SURNAME "MERLO"

[JENNAMS]

MY NAME IS JENNIFER, AND I AM TRYING TO DO RESEARCH ON MY FAMILY (MERLO).

MY FAMILY IS FROM A VERY SMALL TOWN CALLED SANTA MARIA, LOCATED BETWEEN MONTALBANO AND SAN PIERO PATTI, MESSINA, SICILY. MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS GUISEPPE MERLO, AND HIS WIFE WAS TINDARA (I DON'T KNOW HER MAIDEN NAME). GUISEPPE CAME TO THE STATES IN 1905 AND SETTLED IN BUFFALO, NY. TINDARA AND THEIR SON ANTHONY FOLLOWED IN 1906. THEY LATER HAD FOUR MORE CHILDREN, SAM, MARION, NICHOLAS (MY GRANDFATHER), AND NANCY.

WHEN GUISEPPE TRAVELED TO THE STATES, HE TRAVELED WITH ANTONIO DE LUCA AND ANTONINO RACCUIA. I THINK THEY MAY HAVE BEEN COUSINS.

I KNOW THAT ONE OF MY GRANDFATHER'S COUSINS (I DON'T KNOW HER NAME) WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE TOWN THAT HAD A TELEPHONE, AND SHE WOULD GO TO NEIGHBORS' HOMES TO LET THEM KNOW IF THEY HAD A PHONE CALL.

IF ANY OF THIS IS FAMILIAR, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

[ptimber]

I believe the town is Santa Maria salina, Prov. Messina and civilrecords of all births,marriage and deaths from 1826 to 1910 are on micorfilm at the family history library of the Momn church nearest your home. You can trace all members of your familyin this easy manner. Borrow or buy the book Discovering Your Italian Ancstors by Lynn Nelson. Peter

[ptimber]

If you wish to complete the picture of the family here in the uSA you can also go to www.ellisisland,.org and trace their atrrival in the USA and veiw the ships manifest for additionalinformation as to destination here and other data. This will complete the puicture then from 1826 tothe present. Prioor record are inthe church(es) in Santa maria. Peter

[JENNAMS]

PETER -

SANTA MARIA SALINA IS NOT THE SANTA MARIA I AM REFERRING TO. I AM REFERRING TO A VERY SMALL TOWN BETWEEN MONTALBANO AND SAN PIERRO PATTI (AS STATED IN MY INITIAL POST).

I HAVE ALREADY DONE RESEARCH THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND, AND HAVE OBTAINED A PICTURE OF THE SHIP THAT MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER TRAVELED ON AND A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL MANIFEST. I AM NOW TRYING TO WORK BACKWARDS (BEFORE HE CAME TO THE STATES).

[ptimber]

OK then if you go to www.mappy.com an dput in Montalbano elicona 98065 in the right side and Italy you willget a maphowing Santa maria. The other Santa maria salina is Santa marina Salina. I didnot see. Peter

[JENNAMS]

PETER -

THANK YOU, BUT AGAIN, I KNOW WHERE IT IS ON THE MAP. I'M SIMPLY HOPING TO COME IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO IS RESEARCHING THE SAME SURNAME, KNOWS SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SURNAME, MAYBE HAS FAMILY/FRIENDS IN THAT AREA, ETC...



JENN

[ptimber]

Then go to www.google.com and insert the name of the family and the word Santa maria, Messina. Peter

[mfjp]

Hi Jenn,

Your Great great grandfather "Nicola Rinaldo" (which your own Grandfather was probably named after...) is mentioned in Giuseppe
Rinaldo's manifest below.. .

Also... you have lots of Ricchiazzi "paesano's" as well.

but....

Here's your Great grandmother... with Antonino age 13mo.

http://ellisisland.org/search/shipManif ... 2194130190

First Name: Imdara
Last Name: Rinaldo
Ethnicity: Italy, Italian South
Last Place of Residence: Castroreale
Date of Arrival: March 24, 1906
Age at Arrival:  27y    Gender:  F    Marital Status:  M  
Ship of Travel: Vincenzo Florio
Port of Departure: Napoli
Manifest Line Number: 0005

Her brother Giuseppe!

http://ellisisland.org/search/shipManif ... 0743%2ETIF

http://ellisisland.org/search/shipManif ... 0743%2ETIF
First Name: Giuseppe
Last Name: Rinaldo
Ethnicity: Italy
Last Place of Residence: Montolbono
Date of Arrival: March 02, 1910
Age at Arrival:  23y    Gender:  M    Marital Status:  S  
Ship of Travel: Duca D Aosta
Port of Departure: Palermo
Manifest Line Number: 0008

mfjp

[JENNAMS]

MFJP -

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH!!

I LOOKED AT THE MANIFEST, AND THE PERSON WHO ENTERED HER INTO THE SYSTEM SIMPLY ENTERED HER NAME WRONG. IT DOES SAY TINDARA! YEA!!!


JENN

[frankricc@cox.net]

You have a lovely, wonderful relative whose name is Santina. She is the person who at one time many years ago, had the only telephone in the town of Santa Maria.
She is the caretaker for the church.
In Santa Maria, there are two churches. The one which is directly across the street from Santina and the old church which was built by our families in 1601. The name of the old church is Santa Maria dei Collis or Mother of the Mountains.
The Merlo family use to live in Arcadia, California and were good friends of my family (Ricchiazzi).
Anthony De Luca was our cousin but I know that Raccuia was also from the Santa Maria area.
They settled in Buffalo, New York where there was a significant Montarbonesi section on the West Side of the city.
If you would like, I can be contacted at 949-494-6961.
I'm preparing my annual tour to Sicily with a full day in Santa Maria. I give these tours about once a year.
We have a cousin who lives in Los Angeles (Los Feliz area) who can give you quite a bit of history of your family.
You have a relative in Santa Maria who is also a charming lady.

[Susanann]

Hi
I see this is a very old post if you are still interested I have info on family