Testi family info request

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NonItalian
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Testi family info request

Post by NonItalian »

Hey everybody,

I'm researching my wife's side of the family and have hit a roadblock just a couple of generations back. First, let me tell you what I know:

Her maternal great grandfather was Ferucio Testi, an Italian immigrant. This is the focus of my hunt right now, though any ancillary information I pick up is always welcome. He was born Jan 18, 1897, in Florence, Italy to Massimiliano Testi and Christina Appoloni. Sometime between then and the late 1920s, Ferucio immigrated to the US. I do not know if his parents did or if he had any siblings that did. However, in the Olean, Cattaraugus County, NY, area (where he settled), there were at least three other Testi families there in 1920 and 1930. Some time between 1925 and 1929, Ferucio petitioned for naturalization. Ferucio lived in Olean on an off. The last 15 years of his life he lived in Kane, McKean County, PA. Ferucio married Mary Rose Brunesto, daughter of Italian immigrants, in Olean and had 4 children (3 sons and a daughter). He died August 1, 1969 in PA.

I am looking for any further info on Ferucio. Namely, I'm looking for when he immigrated, what ship, and what port. I'd also like to find out information about his parents and other ancestors in Italy. I understand that the Testi family is a "big name" in Italy but I don't know much about the links there.

Any help anyone would be willing to give would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

Mark Songer
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Tessa78
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by Tessa78 »

Hello Mark, and welcome :-)

I looked at your Family Tree on Ancestry and checked the 1930 Census you have cited. Ferucio states that his year of immigration was 1914 - so we'll start our search with that target...

T.
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DebiHarbuck
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by DebiHarbuck »

What about this one:

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Fulvio Testi
Name: Fulvio Testi
Arrival Date: 9 Dec 1913
Birth Year: abt 1895
Birth Location: Italy
Birth Location Other: rivoli v
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (North) (Italian)
Port of Departure: Genoa, Italy
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Taormina

On line #17: http://postimage.org/image/iyoae78k/
Roccanova/Magistra/Rubertone/Paduano of Craco, Matera, Basilicata AND Latorraca/Cassino/Petrocelli/Peluso of Saponara di Grumento (now Grumento Nova) & Moliterno, Potenza, Basilicata
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Tessa78
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by Tessa78 »

This is Ferrucio arriving in 1914 - going to his brother Fulvio (the record Debi posted above) in Olean, NY :-)

Ferrucio Zefirro Testi (it was transcribed as Cesti), 17, miner, leaving father Massimiliano Testi in Veronese (?)

Page 1 - Line 3
Image

Page 2
Image

T.
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by DebiHarbuck »

Hurrah!

(And, hey! Long time no see! :) )
Roccanova/Magistra/Rubertone/Paduano of Craco, Matera, Basilicata AND Latorraca/Cassino/Petrocelli/Peluso of Saponara di Grumento (now Grumento Nova) & Moliterno, Potenza, Basilicata
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Tessa78
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by Tessa78 »

:D :D :D
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DebiHarbuck
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by DebiHarbuck »

So that's a ship's list and a brother and a birthplace. The hunting is good tonight. :)
Roccanova/Magistra/Rubertone/Paduano of Craco, Matera, Basilicata AND Latorraca/Cassino/Petrocelli/Peluso of Saponara di Grumento (now Grumento Nova) & Moliterno, Potenza, Basilicata
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NonItalian
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by NonItalian »

No kidding the hunting is good! And QUICK! Wow! Thank you so much!
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by DebiHarbuck »

This is fun. :)

My Italian geography is terrible; how far is Rivoli from Florence? Is that a big change in information?
Roccanova/Magistra/Rubertone/Paduano of Craco, Matera, Basilicata AND Latorraca/Cassino/Petrocelli/Peluso of Saponara di Grumento (now Grumento Nova) & Moliterno, Potenza, Basilicata
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Tessa78
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by Tessa78 »

Hi Debi :-)

Funny, Rivoli was listed as birthplace in the Ancestry summary page for Ferrucio as well, but the manifest lists Veronese...
Have to check those out :-)

And NonItalian.... You are most welcome! :-D

T.

UPDATE: Rivoli is very far from Florence as the crow flies! It's near Torino.
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NonItalian
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by NonItalian »

BTW, on Page 1 of the links Tessa gave earlier, Line 4 is an Augusto "Cesti", also from Veronese, one of the other names I found in Olean who also petitioned for naturalization around the same time. He left behind a wife, but that doesn't mean he isn't a brother, cousin or uncle (he's 10 years older than Ferucio). I'M SO JAZZED!!!! :)
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Tessa78
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by Tessa78 »

NonItalian wrote:BTW, on Page 1 of the links Tessa gave earlier, Line 4 is an Augusto "Cesti", also from Veronese, one of the other names I found in Olean who also petitioned for naturalization around the same time. He left behind a wife, but that doesn't mean he isn't a brother, cousin or uncle (he's 10 years older than Ferucio). I'M SO JAZZED!!!! :)

LOL - looks like we have another one hooked!!!! :-)

Yes, probably a cousin. He is going to his brother Eugenio Ettore Testi in Olean... :-)

T.
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NonItalian
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by NonItalian »

LOL Tessa. I can't tell you how long I have been looking for the information on this manifest! I have searched everywhere!

Now to track down Massimiliano and Appoloni! And to figure out what happened to Ferucio between 1935 and 1955. And to figure out the biological parents of my wife's grandmother...

It never ends! :) I love it! :)
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by NonItalian »

So, Ferucio is from Verona. Yet the ship he sailed upon is french from the port of Le Havre on the English Channel. Did the ship sail to Northern Italy and then to America or did they catch a ride to the North Coast of France?
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Tessa78
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Re: Testi family info request

Post by Tessa78 »

NonItalian wrote:LOL Tessa. I can't tell you how long I have been looking for the information on this manifest! I have searched everywhere!

Now to track down Massimiliano and Appoloni! And to figure out what happened to Ferucio between 1935 and 1955. And to figure out the biological parents of my wife's grandmother...

It never ends! :) I love it! :)
How can we help?

BTW - we haven't really narrowed down Ferrucio's birthplace. I can't find a comune or frazione by the name of Veronese. It usually refers to someone from the Verona area.

Do you have Ferrucio's Social Security #? You can request his Social Security application (SS-5) for a fee. This should have the names of his parents (which you already know) and his place of birth.
Order online at this site...
http://genealogy.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi= ... t/main.jsp

T.
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