help needed to find town of ancestors

[Dgal]

I know this will be very difficult but does anyone know how I may find out the town of my GGF? His name is Christopher Anselmi birth about 1843 from the Northern region of Italy. This is the only info I have. He was married to Ester Mastri or Maestri. They departed from Genoa on 6/5/1893 on a ship called the Fulda with 5 children in tow. The 2nd part to this mystery is that my GF (Peter) who would have been almost 6 years old is not listed on the manifest that ancestry came up with!?
Thank you.

[johnnyonthespot]

Unfortunately, the surname Anselmi is quite common in modern Italy (see http://www.gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/gen ... me=ANSELMI ), so no help there.

And, as you no doubt already found out, passenger manifests from the 1890's do not generally indicate place of birth or even last residence. The port of sailing - Naples, for example - would give you some clue as to your ancestor's origin, but not nearly enough to find the actual town.

As far as Peter goes, it is possible that he was a weak/sickly child and stayed behind with relatives. Have you tried looking for a manifest for Peter (Pietro)? I found one for Pietro Anselmi, age 21, arriving in NY on the SS La Touraine on May 14, 1906. He was coming from Comune di Cassine, Provincia di Alessandria, Regione di Piemonte, Northwestern Italy.

He is line 13 on this manifest. If this isn't him, you should definitely look for another manifest.

[johnnyonthespot]

Where was Pietro in the 1940's? This WWII draft registation card puts the place of birth at Genoa.

[johnnyonthespot]

I presume these are your ancestors? I notice that Esther is listed as the head of household and as married (as opposed to widowed), yet her husband is not present in the home. Working away from home, perhaps?

Also, I am not entirely sure what it says for the birthplace of Louise and of Peter...



PS: Click the thumbnail and then click again for maximum magnification.

[johnnyonthespot]

For reference, the 1893 manifest. Last four entries on the first sheet; first three on the second sheet. "Christofer" is most likely Cristoforo, by the way.

[jamiecapaldi]

Here are the possible area's where that name is from. Take out all the Northern Towns and narrow it down with any more knowledge you have:

Anselmi Palermo Palermo (PA) Sicilia 90100
Anselmi Norcia Perugia (PG) Umbria 06046
Anselmi Roasio Vercelli (VC) Piemonte 13060
Anselmi Pescina L'Aquila (AQ) Abruzzo 67057
Anselmi Bettola Piacenza (PC) Emilia Romagna 29021
Anselmi Nocera Umbra Perugia (PG) Umbria 06025
Anselmi Rivergaro Piacenza (PC) Emilia Romagna 29029
Anselmi Parenti Cosenza (CS) Calabria 87040
Anselmi Sarnano Macerata (MC) Marche 62028
Anselmi Nocera Inferiore Salerno (SA) Campania 84014
Anselmi Chiusdino Siena (SI) Toscana 53012
Anselmi Fabrica Di Roma Viterbo (VT) Lazio 01034
Anselmi Fondi Latina (LT) Lazio 04022
Anselmi Troia Foggia (FG) Puglia 71029
Anselmi Altamura Bari (BA) Puglia 70022
Anselmi Framura La Spezia (SP) Liguria 19014
Anselmi Vignanello Viterbo (VT) Lazio 01039
Anselmi Locorotondo Bari (BA) Puglia 70010
Anselmi Milano Milano (MI) Lombardia 20100
Anselmi Massa D'Albe L'Aquila (AQ) Abruzzo 67050
Anselmi Napoli Napoli (NA) Campania 80100
Anselmi Bari Bari (BA) Puglia 70100
Anselmi Monte San Savino Arezzo (AR) Toscana 52048
Anselmi Piacenza Piacenza (PC) Emilia Romagna 29100
Anselmi Brez Trento (TN) Trentino Alto Adige 38021
Anselmi Grimaldi Cosenza (CS) Calabria 87034
Anselmi Roma Roma (RM) Lazio 00100
Anselmi Montebello Jonico Reggio Calabria (RC) Calabria 89064
Anselmi Catania Catania (CT) Sicilia 95100
Anselmi Sezze Latina (LT) Lazio 04018
Anselmi Campagnano Di Roma Roma (RM) Lazio 00063
Anselmi Foggia Foggia (FG) Puglia 71100
Anselmi Travo Piacenza (PC) Emilia Romagna 29020
Anselmi Acquaviva Delle Fonti Bari (BA) Puglia 70021
Anselmi Vallerano Viterbo (VT) Lazio 01030
Anselmi Ruvo Di Puglia Bari (BA) Puglia 70037
Anselmi Gizzeria Catanzaro (CZ) Calabria 88040
Anselmi Farini D'Olmo Piacenza (PC) Emilia Romagna 29023
Anselmi Montebello Di Bertona Pescara (PE) Abruzzo 65010
Anselmi Marsala Trapani (TP) Sicilia 91025
Anselmi Cassine Alessandria (AL) Piemonte 15016

[Dgal]

Gosh I appreciate everyone's help. I don't think the Pietro listed in 1906 is my GF. His actual bday year is 1887 which would put him at age 18...but lord knows it is a possibility.

the draft registration card is definitely his-- Thank you. Brings a tear to my eye looking at his handwriting and knowing that his place of birth is Genoa. That is fantastic.

As for the census of 1910 I don't know how accurate those are as I'm almost positive Christofer had passed on by then (but will confirm with trip to the cemetary) so Ester should have been marked as W. Also, Elizabeth was born here so they should not have listed her birthplace as Italy. And Louisa was born in France.

thanks for all your help. I'll see how much further I can go from here.

[johnnyonthespot]

Just so you are aware: sometimes when an immigrant was asked where he was from, he would choose the name of a nearby large city "that everyone has heard of" rather than the name of a small unknown villiage.

So, it is possible the family is from Genoa - the city - but also possible they were from one of many surrounding villages.

But, heck, you are now closer than you were, right?

[Dgal]

Yes I imagine that is the case since even I do that when people ask where I'm from. ; )

Thanks Carmine

[Cherry]

You see from the list JamieCApaldi provided that most of the Anselmi come from Piacenza and its province. Secondly comes Alessandria and Vercelli, in Piedmont, and then just one record from LaSpezia province, which is in Liguria, same region as Genova.
Take into account that part of the Province of Piacenza is quite near Genova and so is part of Alessandria's one.
Just to circumscribe a little your research.
Cheers and good luck!
Flo

[Eleven]

I know what you are going thru. When I started my genealogy, abt 18 years ago, I was going crazy trying to find the name of the town my husbands grandparents came from.

I had the grandfathers ship passenger record (1890 something). It just said Italy. I never to this day, found the grandmothers...she came a couple of years later. I got the grandfathers naturalization records..no town there. I thought I would never ever find the name of their town...even the relatives didnt know the exact town name.

Years later, I ended up sending for his death certificate..and would you believe the town name was on THAT!! I couldnt believe it.

If you dont get anywhere with the other records..I would try the death certs. The family usually gives the info on those..and maybe you will get lucky like I did.

[DebiHarbuck]

Just so you are aware: sometimes when an immigrant was asked where he was from, he would choose the name of a nearby large city "that everyone has heard of" rather than the name of a small unknown villiage.

So, it is possible the family is from Genoa - the city - but also possible they were from one of many surrounding villages.

But, heck, you are now closer than you were, right?

In my family, all the WWI draft cards list Craco as the place of birth....and then many of the WWII cards say Napoli. My grandmother always swore her father was from Napoli, right up until I showed her his birth act from Craco.

[DebiHarbuck]

Also, I am not entirely sure what it says for the birthplace of Louise and of Peter...

I'm not sure what the 1910 census says as a birthplace for Peter...but that says "France" for Louise.

[Dgal]

Yes, I will try and achieve the death cert. somehow that should help. I believe I may have found my GF Pietro on the Ellis island records. It says there was an 8 year old boy arriving in Nov. of 1895 and that is probably him although I'll have to see if Ellis Island has more info. than that.

Thanks to everyone you have all been so helpful.

[Dgal]

BTW Debi, how do you get WWI records?