I need help locating my ancestors - Biancalana/Salani

[trinann]

I have hit a wall when researching my family tree. My great-great-grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Italy. Both were born in Lucca. My great-great-grandfather was Constantino Biancalana, born 17 Jun 1891 and he died 24 Jul 1966 in California. He immigrated to the U.S. in approx 1923, I have not been able to find his name on a passenger list but based on his application for naturalization in the U.S, his mother's maiden name was Cortopas (or possibly Cortopassi). His wife, my great-great-grandmother, was Elide Salani Biancalana and she was born in Lucca 24 Sep 1891 and died in California 25 Aug 1966. She arrived in New York on 25 Mar 1930 with their three sons, Joel/Giole, Dario, and Mario on the Augustus. They sailed from Genoa and based on the passenger list and her death certificate, her mother's maiden name was Micheluc.

I've been trying for years to trace my family further back than this couple but can't seem to find any records online. Do any of you know where to look? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[maestra36]

First Name: Costantino
Last Name: Biancolona
Ethnicity: Italy So.Italian
Last Place of Residence: Nave, Italy
Date of Arrival: Oct 06, 1923
Age at Arrival: 32y Gender: M Marital Status: M
Ship of Travel: Providence
Port of Departure: Naples
Manifest Line Number: 0021

You can search the spelling as it appears on the above passenger card. This is definitely your ancestor, if you look at the original manifest.

[PeterTimber]

His naturalization papers would have the name of the ship he arrived with at NYC in 1923 which will make it easier to locate him on a passenger list unless he landed in another port like Boston or Philadelphia or even New Orleans???? =Peter=

[trinann]

Thank you. Do either of you know how I could obtain his (or her) parents' names?

[maestra36]

I don't see him in the Social Security Index. His application for a SS card would have his parents' names. The other document should be his death record. However, the information on a death record is only as accurate as is the knowledge of the person who was the informant and gave the information to the funeral home. So a mother's maiden name on such a record may be incorrect.

[maestra36]

as to the passenger list, you can view it on www.ellisislandrecords.org

[Tessa78]

If you know the comune (town) of birth you can write directly to the City/Town Hall (Ufficio di Stato Civile) to request their birth record and their marriage record. You will find their parents' names on both documents.

Great resource about Italian records and how to request them...
http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... ello2.html

T.

[maestra36]

Cortopassi is the spelling of the surname in the current Italian white pages for the town of Lucca itself, but the son's last residence was Nave, which is in the province of Brescia and not in the province of Lucca. Nave may or may not have been his town of birth. Sometimes last residence is the town of birth and sometimes it is not.

As to the surname Micheluc, I believe it is Michelucci which does appear in the current white pages for the town of Lucca.

[uantiti]

Nave is a hamlet of Lucca. Costantino, as you can see on the ship manifest, declares he was born in Sant'Angelo which is again a hamlet of Lucca.

Ada

[maestra36]

Thanks for the clarification.

[uantiti]

Welcome

[liviomoreno]

Nave is a "frazione", hamlet of Lucca. http://maps.google.it/maps?f=q&source=s ... 43337&z=13

[mario1313]

My name is Mario R. Biancalana. My father was Mario Joseph Biancalana. My Grandfather was Constantino Biancalana. My uncles were Gioele and Dario.

That would make us related...email me back if you want more info.

M