Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousins

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Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousins

Post by siskojnash »

Vincent Cusimano was born in June 1, 1876 in Castelbuono and died October 19, 1922 in New York. His wife, Rosa or Rosemarie Cusimano (actually her maiden name), was born in 1882 in Castelbuono also. Her father's name was Luigi Cusimano, and he was probably born there also. I don't know that for certain, though, but he at least lived there.
I don't know who Rosemarie's mother was, but the fact that both Vincent and Rose had the same name probably means it had to have been through brothers, right? I think the common ancestor is probably the father of Luigi Cusimano. I know there were problems later in the family. It was thought to be because the blood was so close.
Rosa, as she was called in the NY passenger list, emigrated on the San Giorgio on April 15, 1909 from Palermo and arrived in New York on April 30, 1909. I might know how Vincent emigrated also, but it doesn't seem to make sense because he would have come into Boston, not New York, and he was supposedly single, which would have been wrong since Rosa had two of his sons, 2 and 4 years old, with her when she emigrated.
I would also like to know how long Rosemarie lived for. She ended up with six children. Thank you for your time.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by Italysearcher »

For close cousins to marry in those times, they would have had to get special permission from the church. The common ancestor was probably at least 3 generations back and they may even have more than one set of common ancestors. In these small towns a common surname didn't always mean a close family connection.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by maestra36 »

I agree with Ann that a common surname in a town, especially where a particular surname is prevalent, does not mean there is a family connection. But, don't eliminate the possibility. In my own ancestry, I discovered that my great grandparents with the Colangelo surname were cousins to each other, but I had to go back four generations from them to see that they had a set of common ancestors and that two sons of their common ancestors were the brothers from whom they were descended.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by siskojnash »

I know from the family that they were close cousins. That's why I think it has to be either the generation I'm thinking of, or the one before that. Like I said, there were alot of problems because of the close blood. I don't think they have a family tree going that far back, though. My fiancee's cousin was telling me that I seem to know more about the family than the family iteself does, because of the research I've been doing.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by maestra36 »

I've read that there were towns or villages that were so small and isolated that dispensations were granted to allow very close family members to marry each other. Otherwise there was no one in the town or village whom individuals could marry. Also, if a girl did not have a sufficient dowry, or any dowry, a dispensation might be granted for her to marry a close cousin who would be willing to marry her anyway.

From what I read this morning though, dispensations to marry even first cousins were not needed for civil marriages after the unification of Italy. Priests who wanted these individuals to have a church marriage would get dispensations from those in higher authority to allow even first cousins to marry each other in the church.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

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Do you know if there are websites that have birth or marriage indexes for Castelbuono? I found one for Palermo awhile back, and just last week discovered that a missing part of my fiancee's family was there. I had previously thought it was a totally new person, not the brother and sister that I've been looking for, for months. Of course, that was also because the family seems to have given the wrong name. They said the brother's name was Joseph. Instead, it turned out to be Nunzio, even to his dying day.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by maestra36 »

There are microfilmed records for the town of Castelbuono available for rental from a local family history center at a Mormon Church-Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. The state civil records on microfilm for your town go from 1820 to 1910. To search for a local center near your home go to www.familysearch.org

Click on the option across the top that says Library and then to the option in the drop down box which says Family History Centers. Once you put in information about your location, you will get a list of the centers nearest to your home. I am not aware of any online indexes to vital records for your town.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by siskojnash »

Can you tell me whether or not there are naturalization records for Jack Cusmano? He would have been born in Castelbuono on October 1, 1904. He was Vincent and Rosemarie's son and legally changed his name. I saw the other day that there was a Jack Cusimano, but those two individuals weren't the right one.
I would like to find out more about him and his wife, Marguerite. I already found his social security death index. Later in his life, he got angry at his family and didn't want to be associated with them. Maybe that happened when he was naturalized. I don't have any information about Marguerite, just the name. I hope that maybe her info would be in the naturalization documents. I wonder when she would have died. At least, I haven't heard anyone talk about seeing her.
She had four children, but I only know the names of the girls, Priscilla, Joanne, and Rosemarie. There was a boy that had died, I think as a baby. I don't know exactly when Joanne was born, either. I know she's still alive.
Priscilla was born June 20, 1940 and Rosemarie was born April 13, 1950. I think both were born in New York, possibly Farmingdale. I could be wrong about where, though. It might also be Brooklyn. Rosemarie, I was told, was the baby of the family. Joanne must have been born somewhere in 1941 to 1949.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by pink67 »

From Ancestry.com:

Social Security Death Index
about Joseph Cusmano
Name: Joseph Cusmano
SSN:
Born: 1 Oct 1904
Died: 10 May 1990
State (Year) SSN issued: New York (Before 1951)

http://stevemorse.org/ssdi/ssdi.html

Why do you believe his real first name was Gioacchino?
on the 1909 arrival manifest he is listed as Giuseppe, Joseph in english.

first page of the 1909 arrival manifest:

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0005

there is a naturalization mark on his line:

3 - 195882 - 5?/8/40

3 is the INS (Naturalization office) for:
Philadelphia, PA Newark, NJ
DelMarVA peninsula (DE, MD, VA) NJ, Eastern PA

http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/mani ... 33-43.html

for reference the 1930 census:

1930 United States Federal Census
about Joseph Cusimano
Name: Joseph Cusimano
Home in 1930: Brooklyn, Kings, New York
View Map
Age: 26
Estimated birth year: abt 1904
Relation to Head of House: Son
Parent's Name: Rose
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Rose Cusimano 48
Joseph Cusimano 26 son, single, born in Italy,
Louis Cusimano 22
Carmelo Cusimano 20
Santo Cusimano 18
Jack Cusimano 16
Anna Cusimano 15
Louis Failla 25

Laura
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by siskojnash »

Oops. Sorry. I must have really been tired and not paying attention when I typed that message late last night. I meant Joseph. He was the father of my fiancee's Aunt Priscilla. Do you know if naturalization records exist for him? Since he had a social security number, he was a U.S. Citizen at some point, right? While at the library the other day, I was getting a bunch of naturalization documents, but ran out of time. I hadn't thought yet to check for Joseph Cusmano. I just noticed that you talked about the naturalization in 1940.
So that means that his wife, Marguerite, would also be on the document, along with her birth and immigration information, always assuming she did so. If they were married, anyway. Priscilla was born in June 1940, though. It seems likely, though. Would that document be posted on footnote? Apparently, the library I went to has home access available for footnote, but I can't get it because I'm not a tax payer at that particular library.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by siskojnash »

Apparently, there aren't any naturalization documents for Joseph Cusmano on footnote, but I did see a certificate of arrival and naturalization index for Giuseppe. Would they be for this one? The date was 1930 for the one document, so it would probably be too early, right, since you complete the process within seven years.
Does anyone know of someplace where I could download a copy of the 4 naturalization papers for Joseph, or Giuseppe, Cusmano born October 1, 1904? He seems to have been naturalized in 1940.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by siskojnash »

Cusmano Giuseppe 1939 929 260952 C255
Family Name
Given Name
Year
Petition Volume
Petition Number
Soundex

This was a part of the eastern district naturalization results in New York. Could this be the information for Joseph, or Giuseppe Cusmano's naturalization records? Would it be online somewhere to download? I know the family has lived in Brooklyn and Suffolk counties, so that part would make sense.
But if he had a problem with the family, even changing his last name so he wouldn't be associated with them, then maybe he moved somewhere else also. Yet I know his daughters were born in New York.
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Re: Searching for the common ancestors of two Cusimano cousi

Post by siskojnash »

Cusmano Giuseppe 1939 929 260952 C255
Family Name
Given Name
Year
Petition Volume
Petition Number
Soundex

This was a part of the eastern district naturalization results in New York. Could this be the information for Joseph, or Giuseppe Cusmano's naturalization records? Would it be online somewhere to download? I know the family has lived in Brooklyn and Suffolk counties, so that part would make sense.
But if he had a problem with the family, even changing his last name so he wouldn't be associated with them, then maybe he moved somewhere else also. Yet I know his daughters were born in New York.
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