PETER ROSA-Need help tracing Italian ancestor.

[angelolrosa]

I seek to trace my Italian lineage. My father is half Italian. I am informed our family traces its roots to Florence and the surrounding region.


I have very little information that I can verify. What I know is as follows:

My paternal grandfather's name was Bernard Joseph Rosa, Sr. He was born on 25 March 1918 (in Michigan, probably in Detroit) and died in April 1987 in Springfield, Missouri.

My paternal great-grandfather's name was Peter Rosa. He immigrated to the United States in 1891 from Poland and resided in Detroit, Michigan according to the records of the 1920 Census of the US. His wife's name was Julia Rosa, who immigrated with Peter in 1891.

If anyone can assist me tracing my family history back from these points of reference, I would be most grateful.

[pink67]

Hi Angelo and Welcome!

On the site Ancestry.com there are several census of your ancestor's family...

1900 United States Federal Census
about Peter Roza
Name: Peter Roza
Home in 1900: Detroit Ward 16, Wayne, Michigan
Age: 33
Birth Date: Apr 1867
Birthplace: Poland Ger
[Poland;Germany]
Race: White
Ethnicity: American
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1891
Relationship to Head of House: Head
Father's Birthplace: Poland Ger
Mother's Birthplace: Poland Ger
Spouse's Name: Julia
Marriage Year: 1891
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 9
Residence : Detroit City, Wayne, Michigan
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Peter Roza 33
Julia Roza 23
John Roza 7
Antione Roza 6
Mary Roza 2
Leano Roza 0


1930 United States Federal Census
about Peter Roza
Name: Peter Roza
Home in 1930: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
View Map
Age: 64
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1866
Birthplace: Poland
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Julia
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Peter Roza 64
Julia Roza 56
Josephine Roza 19
Stella Roza 16
Thomas Roza 15
Benard Roza 12
Virginia Roza 8


In both these documents both Peter and Julia stated they were born in Poland to polish parents... so, possible your italian lineage is from your paternal grand-mother's side (Bernard's wife)?

Laura

[pink67]

1910 shows them born in Germany but on the manifest you'll see Germ-Polish

1910 United States Federal Census
about Peter Rosa
Name: Peter Rosa
Age in 1910: 43
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867
Birthplace: Germany
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Germany
Mother's Birth Place: Germany
Spouse's Name: Julia
Home in 1910: Detroit Ward 14, Wayne, Michigan
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Year of Immigration: 1901
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Peter Rosa 43
Julia Rosa 35
John Rosa 17
Anthony Rosa 16
Mary Rosa 11
Katie Rosa 7
Martha Rosa 5
Frances Rosa 3
Albert Rosa 1 3/12

Laura

Edit to add:

checking this site

http://seekingmichigan.org/discover-col ... 29401coll7
I found a death certificate for another Roza's child (Leon Roza age 2 died on 1902)... his parents's names are:

CountyWayne
City/village/township Detroit
Last Name Rosa
Given Name Leon
Birth Year 1900
Age 2
Death Day 7
Death Month Jul
Death Year 1902
Father's Given Name Protor
Father's Last Name Rosa
Mother's maiden name Juliana S. Molinska

[angelolrosa]

Thank you for this very helpful information. I believe the family came from Italy by way of Poland and that there are family members in Poland still.

Many thanks. ALR

[trevisan2]

Greetings:
I also think that the Rosa family perhaps moved from Italy to Poland, then emigrated to the USA from Poland.
I would ask some of the aunts and uncles if still living if they know where in Tuscany their grandfather came from or if they have any letters laying around from cousins from Poland or from Italy.

Also, did your grandparents or Father return to Italy in the 1900's to visit cousins in Tuscany? If so, there may be passport application records that could be researched, that will show were they were going.

Several web sites to help you with place names are:

www.nonsolocap.it

One I just got from Forum member wldspirt http://www.landfinder.it/townfinder.asp

I like this one, when you really don't have the correct spelling. Where as the www.nonsolocap.it has to be exact. However the CAP site shows the relationship of "Comune" to smaller hamlets and all of the hamlets that are contained in the Comune or Community.

Regards,
Trevisan2

[Italysearcher]

There is a Dr. Alessandro Rosa in Sora who has researched his family and they are originally from Florence.

[PeterTimber]

Angelo where did you get the 1891 entry as immigrants for Peter Rosa and his spouse Julia(? Giulia) Rosa?? Further Italian women do not lose their maiden surname and keep their identity only the children in Italy take on fathers surname. Please let me know so that we can all trace it back!! =Peter=