Looking for my great grandfather--Steve Calderone

[labellaviola]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here and my search has led me to this forum where I'm hoping someone out there might have some helpful hints regarding my great grandfather, Steve Calderone. Here's a little background on what I do know, which isn't very much.

He was born in Louisiana but, I have yet to find a birth certificate. I do have a copy of the 1920 census which puts him in Red River parish with his wife and children. In that record, his name is spelled Calderoni instead of Calderone but, it's definitely them.

His wife was my great grandmother Carrie Scaturo and they had the following children:
Mary
John
Joe
Angelina (Angie)
Margaret

For reasons unknown he left Carrie and the children at some point and moved to California where we think he remarried and had a whole other family! She stayed in Colorado Springs near her mother and father.

I know that he died in Santa Clara, California in 1968 but, I literally know nothing else. My mom seems to think his name really was Steve but, I have my suspicions that it was not "Steve" at the time of his birth. He does have a social security number but, it's as if his mother and father and any siblings he might have had---do not exist! I've really only begun my research and this is a pretty serious brick wall. Hoping this all might ring a bell for someone out there!

Thanks!
Cheyenne

[Harleygrrl]

Hi there Cheyenne,
could this be your Steve Calderone?
https://www.familysearch.org/search/ima ... 1052_02594

(the board wouldn't let me upload the attachment)

[Harleygrrl]

Hi again, I suppose this would not be yours, as this Steve Calderone died in TX?

Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 for Steve Joseph Caldera
Name: Steve Joseph Caldera
Death Date: 03 Mar 1963
Death Place: Houston, Harris, Texas
Gender: Male
Race: White
Death Age: 65 years
Estimated Birth Date:
Birth Date: 24 Sep 1897
Birthplace: Louisiana
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: Tony Caldera
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Josephine Mula
Mother's Birthplace:
Occupation: Retired Grocer
Place of Residence: Houston, Harris, Texas
Cemetery: Garden of Gethsemani
Burial Place: Houston, Texas
Burial Date: 05 Mar 1963
Additional Relatives: X
Film Number: 2117178
Digital Film Number: 4028583
Image Number: 2809
Reference Number: cn17034

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/search/rec ... M2V-DQS/p1

[labellaviola]

Thanks Harleygrrl!

I have seen this record and I haven't totally ruled the Steve Calderone in the draft registration card out! However, I can say for certainty that he is buried in California because we have his little prayer card from the mass along with photos (creepy). Part of the problem is that no one can tell me exactly when he and Carrie (my great grandmother) parted ways. Not much is know about his whereabouts from the time he left until his death in California in 1969. I don't know his parents names. There is also some disparity as to his birth year. A 1920 census record shows him as having been born about 1873. His social security death index says his birth date was in 1891. I feel like I am chasing a ghost!

I have found out through a casual conversation with my mom that he had a brother named Sam Calderone who lived in Sacramento during the late 60's. No one knows more than that.

I have a great great aunt who is still living that I'm hoping can help me a little bit more. It's just frustrating to no end to not even be able to find my marriage records or any record for him for that matter beyond one census and a death.

Thanks for the info though, I'm keeping them both in mind for leads!

[Harleygrrl]

Hi there! thanks for your response. Here is a silly question: are you certain about the Italian connection? I am wondering if he could be a Calderon (Spanish pronunciation). Do you know that someone before him was Italian, is that why you question whether he was born a Steve?

[labellaviola]

Not a silly question at all! I'm comfortable saying I'm 100% sure he's Italian. It would be a serious shock to the family if it turned out he wasn't! 1920 and 1930 Census lists his parents as being from Italy and my grandpa and his siblings (Steve's children) confirmed this and remembered Steve's parents but, I was too young to care when grandpa talked. It's the biggest regret of my life since he passed away a few years ago. My great grandparents had an arranged marriage through their community. I question whether he was a Steve because I know that his wife, my great-grandmother, had an American-ized first name (Calogera--> Carrie)* so, I figured anything was possible!

*Before anyone says anything, yes, I know Calogera is not Carrie in Italian but, that's what happened to her name when she came her as a child. I can't explain the why's, lol.

According to my mom, there's no way the man buried in California isn't him. Evidently, my grandmother's parents were the ones that paid for his funeral.

...However, after sleeping on that draft card info, I was thinking that it's interesting he lists his wife as Mrs. S.J. Calderone instead of by her first name. I'm looking forward to connecting with my great-great aunt to see if she knows anything about this mess .

[suanj]

hi, I believe correct the 1891 as Steve birthyear, because in 1920 census the Steve age is 27 old and not 47!
1920 United States Federal Census
about Steve Caldrone Name: Steve Caldrone
Home in 1920: Police Jury Ward 5, Red River, Louisiana
Age: 47
[27]
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1873
[abt 1893]
Birthplace: Louisiana
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Carrie Caldrone
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Steve Caldrone 47
[27]
Carrie Caldrone 21
Mary Caldrone 7
Joe Caldrone 5
John Caldrone 3


and I found: date 5 jun 1917
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Stevens Caldrone
Name: Stevens Caldrone
County: West Baton Rouge
State: Louisiana
Birthplace: Louisiana;United States of America
Birth Date: Dec 1891
Race: Caucasian (White)
FHL Roll Number: 1685028
DraftBoard: 0


suanj

[Harleygrrl]

Interesting! So on a side-note, you already know Carrie came over as a little tyke and arrived in Louisiana. They were in fact headed for Red River Parish, where you later found her and Steve and the family! I really hope your great-great aunt can help you; you're so lucky to have someone of that era still with you. I'm intrigued by reason why Steve left her and the children, although 1930 Census they were in California so they must have made some connections there.
I know how you feel about regretting not questioning them when they were around.... I didn't have many people to ask but now they are all gone.

[labellaviola]

Suanj-
THANK YOU! This appears to be him. I've searched those records over and over and this is the first I have seen this draft card! I am hoping this will help me as I try to locate his birth records. This is the only way I will be able to find out what his mother and father's names were. I am not having much luck finding birth or baptismal records. The parishes in Louisiana require written requests and I don't have enough information for them to search successfully. I am grateful for your help!

Harleygrrl-
We do apparently have family in San Jose and my grandpa used to talk about working in a vineyard picking grapes when he was little. I assume the family in California is Calderone and not Scaturro (Carrie's family) so, I am focusing some searches there. If he did "re-marry" and have other children, I may need to find a way to get in touch with them to see if they can be of help. Migrant workers aren't so easy to track down, go figure . Thanks for the encouragement and assistance!

[suanj]

Calogera (Carrie) Scaturro came in USA in 1901 with mother Angela Scaturro nee Saladino, coming from Salaparuta( Trapani province, Sicily, IT):
New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945 about Calogera Scaturro
Name: Calogera Scaturro
Arrival Date: 2 Jul 1901
Age: 3
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Palermo, Italy and Marseille, France
Ship Name: Burgundia
Port of Arrival: New Orleans, Louisiana
Last Residence: Salaparuta
National Archives' Series Number: M259_91

Angela was 32 old so she was born around 1869;
final destination: Lake ....... (?)


Salvatore Scaturro arrival:


First Name: Salvatore
Last Name: Scaturro
Ethnicity: Italy, Italian
Last Place of Residence: Salaparuta
Date of Arrival: Mar 19, 1898
Age at Arrival: 48y Gender: M Marital Status: M
Ship of Travel: Alsatia
Port of Departure: Naples
Manifest Line Number: 0015
already in USA from 1891 to 1895;
final destination New Orleans, LA joining at friend Rosario DRAGO

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0015

---------------------
now abt a strange thing:

it also was another Steve Calderone, and by WWI draft registration card we know that he was born in St James parish LA:
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 about Steve Caldarone ( 5 jun 1917)
Name: Steve Caldarone
County: Lake
State: Illinois
Birthplace: Louisiana
Birth Date: 24 Oct 1894
Race: Caucasian (White)
FHL Roll Number: 1614030
DraftBoard: 1



and:
United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 for Steve Joseph Calderone

Name: Steve Joseph Calderone
Event: Military
Event Date: 1942
Event Place: Houston, Harris, Texas
Residence: Houston, Harris, Texas
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 24 Oct 1894
Film Number: 4151052
Digital Folder Number: 4151052
Image Number: 02594
born in St Patrick LA



I believe that:
this Steve(Steve Joseph) Calderone in Houston, Harris, TX by WWII draft registration card is the same person of WWI draft registration card Lake, ILL;
now: he is a different person of your ancestor???

what you think?
the birthdate is different, so we can eliminate this people, definitively, from the search, because he is not your ancestor?

my doubt is: why we cannot find your Steve Calderone WWII draft registration card, born in LA on dec 1891 .... I cannot find it no in California no in all USA...
suanj

[Biff83]

Angela was 32 old so she was born around 1869;
final destination: Lake ....... (?)


suanj

Lake End, Red River Parish

Biff

[suanj]

thank you Biff!

[labellaviola]

Suanj-
Angela and Calogera's record I had seen but, thanks Biff, for the clarification on Lake End! Salvatore's (family called him Sam) record is new to me so, grazie mille. Salaparuta appears to be their commune which is very exciting and sad as I read that the old village was destroyed by an earthquake in 1968.

As for Steve, you are running into the same conflicts that I am running into. The Steve Calderone who registered his card in Lake County, IL doesn't seem to be my ancestor because during 1920, he was definitely in Louisiana with his wife and children. I too am confused and concerned that I can not find any other records of him after 1930. I am literally hitting a brick wall with him.

Here is some additional information that I was able to gather from my mother last night:

Steve's father owned a store in Louisiana. My grandpa used to talk about him but, neither of us recall a name for Steve's father ever being mentioned. I have seen records on ancestry.com of a Joseph Calderone (wife Virgie) who owned a shop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana but, no Steve (also no Steven or Stefano) is mentioned as one of his children. This brings me back to my suspicion that his birth name was not Steve. Could Steve have been a middle name, I wonder? When I read the list of children, one name stood out to my mother...Lena. She said that Grandma Carrie (also known as Calogera) used to talk about a Lena but, she does not recall in what context.

I have ordered a photo copy of the original social security application for the Steve Caldarone: 1891-1968. There is some hope that his parents will be listed if the original application still exists.

Thank you, this is more information and assistance than I had hoped to find!

[suanj]

I agree abt Steve first name; he surely born with another first name, and used Steve around the 1920... I suspect that the father first name could be Joseph(Giuseppe), because the oldest son of Steve was Joseph... also steve brother: Sam Calderon living in Sacramento around the 1960s... you have further infos? Maybe the italian first name was Salvatore...
suanj

[labellaviola]

I think that it is very very likely that Steve's brother Sam's name is Salvatore. Salvatore Scaturro was called Sam by his family so I don't see why it Steve's brother Sam would not be a Salvatore as well? I am afraid I do not have much more information besides what I have mentioned in my earlier posts. I'm not sure if Sam was older or younger though and Steve and Sam may have had a sister named Lena but, that's not confirmed and is based on my mother recalling Carrie mention a Lena occasionally.