Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
My grandfather emigrated from Como in 1906. I understand that he would have needed a passport and proof of military service. Where might I find this "proof of military service"?
If he was within the proscribed age bracket, he would have needed to prove that he had either fulfilled his military obligation or had been excused from military service for health or other reasons. If he left the country without doing so, he would be branded a deserter and subject to arrest and extradition.
Military conscription and service records are held by the state archives for the province which includes the comune of birth; in this case, the province of Como. You can follow the suggestions in this thread ( http://italiangenealogy.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15162/ ) to request records. Use the address below:
Archivio di Stato di Como
Via Briantea, 8
22100 COMO
ITALY
Giovanni Caboto, son of Giulio, was born in Gaeta, Italy, around 1451 AD. After the Aragonese defeated the Angevins in 1461, his family took refuge in Venice where the young Giovanni grew up, got married to Mattea about 1870 and had three children: Ludovico, Sebastiano, and Sancto. His dream was to ...
