Elena in or near Caserta

[xiv014]

The ship manifests for my GGGF and GGGM list their Places of Origin as "Elena" and "Caserta Elana, Italy."

Is Elena a village near Caserta?

Which commune should I write to in order to get their birth and marriage certificates?

[Italysearcher]

Theere is the Church of Saint Elena in Caserta.

[johnnyonthespot]

It is a long-shot, but perhaps it was meant to be "Ailano"?

Comune di Ailano, Provincia di Caserta, Regione di Campania, Southern Italy

It is always a good idea to post a scan of the document or a link so that we can look at it ourselves. Sometimes what seems to say "Elana" actually turns out to be something quite different.

[xiv014]

The attached file a high resolution portion of her ship manifest (the entire file was too big).

The exact text for her "City or Town" is Elena (Caserta). So does that mean she lived near the Church of Saint Elena in Caserta that Italysearcher mentioned? If so, what commune should I write to in order to get her birth certificate?

Also, can anyone make out her mother's complete name in the next column?


Thanks so much!

[vj]

I'm pretty sure this is correct:
the suburb of Elena (formerly Borgo di Gaeta) province of Caserta
is now part of Gaeta, province of Latina

1911 Encycolpedia
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/G ... 1911*.html

[johnnyonthespot]

In fact, one can find many, many, passenger manifests which make mention of a place named "Elena" in Caserta. Possibly it was a comune or frazione which no longer exists.

Check this wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaeta

Contemporary age

After the Risorgimento and until World War II, Gaeta grew in importance and wealth as a seaport. The nearby town of Elena, separated after the Risorgimento and named after the queen of Italy, was reunited to Gaeta following World War I. Mussolini transferred Gaeta from the southern region known today as Campania (formerly Terra di Lavoro, to which it is historically and culturally attached) to the central region of Lazio.

Gaeta is not very far from Caserta. I think this is the comune you are seeking.

[johnnyonthespot]

I'm pretty sure this is correct:
the suburb of Elena (formerly Borgo di Gaeta) province of Caserta
is now part of Gaeta, province of Latina

1911 Encycolpedia
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/G ... 1911*.html

No fair! I was typing as fast as I could!

[xiv014]

Thanks so much for the fast responses everyone. What a wealth of knowledge!

My best guess for her mother's name from the image is:

Maria Luigia Pecorane Parrocchia di F. Como

...but I'm guessing on some of those letters.

[johnnyonthespot]

Her name iis Maria Luigia Pecorone and she lived in the Parrocchia di (parish of) F. (Francesco?) Cosmo.

Most likely, Parrocchia di San Francesco Cosmo, or something like that.

[xiv014]

Thanks Carm!

[maestra36]

I think that it is an S and not an F in front of Cosmo for Saint on the manifest. I think the loop from the g above it makes it look like an F. Anyway, in searching the current Italian yellow pages for the town of Gaeta, I only see one parish which has the name Cosma (not Cosmo) in it.

Parrocchia SS Cosma e Damiano.
Salita Scalzi
04024 Gaeta (LT)

phone 0771 464127

So this may be the parish referred to on the passenger list.

Her name iis Maria Luigia Pecorone and she lived in the Parrocchia di (parish of) F. (Francesco?) Cosmo.

Most likely, Parrocchia di San Francesco Cosmo, or something like that.