Researching My Grandparents

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tjbrn
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Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

I am searching for any information regarding my grandparents.
My grandfather was Ignazio Dragotto born 16 Oct 1883 in Belmonte Mezzagno. His father was Stefano Dragotto.
My grandmother was Giuseppina Monti and I believe she was born in San Giuseppe Jato or San Giuseppa adda about 1898. My grandmother emigrated with her family to the US around 1907 on the ship Algeria or Algera as passengers. I have photocopies of some official documents for my grandfather that I am attempting to translate, the legibility of handwriting presents its own separate problem. I have a couple of letters, one from Belmonte Mezzagno to my granfather in America and one from written by a friend in America, both of which present the same problems of translating as the official documents. Any help, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by vj »

Welcome to the Forum!

My grandmother was Giuseppina Monti and I believe she was born in
San Giuseppe Jato or San Giuseppa adda about 1898.
My grandmother emigrated with her family to the US around 1907
on the ship Algeria or Algera as passengers


Monti Family
Does this look like the correct manifest?
(click here) 1907 manifest
4 Feb 1907 SS Algeria Naples to NY
Lines 13-18

Anna Licata 42 (abt 1864)
- last residence San Giuseppe Jato (Palermo, Sicily)
- destination Phila to join husband Salvatore Monte at
737 S. Seventh St
- (everyone) born in San Giuseppe Jato
Children:
Maria Monte 13 (abt 1893)
Calogero Monte 11 (abt 1895)
Giuseppa Monte 9 (abt 1897)
Possible naturalization notation: 3-241183 4-22-43
guide to manifest markings
Teresa Monte 5 (abt 1901)
Carmela Monte 20 (abt 1886)

From Ellis Island gold form search
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tjbrn
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

Yes, that certainly looks as if that is correct. It jibes with some of the things I was told as a child although I didn't recall that her father came to America first. She married my grandfather some five years later. It was a contract marriage. Once I asked her if she loved my grandfather after I learned about the marriage being arranged and she replied that she grew to love him.
Since my first post I believe I have discovered my grandfather's mother's name: Giuseppa Mazzola. I have more questions but thank you so much for finding this.
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by vj »

That's terrific, it's a pretty neat manifest :D !

Ignazio Dragotto born 16 Oct 1883 in Belmonte Mezzagno
possible 1906 manifest

28 June 1906 SS Gerty Palermo to NY
Line 3
Ignazio Dragotta 22 (abt 1884)
- single
- last residence Belmonte
(Belmonte Mezzagno, Palermo, Sicily)
- destination Phila
- joining uncle Luigi Grillo? at 840 Christian St
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BillieDeKid
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by BillieDeKid »

Hi tjbrn,

Are you looking for birth certificates, marriage records etc. for your grand parents, great grandparents ?

The more detail you can give the easier it will be for people to help. Were your grandparents married in USA or Italy? Did either have siblings, if so what were their names and approximate years of birth?

As for your letters. If you can scan them there is a forum here where you can post to have someone translate for you.

Regards,
Elizabeth
vj
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by vj »

Monti Family
possible 1903 manifest
16 Feb 1903 SS Perugia Palermo to NY
Salvatore Monti 39 (abt 1863)
- married
- last residence Belmonte
- destination
- joining brother Giuseppe
(note: same destination address as lines 3-5)
vj
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by vj »

Dragotto Family
possible 1930 census
Home in 1930:
Main Street, rents
Lower Alloways Creek, Salem, New Jersey
Jack Dragotto 46 (abt 1884)
- married age 28 (abt 1912)
- immig 1904 Al (alien)
Josephine Dragotto 32 (abt 1898)
- married age 14
- immig 1926, Al
Steve Dragotto 14 (abt 1916) PA
Josephine Dragotto 10 (abt 1920) PA
Russell Dragotto 7 (abt 1923) PA
Anna Dragotto 5 (abt 1925) PA
Ida Dragotto 3 (abt 1927) PA
Joseph Dragotto 4/12 (abt 1929) NJ
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tjbrn
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

Thanks for all of the information. This does in fact appear to be my family. The data from the 1930 census has all of the family. My mother is Ida however she and all of her siblings except Joseph was born in Philadelphia, PA. I have a copy of her birth certificate where her name is listed as Gaetana Draotto -- the last named was misspelled. I've been told that there was a fire which destroyed the original documents in Philadelphia. Only my mother Ida and her brother, Salvatore who is the youngest of the children are still living. I called her today about what I had found from my post on this site and she was quite happy. For some reason which I have yet to discover, the oldest son Steve, changed the name to Degrotto, although I do not believe it was a legal name change. The youngest child Salvatore has Degrotto as his surname on his birth certificate. My grandmother and grandfather were married in the States, probably Philadelphia, PA. My grandmother's youngest sister, Jenny was born in the US after the family emigrated. My Uncle Russell died of pneumonia in 1945 in Alabama after enlisting in the Army.
I assume the correct spelling of Monte is "Monti" as in the 1903 manifest.
I'll check the information that I have and post anything which might help.
Thanks once again for such terrific help and amazingly rapid responses.
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tjbrn
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

I have scanned a few documents that might be helpful in extending the search for my Italian ancestors. This first is actually a document which originated in America and I am using this to test the attachment feature.
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tjbrn
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

That didn't work let me try another tactic.
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3151 ... ttoxh7.jpg
vj
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by vj »

That's great that we found a few records for your family!

I've been told that there was a fire which destroyed the original documents in Philadelphia

Have you checked the microfilm available for Phila at your local Family History Library?
The Philadelphia records you're looking for may have been filmed!

Please excuse the length of the following, it's a 'bit' about researching
at the Family History Center and about Italian records.
Both of your towns in Italy have been microfilmed :D .
Valarie
---

A great place to start:

FamilySearch Home Page
Includes how to find your nearest local Family History Center
and a free genealogy program for downloading
to your computer (PAF) to organize your research.

Italian Record Research from the FamilySearch research guides:
Italy Research Outline
---

Three terrific books
to help you find, read & understand your records:

Italian Genealogical Records
How to Use Italian Civil, Ecclesiastical, &
Other Records in Family History Research

By Tafford R Cole
google book link

A Genealogist’s Guide to
Discovering Your Italian Ancestors
How to find and record your unique heritage
By Lynn Nelson
google book link

Finding Italian Roots
By John Philip Colletta, PhD
google book link
---

More on the Family History Center

Two very helpful essays from Trish, one of our forum members
(brujaojos):

What is FamilySearch.org
and
Steps for Finding Microfilm at the Family History Center
---

Films for your two towns:

Subjects:
#Italy, Palermo, Belmonte Mezzagno - Civil registration

Title:
Registri dello stato civile, 1820-1902
Authors:
#Belmonte Mezzagno (Palermo).
Ufficio dello stato civile (Main Author)
Notes:
Births, marriages, deaths, banns, marriage documents, and
miscellaneous documents from the civil registration office in
Belmonte Mezzagno, Palermo, Italy.


Subjects:
#Italy, Palermo, Belmonte Mezzagno - Census

Title:
Riveli di beni e anime, Belmonte Mezzagno (Palermo), 1752-1815
Authors:
#Sicilia. Deputazioni del Regno (Main Author)
Notes:
Disclosures (census) of families and properties and supplementary documents.

Subjects:
#Italy, Palermo, San Giuseppe Jato - Civil registration

Title:
Registri dello stato civile di San Giuseppe Jato (Palermo), 1820-1902
Authors:
#San Giuseppe Jato (Palermo).
Ufficio dello stato civile (Main Author)
Notes:
Births, marriages, banns, deaths; supplements to births, marriages,
deaths from the civil registration office in San Giuseppe Jato,
Palermo, Italy. Text in Italian.


Subjects:
#Italy, Palermo, San Giuseppe Jato - Census

Title:
Riveli di beni e anime, San Giuseppe Jato (Palermo), 1811-1815
Authors:
#Sicilia. Deputazioni del Regno (Main Author)
Notes:
Disclosures (census) of families and properties, supplementary documents.
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tjbrn
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

Here are two more links to documents. I've found the translation slow going.
I don't know if I've used Imageshack properly for this site but I hope this works.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/6219/idragotto1nu9.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6940/idragotto2jv8.jpg
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tjbrn
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by tjbrn »

vj:
The google links to the books you suggested don't seem to indicate if they are available or where they may be purchased. I'm probably just overlooking something that is very obvious.
I discovered that the FHC's no longer have free onsite access to Ancestry.com; however, I did take the plunge and ordered microfilm based on the information from this forum.
vj
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by vj »

Hi!

Don't forget to try your library to see if they have
the ancestry.com library edition available.

I checked the book links, on the right side of the
screen they list places to buy and a link to check
libraries.

Valarie
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misbris
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Re: Researching My Grandparents

Post by misbris »

All the documents you scanned have come up clearly. Good job! Do you need translations?

The first is a parish record (probably a parish census) from Our Lady of Good Council Catholic Church in Philly, July 8, 1927. It says Gaetano's padrini (godparents) are Claudio and Caterina Scudari.
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