Festa, Gentile, Benini

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Rico2nd
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Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Rico2nd »

Paternal grandparents settled in Boston after they emigrated. Grandmother Giovanna (Jennie) Gentile born in 1900 was from Foggia near Naples and arrived in the US in the early 1900s on the S.S. Adriatic. Grandfather Enrico (Henry) Sabatino Festa was also from a rural farm town Avelino near Naples.

On my mother's side, her father Silvio Benini settled in a small town west of Pittsburgh, PA and was originally from Pisa, the famous city of the Leaning Tower in central Italy. Info on the origin of my maternal grandmother is sketchy at best. But I'd be fascinated if anyone here could trace my roots. Grazie.
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

Hello and Welcome, Rico!

WWI Draft Card
Name: Henry Sabetino Festa
City: Boston
County: Suffolk
State: Massachusetts
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 16 Nov 1893

SSDI records
Name: Henry Festa
SSN: 034-03-xxxx
Last Residence: 02138 Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States of America
Born: 15 Nov 1893
Died: Apr 1967
State (Year) SSN issued: Massachusetts (Before 1951 )

Name: Jennie Festa
SSN: 015-24-xxxx
Last Residence: 02128 Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States of America
Born: 7 Jul 1900
Died: Jan 1986
State (Year) SSN issued: Massachusetts (Before 1951)

Massachusetts Death Index
Name: Jennie Festa
Certificate: 000083
Death Place: Boston
Death Date: 4 Jan 1986
Birth Date: 7 Jul 1900

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

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Possible 1930 census
Name: Andire Festa
Home in 1930: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Age: 33
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1897
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Jennie
Name Age
Andire Festa 33, immigration 1899, naturalized
Jennie Festa 29, immigration 1914, alien
Frank Festa 8
Josephine Festa 5
Dominick Festa 2 6/12

---note Gentile family on the same page--Jennie's parents and siblings?
Dominick Gentile 58
Josephine Gentile 53
Ralph Gentile 29
Frank Gentile 24
Mary Gentile 20
Marcello Gentile 14
All born Italy with immigration year 1914 except Marcello born MA

Possible 1920 census for Jennie Gentile with parents and siblings
27 Roosevelt, Boston MA
Domonic Gentile 47
Josephine Gentile 42
Ralph Gentile 19
Jenny Gentile 19
Micheal Gentile 17
Frank Gentile 15
Mary Gentile 12
Marcello Gentile 4 7/12
--note Ralph Gentile and family and Michael Gentile and family with brother Frank living next door at 25 Roosevelt

WWII Draft Reg Card
Name: Henry Festa
Birth Date: 24 Mar 1894--birthdate different from WWI card
RESIDENCE: Suffolk, Massachusetts
Birth: Luogosano, Province of Avellino, Region Campania
Address: 53 Chelsea (same as 1930 census)
Person who will know your location: Jennie Festa

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

Deleted--dupe post. Mea culpa.
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

Possible 1914 manifest for Jenny (Giovanna) with parents and siblings
LInes 9 through 15
Page 1
Page 2
Domenico Gentile, age 44, yob about 1870
Ma(ria) Giuseppa ?, age 39
Raffaele, age 14, yob about 1900
Giovanna, age 14, yob about 1900
Michele, age 12
Francesco, age 9
Maria, age 7
Nearest relative in Italy: Domenico's mother Giovanna
Last residence and place of birth for all: Rodi Garganico, province of Foggia, Region of Puglia
Destination: Revere Mass to join Domenico's brother Francesco, 25 Roosevelt St (same address as 1920 census posted above)

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

1906 manifest for Silvio Benini line 9
Name: Silvio Benini
Arrival Date: 25 Sep 1906
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1889
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (South)
Ship Name: Germania
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Last residence: Castelnuovo (possibly Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina, province of Pisa, region of Tuscany )
Destination: Charleroi PA to join cousin Enrico Benvenuto

SSDI record
Name: Silvio Benini
SSN: 211-07-xxxx
Last Residence: 15022 Charleroi, Washington, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Born: 21 Apr 1889
Died: Jun 1968
State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)

WWI Draft Card
Name: Silvio Benini
City: Not Stated
County: Washington
State: Pennsylvania
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 21 Apr 1889

WWII Draft Card
Name: Silvio Benini
Birth Date: 21 Apr 1889
RESIDENCE: Washington, Pennsylvania
Birth: Italy


Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

Rico,

Can you verify any of the above records?

Do you know Silvio's wife's firts name/maiden name and their children's names?

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

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Possible 1930 census
Name: Silvio Bonini
Home in 1930: Charleroi, Washington, Pennsylvania
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary
Household Members: Name Age
Silvio Bonini 40, yob about 1890, immigration year 1906, alien
Mary Bonini 32, yob about 1898, born NY, both parents born Austria
Louis Bonini 4 2/12
--edited son's name is Levio

SSDI record for Levio
Name: Livio Benini
SSN: 201-14-xxxx
Born: 12 Jan 1925
Died: 30 Apr 1989
State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)

Long shot possible SSDI record for Silvio's wife Mary
Name: Mary Benini
SSN: 170-50-5994
Last Residence: 19139 Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Born: 31 May 1897
Died: Aug 1975
State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (1973)

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by vj »

Benini

Naturalization paperwork matching all of Biff’s :D record finds

From footnote.com

1927 Petition image
Publication Number: M1537
Publication Title: Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930,
and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Publisher: NARA
State: Pennsylvania
Court: US Circuit and District Courts, Oct 1820-Sep 3, 1906
Year: 1927
Date: 25 Mar 1927
Immigrant Full Name: Silvio Benini
Document Type: Petition for Naturalization
Home Country: Italy
Witness Full Name: Giuseppe Bontali
Year Immigrated: 1906
102 Fallowfield Ave, Charleroi (Washington County) PA
Born 21 Apr 1889 in Castelnuovo (Castelnuovo Val di Cecina, Pisa Province, Tuscany?)
Arrived 23 May 1906 on SS Germania to NY
Declaration 89026 filed in Pittsburgh
Wife Mary born 1898 in Bonton NJ (Boonton, Morris, NJ?)
Child Levio born 12 Jan 1926 in Charleroi
---

1923 Declaration image

Note: unmarried
Publication Number: M1537
Publication Title: Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930,
and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Publisher: NARA
State: Pennsylvania
Court: US Circuit and District Courts, Oct 1820-Sep 3, 1906
Year: 1923
Date: 26 Apr 1923
Immigrant Full Name: Silvio Benini
Document Type: Declaration of Intention
Home Country: Italy
Witness Full Name: [Blank]
Year Immigrated: 1906
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

Morning, Valarie :D !

Possibles from the 1920 census for Boonton based on her parents' being Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, Galician

Mary Devera, stepdaughter, yob about 1900
Stepfather's name--Joseph Makowsky
Mother's name--Mary
Siblings--
Sophie Devera 13
Anna Devera 12

Mary Marhefka, daughter, yob about 1899
Father and mother--Joseph and Elizabeth, both born Slovakia
Siblings--
Julia Marhefka 30
Josephine Marhefka 17
Anna Marhefka 14

Mary Magdar, daughter, yob about 1901
Father and mother--Joseph and Lizzie, both born Budapest
Siblings--
Lizzie Magdar 55
Joseph Magdar 29
Paul Magdar 25
Charles Magdar 16

And for 1920 census North Charleroi
Mary Fetcho
Father and mother--Paul and Anna, both born Austria
Siblings--
John Fetcho 17
Rose Fetcho 16
Mike Fetcho 16
Katy Fetcho 12
Julia Fetcho 7
Joseph Fetcho 7

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by vj »

Hi Biff!
Your SSDI for Mary looks correct based on the newspaper from Westmoreland County

Partial obit:
Valley Independent, The (Newspaper) - August 16, 1975, Monessen,...
Subscription - Valley Independent - NewspaperArchie - Aug 16, 1975
Obituaries Mary A Mary A Benini ...
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Biff83 »

Son Levio's wife's SSDI record?

Name: Geraldine Benini
SSN: 160-22-xxxx
Last Residence: 15022 Charleroi, Washington, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Born: 19 Jul 1927
Died: 26 Mar 2003
State (Year) SSN issued: Pennsylvania (Before 1951)

Biff
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by vj »

Biff83 wrote: ...

WWI Draft Card
Name: Henry Sabetino Festa
City: Boston
County: Suffolk
State: Massachusetts
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 16 Nov 1893

...
Biff
FESTA

Is this the same Henry Festa?
Different birth date, similar street address to 1917 WWI Card

1917 Declaration
Publication Number: M1368
Publication Title: Petitions and Records of Naturalizations of the
U.S. District and Circuit Courts of the District of Massachusetts, 1906-1929
Publisher: NARA
State: Massachusetts
Court: U.S. District Court
Year: 1917
Date: 09 Mar 1917
Immigrant Full Name: Henry Festa
Document Type: Declaration of Intention
Home Country: Italy
Witness 1 Full Name: [Blank]
Witness 2 Full Name: [Blank]
Year Immigrated: 1894
---

1919 Petition
Publication Number: M1368
Publication Title: Petitions and Records of Naturalizations of the
U.S. District and Circuit Courts of the District of Massachusetts, 1906-1929
Publisher: NARA
State: Massachusetts
Court: U.S. District Court
Year: 1919
Date: 14 Jun 1919
Immigrant Full Name: Henry Festa
Document Type: Petition for Naturalization
Home Country: Italy
Witness 1 Full Name: Amos Carver
Witness 2 Full Name: Harris E Albert
Year Immigrated: 1894
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Rico2nd »

Biff83 wrote:Rico,

Can you verify any of the above records?

Do you know Silvio's wife's firts name/maiden name and their children's names?

Biff
Wow! My goodness, you seem to have found them all! God bless! The Festa side seems to be my dominant gene pool. And so are there any Festa immigration records to Boston at or before the turn of the century?

On the Gentile side, I never knew they also had such a large family. Most of these people were great relatives from my grandmother's generation that I never met. They are all gone. But this is a definite link to my past.

As for my maternal side, that is where the chain stops I'm afraid. You see, I am 3/4 or 7/8 Italian. On my mom's side I believe grandma was part Czech. Think her maiden name was Deiro or something with a D initial.

Silvio and Mary had 2 children, Livio and Sidonia, my mother. May not be able to find immigration info on the non Italian side since I'm not sure on the exact maiden name. But at least we know that Mary was born in NY.
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Re: Festa, Gentile, Benini

Post by Rico2nd »

vj wrote:
Biff83 wrote: ...

WWI Draft Card
Name: Henry Sabetino Festa
City: Boston
County: Suffolk
State: Massachusetts
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 16 Nov 1893

...
Biff
FESTA

Is this the same Henry Festa?
Different birth date, similar street address to 1917 WWI Card

1917 Declaration
Publication Number: M1368
Publication Title: Petitions and Records of Naturalizations of the
U.S. District and Circuit Courts of the District of Massachusetts, 1906-1929
Publisher: NARA
State: Massachusetts
Court: U.S. District Court
Year: 1917
Date: 09 Mar 1917
Immigrant Full Name: Henry Festa
Document Type: Declaration of Intention
Home Country: Italy
Witness 1 Full Name: [Blank]
Witness 2 Full Name: [Blank]
Year Immigrated: 1894
It may be. I know my grandpa's middle name was S. for Sabetino.
Do you know...where you're going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? DO YOU KNOW?
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