Help Finding Birth Certificate for Great-Grandfather in Cosenza

[JonJCurtoJr]

We are having a very difficult time finding my Great-Grandfather's birth certificate. I would imagine it is in Cosenza, likely in Acri or Rose.

He was born December 24, 1885 as Natale Salvatore Curto to his father Angelo Curto and mother Maria Frabuatore. Natale emigrated to America in 1900. His son Angelo F. Curto (born July 2, 1911) is my Grandfather. Natale married Maria (aka Marietta or Mary) Sophia Amalia Aquila in 1906 in Brooklyn (maybe Queens). Maria came over from Italy in 1902 with her mother and siblings after departing from Naples on the Liguria. We found Maria's birth certificate in Rose, Cosenza, Calabria (born January 11, 1892).

Natale passed away December 30, 1958 in Queens, NY.

Any help or guidance you can offer would be immensely appreciated by us!

Thank you!

[bbivona]

Looking at his WWII draft records it shows that he was born December 24, 1885 in Cosenza, although that could be either the town or the province. The passenger arrival list for the Trojan Prince, November 14, 1902, at New York, has Natale Curto, age 19, and indicates that his most recent residence was Acri, going to see brother Luigi at 36 Brunswick in NY. Traveling with Pasquale Curto, age 29, of Acri, who was going to brother Salvatore at 76 Baxter St in NY. In any event FamilySearch has birth records, for Cosenza, Rose, and Acri, but they can't be viewed online. They have to be viewed at a Family History Center or a FamilySearch affiliate library.

https://www.familysearch.org/locations

[mmogno]

DETTAGLIO ATTO DI LEVA
ATTO DI LEVA DI Curto Natale
UFFICIO LEVA Liste leva della classe1883 Registro numero 192
RIFERIMENTI ATTO 43 Pagina 17 sezione a
ISCRITTO IL 19/6/1903
DATA E LUOGO DI NASCITA 20/10/1883 a ACRI
MADRE Fabbricatore Maria
PADRE Curto Angelo
https://www.archiviodistatocosenza.beni ... ispondenza

Comune di Acri
Ufficio di Stato Civile
statocivile@comuneacri.gov.it

[JonJCurtoJr]

Looking at his WWII draft records it shows that he was born December 24, 1885 in Cosenza, although that could be either the town or the province. The passenger arrival list for the Trojan Prince, November 14, 1902, at New York, has Natale Curto, age 19, and indicates that his most recent residence was Acri, going to see brother Luigi at 36 Brunswick in NY. Traveling with Pasquale Curto, age 29, of Acri, who was going to brother Salvatore at 76 Baxter St in NY. In any event FamilySearch has birth records, for Cosenza, Rose, and Acri, but they can't be viewed online. They have to be viewed at a Family History Center or a FamilySearch affiliate library.

https://www.familysearch.org/locations

bbivona,

Thank you so much for this. It seems that this may be the most likely ship manifest for him. The only thing that throws me off is the 1930 Census documentation I have seen seems pretty clear that Natale emigrated in 1900. Other than that, all of this looks right in line with what I have learned so far.

That being said, in your experience doing this kind of research, is it possible that either the date of the Ship Manifest for the Trojan Prince or the date entered into the 1930 Census could just be incorrect?

Thank you again!

[JonJCurtoJr]

DETTAGLIO ATTO DI LEVA
ATTO DI LEVA DI Curto Natale
UFFICIO LEVA Liste leva della classe1883 Registro numero 192
RIFERIMENTI ATTO 43 Pagina 17 sezione a
ISCRITTO IL 19/6/1903
DATA E LUOGO DI NASCITA 20/10/1883 a ACRI
MADRE Fabbricatore Maria
PADRE Curto Angelo
https://www.archiviodistatocosenza.beni ... ispondenza

Comune di Acri
Ufficio di Stato Civile
statocivile@comuneacri.gov.it

mmongo,

This is great, thank you for this. The name of the mother and father and place of birth are all too close to be a coincidence and to belong to another person who is not my great-grandfather. The only detail that I do not understand is the date of birth being October 20, 1883. All of the records I have seen list his date of birth as December 24, 1885.

Is the information you provided a document of Conscription into the Italian Army? If so, is it possible that the authorities submitted this information without Natale or his parents being present? For example, he was automatically entered into these records of the government in spite of the fact that he was in the United States already?

Again, thank you for all of the help. I greatly appreciate it.

[mmogno]

I don't think there's a mistake. The data on Natale comes from the Municipality of Acri. However, you could ask the Municipality of Acre for the Natale birth certificate and the conscription list at the State Archives of Cosenza.

[JonJCurtoJr]

I don't think there's a mistake. The data on Natale comes from the Municipality of Acri. However, you could ask the Municipality of Acre for the Natale birth certificate and the conscription list at the State Archives of Cosenza.

When I contact the Municipality of Acri and the State Archives of Cosenza, what do you recommend I include in my letter and request?

Thank you again, mmogno.

[bbivona]

Looking at his WWII draft records it shows that he was born December 24, 1885 in Cosenza, although that could be either the town or the province. The passenger arrival list for the Trojan Prince, November 14, 1902, at New York, has Natale Curto, age 19, and indicates that his most recent residence was Acri, going to see brother Luigi at 36 Brunswick in NY. Traveling with Pasquale Curto, age 29, of Acri, who was going to brother Salvatore at 76 Baxter St in NY. In any event FamilySearch has birth records, for Cosenza, Rose, and Acri, but they can't be viewed online. They have to be viewed at a Family History Center or a FamilySearch affiliate library.

https://www.familysearch.org/locations

bbivona,

Thank you so much for this. It seems that this may be the most likely ship manifest for him. The only thing that throws me off is the 1930 Census documentation I have seen seems pretty clear that Natale emigrated in 1900. Other than that, all of this looks right in line with what I have learned so far.

That being said, in your experience doing this kind of research, is it possible that either the date of the Ship Manifest for the Trojan Prince or the date entered into the 1930 Census could just be incorrect?

Thank you again!

It's possible that someone appears on the ship manifest lists in multiple years. It's not uncommon for someone to return to Italy and to come back again. As for the 1930 census info, it could be that his memory of the date is inaccurate or it could be that another family member responded to the census survey and didn't know the precise date.

[JonJCurtoJr]

Looking at his WWII draft records it shows that he was born December 24, 1885 in Cosenza...

https://www.familysearch.org/locations

bbivona,

Thank you so much for this...

It's possible that someone appears on the ship manifest lists in multiple years. It's not uncommon for someone to return to Italy and to come back again. As for the 1930 census info, it could be that his memory of the date is inaccurate or it could be that another family member responded to the census survey and didn't know the precise date.

Yes, that makes perfect sense. The more I research the clearer the picture becomes. It seems that my GGF and his brother Luigi came over first and then their parents Angelo Curto and Maria Fabbricatore joined them some years later. I believe my GGF to an extent was illiterate (did not finish school in Italy and did not attend school in America nor learn English) and my GGM was the most educated of them both, finishing 8th grade before marrying him at 14. So, that would explain a great deal of the conflicting dates on manifests, censuses, death certificates, etc.

By the way, I am going to visit a Family History Center on Wednesday for the first time per your recommendation. If you have any pointers or guidance that you think could prove helpful for me, please do share.

Again, thank you for all of the help!

[bbivona]

I don't have good advice for you on the Family History Center. I probably haven't been to one in 15 years or more, and I'm sure that the technology has upgraded since then. Back then it was just a process of ordering microfilm and viewing them on old film readers.

[Tessa78]

Call ahead. Many of the centers have been closed during the pandemic.

T.

[JonJCurtoJr]

Thank you bbivona and Tessa,

I just called and the one near my home is still closed due to covid.