Rapa from Montemiletto, Avelino

[blackcloud57]

My grandfather is from Montemiletto. Ciriaco Rapa came to America in 1905, born 1876. My father and all but one of his siblings have passed on and the story of his arrival and his situation has been relatively vague. I am looking for information regarding my grandfather and any family that may still be in Montemiletto to find out information. I believe he came over in 1905. Legend has it that he was married and had twin daughters born in Italy, When he came over he brought one of the twins (Lena or Marina) with him but left his wife Teresa Capone Rapa (born 1878) and the other twin (Pauline) in Montemiletto. They both apparently came over the following year in 1906. Teresa is not my grandmother, she died in 1918. My grandmother Rose Marie DeBenedetto (born 1891) who I believe may have been from Montefalcione was sent over in 1921 and married my grandfather. I am looking for any information about either of these families and the best and cheapest way to find birth records and information about siblings etc. Any help would be appreciated.

[pink67]

Welcome to the Forum

Have you noticed that on the 1905 arrival manifest Ciriaco stated that he was in the U.S. before, from 1892 to 1902 in Pittsburgh?

I believe that this one may have been his first arrival in the U.S. on may 1893:

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0928

Laura

[pink67]

24 august 1906

Teresa Capone, age 27, married, from Montemiletto to Pittsburgh to join her husband Ciriaco Rapa living on 801 Webster avenue. Travelling with her daughter Marianna Rapa, 11 months, female (approx. birth date september 1904, so I believe it was almost impossible for him to land in the U.S. on May 1905 with the other twin)

image:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0028

12 may 1905
arrival for Ciriaco Rapa (second arrival)
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0013

Laura

[pink67]

My grandmother Rose Marie DeBenedetto (born 1891) who I believe may have been from Montefalcione was sent over in 1921 and married my grandfather.

Looks like that also Rosa Di Benedetto was coming from Montemiletto, this is her 1921 arrival manifest:

12 may 1921:

Di Benedetto Rosa, age 29, single, place of birth and residence in Italy: Montemiletto. Leaving in Montemiletto her father Giacomo, going to New Kensington PA to join her future husband Papa (mispelled) Ciriaco

page 1:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0027

page 2:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0027

Laura

[pink67]

Possible records for Ciriaco from the site Ancestry.com:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Charley Rapp
Name: Charley Rapp
County: Westmoreland
State: Pennsylvania
Birth Date: 19 Mar 1876
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1926980
DraftBoard: 3

Nearest relative: Lena Rapp older child.

image:
http://postimage.org/image/cw2dywtg/

1910 United States Federal Census
about Charles Rapp
Name: Charles Rapp
Age in 1910: 42
Estimated Birth Year: 1868
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
[Self (Head)]
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Spouse's Name: Mair Rapp
Home in 1910: Lower Burrell, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Year of immigration: 1900
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Rapp 42 head, born in IT
Mair Rapp 34 wife, born in IT
Meva Rapp 6 daughter born in PA
Angelina Rapp 4 daughter, born in PA
Johnie Rapp 2 daughter, born in PA

image:
http://postimage.org/image/cwzgpup0/

1920 United States Federal Census
about Charley Rapp
Name: Charley Rapp
Home in 1920: Lower Burrell, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania
Age: 42
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
[Head]
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Widowed[Widow]
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Own
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charley Rapp 42 head, born in IT, occupation brickyard
Lena Rapp 14 daughter, born in Italy
Julia Rapp 11 daughter, born in PA
Jennie Rapp 9 daughter, born in PA
Tony Rapp 8 son, born in PA
Josar Rapp 6 daughter, born in PA
Louie Rapp 3 son, born in PA

image:
http://postimage.org/image/cxcp0mn8/

Laura

[pink67]

Again, from Ancestry.com:

1930 United States Federal Census
about Charles A Rapp
Name: Charles A Rapp
Home in 1930: New Kensington, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania
View Map
Age: 54
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1876
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Rose Rapp
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military Service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charles A Rapp 54 head, born in Italy, brickyard
Rose Rapp 39 wife, born in IT, immigr. year 1921
Jennie Rapp 20 daughter, born in PA
Tony Rapp 18 son, born in PA
Josephine Rapp 16 daughter, born in PA
Louie Rapp 14 son, born in PA
Thressa Rapp 7 daughter, born in PA
Lenora Rapp 6 daughter, born in PA
Charles Rapp 4 son, born in PA
Yolanda Rapp 4 daughter, born in PA
Samuel Rapp 3 son, born in PA
James Rapp 1 son, born in PA
Francis Rapp son, born in PA

image page 1:
http://postimage.org/image/cyeqdm04/
image page 2:
http://postimage.org/image/cytm7qg4/

Laura

[fargone]

Hello Blackcould57,
I'm Gabriele D'Apolito, an historical researcher from Salerno. I can help you to your research about family's state. If you need some informations, you can write me on my mail address (grldapolito@gmail.com)
Best regards, Gabriele.

[blackcloud57]

Laura, thank you so much for both your welcome and the information that you have provided. The information is helpful and with the exception of the 1910 Census, I believe you everything else is my grandfather and correlates well with what we know. Do you by any chance have access to Italian records? The daughter that accompanied Theresa Capone was a twin. We've always been told that the twins were separated for a period but could never place the second's arrival. We know she did come to America and eventually relocated to Boston and that her name (here in America) was Pauline Rapa Straccia (sp?) Also I did find the both arrivals for Ciriaco but had assumed the first was a different person, as we had never heard that he had been here prior to 1905. Is there any way to verify they are the same person? Thank you again sooooo much for your help. If you have any advice/resources that I can access it would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to go back farther if I could as well as find out what relative I may still have in Italy or elsewhere.

Thanks again,
Jim

[pink67]

You're welcome Jim

I have no access to italian civil registrations for Montemiletto, you have to write directly to the town hall where your ancestors were born to ask for their births/marriage or death acts...
This is the address of the Comune (Town Hall) of Montemiletto:

Comune di Montemiletto
via Roma
83038 Montemiletto (AV)
ITALY

link to the website:
http://www.comune.montemiletto.av.it/Demografico.html

italian form letters:
http://www.circolocalabrese.org/resourc ... /index.asp

regarding Pauline I found no arrival manifest for her... her first italian name may have been Paola or Paolina, but I found these records that maybe you can confirm or not:

from the site Ancestry.com:

Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003
about Pauline Straccia
Name: Pauline Straccia
Certificate: 036278
Death Place: Cambridge
Death Date: 2 Jul 1990
Birth Place: Other
Birth Date: 11 Aug 1905


1930 United States Federal Census
about Pauline Straccia
Name: Pauline Straccia
Home in 1930: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
View Map
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1907
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's Name: Joseph Straccia
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military Service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Straccia 26 head, born in Italy, married at the age of 22, immigr. year 1921, naturalized
Pauline Straccia 23 wife, born in Italy, married at the age of 19, immigr. year 1921
Fred Straccia 4 9/12 son, born in MA
Jerry Straccia 2 11/12 son, born in MA
Mario Straccia 11/12 son, born in MA

they were living next door to Ferdinando and Teresa Straccia Joseph's parents...

Laura

[pink67]

The real italian first name of Joseph's wife Pauline was Palma Rapa.


Thanks to member vj of this forum I can show you the Petition of the Naturalization of Joseph Straccia... he stated that his wife's name was Palma...

image of the petition:
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5808 ... ation1.jpg

Then I found this arrival record for a Palma Rapa on 1921:

Book Indexes to Boston Passenger Lists, 1899-1940
about Palma Rapa
Name: Palma Rapa
Ship Name: Canopic
Date of Arrival: 1 Aug 1921
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1905
http://postimage.org/image/3gxhquxw/

this is the arrival manifest:

Boston Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1943
about Palma Papa
Name: Palma Papa
Arrival Date: 1 Aug 1921
Age: 15
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1906
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ship Name: Canopic
Port of Arrival: Boston, Massachusetts

image:
http://postimage.org/image/1k9yflz9g/

she travelled under the lsit of the naturalized citizens... she stated she was going to her home in New Kensington PA, 1222 5th Avenue.

Laura

[blackcloud57]

Thank you so much. This helps to clear some things up tremendously. We had a name Palma (which I was going to ask you about) but had been told it was my grandfather's mother's name, which still may be the case I guess. This is definitely my Aunt Pauline, the other twin. So they both came over on the same ship. I wonder if they were already married? She did come to New Kensington I know for a time. I'm told she was here when her twin died during childbirth (big story there), and then told my grandfather she was leaving and never coming back. You have been sooo helpful. I appreciate it immensely...I will let you know if anything else develops.

Thanks Laura,

Best regards,
Jim

[pink67]

Thank you Jim, I'm always happy to help...

I wonder if they were already married?

from the arrival manifest for Palma Rapa :

http://postimage.org/image/1k9yflz9g/

you can see that she was only 15 and single...
Her (future) husband Giuseppe Straccia came on another ship on another date and landed on another port:

18 may 1921
Straccia Giuseppe, 17 years old, single, from MonteFalcione, leaving there his mother Teresa, joining his father Ferdinando living in Boston on Elm Street. Place of birth is Montefalcione

page 1:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0013

page 2:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0013

Laura

[blackcloud57]

Laura, thank you again for all your help. We have made contact with a couple of the relatives in Boston and have found out some great information and in fact they may be showing up at our upcoming re-union. I was wondering if you could find out if Ciriaco Rapa (parents Antonio and Palma Petraziello) We've been told that there was at least 3 sisters Teresa, Marianninna, Angiolina and maybe a Carolina and one of them married a D'Amore maybe Antonio? Also we don't know if Teresa Capone and Rosa Di Benedetto had any brothers or sisters. You have been such a big help and my cousins are so excited. Thank you again,

Regards,
Jim

[pink67]

I'm happy I was able to help you and your relatives to better understand your ancestor's past

I was wondering if you could find out if Ciriaco Rapa (parents Antonio and Palma Petraziello) We've been told that there was at least 3 sisters Teresa, Marianninna, Angiolina and maybe a Carolina and one of them married a D'Amore maybe Antonio?

Did they emigrated too?
If they didn't you might try to contact your nearest family History center and ask them to rent the microfilms of the civil registrations in Montemiletto:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... umns=*,0,0

for example these three microfilm might contain the birth act of Ciriaco and eventually of his sisters:

Title Registri dello stato civile di Montemiletto (Avellino), 1809-1899
Authors Montemiletto (Avellino). Ufficio dello stato civile (Main Author)

Nati (Births) 1866-1883
FHL INTL Film 1642232 Item 3

Link to find your nearest Family History Center:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... et_fhc.asp


The (Payment) site Ancestry.com has some italian civil registrations on line but nothing for the province of Avellino..

With my best regards

Laura