvl9

Looking at the children's names, I believe this may be the arrival manfiest for Elisabetta and her child:

Abate Maria (maiden-name; maybe Elisabetta was her middle name?), age 35, married, from Corbara, travelling with her child:
Enrico, male, age 12
Giuseppe, male, age 4 (maybe Josephine, female)
Eugenio, age 3

joining her husband Bonavita in Brooklyn....

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0027

Laura

[pink67]

Don't know if you already know this (great) site:

http://www.fultonhistory.com/

Is this article about Elizabeth's death?

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 5, 1928

http://www.fultonhistory.com/Newspaper% ... ehtml&.pdf

and from this other free site:

http://www.italiangen.org/vitalreclist.stm

NY City death Index:

Bonavita Elizabeth
59 y Jun 4 1928
Certificate number: 13000 Kings

Laura

[vramos11]

Thank You so much!

My Great grand mother was an Abate? Sounds great to me! The woman in the article was Sadie Bonavita, but the addy is right. The age is wrong. I wonder if it was a sister. Joseph, who found the body, was my great Uncle and became the Bowery Bum's Santa. He'd give away money on the street corners in Brooklyn. My mother thinks it was from guilt from his mother's death.

And that news site. Amazing! There are so many articles. Too many lol.

You've done more in a day than I could do in six months. Thank you so much!

Vic

PS: Now I have to find out who the Abate family was.

[pink67]

The woman in the article was Sadie Bonavita, but the addy is right. The age is wrong. I wonder if it was a sister

Age in the article is wrong but age in the Death Certificate is right:

NY City death Index:
Bonavita Elizabeth
59 y Jun 4 1928
Certificate number: 13000 Kings

Same death date of Sadie Bonavita on the article... I believe this is the same person...

Maybe request the death certificate could be helpful:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/vi ... eath.shtml

Laura

[vramos11]

Yeah, the Article had the wrong name. I've known newspapers covering the Community Theater get the facts horribly wrong, on a regular basis.

I believe that its Elizabeth. Thanks so much for all the research. That news site is really wild! It has articla after article about my Great ncle Joe Bonavita, the Bum's Santa of the Bowery.

Thanks again,

Vic

Now if only I could read Italian and go to Italy to the Church archives...

[pink67]

Now if only I could read Italian and go to Italy to the Church archives...

It's not necessary....
Civil registration are kept in the Comune of Corbara, this is the address were you can send requests:

http://www.comune.corbara.sa.it/index.p ... ndex&p=210

Civil registrations in Italy began between 1861 and 1866, even if you can find earlier registrations in the south of Italy...
Just for example, if you know for sure exact birth dates for the child born in Italy you can send the request for their "Estratto per Copia Integrale dell'Atto di Nascita di...." on this document you'll see their parents names, ages, address etc...

Here you can find some form letters:

http://www.circolocalabrese.org/resourc ... /index.asp

http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... tters.html

Laura

[vramos11]

Thank you once more! I am overwhelmed. I am also looking into the origins of Bonavito and Abate. Maria was a given name to almost every one for several hundred years (in honor of the The Virgin Mary).

she was also pregnant on that ship. It was, i believe, with my Grandfather, Charles Bonavita.

Thanks again!

Vic

[dominique426]

Hi,

Gerardo Apuzzo is relative of mine. I'd be interested in talking, Vic!