Looking for Mossano's

[Catherine]

My husbands Great Grandfather is Cesare Mossano who came to the US through Ellis Island in 1912. He was on the ship "La Provence" that departed from Le Havre, France on April 27th and arrived in New York on May 4th 1912. He was 21 years old at the time. We can only trace the family line back to him. I'm looking for any information on this family. His father's name is on the ship's manifest but I can't make it out. According to the ship records he lived in Tonco, Italy.

Catherine

[ptimber]

Suanj already replied to you and gave you the locationof one relatgive in the city of Asti. Go to the www.paginebianche.it webpage. for the name and address and write to that person and ask him about the family. There are no microfilm of the civil records for births,marriages and deaths in Tonco at the Family History Library. in the mormon church near your home. There is only one other source and that is the church of Santa maria e Giuseppe in Tonco with a priest in residence and you can bring up the address and telephone number for the church by putting in the words Parrocchia in the same website for your relative but in the first line where family namer goes in. Peter

[Catherine]

Thank you Peter. Your help is very much appreciated. I was also wondering if you might know where I would go to find out about Italian Military records in the Province of Tonco, Asti.

Catherine

[ptimber]

You can send a letter in italian or simple english asking for the rfegikstro di Leva (Conscription records) and send to :


Archivi di SDtato Di Asti
Archivi Militare
Via D. Garibaldi No. 24
14100, Asti, Italy
Att: Director Maurizio Cassetti

Peter

[Catherine]

Thank you so much Peter.

I also have another question. The family I am researching is Mossano, and I know there is a little town in Italy named Mossano. I was wondering if anybody knows anything about the history of this town? How it got it's name etc? Also what is the significance of a town being named after a family? I found an internet site that had a picture of the town's sign with what looks like a coat of arms on it. I was hoping that someone with more knowledge on the subject might take a look at it and tell me if this is a coat of arms.

The web site is http://grosshans.textamerica.com/?r=832112

Thank You,
Catherine

[ptimber]

Yes it is. If you can read italian you can gol to www.tiscali.it and insert the town nname and you will get many many references to the town and its history. I will also send you the website for the town coat of arms. In ther meantime if you need any specifi information please let me know. The website www.comuni.it where you put in the name mossano in the lower right side will give you the town website which you will then click. That will give you the direct e-mail to write to the town officials and below is a listing of all the feast days for the town itself along wioth the Mayors name. Peter

[ptimber]

There is another interesting website for Mossano at www.comuni.italiani.it/024/069 . Peter

[ptimber]

The website for Mossano Coat of arms can be found along with its history at www.ngw.nl/int/ita/italy.htm. Peter

[Catherine]

So that IS the coat of arms! I thought it might be. I went to the web sites you mentioned but unfortunately I don't speak Italian which makes this research difficult and frustrating! When we cleaned out my husbands great-grandmother's house after she passed away I salvaged three big boxes of "stuff" that other family members were going to get rid of. In these boxes were numerous forms, pictures, and a huge amount of letters from family in Italy that I am unable to read. It's driving me crazy.

I took your advise that you gave to someone else and got the book "Italian Genealogical Records" by Trafford Cole and it's been extremely helpful in helping me figure out all the forms! I have birth records, death records, immigration records, passports etc. I have been able to piece together some information but I know there's probably a world of family history in these letters that I'm unable to read. They span a period of about 80 years starting in 1912 when my husbands great-grandfather came here. Even if I learned Italian I think it would be difficult to figure out these letters because of the way they write. There letter formations are different.

Do you know of a service that would translate these letters? Cheap!

And back to the coat of arms. The coat of arms site you gave me had no information about the meaning or origin so I'll probably have to write to the town for info.

Thank you so much Peter, I'm so happy I found this forum!

Oh! There was one site you gave me that I couldn't get to work. It was www.comuni.italiani.it/024/069.

Catherine

[ptimber]

To write to the town go to www.comuni.it and then insert Mossano in the lower right small rectangle. When the town name re appears as a website selction then click and the entire municpal set appears. The websitge then will have a legend thast says "SCRIVI AL COMUNE" that is as direct e-mail to the town fathers. Write in english and simply ask for the information. The other website www.comuni.italiani.it is unstable as well so if you send me your e-mail address I will send it to you as an attachment. A good translation service is www.free translation.com which give you 1800 words free and can also assist you in pay translations. This forum also is sponsoring a website titled RESEARCH@ITALIAN GENEALOGY.COM for a fee> its brand new and I have no information but it is sponsorfed by the forum and is bonafide and can be trusted. Peter

[Catherine]

Thank you so much Peter, I'll check it out.

Catherine

[ptimber]

we are here. Peter