Can't Find my Great Grandmother

[belle1639]

My Great Grandmother's maiden name is Raffaela Oliva from Montefalcione, Avellino Italy. DOB January 12, 1873. I cannot find her birth certificate or any other documentation for her in Italy. Once she comes to the US in 1899 I find her in all the US census. I have her parents names as Anthony Oliva and Louise Magliaro. Can anyone help me find her? Thank you.

[Tessa78]

Do you have the arrival manifest for 1899?
Can you post a link to it?

Did you find her in the US Censuses under her married name? What was it?

What source indicated that she was from Montefalicone?

T.

[belle1639]

I don't have the manifest for her arrival. It just says in the census for 1930 that she arrived in 1899.

Her married name is Fabrizio. Her husband was Carmine Fabrizio.

Word of mouth - family members told me she was from Montefalcione Avellino.

[Biff83]

Check this thread out. It has an 1893 birth record for a Gaetana Fabrizio, born in Montefalcione, son of Carmine Fabrizio and Raffaela Oliva. Note that Raffaela's age is 22 which would make her birth about 1871.

http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/language/33711

Biff

[Tessa78]

Check this thread out. It has an 1893 birth record for a Gaetana Fabrizio, born in Montefalcione, daughter of Carmine Fabrizio and Raffaela Oliva. Note that Raffaela's age is 22 which would make her birth about 1871.

http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/language/33711

Biff

Hi Biff! Great job!!!!

So it would appear that Raffaela traveled to US with her child sometime after this...

T.

[Biff83]

Thanks, T.
And thanks for correcting my mistake on the birth gender.

Biff

[belle1639]

Yes that is her for sure. I got her dob from her death certificate so not sure which is correct. I cannot find her birth certificate or her marriage to Carmine Fabrizio. I found a marriage of Carmine Fabrizio to a Raffaela Esposito where all his info matches but hers does not.

[adelfio]

Carmine Fabrizio was born in Pratola Serra, Avellino. You should contact user Molan he is related and has sent for records from Italy
related thread Carmine Fabrizio birth record
http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/l ... 57#p226257

Marty

[belle1639]

Gary Molan was just trying to help me -we are not related. My search always ends here. I have lots of info on Carmine but cannot find anything on Raffaela Oliva. Any suggestions?

[adelfio]

Have you tried looking in Pratola Serra for her birth?
Family History Library films Registri dello stato civile di Pratola Serra (Avellino), 1809-1899
PG LINK
https://familysearch.org/search/catalog ... %20Library

FAMILY HISTORY LOCATOR
https://familysearch.org/locations/centerlocator

ORDERING FILMS FROM FHL
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/ ... ory_Center

ABOUT ITALIAN RECORDS
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/ ... al_Records

ONLINE CLASS FOR TRANSLATING ITALIAN RECORDS
https://familysearch.org/learningcenter ... 22Italy%22

[belle1639]

I keep going back to this birth record of Raffaela Esposito (attached). I believe it says she was born Jan 1873 which matches (can't tell what day). In the margin it says she married Carmine Fabrizio (who is my GGF) in October 1892 which is when they married.

Even though I was given my GGM name as Raffaela Oliva and not Esposito, her parents names in this birth announcement are Guiseppi Antonio Esposito and Maria Louisa Maiolo. On my GGM death certificate her parents are listed as Anthony Oliva and Louise Magliaro. I was told that the name Esposito was used in Italy when a baby was left at the church and adopted. Does this seem like a match?

[adelfio]

I would say if that was her birth record somewhere down the road that the civil official would made a correction in the birth act in a sidenote on that record from Esposito to Oliva
On their daughter Gaetana Fabrizio birth act 1893 Sept she uses the name Raffaela Oliva

Marty

[belle1639]

So you don't think it's her?
On all of the birth records for her kids it says Oliva.

[carubia]

Even though I was given my GGM name as Raffaela Oliva and not Esposito, her parents names in this birth announcement are Guiseppi Antonio Esposito and Maria Louisa Maiolo.

No, the birth record says her father is Giuseppantonio Esposito. "Guiseppi" is not Italian - it is an American misspelling of the name. The mother's given name is Maria Luigia.

People used to change their names without any notation being added to their birth record; I wouldn't rule out the possibility that Raffaela Oliva and Raffaela Esposito were the same person.

[Italysearcher]

She was born January 2nd to Giuseppantonio Esposito age 54 son of the deceased Marino and Maria Luigia, of the deceased Nunzio, age 21. (Look for an earlier marriage and other children)
If you continue the search you will come to a foundling, maybe Marino or even before him.
Many persons with the Esposito surname were assigned other 'unique' surnames often at marriage.