Domenica Basile Found Finally

[daveferro]

After searching for almost 9 years, finally found my foster dad's mother - thanks to this forum, Gente di Mare, Amici and others. Thought I might post the story to help others in their quest and also to say "Don't give up - clues might just pop up"

Next: find her husband, Francesco Basile and come back here to help again.

This is what I am sending to the relatives with the manifests.

Finding Domenica


After years of searching through Ellis Island Records and other sites, Domenica Basile was found, along with Angela and Stefano. It was a roundabout path that included a lucky event.

One problem was that I was not sure if Basile was the original spelling. The census had one spelling and several newspaper accounts concerning the fireworks explosion on their street had even more variations. My Dad always told me about this event we walked by - seems that his mother was pregnant with him when it happened and they lived next door.

Then my mother said that Domenica's maiden name was Azzune - that was how she pronounced it. No luck on the web for that. And the wife's maiden name is what is listed in the manifests. This can be both a problem and a very good thing.

Then one of my cousins wanted us to put a brick for my Dad in the Veteran's Memorial downtown and I needed to find his discharge papers. In the same envelope was his baptismal certificate. His mother's maiden name was Azzone - with that, I found her manifest right away.

One problem with the manifest came up while it was loading. Sure were a lot of Greeks on that ship. That's because the link to the image was wrong: this was the Athenai, sailing from Piraeus, the port of Athens, not the SS Germania.

Another was that they had misread Angela and Steve's surname as Bonle - and if you saw the original writing, you would have said the same.

So, using Steven Morse's website, I was able to access the manifest and browse through them. Having the proper ship name and date, this was not difficult. But the pages did not start at number one, but the lists of people being held or at the hospital. I knew that one of the children had been ill (one person said Angela, the other Steve) and they were right there, noted as Group 2, lines 15-17. The notes explained how long they had been there, how many meals they had and that they were waiting for fare to Auburn.

But the manifest pages then started at number 42 and went down from there. Flipping through a dozen or so, I began to wonder how long this was going to take. Then I remembered that the detainee page had 2 under the Group column. Guessing that meant the same as page number, I jumped ahead 41 pages and ending up at the next ship. Moving back to the first page for the proper ship and then 4 pages back, there they were.

Morse's website allows moving one, two, three or four pages at a time - that is because each group of passengers is on two pages with signed documents on the back of each, one for the captain and one for the ship's doctor to sign, verifying the manifest.

Again the surname was wrong - scribbled in a small hand. But the transcriber could have looked at the second page to see who they were meeting in America and found that Fransc. Basile, living at West Street in Auburn NY was the husband and father.

Looking at the clock, I saw that it was 7 a.m. A lot of work, but it was worth it. Wondered if I would wake my mother if I printed it out, but decided it would wait. Needed to sleep - but also could not wait to show her and any Basile who came along.

Did contact Ellis Island Records about the mistaken link.

Still haven't found Francesco, and the census shows a different arrival date than what you would expect from Domenica's manifest. Not giving up yet.

Thanks to everyone here again and again

Dave

[Essgee]

Persistance pays off....and it couldn't happen to a more persistant researcher then you, Dave.

Congrats on finding this after so long a time! Wonderful, just wonderful. Domenica is finally home!

Susan

[daveferro]

Susan,

Just saw your reply - only a few months late. Don't know why an e-mail notification wasn't sent.

Looking today for a post I think you made about how to list the names, birth dates etc. to make it easier for everyone to read. That's how I found this. I want to pass it on to others who are posting as a recommendation.

Anyway, it was very good to find Domenica. Still have to send the info to cousins and more relatives to find. Really would like to find Ferro relatives in Civitella del Tronto. My cousin Kim came by and I gave her copies of most of what was found here - she is thrilled by that and a video of my high school graduation party where she jumped at seeing her father (my uncle Jim).

Good to hear from you and I will be back soon.

Dave