Italian immigration from South America to USA

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gentilejoy@yahoo.com
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Italian immigration from South America to USA

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My great-grandmother's brother lived in Buenos Aires circa 1897. I was able to locate his ship manifest into Ellis Island. It shows that the ship sailed out of the port of Rio De Janeiro-Brazil and not from Argentina as we thought would be the case. This is surprising news since we never knew that her brother ever lived in Brazil. Would think -he would sail out of port of Buenos Aires. Seems odd that he sailed out of Rio since from Buenos Aires to Rio is some distance. This is during a time period in late 1800s where there was no mass transportation. Before cars and planes to contact from one city or country to another then sail from a totally different port of departure. Anyone have any thoughts about this? Baffled. :shock:
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jackdaisy
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Re: Italian immigration from South America to USA

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Could he have sailed from Argentina to Brazil to pick up a ship to New York? Are there any records available for you to check this out? If he did sail up to Brazil you have a tough job researching because you don't know when he sailed. Or is it possible that ship started in Argentina, stopped in Brazil and went on to New York?
Just a few thoughts.

Jack
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Re: Italian immigration from South America to USA

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Thanks for your thoughts -Jack. I checked the ship route which seems to indicate ship started from Brazil. Like you said, he may've sailed up to Brazil on another ship/boat to pick up the ship in Brazil headed for New York City. Odd as this seems since during that time period- there were sailings coming directly out of Buenos Aires ?? As to why he went all the way up to Brazil to pick up the ship is baffling. We are now beginning to wonder if for a short period either months or few years leading up to the sailing, he actually lived in Brazil. If so, this is "new" news to all of us.
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Re: Italian immigration from South America to USA

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Re: same subject. both Argentina and Brazil did have a rail system in place. got to thinking if he and his son (17 year old when he arrived into Ellis Island) could've taken the rail system out of Buenos Aires into Brazil. appears from ship manifest that both father and son made the journey to join his sister here in America. he was listed as a "widower". he and my great grand-mother came from Sala Consilina-Salerno, Italy. my great grandmother and her husband came to America. her brother; on the other hand, went to Argentina and made a life. by the time he took that ship in Rio to come to America he was a widower travelling with a young, teenaged son. looking at the map of Buenos Aires-it appears to be a port city, so them sailing out of Rio De Janeiro was very surprising. I welcome any more thoughts or info. about the lives led by Italian immigrants of South America during the late 1800s to early 20th century. I was told they had to contend with yellow fever and malaria epidemics. Thanks to all.
erudita74
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Re: Italian immigration from South America to USA

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gentilejoy@yahoo.com wrote:Re: same subject. both Argentina and Brazil did have a rail system in place. got to thinking if he and his son (17 year old when he arrived into Ellis Island) could've taken the rail system out of Buenos Aires into Brazil. appears from ship manifest that both father and son made the journey to join his sister here in America. he was listed as a "widower". he and my great grand-mother came from Sala Consilina-Salerno, Italy. my great grandmother and her husband came to America. her brother; on the other hand, went to Argentina and made a life. by the time he took that ship in Rio to come to America he was a widower travelling with a young, teenaged son. looking at the map of Buenos Aires-it appears to be a port city, so them sailing out of Rio De Janeiro was very surprising. I welcome any more thoughts or info. about the lives led by Italian immigrants of South America during the late 1800s to early 20th century. I was told they had to contend with yellow fever and malaria epidemics. Thanks to all.

There is a book called Immigrants in the Lands of Promise by Samuel L Bailey-subtitle of the book is Italians in Buenos Aires and New York City, 1870 to 1914. You can read some parts of this book on googlebooks.com

Just type in the book title in the search engine on that website. There was a severe yellow fever epidemic in Argentina in 1871.

Erudita
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jackdaisy
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Re: Italian immigration from South America to USA

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Going by Train. That is a good thought. You got me interested and I looked at Argentina and Brazil on Wikipedia. That must have been some ride in those days. The Argentina listing showed connections between adjacent countries in modern times I assume. But the interesting part of the articles for me was the number of different gauges each country had. The Argentina article showed Brazil with Standard gauge, 4'-8 1/2" and Brazil with 3'-3 1/2" under the part showing connections to adjacent countries.
Another article on the internet said that in 2008 Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela were planning a long distance high speed railway. One of the obstacles to overcome was the "confusion of Gauges."
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Re: Italian immigration from South America to USA

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Thank you for responses- I will look into that book called "Immigrants In The Lands Of Promise" to learn more about South American Italian immigrants. I, too, agree that travelling by train in those days had to be some challenge. I guess we can not really know when and how both father and son got to Rio from having once lived in Buenos Aires circa 1900. They both eventually made it to the USA joining family in the Italian Harlem section/area of New York City and becoming a part of the larger Italian immigrant history here in America.
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