Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

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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teresamd0906
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Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by teresamd0906 »

My grandfathers (both) immigrated from Italy to the US. I have decided to do some background research since they have already passed on and we have no other way to know their history growing up in Italy. Strangely enough, both my parents last name is Messina - they married but were not related (supposedly - and hey I am pretty "normal")
Anyways, my mothers dad was from northern Italy - blonde hair/blue eyes. His name was Lee Messina and he was born on Sept 8, 1899.
My fathers dad was from southern Italy and he had all the dark features - dark hair and brown eyes. His name was Charles Messina and he was born April 22, 1897. I have searched the ship manifests and have had very little luck - not to mention that whoever wrote those things had horrible handwriting. My paternal grandfather came in to NY and migrated over to Chicago where he was supposedly offered a job by Al Capone. My son is fascinated with this story and I would love to be able to link this all together. I have requested a copy of his US Social Security App since I also found both their social security numbers. Any other ideas??
vj
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by vj »

Welcome to the Forum!
We'll be happy to help
Do you have any of your grandparent's US records?
(census, military, ship manifest)
Valarie
---

Charles Messina (1897-1967)
Name: Charlie Messina
Birth: 22 Apr 1897
Death: 15 Nov 1967 - Houston, Harris, Texas
Civil: Texas


Do any of these records from ancestry. com belong to your family?

possible 1930 census
http://a.imageshack.us/img818/9401/1930.jpg

Home in 1930:
700 block of Wichman or Lakin Street, rents
Houston, Harris, Texas
head Charley Messina 38 (33), abt 1897 IT
- married age 27, abt 1924
- immig 1913, Na (naturalized citizen)
- proprietor store
- military, served in WWI
wife Bessie Messina 27, abt 1903 TX
daughter Catherine Messina 6, abt 1924 TX
daughter Bessie Messina 4, abt 1926 TX
daughter Marie Messina 1 1/12, abt 1928 TX
---
Name: Bessie Messina Date of Birth: 19 Jan 1926
Gender: Female Birth County: Harris
Father's Name: C Messina Mother's Name: Bessie Dragna

Name: Marie Messina Date of Birth: 23 Sep 1928
Gender: Female Birth County: Harris
Father's Name: Charles Messina Mother's Name: Bessie Dragna

Name: Josephine Messina Date of Birth: 19 Jul 1930
Gender: Female Birth County: Harris
Father's Name: Charles Messina Mother's Name: Bessie Dragna

Name: Sam Messina Date of Birth: 7 Jan 1936
Gender: Male Birth County: Harris
Father's Name: Charlia Messina Mother's Name: Bessie Dragna
from the FamilySearch pilot site (free)
http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsea ... html#start
Groom's Name: Charles Massina
Bride's Name: Bessie Dragna

Marriage Date: 07 Oct 1923
Marriage Place: Harris, Texas
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00028-8
System Origin: Texas-EASy
Source Film Number: 25249
Reference Number: v 33 p 154 n 60696
Collection: Texas Marriages, 1837-1973
vj
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by vj »

Lee Messina (1899-1983)
Name: Lee Messina
Birth: 8 Sep 1899
Death: Dec 1983 - Houston, Harris, Texas
Civil: Texas
Do these records belong to your family?

possible 1930 census
http://a.imageshack.us/img198/9030/1930fz.jpg

Home in 1930:
Farm, rents
Precinct 5, Brazos, Texas

head Lee Missina 30, abt 1900 TX(?)
- married age 23, abt 1923
- no immig information
- farmer, general farm
wife Nellie Missina 26, abt 1904 TX
son Mike Missina 6, abt 1924 TX
son Dominic Missina 4, abt 1926 TX
son Felix Missina 1, abt 1929 TX
---
Name: Sam Messina Date of Birth: 25 Jun 1944
Gender: Male Birth County: Brazos
Father's Name: Lee Messina Mother's Name: Nellie Kickirillo

Name: Josephine Messina Date of Birth: 23 Sep 1939
Gender: Female Birth County: Brazos
Father's Name: Lee Messina Mother's Name: Nellie Chirchiuillo

Name: Callie Messina Date of Birth: 30 Jan 1933
Gender: Female Birth County: Burleson
Father's Name: Lee Messina Mother's Name: Nell Kicirillo

Name: Felix Messina Date of Birth: 6 Feb 1929
Gender: Male Birth County: Brazos
Father's Name: Lee Messina Mother's Name: Nellie Kicknillo

Name: Domineck Messina Date of Birth: 9 Aug 1926
Gender: Male Birth County: Brazos
Father's Name: Lee Messina Mother's Name: Nellie Kirkirillo
---

possible 1920 census
http://a.imageshack.us/img337/3060/1920m.jpg

Home in 1920:
Farm, rents
Pittbridge, Burleson, Texas

head Mike Masano 56, abt 1864 IT
- immig 1910, Al (alien)
- farmer
wife Carrie Masano 50, abt 1870 IT
- immig 1910
son Lee Masano 19, abt 1901 IT
- immig 1910
son Phelix Masano 11, abt 1909 IT
- immig 1910
son Joe Masano 7, abt 1913 TX
---

possible 1918 WWI Draft Registration Card
http://a.imageshack.us/img827/5575/1918.jpg

(not signed)
Lee Messino 18
Burleson County TX
born 8 Sep 1900
Farmer
Employer Mike Messina
Nearest relative Mike Messina
vj
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by vj »

Leonardo 'Lee' Messina (1899-1983)

from ancestry. com
possible 1911 New Orleans manifest
http://a.imageshack.us/img29/8310/1911k.jpg
page 2
http://a.imageshack.us/img823/1251/191101.jpg

27 April 1911, SS Liguria, Palermo to New Orleans
lines 4-7

Calogera Eritreo 29, abt 1882
- last residence Poggioreale, Trapani (Sicily)
- leaving brother-in-law Giuseppe Messina in Poggioreale
- joining husband Melchiorre Messina in Brian (Bryan?) TX
- born in Poggioreale, Trapani (Sicily)
Rosalia Messina 14, abt 1897
Leonardo Messina 11, abt 1900
Felice Messina 3, abt 1908
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teresamd0906
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by teresamd0906 »

oh my my - this is the info!!!!! wow - gonna take a few minutes and just soak it all in! Thank you is just not enough!
vj
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by vj »

I'm so glad we could help
If you need a computer program to organize your family records this site has a terrific free download (Free PAF Family History Software)
FamilySearch
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp
Valarie
---

DRAGNA

Was hoping to find Charlie Messina living near Bessie Dragna in 1920, no luck

possible 1920 census
http://a.imageshack.us/img64/9325/1920n.jpg

Home in 1920:
95 Spruce
Houston Ward 2, Harris, Texas

head Ben (Biagio) Dragno 44, abt 1876 IT
- immig 1900, Na
- merchant, grocery
wife Bessie Dragno 36, abt 1884 IT
- immig 1900
daughter Bessie Dragno 16, abt 1904 LA
daughter Annie Dragno 13, abt 1907 LA
daughter Rosie Dragno 9, abt 1911 LA
daughter Laura Dragno 7, abt 1913 TX
daughter Bensor (Vancie) Dragno 6, abt 1914 TX
daughter Maria Dragno 3 4/12, abt 1916 TX
son Luke Dragno 7/12, abt 1919 TX

This obituary should help to sort out Bessie's family (if needed)
VANCIE T. CORTE - SHINER
March 14, 2006

SHINER - Vancie Theresa Dragna Corte, 91, of Shiner, died Monday, March 13, 2006.

She was born April 17, 1914, in Houston, to the late Biagio and Bessie Rizzo Dragna. She did accounts receivable and collections and was a Catholic.

Survivors: daughters, Frances Jasek of Houston, Bessie Jo Ruffino of Bryan, and Geraldine Krenek of Crockett; son, Anthony Corte of Shiner; brother, Charles Dragna of Willis; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by: husband, Victor Corte; sisters, Rose Scarmardi, Laura Dileo, Mary Tilotta, Bessie Messina, and Ann DeCola; and brother Luke Dragna.

A rosary will be recited 7 p.m. tonight at Buffington Funeral Home chapel.

Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, the Rev. Robert Knippenberg officiating.

Burial will be at Shiner Catholic Cemetery. Buffington Funeral Home, Shiner, 361-594-3352
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teresamd0906
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by teresamd0906 »

thanks for the info. I get so involved with all the different branches of my family tree that this website will help me keep all my info organized. Its especially hard for me because both my parents were "Messina"!
vj
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by vj »

Dragna/Rizzo

from the FamilySearch pilot site
http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsea ... html#start

probably Biagio Dragna
Name: Bladge Dragna
Death Date: 29 Jan 1946
Death Place: Houston, Harris, Texas
Gender: Male
Estimated Birth Date: 1877
Father's Name: Luke Dragna
Mother's Name: Bessie Orlando
Film Number: 2218229
Digital Film Number: 4030525
Image Number: 3353
Reference Number: 2929
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
Bessie Rizzo Dragna
Name: Bessie Dragna
Death Date: 13 Jun 1964
Death Place: Houston, Harris, Texas
Gender: Female
Race: White
Death Age: 79 years
Birth Date: 16 Nov 1884
Birthplace: Italy
Marital Status: Widowed
Father's Name: Vincent Rizzo
Occupation: Homemaker
Place of Residence: Houston, Harris, Texas
Cemetery: Garden of Gethsamani
Burial Place: Houston, Texas
Burial Date: 15 Jun 1964
Additional Relatives: X
Film Number: 2117488
Digital Film Number: 4029234
Image Number: 1415
Reference Number: cn 36680
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
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johnlabarbera
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by johnlabarbera »

teresamd0906 wrote:oh my my - this is the info!!!!! wow - gonna take a few minutes and just soak it all in! Thank you is just not enough!
http://www.poggioreale.net/

Your cousins are listed on here and there is a reunion in Houston on Aug 7. This will help you complete your research and meet people you are related to!
Pelicanlady1
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Re: Looking for info on my grandfather - Messina

Post by Pelicanlady1 »

You probably have answered all your questions by now...since your original post is more than 3 years old. However...my search has just begun. My husbands family history is still a mystery to us. But we have heard the names Al Capone and Katherine Messina used together. His grandfather Stephano Fasone married Rosalie Messina (dont know relationship to Katherine) and lived in Brooklyn for many years before migrating to California (after Rosalie died). Would like any updates you have!
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