D'Amico from Partanna, Trapani

[TwoScoops]

Ciao,
I have been doing our family tree and hit a wall, looking for help, or direction from the experts.

My husbands GGF PAOLO D'Amico (widower) came over in 1900, and in 1902 sent for his four children, I have traced their immigration, and census records where he is recorded in 1910,then his paper trail ends. The story goes that he returned to Partanna, (reason unknown), and left his four children here in US, his oldest daughter gets married (1910)and I have her records, the second daughter returns to Partanna, and she married into the Guzzo family, his third daughter eventually marries here in USA and his son who was 15 when his father left was raised by his sister.

I have most of the information on the USA side but I need help and advice on getting information about Paolo D'Amico on the Italian side, I am curious as to why he would go back after living here for 10 yrs, and millions were leaving Italy, and why he would leave his children?

There doesn't seem to be any record of contact between Paolo and his children here in the US.
Is there any Italian records on line that I can search?
Is there anybody who has dealt with Partanna Authorities?
Where do I begin on searching for his Italian records?

[wldspirit]

They may have kept in touch, letters weren't always saved. As to why he went back, many did, they were homesick....maybe he only came here with his children to help give them a new start. One can only speculate.

As to the town of interest, the Lds has microfilmed records of civil registration, 1820 to 1910. Member Trish has written a guideline for using and accessing this resource:

The proper way of obtaining microfilm from a Family History Center
1. You go to www.familysearch.org

2. Click on the tab on the top right called Library

3. Click on the words Family History Library Catalog

4. Click on the words Place Search and type in the town you are looking for. Then click the word search.

5. A list of the results will show up. (an example: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

6. Click on the link you are looking for such a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Vital Records. A new page will appear where it will show all the films for Vital Records

7. Click on the link you want such as Death Registries.

8. Click on View Film Notes and a list of the microfilm numbers will appear.

9. Click at the bottom of the page, For a printable copy, click hereand you will get a form to print out with all the film numbers.

10. Click print.



Ordering Microfilm

1. Now the FHC does not have all the microfilm in their possession.

2. You have to order the microfilm which takes 3-4 weeks for it to arrive.

3. It costs about $5.75 a roll for 30 days of viewing time.

4. If you need to renew the microfilm, it cost about $5.50 for another 60 days.

5. If you need to renew it after the 60 days, it will cost another $5.50 and the films can be kept on an indefinite bases.

6. Microfilm must be viewed at the FHC.

7. Copies are $0.35 a page.

Written and Created for the Family History Center of Cherry Hill, New Jersey - by PTCTM - Trish - 02/2006

Helpful sites to use when consulting microfilm:

Extraction guide

Italian Genealogical word list

[TwoScoops]

Thank you Wldspirit, I have tried to contact the FHC and are waiting for there reply.

Which is the most informative record to look up, birth, marriage or death?

Thanks

[pink67]

I have traced their immigration, and census records where he is recorded in 1910,then his paper trail ends.

For sure Paolo D'amico was alive on 1915 and living in Partanna... this is a 1915 arrival manifest for his daughter Angela, returning to the U.S. on 9 February 1915:

9 february 1915

D'Amico Angela, female, age 22, single, from Partanna to Elizabeth NJ to join her brother John D'Amico living on 424 Spring Street. She stated that her nearest relative in Italy was her father Paolo D'Amico in Partanna

page 1:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0003

page 2:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0003

and for sure Paolo D'Amico was alive on June 1917 because his son John on his Draft registration Card for the WW1 stated that his father was alive:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about John C Damico
Name: John C Damico
City: Elizabeth
County: Union
State: New Jersey
Birth Date: 10 Jan 1895 in Partanna
Race: Caucasian (White)
FHL Roll Number: 1712099
DraftBoard: 3

image here:
http://postimage.org/image/1q3r45vd0/

Laura

[TwoScoops]

Thank you Laura,
I missed the record for Angela, I didn't know she moved back to Sicily in 1911, you just filled in a blank piece of the jigsaw and found more cousins, thank you. Can you make out the last name for Giuseppe? is it Pernice? Perrino? Is she cousin to him or his wife? So in around 1911 two of his daughters returned to Sicily, one stayed and one returned back to USA. This adds more information to my tree wonderful.

The Draft card confused me, I could not understand how he listed his father as a dependent, when he had gone back to Italy. He would have been still living with his sister in NJ, she would have been the closest to him. He doesn't give his father's address either. I assume it was in the event of his death , they would notify the nearest relative, which would be his sisters state side. !!

Thank you I really appreciate your help and input.

[pink67]

I'm happy I have helped you

I missed the record for Angela, I didn't know she moved back to Sicily in 1911, you just filled in a blank piece of the jigsaw and found more cousins, thank you. Can you make out the last name for Giuseppe? is it Pernice? Perrino? Is she cousin to him or his wife?

Yes ... Giuseppe Pernice, age 30, married, U.S. Citizen, from Partanna to Brooklyn to join his brother Stefano Pernice, travelling with his wife Francesca Mezzapelle, age 25, who was leaving in Partanna her father Filippo Mezzapelle...
Angela D'amico is listed as Giuseppe's cousin...

The Draft card confused me, I could not understand how he listed his father as a dependent, when he had gone back to Italy. He would have been still living with his sister in NJ, she would have been the closest to him. He doesn't give his father's address either. I assume it was in the event of his death , they would notify the nearest relative, which would be his sisters state side. !!

Question od Draft Card is:

Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or brother under 12, solely dependent on you for support ? (specify which)...

He answered "father" so no doubt that he was supporting his father (who was alive) even if he was in Italy... it was common for sons or husbands to support their parents or wives in Italy...

Laura

[pink67]

I noticed that Giuseppe Pernice, as well as his brother Stefano were born in Sciacca - Agrigento Province...
Maybe Angela was Giuseppe' wife's cousin ?

Laura