Looking for help, direction and encouragement

[JTriptow]

Hello everyone! I am new to this board and a genealogy amateur, so please bear with me. I have been researching my family and find the information on my non-Italian side so much easier to access. When it comes to my Mother's Italian family, I am at a loss at knowing how to go back into Italy and Italian records. And of course I do not speak Italian (although I am trying to teach myself with software... good luck to me!)

My mother's family immigrated to the US from the Naples region in southern Italy. My mother's father, Angelo Fuscone, came here with his parents (Raffaele Fuscone & Annunziata Guerra). My mother's mother, Carmella Fiorillo, was born in the US but both her parents immigrated from the Naples area as well, (Frank (Francesco?), and his wife Anna Piccolo). Both of my sets of great-grandparents were already married in Italy when they immigrated to the US.

So, I guess my question is - where do I go from here? I have some immigration records, but I would really love to find Italian records - marriage, birth, etc... and I would love to know who their parents were, what they did for a living, etc. Where do I begin?

I truly appreciate any information and guidance that is shared. Thank you in advance!

- Jennifer

[JTriptow]

For anyone who might be able to assist - I left out important dates! These are, of course, correct as far as I can tell---but with birth years, I just cannot be certain. Also, everyone immigrated to New York, but ended up in Chicago.

- Raffaele Fuscone lived 1872-1951. I do not yet have his immigration record.
- Annunziata Guerra lived 1883-1952. She came to the US with my grandfather, Angelo Fuscone, in 1909. I have her ship manifest.
- Francesco Fiorillo lived 1878-1927. I may have found his ship manifest from 1904.
- Anna Piccolo lived 1875-1939. I have her ship manifest (separate from her husband), also in 1904.

One more thing - after I submitted this original post yesterday I pulled the death certificates four all four people above. Those certificates list their parents' names - but I know that these are filled out by someone other than them and can be unreliable. But, as this was the first clue I have found to date, I was excited nonetheless. Here is what I found from the death certificates:

- Raffaele Fuscone's parents listed as Giuseppe Fuscone and Arcangela Messina.
- Annunziata Guerra's parents listed as (father incorrect - they listed her husband) and mother as Chiara (misspelled as "Clara" on document) Tuccillo.
- Frank Fiorillo's parents listed as Salvatore Fiorillo and Antonette Teralino.
- Anna Piccolo's parents listed as Antonio Piccolo and Irene Micabelli.

Again, I appreciate any direct help and/or guidance that you may be able to share!

- Jennifer

[liviomoreno]

- Annunziata Guerra lived 1883-1952. She came to the US with my grandfather, Angelo Fuscone, in 1909. I have her ship manifest.

From the ship manifest you learn that Annunziata and her son Angelo were from Afragola, Napoli province. In 1909 Annunziata was 28 and Angelo Fuscone was 4. They wer joining their husband and father Raffaele in Chicago.

You may now write to Afragola and ask for Annunziata's birth record. The record should contain her parent's names and maybe their age, if you are lucky it will contain her marriage date...

Form letters in Italian can be found at:

www.circolocalabrese.org/resources/letters/ and http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... tters.html

The address is:
Ufficio di Stato Civile
Comune di Afragola
Piazza Municipio 1
80021 Afragola NA
Italy

email: statocivile @ comune.afragola.na.it (no spaces)

[adelfio]

Welcome there are also micofilms of italian records from Family History Library for the town Italy, Napoli, Afragola - Civil registration years 1809-1953 for birth death and marriage. The films are for viewing for 5.75 a month at a center near you.
Family History Library locator
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... et_fhc.asp
About Italian records
https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Italy_ ... al_Records
Ordering micro films
https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Orderi ... ory_Center
Reading Italian records video and other helpful online classes
https://www.familysearch.org/learningce ... 22Italy%22
Films available for Afragola from FHL
Nati(birth) morti(death) and Matrimoni(marriage) 1809-1953
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... i+Afragola+++
If you find some records there helpful people that will help to translate if you post them.

Marty

[JTriptow]

Grazie, Livio and Marty! I will take a peek through those links this evening and start the letter-writing process. Do you know how much time to expect for a response? I would think several weeks, perhaps... but what is your experience with response times from Civil offices in Italy?

Thank you!

[Bette]

If you decide to read the Italian records, this is a great book to assist in the process. "A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Italian Ancestors" by Lynn Nelson, a soft cover book reasonably priced. There is plenty of great information in this book. Just a suggestion, if you haven't purchased it already.

[liviomoreno]

Civil offices must respond within 30 days, but you should allow 6 weeks. When you write you should also include a photocopy of your ID card.

[suanj]

Francesco Fiorillo ship's manifest:

http://www.ellisisland.org/search/shipM ... 2495090582

naturalization:
FIRST NAME LAST NAME OCCUPATION
FRANCISCO FIORILO BAKER

BIRTH CITY BIRTH COUNTRY BIRTH DATE
NAPLES ITALY 3/9/1877

CURRENT ADDRESS CURRENT CITY
1057 TAYLOR ST. CHICAGO

DEPARTURE LOCATION ARRIVAL DATE DECLARATION DATE
NAPLES, ITALY 2/12/1904 4/9/1918

Anna Piccolo arrival:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0007
for births and marriage certificates you can write to:
Ufficio di Stato Civile
II Traversa dell'Epomeo Parco Quadrifoglio
80126 Napoli (NA)
ITALY

email:
stato.civile @ comune.napoli.it ( NO SPACES)

Regards,
suanj

[pichu2001]

Two manifest arrival for Annunziata Guerra(from Ellis Island)

1) Immig: 19 apr 1921
. Birth: 1883
. Last Residence: Italy,Afragola
. Final Destination: Chicago
. Parents in Sicily: nobody
. Relativies in America: husband Raffaele Fuscone
. Departs with: Antonio Fuscone(15y)

2) Immigr: 13 dic 1920
. Birth: 1883
. Last Residence: Italy,Afragola
. Final Destination: Chicago
. Parents in Sicily: sorella Benedetta
. Relativies in America: husband Raffaele Fuscone
. Departs with: Antonio Fuscone(14y)

And i found two sons of Raffaele
1) Chiarina Fuscone, born on 10 Nov 1914,a Sangmon?, according to Familysearch.
2) Henry Fuscone, born on 2 Dec 1917, and dead on 30 May 1918. Buried at Mt.Carmel.

I don't know if you already seen this ancestry family tree (maybe is your xD)
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/5425871/ ... 1149865748

[JTriptow]

Thank you, everyone, for your time and information! Pichu - though that is not my tree on ancestry.com, our trees are linked and that is indeed my Great-Grandfather Raffaele. Suanj, thank you for the information on my Francesco Fiorillo, and thank you for the information on the Civil Office in Napoli. Bette - that book is on my "favorites" at amazon.com and I plan to purchase it very soon. Livio - can you tell me why I need to add a copy of my identification card with my request? I am very wary of passing around my identification.

Finally, I used the link that Livio posted and created my first letter. I then adjusted it to ask for more than one document. Can I ask that someone who reads & speaks Italian review the letter below and suggest any changes? And also, will the Civil Office take the time to contact me and tell me the cost of the documents, or should I contact them first and send funds with the letter? Any advice is truly appreciated. Again - thank you all for the assistance!

My letter draft:

Ufficio dello Stato Civile
Comune di Afragola
80021 AFRAGOLA NA
ITALY

Egregi Signori,

Mi chiamo Jennifer Triptow, ed abito negli Stati Uniti all'indirizzo sopradetto. Cerco informazioni sulla mia bisnonna, Annunziata Guerra. Nata nel comune di Afragola. Sto anche cercando le informazioni sul mio bisnonno, Raffaele Fuscone. Nato nel comune di Afragola. Cerco questi dati per conoscere meglio la mia famiglia, e per trovare i miei parenti rimasti in Italia.

1. Vi sarei molto grato se poteste spedirmi l'estratto dell'atto di nascita di Annunziata Guerra, in carta libera. Nata nel 1883.

2. Vi sarei molto grato se poteste spedirmi l'estratto dell'atto di nascita di Raffaele Fuscone, in carta libera. Nato nel 1872.
3. Vi sarei molto grato se poteste spedirmi l'estratto dell'atto di matrimonio di Annunziata Guerra e Raffele Fuscone, sposato circa 1904, in carta libera.

Vi ringrazio in anticipo per la vostra gentilezza e premura, e vi prego di addebitarmi tutte le spese postali e dei certificati.

Distinti saluti,

Jennifer Triptow

[liviomoreno]

The letter sounds OK. I only suggest that you change "Estratto" in "Estratto per copia integrale"
There is no charge for these documents.
Good Luck

[JTriptow]

Thank you again, Livio. You are very helpful!