looking for sibling

[oilman19]

My grandmother Antonia Mattora/Martora had a brother named Francesco, born in Santa Maria Capua Vetere. I don't know if he was older or younger. Antonia was born May 6, 1890 from Pasquale Mattora & Maria Tamburrino. She arrived in U.S. on April 27, 1915 on Regina D'Italia at Ellis Island with her 2 sons.
My grandfather Fioravante Ianniello arrived on January 22, 1914 on ship Berlin at Ellis Island. His record indicates he is visiting his brother in law Francesco (Perotta??) whom I cannot find in any census. My mother said he lived in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He had 7? children (either 6 boys and 1 girl or 6 girls and 1 boy)
I have tried all possible name spellings with no luck. I have not found his birth record yet, but he should have the same parents as Antonia. According to my mother, he is Antonia's only sibling.
Can anyone help me find him?

Thank you

Jim

[Tessa78]

Looking at the manifest, Jim, what you read as "Perotta" might also be read as "Serotta".

T.

[VaDeb]

Hi Jim,

I started looking through census records, but is this summary correct? Can you provide any other information?

Pasquale Mattora & Maria Tamburrino
Child - Antonia Mattora/Martora born May 6, 1890
Child - Francesco Perotta?? born unknown

Looking for Francesco Mattora/Martora/Perotta
birth date unknown, born in Italy
immigration record - unknown
In USA lived in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, CT
Name of wife - unknown
Name of children - (7) unknown

Any other details?

Debbie

[Tessa78]

I was looking at your grandfather's manifest and it says he was going to his brother-in-law Francesco (S or P)erotta, looks like 417 Wales St., New Haven, Conn.

On ancestry I found in the 1910 Census, a Franz Sharetto (I know this really doesn't look promising...) and he was Italian, a laborer, and a boarder at this house in New Haven, Conn. You might want to take a look.
It lists him as 23, married, and arrived about 1908, worked as a laborer.

http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=V ... id=2585605

[oilman19]

I knew about the New Haven address from Fioravante's manifest. The info from my mother is she knew he raised his family in Bridgeport. I have no knowledge of when the move was made. In the 1920 census, I found no record of him anywhere near my grandfather's entry.
I did not see that boarder from 1910, he is interesting. I will pursue that possibility.
My mother is 91 and her memory is not good. She does recall that Fiore was an only child and her mother (whom she never knew) had a brother. So it seems there is only 1 sibling for me to find. All suggestions are appreciated.


Jim

[oilman19]

Hi T.

How did you look up a given address on the U.S. census? I haven't seen that on the form nor on any search engine. Your help is appreciated.

Jim

[Tessa78]

Wow, I wish I did know how to do that! I may have made it sound like I was looking up the Wales St. address, but alas, I was not. I was just searching on Connecticut looking for names in New Haven that might be some variation. I'm not sure the "Sharetto" I found holds any hope at all. He was in New Haven, but not at Wales St.

FYI - I have been able to narrow some census searches down to EDs that cover a particular street name. When you choose to search a particular year's census, scroll down below the area where you would fill in the name, etc. You will find a list of states. Choose your state, then choose your county. When the Election Districts come up, run a "find" on the page for the street name you want to find. I usually write down all the EDs where that street shows up and then I check them out by running through them page by page and looking for the street, then the number. It has proven to be successful a couple of times. The names are not always transcribed well, nor are they written correctly in the original record. But a keen eye can sometimes find something...

Good luck.
T.

[wldspirit]

Sites of interest:

Obtaining Enumeration Districts

Locating Ed and Street

wldspirit

[oilman19]

Thank you for the insight. I'm looking forward to trying this system.

Jim

[VaDeb]

Jim,

Looking, but I need some way to identify "your" Francesco.

Looking for Francesco Mattora/Martora/Perotta
birth date unknown, born in Italy
immigration record - unknown
In USA lived in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, CT
Name of wife - unknown
Name of children - (7) unknown

Can you provide any additional info or details to the above?

Debbie

[pink67]

here a related post:

http://italiangenealogy.tardio.com/Foru ... 13947.html

Laura

[oilman19]

Hi Debbie,
Right now, that is all I know (plus his parents names). I am still looking for additional clues but my mother's memory just isn't working any more.

Hi Laura,
Nice to hear from you again. I have looked at that entry and have not dismissed it. However, I can't get past his mothers name and the surname he is using. I have the parents names from Antonia's birth record (Pasquale Mattora & Maria Tamburrino). I also have a birth - Nicola, born abt. 1884 and died January 3, 1889 of the same parents. So, it is possible Pasquale had a different wife in 1877 (I will pursue this birth record) and maybe the surname mystery will solve itself.
Thank you for the reminder.

Thanks to both of you,

Jim

[VaDeb]

Hi Jim,

I reviewed the post that Laura linked.

Were you able to microfilm birth records for Francesco's record?
What years did you check and what is the result?
Did you try and find an obit for the Francesco found by Laura?

Debbie

[oilman19]

Hi Debbie,

I had sort of discounted that link for a while, looking for other things. Also, since the mother had a different name, I lost interest. I am now re-thinking this info due to the age of my great grandfather Pasquale. It is entirely possible he took a new bride. However, the surname is still a problem. I will have to order the microfilm for abt 1877 and see if I can put it to rest or prove it correct.
I also did not seek the obit since Laura was kind enough to provide all of the info and I was not totally convinced it was the right person.
I don't know if you have read my previous posts, but my grandparents names changed on a regular basis, especially after arriving in U.S. I believe Antonia changed her name (probably unintentially) from Mattora to Martora in Italy. I have always attributed it to them being illiterate (my best guess). However, all of the changes I have seen were similar to the original name. I had trouble making the leap from Mattora to Perotta.
Since this seems to be the best lead I have, I guess I need to prove or disprove it.

Thank you,

Jim

[VaDeb]

HI Jim,

Proving or disproving this lead is a good choice. You can't dismiss it due to how so much info seems to fit. Could be a coincidence, but you need to check.

Have you looked though all the microfilm years for the brother you are looking for? Antonia was born in 1890 and the brother was in USA before her. He is probably older. You should be prepared to search up to 25 years before her birth for the record, depending on the age of her mother or a previous marriage for her father.

I understand the name change from Mattora to Martora. I have had similar changes in my family. I think it occurs due to many factors. Illiteracy, different languages and errors in reading handwriting are at tops of the list.

Mattora to Perotta is harder, but could a listener hear a P when a M was said. It is possible. Frank having an immigration record under Perotta makes this less likely.

The difficulty is looking though census records is we need some way to identify your Francesco from all the other Frank/Francesco's out there. Ususally the wife and children help idenitify the family. If the Mattora/Martora has been terribly misspelled in census records we need something to identify your Francesco.

You need to find some other clue to help identify your Frank.

Debbie