NYC: GGF 1st mrrge in NY w/kids rtrnd to Italy re-married ..

[JavaisLife]

I just read on another forum:
"There was a topic recently about someone who was rejected at NY b/c his ancestor returned to Italy and remarried without informing the comune about his first marriage or children. I believe it had been posted under success stories; perhaps it was topic #526. But now I can't find it anywhere on this board. Did the OP delete it, since he even asked how one can do that?"

My GGF came to NY. Married and had 8 kids. Returned to Italy and remarried (3 times - WOW!). Looking on his birth and death certificate from Italy, there is no mention of his marriage to my GGM in the states.

Is this an issue? Suggestions?

- Marie

[johnnyonthespot]

It is not unusual that the Italian records do not reflect his earlier marriage; it seems that very few immigrants bothered to keep their ancestral comune or local consulate informed of their status once they left Italy.

It is not clear from your post; are you saying that GGF abandoned his US family, or that his US wife died and he returned to Italy where he remarried?

Would the children still have been minors at this point? Did they go to Italy with their father, or remain in the US with relatives?

>> remarried (3 times - WOW!).

Perhaps an unusual case, but many people (men, especially) married at least twice for the simple reason that death at a young age was common until fairly recent times (the discovery of penicillin in the 1940's changed everything). Women died in childbirth, simple wounds became deadly when infected, influenza and tuberculosis killed millions, and so on.

[JavaisLife]

"It is not clear from your post; are you saying that GGF abandoned his US family, or that his US wife died and he returned to Italy where he remarried?

Would the children still have been minors at this point? Did they go to Italy with their father, or remain in the US with relatives?"

My GGF returned to Italy w/out his children. He tried to get his wife & children to go w/ him, but his wife would not leave the country. My GGM ended up putting her children (my GF) into an orphanage - then later my GGF returned to get them out (in 1920). My GGF returned to Italy, but the children (GF) opened up the house in NY that my GGF built and raise his brothers/sisters as head of house.

My GGF returned to the United States 3 or 4x's before dying in Italy. I have 3 of the ship manifests showing his travels back and fourth. The ship manifest shows him as an Italian citizen.

- Marie

ps - I'm having trouble locating my GGM birth certificate from NYC. I have about 8 "search not found" from the Municipal Archives. Do you believe this will do w/ the NYC Consulate?

[johnnyonthespot]

The NYC consulate does not generally request birth or death certificates for persons not in the direct line. This was the case for me as well as several others who have reported the same experience.

I wouldn't waste any more time on it.

[JavaisLife]

TY! I've been creating new issues to loose sleep over. ... I'm doing the process for myself - but also as my mothers retirement gift. Kinda expensive and time consuming - but I'll prove who's the better child out of my siblings ha ha!!

[mler]

Well worth it. It's a gift to you and your children too.