Looking for help to locate family

[rcpilotjohn]

Thanks in advance to anyone who can assist me.

My great grandfather Carmelo Vasile came to the United States aboard the SS Massila arriving on March 18 1902. He was born in Italy probably in Sicily in 1878. He married Mariana (later Mary) LaMela after arriving here and had two children, Pasquale and Concettina.

He appears to have traveled alone or perhaps with friends as there are no other Vasile's listed on the passenger list (at least close to his name).

His wife also immigrated from Italy about two years later but I have not been able to find the arrival records. I have been told that she came with her sister, and they may have known each other before leaving Italy. I have heard the city Bivona mentioned.

My other great grandfather also came from Bivona. His name was Luigi Marciante, and I believe he arrived with his parents Alfonso and Guiseppa Marciante and three siblings Maria, Francesco, and Carmellina) on the Victoria on January 23, 1898.

Any help you can give me in tracking down birth records from these people would be greatly appreciated.

John

[Tessa78]

Hello John! Welcome to the forum

To find birth records we will need to establish the exact place/town of birth for each GGF. Are you quite certain of Bivona? Records are held at the town level, and you can write directly to the town/comune for them.

You can also view the microfilms of the LDS Family History Center which may be available for their place of birth...

BUT FIRST... we need to establish their exact place of birth.

You seem to have copies of the ship manifests. Often there are clues there. There isn't much available online for Italian records.

So let's see what we can find for you...

T.

[Tessa78]

For reference....the ship manifest for Alfonso Marciante and Giuseppa Vasile, with children Luigi, Maria, Francesco and Carmellina. Arriving 1898, last place of residence, Bivona (not necessarily place of birth), going to cousin Salvatore Grillo (sp?) on Elizabeth St., NYC

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0012

T.

[Tessa78]

Possible birth record for Alfonso Marciante, born 1850, Bivona

Name Alfonzo Marciante
Gender Male
Baptism/Christening Date 20 Jun 1850
Baptism/Christening Place
Birth Date 20 Jun 1850
Birthplace Bivona, Agrigento, Italy
Death Date
Name Note
Race
Father's Name Luigi Marciante
Father's Birthplace
Father's Age 29 Y
Mother's Name Maria Antonina La Corte
Mother's Birthplace
Mother's Age 21 Y
Indexing Project (Batch) Number C74015-7
System Origin Italy-EASy
Source Film Number 1466327
Reference Number yr 1850 rn 82

This would follow the traditional Italian naming patterns in that Alfonso's father's name was Luigi, and he named his first son Luigi...

T.

[Biff83]

Hi, Tessa

WW I Draft Reg Card

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9475 ... lewwii.jpg

Name: Carmelo Vasile
Birth Date: 8 Jul 1878
Birth Place: Italy (Bivona)
Residence: Chicago, Illinois

Biff

[Tessa78]

Hi Biff!

Glad you found that. I was wondering about where in US they settled.

T.

[Biff83]

1902 Massilia manifest, Carmelo on line 23. Name lined out. Also see lined out names on line 13 and following. Possible parents Pasquale and Carmela Concetta based on Carmelo's children's names with siblings?

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5020/zzvasile1902.jpg

Biff

[Tessa78]

Birth Record of Pasquale Vasile (1910) in Chicago, Illinois Register of Births

Name: Pasquale Vasile
Birth Date: 31 Dec 1910
Birthplace:
Gender: Male
Race (Original): W
Race (Standardized): White
Father's Name: Carmelo Vasile
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Marianna Lamela
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Christening Date:
Christening Place:
Film Number: 1315049
Digital Folder Number: 4394345
Image Number: 01236
Reference Number: p. 375, Ln 18719
Collection: Illinois, Cook County Birth Registers, 1871-1915

Image - line 19
http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/8091 ... th1910.jpg

T.

[Biff83]

Possible 1904 manifest for Marianna La Mela, travelling with sisters to join brother in New York. Last residence Bivona.

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0004

Biff

[Tessa78]

1902 Massilia manifest, Carmelo on line 23. Name lined out. Also see lined out names on line 13 and following. Possible parents Pasquale and Carmela Concetta based on Carmelo's children's names with siblings?

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5020/zzvasile1902.jpg

Biff

Great find! And I agree with your suggestion that Pasquale and Carmela may be his parents...

t.

[Tessa78]

Hey Biff!

Kudos on finding Marianna and her sisters!

Next name down "Sebastiano Noto" also going to Marianna's brother, his cousin...

T.

[Tessa78]

Looks like Marianna's brother Sebastiano LaMela married Luigi's sister Maria Marciante...

This record has possible names of Marianna's parents...


Groom's Name: Sebastiano Lamela
Groom's Birth Date:
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age:
Bride's Name: Marie Marciante
Bride's Birth Date:
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age:
Marriage Date: 14 Dec 1903
Marriage Place: Manhattan, New York, New York
Groom's Father's Name: Francesco
Groom's Mother's Name: Rosaria Cardinalli
Bride's Father's Name: Alfonso
Bride's Mother's Name: Giuseppa Varcelia
Groom's Race:
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00601-9
System Origin: New_York-ODM
Source Film Number: 1570991
Reference Number:
Collection: New York Marriages, 1686-1980

T.

[Biff83]

New York Marriage Record.

Carmelo's parents: Pasquale and Concetta Carnello
Marianna's parents: Franceso and Rosaria Cardenella

http://search.labs.familysearch.org/rec ... 6631&pn=p4

Biff

[Tessa78]

Hey Biff...we found Marianna's parents' names !!!

Nice work!

T.

[Biff83]

Hey, T, nice work on the marriage record.

Likely mother's surname for Marianna is Cardinale, and likely surame of Carmelo's mother Concetta is Carmella--based on names listed on ship manifests with last residence and/or birth place as Bivona.

Biff