THE ONGOING MYSTERY OF FRANK LANDINO

[mezzogiorno62]

20 years of research to find the death record of francesco landino and no results. this is what i have and what i've done. francesco landino was born in palermo in 1851. at some point he ended up in barcellona pozzo di gotto as a coachman and with his cojoint(not his wife as i've never found a marriage anywhere in palermoor messina provinces for this couple and it appears they never formally married) maria bonarrigo born in soccorso messina in 1847 had 3 children,salvatore in 1872,rosalia in 1877,and mattia in 1880.maria and her husband francesco may also have been the parents of my paternal grandmother,maria, and given the surname costante to signify the fact her parents were unmarried,and listed as ignoti genitori at her birth in 1883. the other children were given the landino surname but not maria. maria bonarrigo was my grandmothers wetnurse according to her birth record,and was given to maria bonarrigo in a custodial agreement with the ufficio dello stato civile. francesco immigrated to the us in 1889 alone. my grandmother and her adoptive mother immigrated to boston in 1902. it appears this was to join son salvatore and possibly cojoint francesco. but maria bonarrigo died in boston in 1902 shortly after arrival. francesco is naturalized in boston in 1902. he's found in some boston city directories and in the 1910 census living in boston. occupation barber. in 1912 he's living in fitchburg massachusetts. in 1913 that city directory notes he moved back to boston. then he dissappears. age about 60. no death record found in massachusetts,and i checked every year up to 1951 when he would have been 100 if still living. nothing. checked passport applications and deaths of us citizens overseas(both databases at ancestry) to see if he went back to italy. nothing. i know anything is possible. he could have died anywhere in the world. but he was a us resident and citizen so its unlikely,as a gainfully employed 60 year old, he would have died as a pauper,or moved or relocated somewhere as an older man with no known family anywhere other than some possible siblings in palermo, son salvatore and possible daughter maria here,and 2 other daughters rosalia and mattia,who may have immigrated here or remained in italy. any insight into this mystery would be most appreciated.

[ffusiak]

I do not know if this is your Francesco but here is a death record for Frank Landino in Pittsfield.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1928860

[mezzogiorno62]

thats not him. saw that entry years ago. massachusetts death records. same name but nothing else matches. nearly 10 years younger. several other discrepancies. wish it were him but its not. thanks for checking. the 20 year mystery continues.

[ffusiak]

Since we know Maria is interned in Holy Cross Cemetery from her death record. Have you tried contacting them to see whom else is interned with her? or ask for a photo request on findagrave?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1463156

[mezzogiorno62]

did all that. buried alone and no marker. have all the info. like i said-20 years of research. i started with all these basics.

[ffusiak]

I see he had a son Salvatore "Charles" based on an Ancestry tree who died in Brooklyn or Queens and is interned in Evergreen Cemetery.

https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/5270 ... %2BLandino

[mezzogiorno62]

yes. checked that out long ago. when my paternal grandmother and her adoptive mother maria bonarrigo,francescos cojoint,arrived in boston in 1902,they came to reside with salvatore. maria died days after arrival. salvatore moved to new york a few years later. francesco,to my knowledge,had no other family here. not found in massachusetts death records,or new york death records,as i obviously checked there to see if he went to live with son salvatore. nothing. other than that,my next search was to see if he possibly returned to sicily. checked passport applications in the this time period. nothing. checked deaths of americans in foreign countries(italy)in this time period. nothing. both databases at ancestry. so if theres no death found in massachusetts or new york,and nothing leading to a possible return and death in italy,whats left?

[ffusiak]

If he did not die in NY, he would not be listed in the NYC or NY State death indices but it would not preclude him from being buried in NY.

I have a similar situation with my paternal GGF - disappeared in 1905.

[mezzogiorno62]

no idea. all i know is i've covered all the possibilities i can think of. deaths in mass. or ny. possible return to italy and death there. nothing. even checked palermo,where he was born,in the possibility of his having family there,he may have died there. nothing. this guy just totally dissapears after 1913 when its stated in the fitchburg mass. directory says he moved back to boston. he didnt or his death record would have been found here in mass. a guy of 60 plus with only 2 known family members her-mass. and new york-and the chance he may have returned to sicily and died there.which i've checked but can't verify. lived more or less here from 1889,the year of his immigration,to 1913,the year of his dissapearance. hemce the elusive mysterious francesco landino.

[mezzogiorno62]

regarding the article you sent for the death notice of salvatore"charles" landino from the july 30 1937 brooklyn eagle. is there a full obituary in that edition and not just the notice? in an actual obituary it might list more info. about the parents,francesco and maria. this obit notice is just that-a notice. as in many newspapers,there might be a full obituary in that edition.

[ffusiak]

I searched the three days after his death and did not locate an obituary. I also search some historical New York State Newspapers and did not locate anything.

[rlw254]

Is it possible that he remarried to this Jennie/Vincenza right after the 1910 census? This couple had a son Martin in Pittsfield in 1911. The easiest answer is that your Francesco is the one that died in 1920 and she just gave the wrong information for his parents. His age discrepancy is not unreasonable.

[mezzogiorno62]

highly unlikely. anything is possible. the only thing that would clinch it is if there were information stating his 1st"marriage" was to a maria bonarrigo. but this frank was a laborer. mine was a barber.moving from fitchburg or from boston to pittsfield in far western massachusetts isn't likely either. plus a nearly 10 year age difference is pretty big. one born in 1851 and the other in 1860. if this pittsfield frank were found to be born in palermo possibly.a marriage record for this frank would help,but i seriously doubt theyre one and the same.plus this franks father was michael,not salvatore,as mine was. just the names. way too many discrepancies. thanks for the input but this is a real mystery.

[rlw254]

Not saying it's correct but I do have cases in my own family of immigrants with a second wife who filled out a death certificate with highly inaccurate information. Wrong father's name (especially in Italians where middle names were often used), age 15 years off, etc. It happens.

You mentioned your Francesco was a coachman - this one is a truck driver according to the birth record of Martino in 1911.

[mezzogiorno62]

my francesco was a coachman,or cocchiere,in italy,as was his father salvatore before him. as this was 19th century italy,i'm thinking someone driving a team of horses and a coach. definitely not a truck. other than the name theres no similiarities here. nothing remote. age,vocation,parents names,etc. the only thing that is rarely wrong is the day and month of birth,and the birthplace. regardless of everything else,if this pittsfield frank landino were born on oct' 17th it might be a hit. the odds of another frank landino being born on the same day and place would be astronomical. lastly,assuming he remarried,wouldn't his second wife or children,assuming one of them reported his death, at least know the correct names of his parents? other than that,considering that none of the information matches or makes much sense,i'd have to pass on this. i wish an exact birthplace and birthdate were given in these old death records. no birthdate is ever given noe birthplace. only the country. another record,if found,would give fairly accurate information-immigration and naturalization papers. but i already have the naturalization papers of my frank(boston 1902)and his passenger record(new york 1889).