Pasqualina... how to find a child without a known father?

[dominique426]

Hi,

I have been trying to track Pasqualina ______ (surname unknown) my grandmother's sister for many months. I always assumed she took her mother's surname MERENDA. However, I recently discovered my grandmother Mary's baptism record as well as birth record that had information on Pasqualina's mother.

BAPTISM RECORD HERE: http://postimg.org/image/wh27l69dt/

I am know assuming that Pasqualina was not out of wedlock as I figured, but possibly a legitimate child. However I'm not sure. I don't understand why Maria (or Giuseppina?? I am unsure now of Pasqualina's mom's real name) used two names.

The earliest I can track Pasqualina's mother is in Chicago, IL 1910 on her marriage record to ANTONIO BLOISE and on the census. There is no mention of Pasqualina on the census. I've also checked Antonio's parents home incase she may have lived with them... once again, no Pasqualina.

I do have her naturalization card below which is why I assume she's born in Italy- her mother is from Roggiano Gravina, Cosenza, Italy. However it doesn't look like the other naturalization papers that I've seen. It's just a card. The name LETIZIANO is her married name.

NATURALIZATION RECORD: http://postimg.org/image/igyifj6yv/

Is there anyway to find her? I don't know if 1908 is the right birth year for her. I don't even have a confirmed birth year for her.... all I know is her first name is Pasqualina. There's no trace of her anywhere. I am truly curious who her father was and if she were born in Italy. If I could find something on Pasqualina, it would answer a lot of questions about my ggg grandmother's mother life in Italy.

I really don't know what to do.

[Tessa78]

The Naturalization Card you posted has a Petition # on it. You can request Pasqualina/Lena's naturalization records using that number and the information on the card at this site... (you will need to create an account)

https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonl ... chives.gov

The Petition for Naturalization may provide more information including arrival information if she was born in Italy.

EDIT TO ADD:

On this 1940 Census for Family of William Letiziano...
Lena, his wife, is age 32, and born in Italy.
The address is the same at the Naturalization Card you posted above, and age is correct.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... :604023780


William Letiziano, "United States Census, 1940"
Name: William Letiziano
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Ward 39, Philadelphia, Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (address is on S. 13th Street)
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Marital Status: Married
Race (Original): White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Birth Year (Estimated): 1908
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
District: 51-1547
Family Number: 96
Sheet Number and Letter: 5B
Line Number: 69
Affiliate Publication Number: T627
Affiliate Film Number: 3735
Digital Folder Number: 005456847
Image Number: 00581
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head William Letiziano M 32 Pennsylvania
Wife Lena Letiziano F 32 Italy
Son Ernest W Letiziano M 0 Pennsylvania
Mother Enrichetta Letiziano F 66 Italy
Brother Domenic Letiziano M 27 Pennsylvania
Sister-in-law Christine Letiziano F 22 Pennsylvania
Stepdaughter Irene Verratti F 13 Pennsylvania

The above Census shows a child of under 1 year born to Lena and William...
So... I found this possible marriage index for William Letiziano in Philadelphia, married in 1937 - bride's surname BLUTHA (which could be a gross misspelling of Bloise?)
There is a certificate number which you might try to use to request the certificate from Philadelphia Vital Records.

T.

[dominique426]

The Naturalization Card you posted has a Petition # on it. You can request Pasqualina/Lena's naturalization records using that number and the information on the card at this site... (you will need to create an account)

https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonl ... chives.gov

The Petition for Naturalization may provide more information including arrival information if she was born in Italy.

EDIT TO ADD:

On this 1940 Census for Family of William Letiziano...
Lena, his wife, is age 32, and born in Italy.
The address is the same at the Naturalization Card you posted above, and age is correct.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... :604023780


William Letiziano, "United States Census, 1940"
Name: William Letiziano
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Ward 39, Philadelphia, Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (address is on S. 13th Street)
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Marital Status: Married
Race (Original): White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Birth Year (Estimated): 1908
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
District: 51-1547
Family Number: 96
Sheet Number and Letter: 5B
Line Number: 69
Affiliate Publication Number: T627
Affiliate Film Number: 3735
Digital Folder Number: 005456847
Image Number: 00581
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head William Letiziano M 32 Pennsylvania
Wife Lena Letiziano F 32 Italy
Son Ernest W Letiziano M 0 Pennsylvania
Mother Enrichetta Letiziano F 66 Italy
Brother Domenic Letiziano M 27 Pennsylvania
Sister-in-law Christine Letiziano F 22 Pennsylvania
Stepdaughter Irene Verratti F 13 Pennsylvania

The above Census shows a child of under 1 year born to Lena and William...
So... I found this possible marriage index for William Letiziano in Philadelphia, married in 1937 - bride's surname BLUTHA (which could be a gross misspelling of Bloise?)
There is a certificate number which you might try to use to request the certificate from Philadelphia Vital Records.

T.

Do you know what the number change at the top means? Is there anyway for me to find what the old petition was?

Yes, that is her on the 1940 census. That's her marriage as well. She was married twice. I don't have a problem with the current records, but with her childhood records. I can't find her in Chicago... I only can find her mother.

The maiden name she used was BLUTH/BLUTHA as did my grandmother Mary. My grandmother Mary never knew her father and that was the name she was given (her mother never gave her birth record). Lena has a different father than my grandmother. They are half siblings. The only surname Lena (Pasqualina) knew was BLUTHA/BLUTH which is obviously not correct.

I thought I had a lead on Pasqualina's real name from the Baptism record because it looked like Maria their mother had written her *current* married surname. I was told that Lena was born in Italy around 1908 (I personally think she is a few years older) in Cosenza, Calabria or Roggiano Gravina. They never gave me a name for her father. We all assumed it was an illegitimate relationship but based off the Baptism, I thought maybe they were married.

Lena's mother is MARIA GIUSEPPINA MERENDA born in Roggiano Gravina. Maria G's brother is ANGELO MARIA MERENDA born 1879.

Maria, Lena and my grandmother's mother, goes by Maria Marinda, Giuseppina Marinda, etc. on records.

It looks like Lena and my grandmother's mom got married in Chicago and left Lena in an orphanage. I wish I could find Lena's birth records... my grandmother and Lena never knew anything about their fathers. They never even had birth records from what I was told.

[suanj]

Hi,

I have been trying to track Pasqualina ______ (surname unknown) my grandmother's sister for many months. I always assumed she took her mother's surname MERENDA. However, I recently discovered my grandmother Mary's baptism record as well as birth record that had information on Pasqualina's mother.

BAPTISM RECORD HERE: http://postimg.org/image/wh27l69dt/

I am know assuming that Pasqualina was not out of wedlock as I figured, but possibly a legitimate child. However I'm not sure. I don't understand why Maria (or Giuseppina?? I am unsure now of Pasqualina's mom's real name) used two names.

The earliest I can track Pasqualina's mother is in Chicago, IL 1910 on her marriage record to ANTONIO BLOISE and on the census. There is no mention of Pasqualina on the census. I've also checked Antonio's parents home incase she may have lived with them... once again, no Pasqualina.

I do have her naturalization card below which is why I assume she's born in Italy- her mother is from Roggiano Gravina, Cosenza, Italy. However it doesn't look like the other naturalization papers that I've seen. It's just a card. The name LETIZIANO is her married name.

NATURALIZATION RECORD: http://postimg.org/image/igyifj6yv/

Is there anyway to find her? I don't know if 1908 is the right birth year for her. I don't even have a confirmed birth year for her.... all I know is her first name is Pasqualina. There's no trace of her anywhere. I am truly curious who her father was and if she were born in Italy. If I could find something on Pasqualina, it would answer a lot of questions about my ggg grandmother's mother life in Italy.

I really don't know what to do.

Hi,
I know not if can help,
but I believe that Pasqualina last name was Capparelli, 1 old, daughter of Maria Giuseppa Merenda Capparelli both born in Altomonte and no Roggiano Gravina; both imm. in 1909 and joining at uncle Raffaele Capparelli in Chicago IL:

Boston Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1943 about M Guiseppa Merenda Morelli
Name: M Guiseppa Merenda Morelli ( Maria Giuseppa Merenda Capparelli)
Arrival Date: 25 Nov 1909
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1888
Gender: Female
Ethnic Background: Italian (South) (Italian)
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ship Name: Romanic
Port of Arrival: Boston, Massachusetts
Friend's Name: Capporelli Raffaele
Last Residence: Italy
Birthplace: Altomante, Italy

pag 1

http://s17.postimg.org/bb835xtfz/Boston ... iseppa.jpg

pag 2

http://s16.postimg.org/9sjyc4wed/Boston ... 0_1943.jpg

your suggestions?
suanj

[Tessa78]

On the naturalization card "changed from" refers to her first name, NOT the number listed there.
I would request using the petition # at the bottom left of the card

EDIT TO ADD:

Great find, suanj
Hugs to you!

BTW - did you notice that Maria Giuseppina was listed as "widow?"

T.

[suanj]

Hugs to you Tessa!
Yes Maria Giuseppa was widow...
suanj

[Biff83]

Great work suanj and T!

Pasqualina's first marriage based on 1940 census which listed her daughter Irene Verratti and made reference to by dominique

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marriage Index, 1885-1951
Name: Lena Bluth
Gender: Female
Spouse:Nicholas Verratti
Spouse Gender: Male
Marriage Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Marriage Year: 1925
Marriage License Number: 516644

Biff

[Tessa78]

Hey Biff Great find!

I have been searching the Altomonte records for a possible marriage for Maria Giuseppa Merenda Capparelli, with no luck...

Searched for a birth for Pasqualina Capparelli -
There were many Capparelli births, but the only PASQUALINA (which was in year 1909) was born to Francesco Capparelli and Cleopatra Radamanto, with a notation that she married in Altomonte in 1928... So probably not our Pasqualina

Also searched for a possible death of Maria Giuseppa's spouse "Capparelli", but did not find one. Of course, he may have died somewhere else, like in US?

Presently searching for the birth record of Maria Giuseppa Merenda hoping for notations!

T.

[suanj]

Me too searched in Altomonte, maybe Altomonte was the last residence and Maria Giuseppa married in Roggiano Gravina and Pasqualina born here... I believe that Maria Giuseppe married at a Capparelli (born in Altomonte) ... Maybe in Altomonte marriage banns it can be the record abt that...
suanj

[Tessa78]

Me too searched in Altomonte, maybe Altomonte was the last residence and Maria Giuseppa married in Roggiano Gravina and Pasqualina born here... I believe that Maria Giuseppe married at a Capparelli (born in Altomonte) ... Maybe in Altomonte marriage banns it can be the record abt that...
suanj

I agree, suanj and so I looked there first. I checked years 1905 through 1908 (and a little bit of the beginning of 1909) but did not find them. Maybe I will go through them again. There was only an index for 1905

EDIT TO ADD:
What do you think of this?
While looking for a birth record in Altomonte in 1888 for Maria Giuseppa Merenda, I found a birth record for Maria Giuseppe Capparelli (daughter born to Mariangela Capparelli and a single man unnamed) - Could it be that MERENDA is Maria Giuseppa's married name? Or maybe her father "recognized" her at a later date and his surname was Merenda? This may account for her use of more than one name... OR...Could we be looking for the wrong surname because of the notation on the ship manifest?

#28 - top left
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 1770755435

T.

[dominique426]

Thank you everyone.... your work is amazing. I do not know how to say thank you enough to show you how much I appreciate it....

I will share here what I have of Pasqualina. The earliest record I have on Lena is here.

1920 CENSUS:

http://postimg.org/image/d9bzw0set/

Antonio Caulo is her 2nd step-father. That information for her arrival on the census is wrong. Her mother Maria and her just went along with Antonio's day of arrival. It doesn't give anything useful. It also lists the wrong date of birth for my grandmother Mary. She's born December 17th 1910 not 1912.

I have both of Lena's marriages (I knew of these before the records). She was married to Nicholas Verratti in 1925 as LENA BLUTH. She had one child with him named Irene Veratti (Irene is on the 1940 census).

She was given the last name BLUTH as was my grandmother. Their mom never told them their real last names (my grandmother Mary's real last name is BLOISE). Their mom did a lot of questionable things, but there is not much I can do on the matter.

I do not know where Irene or Lena is on the 1930 census.

In 1937, Lena got married as LENA BLUTHA to her 2nd husband WILLIAM LETIZIANO. They then are shown on the 1940 census. The only other record I have of Lena is her naturalization.

I know Lena's mom lived in Chicago, IL. I honestly don't know if Lena lived there as well. I have no idea what happened to my poor Aunt Lena. She refused to speak of her childhood. I assumed Lena lived with her stepfather Antonio Bloise, but she didn't because she's not on the census or any records.

These are the records I have of MARIA GIUSEPPINA MERENDA in Chicago, IL.

"Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920"

Name: Antonio Brois
Titles and Terms:
Race (Original):
Race:
Age: 34
Birth Year (Estimated): 1876
Birth Date: 1876
Birthplace:
Spouse's Name: Guiseppina Miranda
Spouse's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Race (Original):
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Age: 22
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1888
Spouse's Birth Date: 1888
Spouse's Birthplace:
License Type: Marriage
Event Date: 14 Mar 1910
Event Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois

Here is my grandmother's birth certificate information:

Name: Maria Domenica Broise
Birth Date: 17 Dec 1910
Birthplace: Chicago
Gender: Female
Race: White
Father's Name: Antonia Broise
Father's Birthplace: Sansusto, Italy
Father's Age: 37
Mother's Name: Maria Giuseppi Murendi
Mother's Birthplace: Rugiano, Italy
Mother's Age: 23
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Paternal Grandfather's Name:
Paternal Grandmother's Name:
Maternal Grandfather's Name:
Maternal Grandmother's Name:
Informant's Name (Original):
Death Date:
Age:
GS Film number: 1288198
Digital Folder Number: 4298158
Image Number: 00597
Reference ID: 3222

[dominique426]

Me too searched in Altomonte, maybe Altomonte was the last residence and Maria Giuseppa married in Roggiano Gravina and Pasqualina born here... I believe that Maria Giuseppe married at a Capparelli (born in Altomonte) ... Maybe in Altomonte marriage banns it can be the record abt that...
suanj

I agree, suanj and so I looked there first. I checked years 1905 through 1908 (and a little bit of the beginning of 1909) but did not find them. Maybe I will go through them again. There was only an index for 1905

EDIT TO ADD:
What do you think of this?
While looking for a birth record in Altomonte in 1888 for Maria Giuseppa Merenda, I found a birth record for Maria Giuseppe Capparelli (daughter born to Mariangela Capparelli and a single man unnamed) - Could it be that MERENDA is Maria Giuseppa's married name? Or maybe her father "recognized" her at a later date and his surname was Merenda? This may account for her use of more than one name... OR...Could we be looking for the wrong surname because of the notation on the ship manifest?

#28 - top left
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... 1770755435

T.

You are all so incredibly kind to me... I know if my Aunt Lena were alive, she'd be in tears of joy!

I also want to say how incredibly thankful you I am to everyone helping me. I have been trying to find something... even just a little something, on my Aunt Lena or Maria.

Maybe? I'm not sure about that though surname though... did you look at the Baptism name she used?

On my grandmother's Baptism, she used these names:

http://postimg.org/image/fsoca485z/

I also know that ANGELO MARIA MERENDA born May 23rd is Maria's brother. I don't know if they're full or half siblings. I only know their siblings. I found his parents name on the war enlistment. If you search Angelo Maria Merenda on Portale Della Storie Degli Italiani, he comes up.

SIAS Code IT-ASCS-F680258
Ufficio Leva della Provincia di Cosenza, Enlistment year 1880.Volume number 169,
document number 53 page 186 section b
Angelo Maria Merenda, contadino enlisted on --/--/----
born on 23/05/1879 to ROGGIANO GRAVINA
son/daughter of Giuseppe Merenda and of Maria Giuseppa Iaconetti

[dominique426]

Angelo's grandson also sent me this. I'm not sure if that's helpful...

Angelo's marriage certificate:
http://postimg.org/image/wpte9tbx9/

[suanj]

I believe that Maria Giuseppa maiden name was MERENDA and Capparelli married surname because the her daughter is listed as Pasqualina Capparelli ... the only explanation why no birth record in Altomonte ( I searched from 1905 to 1910 and I found several Pasqualina Capparelli, born in Altomonte, but no who we are searching for) it is that probably the birthplace was Roggiano Gravina and Altomonte last residence... so a possible error on the ship's manifest... just searching on Roggiano Gravina births we can solve the mystery..
suanj

[dominique426]

I believe that Maria Giuseppa maiden name was MERENDA and Capparelli married surname because the her daughter is listed as Pasqualina Capparelli ... the only explanation why no birth record in Altomonte ( I searched from 1905 to 1910 and I found several Pasqualina Capparelli, born in Altomonte, but no who we are searching for) it is that probably the birthplace was Roggiano Gravina and Altomonte last residence... so a possible error on the ship's manifest... just searching on Roggiano Gravina births we can solve the mystery..
suanj

Do you know how or where I can search Roggiano Gravina births?

If I can finally solve this mystery, I feel very accomplished- that's for sure!