Unsure of GGF's pre-immigration name

[jacobarber]

I'm going to be writing to the commune where he was born requesting a birth certificate and extract, but I have a problem: I don't know his real Italian name.

All of his census documents say "Dominic" or "Dominick" Barber. I am sure that his first name was really Domenico, but don't know if his surname was Barberi, Barberio, Barbero, etc. When I write the letter (based on this template), how do I add that I am unsure of his exact surname?

I know his birthday, place of birth, father's 1st name, and mother's full name. I think that'll help quite a bit, but still need to know how to make this letter as effective as possible. Thanks.

[PeterTimber]

If he entgered tghe USA as an immigrfant look up his name amongst the arrivals in the USA as an immigrant since he had to present some sort of documentation when he purchased his passenger liner tickets to the USA.

Since you have the information they need to identify him right away even though your not sure of the correct spelling, your concerns are understandable but unecessary since the clerical staffs are educated and familiar with researching for documents despite a spelling variation. =Peter=

[jacobarber]

I sort of think that the passenger list for the ship he came on is either damaged beyond readability or has not been digitized for some other reason.

His naturalization papers (certificate and petition) say he arrived May 18, 1900 on the Washington and that his port of departure was Messina. He very well could have been mistaken about any of those bits, but I can't be sure which.

I'm in the process of trying to get his death cert, which may hold information that could help.

[PeterTimber]

what port did he arrrive at in the USA? NY Boston or New Orleans?? If not known please let me know. I will see if I can pinpoint the arrival of the Washington. =Peter=

[jacobarber]

New York

[PeterTimber]

There is a listing for a Domenico BARBERIO arriving NYC in 1901 from BORGIA, Italy on the SS WERRA. Go to www.castlegarden.org and look it up.

If you happen to know the town of origin in Italy it would be very easy to find the information? =Peter=

[jacobarber]

Checked it out. Definitely not him. I'll give you all the info I have, incase you have access to resources that I don't. It's all info I got from Ancestry.com and very limited family records.

Name: Domenic Barber
DOB: Oct 28 1886
Place of Birth: [frazione] Catona, [commune] Reggio Calabria
Father: Nunzio
Mother: May Romeo
Wife: Filomena Louise Condoluci
US Arrival: May 18 1900 from Messina, on the ship Washington
Died: April 20 1957 in Brockport, Monroe County, NY

I am not necessarily in dire need of the ship's passenger list. If it helps, then that's great. If it cannot be obtained, I need to know if providing his US name is going to be sufficient for Italian Vital Records, given that I know just about everything else.

[johnnyonthespot]

US Arrival: May 18 1900 from Messina, on the ship Washington

Just out of curiosity, where did this info come from?

I can find no record of the Washington carrying passengers to the US between 1897 and 1901. Before and after those dates, yes, but not between.

[jacobarber]

I obtained his petition of intent and certificate of naturalization from the USCIS. That information is listed on both of those documents. The thing is, he was naturalized in like 1920 or so. Who the hell remembers exact names and dates 20 years after the fact?

[johnnyonthespot]

I obtained his petition of intent and certificate of naturalization from the USCIS. That information is listed on both of those documents. The thing is, he was naturalized in like 1920 or so. Who the hell remembers exact names and dates 20 years after the fact?

Well, in theory, that information would have had to have been verifed before the naturalization process was completed. See http://italiangenealogy.tardio.com/Foru ... rt=41.html

Question: the documents should also specify where he entered the US. New York? Boston?

[jacobarber]

I posted up a few up that he entered in New York.

I'll have to check the naturalization documents to see if there is something else I'm missing. It's not with me right now, so I'll have to wait til next week.

About the Certificate of Arrival: Dominic supposedly immigrated in 1900, 6 years before the INS was required to fill out Certificates of Arrival and send them to the courts. If one was never completed for Dominic when he arrived, then was there another way they would have verified his arrival date?

[johnnyonthespot]

Yes, I think you may be correct on the CofA effectivity. Prior to arrivals 1906/naturalizations 1911, no checking was done at all (from what I have read).

[jacobarber]

Ok, so it comes back to my original question:

Since I don't have Dominic's given Italian name, how do I mention that when I write a letter to the vital records office of Reggio Calabria? And will the information that I do have be enough for them to perform an effective search?

[misbris]

Check out this manifest to see if it is a possibility. You really need a town of birth. (Reggio Calabria is a big city as well as a province.)

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0014

[jacobarber]

He was born specifically in Catona which is a frazione of the city of Reggio Calabria.

That's not him in the manifest. I forgot to mention that he and Filomena got married on Jan 7 1907, which is prior to the date of arrival for that ship.