please help me find my lost grandma--Stefana Castagna

[mthrof4]

According to our records, which is from oral tradition, Stefana Castagna was born 19 March 1878 in St. Stefano Di Camastra, Messina, Sicily. She came to Ellis Island in 1909 and was deported--she came back to the US, but there is no other record of her.
Her first child was born in Reitano, Messina, Sicily. A professional genealogist could not find a birth record for Stefana in St. Stefano.
Where should I look for a birth record for her and her parents?--Catholic churches? civil records?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

-Sherrie

[johnnyonthespot]

Hi, Sherrie.

The correct spelling of the names is more likely Stefania Castagna.

Is Castagna her husband's name or Stefania's birth name?

Where did they settle in the US?

Were there other children?

What were the children's names and approximate birth years?

What was her husband's full name?

[mthrof4]

Sorry, I miss spelled the first time. Her maiden name was Castagna. Her married name was Presti.
After being deported, she abandoned her two children--Edward DOB 1905 and Concetta-my grandmother, born in 1907.
The kids came to the US on their own to live with their dad in NYC in 1920.
I believe that she married a man named Carlo Frasca and lived in the northeast--maybe NY. I have searched all the boroughs of New York for her death date 20 Jun 1937 which was also an oral record, using all the the last names--Castagna, Presti, and Frasca--with no results.

Her death record would not be helpful in finding her parents or with any help of tracing her line any further back, so I figure, I have to look for her across the pond.
Sherrie

[johnnyonthespot]

Too much of a stretch?


1920 United States Federal Census about Stephannia Frasca

Name: Stephannia Frasca
Home in 1920: Reading Ward 2, Berks, Pennsylvania
Age: 44
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1876
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Spouse's Name: Anthony Frasca
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Female
Year of Immigration: 1908
Able to read: No
Able to Write: No
Household Members:
Name Age
Anthony Frasca 42
Stephannia Frasca 44
Charles Frasca 7




Click once to enlarge; click again for maximum magnification

[Bette]

Maybe you have already found Stefana's voyage to America in 1909 with her 2 children. But, I wanted to mention that it looks like I found it under a misspelled surname in the Ellis Island database (misspelled as Stefana Cartagna). The important part is that it shows her mother's name as Maria Castagna. Here is the rest: Sailed on the SS Roma from Naples and arrived at the Port of NY on July 8, 1909, line 28, with son Eduardo Presti, age 4 and daughter Concetta Presti, age 2. Joining Angelo Presti.

[mthrof4]

To johnnyonthespot and bette, thanks.
I had already found both of those records. The 1920 census states that she entered the US in 1908--this cannot be her because she came in 1909 with her two kids, was deported,(because her husband didn't come to pick them up), went back to sicily, left her children there and returned to the US.
That record of her voyage in 1909 is the only real evidence that we have of her. She didn't marry Carlo Frasca until sometime after she came back to the US.

[johnnyonthespot]

In case you hadn't already found it, Eduardo and Concetta entered the US January 29, 1920 aboard the Dante Alighieri. If nothing else, you may want to try tracing this family line to see if you can make contact with current descendants.

Presumably, Stefania had already left Italy as Eduardo and Concetta state their next-of-kin remaining in Italy is their grandfather, Marino Presti.

[johnnyonthespot]

Possible?

Social Security Death Index about Edward Presti
Name: Edward Presti
SSN: 060-01-7783
Last Residence: 33614 Tampa, Hillsborough, Florida, United States of America
Born: 30 Jan 1905
Died: Aug 1977
State (Year) SSN issued: New York (Before 1951)

[johnnyonthespot]

This person nanmf44 has an Ancestry . com family tree started for Edward Presti with same birth and death dates as above. Could lead to additional information concerning Eduardo's mother.

Link to family tree

[johnnyonthespot]

Angelo Presti and two sisters, Concetta and Maria, arrived US aboard the SS Germania, February 28, 1909. They are from San Stefano and give father's name as Mariano which matches the grandfather's name in the 1920 children's manifest.

This trip is about 6 months prior to Stefania's failed voyage in July, 1909. Note that Angelo states he is single. At age 26, he is some years younger than Stefania who gives her own age as 30-something in 1909 (second manifest, below).

[mthrof4]

To Carmine--Thank you so much. Do I have to join Ancestry.com in order to view the family tree you referred to?

[johnnyonthespot]

To Carmine--Thank you so much. Do I have to join <a href="/http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-3166187-10456885" TARGET="_blank">Ancestry.com</a> in order to view the family tree you referred to?

Truthfully, there is very little there however, yes, you would have to join.

So, I will cheat a little and show you this:


upload image


Now, what does this mean? Is this the correct Eduardo/Edward? Was Filomena his step-mother? Or, is there something else going on here? Perhaps this tree is simply wrong (Lord knows, there are a lot of "bad" trees on ancestry . com).

Frankly, I am a bit curious about the whole Angelo Presti/Stefania Castagna connection.

Anyway, I assume the owner of this family tree is the "Living Presti" shown above. If you would like to PM me your email address and a short note, I would be happy to contact the tree owner on your behalf. At the least, it should be possible to find out if this Edward was the brother of Concetta.

[johnnyonthespot]

Looking more carefully, I would say it is unlikely that Filomena gave birth to Edward when she was just two years old. So, at best, she may have been Edward's step-mother.

[mthrof4]

I know for certain that Edward was son of Stefania and brother to Concetta my grandmother. Filomena was Edward's wife. They did live in Florida until their deaths. Edward was my dad's uncle.

Years ago, I had a friend try to help me and found on a 1930 census, Edward and Filomena (Nancy) in the household of her parents (Ignatz and Mary Parulli). They spelled Presti as Preatti. It shows his two children, Stephana and Angelo ages 2 and 5mons.

I have never had contact with these people except I met Uncle Eddie and his wife once when I was just a child.

These people (Eddie's children) may be the only ones in the country who have any knowledge of their grandmother Stefania Castagna--but I don't know how to find them.

[johnnyonthespot]

Well, the person with the ancestry . com family tree seems to be Eduardo's daughter. Seems like a good place to start, don't you agree?