Looking for some ancestors, or current relatives?

[JesB]

Here are some facts that I've gathered so far:

My G-G grandmother's name was Antonetta Tessitore/Tessitori (Maiden: Massimilla)
Born abt 1897
She came from Frignano Possible Relatives was a father named Pasquale Massimilla


My G-G Grandfather's name was Paolo Hugo Tessitore/Tessitori
He came from Naples
born abt 1897
Possible relatives were a sister named Enrichetta and cousin named Leopoldo Serao
Second wife name Francis


Together they arrived in New York on the SS Cameronia on Aug 25, 1922. They lived in The Catskills, NY until they divorced. They had four children together, one including my great grandmother Wanda L. Hall

Can anyone help me figure out if I have any relatives in Italy? Or maybe some other ancestors? Or if you could point me in the right direction I would be so grateful. Thanks!

[johnnyonthespot]

Massimilla is not a hugely common name in modern Italy as can be seen here http://www.gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/gen ... MASSIMILLA. Therefore, the fact that there are five of them in the telephone listings of Frignano might indicate that they are related to you. See http://www.paginebianche.it/execute.cgi ... btt=1&om=0 for details.

Tessitore (with an "e") is more difficult as it is a common name in the Naples area. See http://www.gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/gen ... =TESSITORE. However, considering the total population of Naples, it is not a huge number. Tessitori's here could certainly be your distant cousins.

Naples is both a province and a city. Do you know for certain that Paolo was from the city of Naples (actually, Napoli)? What does the manifest say about his place of birth?

[adelfio]

Dont know if you have it heres Antonetta Massimilla birth record from Frignano,Caserta
In the year 1897 4th of Sept before Civil official Costantino Cavaliere of Frignano appeared Pasquale Massimilla age 45 landowner and mother and wife Amalia Santoro age 39 in the house on via San Giuesppe #12 to give birth to a baby girl named Antonetta Filomena Maria Massimilla
Witnesses
Salvatore Del Piano age 54 landowner and Carlo Tessitore age 34 landowner
Click to open birth record
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1149/massmill.jpg

Marty

[JesB]

I have not seen a manifest (or maybe I have, I don't know what that is). I have seen Paolo's Petition for Naturalization but the link to that has broken. Do you know a place I could get it or buy if I absolutely have to?

Thanks so much for the birth record!!! You may have just solved another piece of the puzzle I've been dying to go further back.


Also I've heard rumors from other relatives, so this information may or may not be true.
One, Antonetta supposedly comes from a "royal line" although I'm not sure how
second, One of my g-g grandparents owned a piece of land which was passed down to all of the next generation. Not sure how that works either.

Hopefully that can help
Molto grazie
Jes

[JesB]

Just found out a couple more things from my grandfather:
Paolo was in the Italian army and after he immigrated to NY he became a dress designer and then owned a couple of factories in NYC
One was called Hugot or Hugett and a sort of manufacturing company
(something to do with costume and jewelry) and the other was some sort of dress factory.

[adelfio]

This the birth record of Giuesppe Luigi Massimilla birth record from Frignano,Caserta brother of Antonetta Massimilla
Year 1895 June 19th before Civil official Costantino Cavaliere of Frignano appeared Pasquale Massimilla age 43 landowner and mother and wife Amalia Santoro age 37 in the house on via San Giuesppe #12 to give birth to a baby boy named Giuesppe Luigi Maria Massimilla
Witnesses
Salvatore Del Piano age 51 landowner and Carlo Tessitore age 32 landowner
click for birth record
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/549/maxmill2.jpg
Marty

[adelfio]

The birth record of Clarice Erminia Adelaide Massimilla sister of Antonetta Massimilla
Year 1893 18th of May before Civil official Costantino Cavaliere of Frignano appeared Pasquale Massimilla age 41 landowner son of Francesco Massimilla and wife Amalia Santoro age 35 daughter of Saverio Santoro in the house on via San Giuesppe #12 to give birth to a baby girl named Clarice Erminia Adelaide Massimilla
Salvatore Del Piano age 49 landowner and Carlo Tessitore age 30 landowner
click for birth record
http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/2381/max3.jpg

Marty

[adelfio]

Birth record of Giuespina Laura Carmela Massimilla sister of Antonetta Massimilla
Year 1891 24th of July before Civil official Costantino Magliulo of Frignano appeared Pasquale Massimilla age 39 landowner son of Francesco Massimilla and wife Amalia Santoro age 33 daughter of Saverio Santoro in the house on via San Giuesppe #12 to give birth to a baby girl named Giuespina Laura Carmela Massimilla
click for record
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4411/max4b.jpg

Marty

[adelfio]

Birth record of Carolina Adelaide Alexandria Massimilla sister of Antonetta Massimilla
Year 1886 29th of March before Civil official Erico Magliulo of Frignano appeared Pasquale Massimilla age 34 landowner son of Francesco Massimilla and wife Amalia Santoro age 29 daughter of Saverio Santoro in the house on via San Giuesppe #12 to give birth to a baby girl named Carolina Adelaide Alexandria Massimilla
click for record
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1930/max5t.jpg

Marty

[adelfio]

You possible can get more info on ancestry.com like marriage of Pasquale Massimilla and Amalia Santoro most Italian marriage where in the wifes home town (Frignano) also there are possibly more kids in the records of Frignano province Caserta Italy for Pasquale and Amalia
ancestry link with a subscription
http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1893

Marty

[JesB]

Thank you so much for all these relatives and the link. You really got me started here with all that information