LaGuardia, Italy

[Normandie]

My ancestors on maternal side are from LaGuardia, Italy according to Castle Garden listing. Does any one know this town? I have put the name in Google and only come up with Livorno, Toscana, Italy. No further info. If any one has site or know where to look would really appreciate the info.

[vj]

My ancestors on maternal side are from LaGuardia, Italy according to Castle Garden listing. Does any one know this town? I have put the name in Google and only come up with Livorno, Toscana, Italy. No further info. If any one has site or know where to look would really appreciate the info.

Hello!

This is a pretty neat site:
http://www.landfinder.it/townfinder.asp

Would you like us to find a copy of the manifest?
We only need the details from your manifest find at Castle Garden.

Valarie

[Normandie]

Thanks for the site. I would like copy of manifest. This is a family. Giuseppa Pepe age 6 months, female, Arrived 5 may 1891 on Chandernagor. Origin Naples(Port) Origin Country Italy. Origin town La Guardia.Mother, Emmanuela Pepe listed as Laborer, age 33, female. Arrival information the same and places the same. Giuseppe Cornetta listed as laborer age 26 and male. Arrival date , ship and locations the same. I am new at this and hope given information is what you need. Thanks so very much. Normandie

[vj]

Pretty sure this is it:
1891 manifest

best guess: Altavilla Irpina, province of Avellino, region Campania
(edit: added from Normandie's 1893 manifest find, town is probably Altavilla Silentina, Salerno, Campania)

(the town names are a little clearer for other passengers on the previous page)

Another nice general site in English:
http://italia.indettaglio.it/eng/regioni/regioni.html
---

Normandie
Please let us know if you need assistance with any other US records.
Many of us have subscriptions that may help.
If you think Altavilla Irpina may be the town where your family was born/married we can also help direct you on how to research Italian records.
Valarie

[Normandie]

Thanks for information and Manifest. I really appreciate the help. I think they are from this area. I need to check on my Great Great Grandparents as have now located when they came to U.S. Normandie

[Normandie]

I think I found my Great Great Grandparents. They are Michele Pepe age 57 arrived Jun. 3, 1893 on Neustria and Madalena Searpa Pepe age 40. It says they from Altavilla Solen. Why is that different from Altavilla Irpina? If you have any other information, would appreciate. Those are names of Emmanuela's parents on her death certificate. The age of Mother and her age seem almost too close together. That's why I need more evidence. Thanks . Normandie

[vj]

Hello Normandie
Here's a link to the 1893 manifest you found:
1893 manifest

"Altavilla Solen" is how the Ellis Island transcriber read their last residence.
Since that location doesn't exist, the trick is to noodle out what's really written

Note, this is how the transcriber for Castle Garden read it:
MICHELE PEPE LABORER 57 M 3 Jun 1893 NEUSTRIA NAPLES ITALY
"ALTAVILLA-SILENTINA"

This location does exist:
Altavilla Silentina, Province of Salerno, Campania

Since the 1891 only states Altavilla, new best guess would be Altavilla Silentina from the clues on your 1893 manifest

Valarie

[Normandie]

Thanks so much for information. There is so much to learn in Genealogy Research. There are so many tricks. I have been reading lots of books on subject. I am hoping they will help with my research.

[vj]

I think I found my Great Great Grandparents. They are Michele Pepe age 57 arrived Jun. 3, 1893 on Neustria and Madalena Searpa Pepe age 40

Normandie,

Here's another site that can help you figure out surnames by location.
http://italia.indettaglio.it/eng/cognomi/cognomi.html
You may only find the name at the province (not comune) level, but it helps.
note: sometimes the site is slow to load
I think your g-grandmother's name may have been Scarpa.

Since you mentioned books, here are three that our members have recommnded in other posts.

Valarie
---

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

[vj]

You didn't mention whether or not you had access to the US census?
Some years are available here (free)
FamilySearch Pilot

example:
possible 1900 censs
page 2

Home in 1900:
57 Spring Street, rents
Manhattan, New York, New York

head Michele Pepe 64, born Mar 1836
- married 34, yrs, abt 1866
- immig 1893, in US 7 yrs
wife Maddelana Pepe 49, born Nov 1850
- 7 children
- immig 1893, in US 7 yrs
son Carmine Pepe 19, born Apr 1881 IT
- immig 1893, in US 7 yrs
son Andera Pepe 17, born Apr 1883 IT
- immig 1893, in US 7 yrs
---

In case you haven't seen these, if your family stayed in the NYC area, these links may help

Dr Steve Morse One Step Search Pages for New York
NY Naturalization
NYC Birth Records 1891-1902 (requires ancestry. com subscription)
NYC Groom Index 1864-1936
NYC Bride Index ????-1937
NYC Death Records 1891-1948

Ordering NYC Vital Records
New York City Archives

from NYC records by the Italian Genealogical Group
http://www.italiangen.org/

[Normandie]

Valarie Thanks so much , as you have given me many places to look. I will try to find those books. I do have access to Ancestry at our Public Library. I did join the Italian Genealogical Group even thou I don't live in New York. I have gone on several of their sites and really enjoy their news letter. Thanks again so much.

[Normandie]

Valarie What do you mean by "Noodle out"? I haven't found this term in my readings. Also, how did you figure my Great Great Grandmother's name was Scarpa instead Searpa? i have my Great Grandmother's death certificate and it is so hard to read her Mother's maiden name? i know there must be trick in figuring out handwriting at the time. Any hints would be welcomed. N..

[vj]

Hi Normandie!

I meant figure out.
I used this site:
http://italia.indettaglio.it/eng/cognomi/cognomi.html
I put in arpa as a 'contains' name option for the Campania region and Scarpa appeared to be the most likely candidate.

This handbook has a section on handwriting with examples
Italian Records Extraction - An Instructional Guide
http://immigrants.byu.edu/Downloads/Ita ... efault.htm
(pdf format)

Valarie

[Normandie]

Thanks so much for the information. I now know what to do. I will try to get hold of some of books you recommended. Sorry to be so dumb. I am new at this and very inept on the computer. Trying to learn a lot in short period of time. Thanks again.

[vj]

Normandie I think you're doing great!
Too often we tend to accept records at face value.
You're correct to question and examine every thing - it will keep you from following the wrong family .
Valarie