Help searching for great grandparents

[richsorr1]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to track down my family history and am pretty new to it all. My father and I have been using ancestry.com to track down both sides of his family and while both have been difficult,I am having a very hard time find my grandmothers parents..

Bernard Polesinelli 1888-1862 and Josephine Giordano 1891-1953. I am told the family is from Naples (my grandfathers family was from Gragnano, name is Sorrentino). I can only find them on the 1925 new York census and 1940 federal census living in Brooklyn and nowhere else.

I believe Bernard came over around 1904 but I am not sure if the wife came over with him or if they met in New York.

Anna, Mary, Louis, Millie, Frank, Joe, Christina, Rose, Antoinette and Jenny were their children. The youngest (joe) being born in 1910.

I feel like I've hit a brick wall at this point but I am not really sure where to go next if anyone has any advice on how to improve my searches.

any help is appreciated, thanks!

[erudita74]

They married in Kings County (Brooklyn NY).

http://italiangen.org/docs-forms-downlo ... t-form.pdf

Polsinelli Bernard Jan 21 1909 Certificate #740 Kings

Giordano Giuseppina Jan 21 1909 Certificate #740 Kings

Erudita

[erudita74]

Here's his WWII draft registration card.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... cc=1861144

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... cc=1861144

I'm posting the following WWI draft registration card. I realize the birthday doesn't match the one on the WWII registration card, but this might still be his card.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... cc=1968530

There is an obit for Josephine at the following website:

http://www.fultonhistory.com/fulton.html

Type in polesinelli in the search engine at the left. It will be the second item listed. I can't seem to find a way to just post the obit for you. It will open in pdf format.

Erudita

[liviomoreno]

Erudita, the signatures on the two registration cards are quite different and also the color of the eyes.

[erudita74]

Thanks Livio. I was just studying the heights and the addresses were close. I will stick with the WWII draft registration as being the correct one.

This should be the pdf of the newspaper page with Josephine's obit from 1953:

http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%205/ ... 200168.pdf

Erudita

[adelfio]

I think Bernardo Polsinelli came from Sora,Frosinone
Bernardo Polsinelli
New York, Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island)
Given Name: Bernardo
Surname: Polsinelli
Last Place of Residence: Sora
Event Date: 20 May 1905
Age: 19y
Nationality: Italian, Italian-South
Departure Port: Naples
Arrival Port: New York
Gender: Male
Marital Status: S
Ship Name: Italia
PG LINK LINE #22
http://libertyellisfoundation.org/passe ... 5pZmVzdCI7

Marty

[erudita74]

I saw that Marty, but that passenger list might go with the Bernardo whose WWI draft registration card I found who was born in 1886 and not 1887 and is not the correct person.

This is the headstone for the son Frank born in 1919. I believe that he and Millie were twins, as I found an obit for her and the birthdays match. I don't know if the Rose buried with him is his sister or wife.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... d=58706173

Millie Sorrentino

http://www.tributes.com/show/Millie-Sorrentino-96253192

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsda ... &fhid=2310


Erudita

[Tessa78]

Just an FYI...
On the 1925 NYS Census (at the same address of 571 Union St., Brooklyn) Bernardo indicates that he was naturalized in E.D. [Eastern District New York] in 1918.

T.

[erudita74]

Thanks, T. I was just trying to edit the post above, as the link to the obit didn't post correctly. I can't seem to get the link to post correctly.

Erudita

[Tessa78]

I am not ready to discount your WWI Draft card as yet, Erudita.

The address given as home is also the address of the employer... possibly confusion on the part of Bernardo about what was being asked?

ALSO.. according to the 1925 NYS Census, Bernardo and Josephine had 4 children in 1917/18, which also agrees with the WWI card...

And as you stated before, the other physical characteristics seem to match (tall, stout), with the exception of the eye color which was just a "check off" on one of the cards...

HOWEVER, I am still at a loss for the difference in birthdates given

Just food for thought...

EDIT TO ADD:
On the 1925 Census, Milllie and Frank were identified as "Twins" which was transcribed for the database as surname "Feins" ---
T.

[erudita74]

Thanks, T, but i hate when the birthdays are so off. Not just the year but the day and month too.

Here's the obit, I tried to post above:

SORRENTINO - Millie on July 29, 2013 of Lynbrook, L.I. Beloved wife of the late Enrico. Devoted mother of Enrico and Jack Sorrentino. Cherished Grandmother of Lisa, Marisa, Richard, Melissa and Richie. Great-grandmother of Sophie, Jerrold, Kirsten, Joseph, Austin,Giuliana, Aubree. Funeral entrusted to the Malverne Funeral Home (Anthony J. Walsh & Son) 330 Hempstead Ave. (1/2 Mi. So. S.S. Pkway Ext. 17 So.) Malverne. Visitation today 7-9 p.m and Thursday 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Funral mass Friday 9:30 a.m. Our Lady of Peace R.C. Church (Fowler Ave.) Lynbrook. Entombment Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury.

From Newsday July 31, 2013

[erudita74]

T
Thanks for confirming that Millie and Frank were twins. I wish we could find the family on the 1920 census to see what address appears on that record. I would feel better about the WWI draft card if those two addresses matched.

I can't access the actual 1925 census without a subscription to ancestry.com.

Erudita

[erudita74]

the daughter Rose-

http://www.geni.com/people/ROSE-Cucchia ... 4775952629

Erudita

[Tessa78]

I checked the address of 571 Union St., Brooklyn, on the 1920 Census and the family is not there.

However, there is a John Sorrentino family at 567 Union St., who also appears on the 1925 census as Charles Sorrentino. (Same wife and children)

And here is the image of the 1925 NYS Census for reference purposes...


EDIT TO ADD:
Found them on the 1930 US Census at 571 Union St., Brooklyn
Name is written as PUCCINELLA
Last line on the page, continuing to the next.
Father: Bernard - gives his immigration year as 1904, works as a chauffeur/truckman
Mother: Josephine
Children: 9
Page 1 (last line)
http://interactive.ancestry.com/6224/46 ... 8796_01033
page 2
http://interactive.ancestry.com/6224/46 ... 8796_01034

AND also on the 1910 Census with the surname VERY misspelled... looks like someone tried to write it somewhat phonetically...
Listed as Bernard Buitzenelli He is age 23, married one year
Wife is Josephine. Son is listed as Pepe, age 3 months.
Residing in Brooklyn at 284 Third Ave, which is in the same neighborhood as 571 Union St.

United States Census, 1910
Name: Bernard Buitzenelli
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1910
Event Place: Brooklyn Ward 10, Kings, New York, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head
Birth Year (Estimated): 1887
Birthplace: Italy
Immigration Year: 1905
Father's Birthplace: Italy
Mother's Birthplace: Italy
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Bernard Buitzenelli Head M 23 Italy
Josephine Buitzenelli Wife F 20 Italy
Pepe Buitzenelli Son M 0 New York
Line 2
http://interactive.ancestry.com/7884/44 ... 9348_00700

T.

[Tessa78]

Just a quick followup to the 1910 Census I posted...
Pepe is probably Giuseppe/Joseph, their first son.

That 284 Third AVe, address is literally around the block from 571 Union St.

I am searching the 1915 NYS Census in that area for the family...

T.