Centanni, Alessandra, Ditta from Alia and beyond!

[alia-sPaolo]

After some initial help from the kind denizens of this forum and a few other people, along with a tangle with LDS microfilms and a jaunt through Ancestry.com, I am still struggling with the Centanni/Alessandra gene pool from Alia. I am having trouble both at the Italian end and on the US end. The story so far:
Antonino "Nino" Centanni [c 1884], son of Rosario C & Calogera Ditta, married Lucia Alessandra [1894], daughter of Vitale A & Rosalia [or Rosa Maria] A in September 1913. Immediately immigrated to Clearfield, PA in 1913, accompanied by Calogera Ditta to live with Nino's older brother Sam (Salvatore, I assume). Problems that I could use help with:

1. Nino was in US earlier, probably landing in New Orleans with other family(?) and went back to serve in Italian army (about 1910-12; is there a source for info on the Italian army during that time?). Can't find any immigration info about him or where he lived in US from any Census earlier than 1930. He may have had a twin, Filippo, but I'm uncertain about that; there was an "Uncle Philip" in New Orleans, but I can't find anyone there with the right approximate birth year.

2. Apparently, Rosario C died in Alia around 1910 (?) and Calogera Ditta remarried "Domenico Costantino"-according to Ellis Island manifest - who lived in Clearfield, PA with Sam Centanni (who had renamed himself Sam Toney). I can't find anything about Domenico Costantino in US or Italy; don't know where or when they were married but it seems they had 4 children: Ben, Camille, Rosalia & Joseph or Guiseppe(?). According to the 1920 US census, the last two were born in the US; I don't know where Ben & Camille were born.

3. I'm guessing that Calogera Ditta was in the US Before 1913 without any immigration info tracking her, but there were several name changes that confuse the issue. She was known as Caroline, and Clara, and cognomen Toney although I can't find C. Ditta anywhere in the US.

Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated and allow me to sleep again!

Paul

[pink67]

1. Nino was in US earlier, probably landing in New Orleans with other family(?) and went back to serve in Italian army (about 1910-12; is there a source for info on the Italian army during that time?). Can't find any immigration info about him or where he lived in US from any Census earlier than 1930. He may have had a twin, Filippo, but I'm uncertain about that; there was an "Uncle Philip" in New Orleans, but I can't find anyone there with the right approximate birth year.

From Ancestry.com the 1920 census:

1920 United States Federal Census
about Mino Tony
Name: Mino Tony
[Mina Tony]
Home in 1920: Clearfield Ward 3, Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Age: 37
Estimated birth year: abt 1883
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
[Head]
Spouse's name: Lucy Tony
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Own
Year of immigration: 1898
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Mino Tony 37
Lucy Tony 25
Caroline Tony 5
Russell Tony 3
Rosa Tony 2
[2 1/12]
Lilly Tony 1
[1 2/12]
Joseph Cametti 37
Andy Cametti 34
James Spingoli 41
Angello Rumola 39

On this document he stated he did emigrate on 1898, while on the 1913 arrival manifest he stated he was in the U.S. from 1900 to 1913...

Laura

[pink67]

3. I'm guessing that Calogera Ditta was in the US Before 1913 without any immigration info tracking her, but there were several name changes that confuse the issue. She was known as Caroline, and Clara, and cognomen Toney although I can't find C. Ditta anywhere in the US.

This record may be the birth record for Calogera Ditta:

From Familysearch.org

Italy Births and Baptisms, 1806-1900
for Calogera Maria Ditta

Name: Calogera Maria Ditta
Gender: Female
Baptism/Christening Date: 22 Nov 1857
Baptism/Christening Place: Alia, Palermo, Italy
Birth Date: 21 Nov 1857
Birthplace: Alia, Palermo, Italy
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Filippo Ditta
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Benedetta Distefano
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C00646-2
System Origin: Italy-ODM
Source Film Number: 1331913
Reference Number:

Considering that you mentioned two of her child as Ben and Philip it's possible they were named after their grandparents...

Laura

[pink67]

Possbile WW1 Draft Registration card for Antonino/Nino?

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Keno C Toney
Name: Keno C Toney
County: Clearfield
State: Pennsylvania
Birth Date: 15 Sep 1882
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1877878
DraftBoard: 1

The signature on the document is Nino Toney...

Laura

[pink67]

From the 1913 arrival manifest for Calogera Ditta it seems that she was in the U.S from 1900 to 1913 (in PA), I believe this may have been her 1910 census:

1910 United States Federal Census
about Michael Toney
Name: Michael Toney
Age in 1910: 52
Estimated birth year: abt 1858
Birthplace: Indian Territory, Oklahoma [Italy]
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Indian Territory, Oklahoma
Mother's Birth Place: Indian Territory, Oklahoma
Spouse's name: Clara Toney
Home in 1910: Clearfield Ward 3, Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Year of immigration: 1895
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Michael Toney 52
Clara Toney 53
Comeal W Toney 19
Benjamin Toney 18
Frances M Toney 15
Lillianr Toney 13
Joseph Toney 9

The two last child born in Louisiana... address was 216 West Third avenue , same of the 1913 arrival manifest for Calogera and Antonino:

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0016

[pink67]

Possible 1900 census:

1900 United States Federal Census

Name: Dominico Constantino
[Domenick Constantino]
[Dominico Constantine]
Home in 1900: Police Jury Ward 7, Saint James, Louisiana
[St. James, Louisiana]
Age: 40
Birth Date: May 1860
Birthplace: Italy
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1893
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Father's Birthplace: Italy
Mother's Birthplace: Italy
Spouse's name: Calogia Constantino
Marriage Year: 1888
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 12
Occupation: View on Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Dominico Constantino 40
Calogia Constantino 39
Tony Stanthony 18 son, single, born in Italy on september 1881
Carmilo Constantino 11 son, single, born in Italy on August 1888
Ben Constantino 7 son, born in Italy on 1892
Frances Constantino 5 daughter, born in Italy on July 1894
Lear Constantino 2 daughter, born in Louisiana on November 1897
Joe Constantino 1/12 son, born in Louisiana on May 1900

On the manifest you can see that only the first child listed Tony (Antonino) has the Stanthoni (a possible mispelling of Centanni) lastname while the other children are Costantino Lastname

The head of the Family stated he emigrated on 1893 while his wife Calogera and the children on 1896...

Laura

[pink67]

An finally the 1896 arrival manifest for Maria Calogera Ditta (now I'm sure that the birth record I found for her in Alia is correct too) and her children:

New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945

Name: Cal Maria Detta
Arrival Date: 9 Nov 1896
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Palermo, Italy
Ship Name: Bolivia
Port of Arrival: New Orleans, Louisiana
National Archives' Series Number: M259_83

I'm unable now to post the image, ohwever she was travelling with:
Centanno Filippo male age 16
Centanno Ant (Antonio) male, age 14
Costantino Marinello? male age 8
Costantino Benedetto, male, age 5
Costantino Maria, female, age 2

Most likely her first husband died in Italy and she remarried her second husband domenico Costantino in Italy before the emigration...

Laura

[pink67]

Again, from ancestry.com the details of the 1894 arrival for

New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945
Name: Boru Costantini name on the manifest Domenico Michele Costantini
Arrival Date: 8 May 1894
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Palermo, Italy
Ship Name: Montebello
Port of Arrival: New Orleans, Louisiana
Last Residence: Alia
National Archives' Series Number: M259_79

Domenico was travelling with Centanni Salvatore, male age 15, possible his step-son....

Laura

[pink67]

Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated and allow me to sleep again!

you can sleep very well now, I hope!

This is another interesting record for your research:

Costantino Cruciano, age 37, married, from Alia (leaving there his wife Lucia D'Aura) going to join his brother Costantino Domenico - 216 Clearfield PA
He was travelling with his son Costantino Carmelo, age 13

Page 1:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0004

Page 2:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0004

He stated also that he was in the U.S before...This is the possible first arrival:

20 May 1897:
Travelling with his sons Carmelo, age 3, and Vincenzo age 10 months...

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0016

On 1908 his wife Lucia D'Aura joined him:

Page 1:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0026

Page 2:
http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0026

Laura

[alia-sPaolo]

Laura,
Fantastic, thanks heaps! I've spent months trying to dig up some of this information. I have some of the references (e.g., Mino Tony 1920; Michael Toney 1910) but the Dom. Costantino is a key find, as is the Keno Toney (must have had horrible handwriting or flexible names!) WWI draft card. In accessing the local newspaper in 1917 I found a reference to Carmen Toney of Pittsburgh visiting his uncle Michael Toney, probably Cruciano Costantino's son as in the last record.

You've tied it up in a nice neat knot for me on Valentine's Day! Thanks again.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[alia-sPaolo]

Laura,

Now I can't sleep! Too much fun! javascript:emoticon('post',%20'message',%20':D')

I think where I first had problems that oriented my mindset was that I was told by my GM that my GF's mom Calogera first married Mike COSTANTINO who died in Italy then she remarried Rosario CENTANNI who came to US; that's backwards. In addition I have pix of a headstone in Clearfield for Camill COSTANTINO TONEY (no "N" in Constantino) d. 1917 and figured they wouldn't get that wrong. So I was searching for Dom (and Michael) Costantino; I did a halfhearted search under Constantino but didn't see anything that fit.

I must say, this is a tough business, and by no stretch of the imagination error-free: birth dates, years, spelling, handwriting. Phew!

I'll distill all this information you kindly provided and then charge into my father's Czechoslovakian (pre WWI) side of things; a glutton for punishment!

Thanks again.

[pink67]

I think where I first had problems that oriented my mindset was that I was told by my GM that my GF's mom Calogera first married Mike COSTANTINO who died in Italy then she remarried Rosario CENTANNI who came to US

I'm very glad I was able to help you .... I think these memories were incorrect... Calogera Maria Ditta married for first Rosario Centanni, had her first child (At least Salvatore, Filippo, Antonino) and then, after Rosario's death she married Domenico Michele Costantino...
The correct italian last name is Costantino and not Constantino.

Laura

[pink67]

Burial record for Ben Toney (Benedetto Costantino):

Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-1999
about Benjamin S Toney
Name: Benjamin S Toney
Birth Date: 13 Sep 1891
Death Date: 29 Aug 1947
Age: 55
Military Branch: Army
Veteran of Which War: World War I
Cemetery Name: Calvary Cemetery
Cemetery Location: Lowrence Township Ckerfield County, Pennsylvania

image:
http://postimage.org/image/1qirm8p44/


Laura

[cfogorman106]

This thread is old, but the people are part of my tree. If either of the posters is still around, kindly reply! - C

[msmartins]

I am late to the party, but I just did some research on this family and may be able to string a few things together.

Maria Calogera Ditta married Rosario Centanni 7 September 1877 in Alia. Rosario died in 1884 in Alia. They had
1. Salvatore "Samuel" Centanni (mentioned above in manifest with step-father) b. 25 Aug 1878 in Alia; d. 20 Sep 1955, Clearfield, PA. He married Elva Mae Tate, 15 Oct 1909 in Clearfield, PA. He went by the surname Toney
2. Filippo "Phillip" Centanni (Uncle Phil?) was born 15 Oct 1880 in Alia (note the index has 1882) and died 27 Nov 1962 in New Orleans, LA. He arrived with mother and siblings 9 Nov 1896 in New Orleans. He married Mary Cortese (whose parents were Antonino Cortese and Angelina Napoli, both born in Alia) about 1900 in New Orleans.
3. Antonino "Nino" Centanni was born 15 Sep 1882 in Alia and died I have 1940 in Newark, New Jersey. He arrived with his mom and siblings (as mentioned above) 9 Nov 1896 in New Orleans. He would return to Alia to marry his bride Lucia Vincenza Alessandra on 21 Sep 1913. The couple along with his mother would arrive (as mentioned above) 7 November 1913 in New York. This family would also go by the name Toney

Calogera Maria Ditta married Damenico Michiel Arcangelo (seen different spellings so please keep that in mind) Costantino (marriage record shows Costantino)in Alia 8 Oct 1888. They had the following children
1. Carmelo Costantino (Toney) b. 13 Aug 1888 in Alia; d. 30 Mar 1917 in Clearfield, PA. (name was butchered on the manifest) He married Ada Zoe Shaffer 4 Sep 1912 in Clearfield, PA.
2. Benedetto "Benjamin Salvatore" Costantino (Toney) b. 13 Sep 1891 in Alia; d. 29 Aug 1947 in Clearfield, PA. He married Amber Marie Gillingham, widow of John Kuna, after 1940 census.
3. Maria Francesca Costantino (Toney) b. 1894 in Alia; d. 4 Feb 1928 in Clearfield, PA. She married John Cillo, 14 Apr 1912 in Clearfield.
4. Lillian Costantino (Toney) b. Nov 1897 in Louisiana; d. 21 Aug 1970. She married Antonino "Anthony" Leone (born in Alia)
5. Joseph Costantino (Toney) b. 4 May 1900 in New Orleans, LA. (Some records has the year 1898 and some records has birth in 1900). Cannot find him after 1920, but he is listed a surviving brother Benjamin Salvatore Toney in 1947 and living in Philipsburg.

Family resided in St. James Parish, Louisiana in 1900. They were in Clearfield, PA in 1910 and 1920. Dominic Michael Toney died in Clearfield, PA on 4 Nov 1927. Cannot find the Toney family in 1930. Catherine Toney died 10 Feb 1935. It is interesting that her two Centanni sons who ended up in Pennsylvania and as well as all of her Costantino children went by the surname Toney. Philip kept the Centanni name.