Need help tracing my family through my great grandfather...

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ptajoshuasmith
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Need help tracing my family through my great grandfather...

Post by ptajoshuasmith »

My name is Joshua Smith and I am the great grandson of John Coppney. He immigrated from the messina/sant'angelo di brolo/sicily area. From my research he came over around 1907-09. His name when he came over was Giovanni Cappellieri or Cappani but have also heard the name Coppellitti alot growing up. It is possible that he came over on the ship Luisana in Nov 1907 or Sept 1906 on Citta di Milano. He did have a brother possibly name Giuseppe. I would really love to find some relatives from the Messina area so I can write them and get to know that part of my family. Any information would be much appreciated.
Thank you,
Joshua Smith
can contact me @ ptajoshuasmith@aol.com
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Italysearcher
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Re: Need help tracing my family through my great grandfather

Post by Italysearcher »

You need to complete your US research before you try to cross into Italy. All records here are kept in the town where the act ook place. If you don't have the name correct, or the birthdate, or father's name you will have to get very lucky to find relatives. The names as you have them are not showing up in today's Sicily phone book.
Ann Tatangelo
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Dual citizenship assistance, and document acquisition, on-site genealogical research in Lazio, Molise, Latina and Cosenza. Land record searches and succession.
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adelfio
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Re: Need help tracing my family through my great grandfather

Post by adelfio »

Welcome to the IG website.If the Giovanni Cappellieri that came over on the ship Luisana in Nov 1907 is your GGF, on pg 2 of the shipmanifest it says he was born Raccuja,Messina (Raccuia) line#17 going to see cousin in Philadelphia,Pa Pasquale Cangelo
click for manifest keep clicking to enlarge pg1

Image

click for manifest keep clicking to enlarge pg2

Image

Is Philadelphia where Giovanni Cappellieri was from in the USA

Marty
Researching Trabia, Palermo surnames Adelfio, Bondi, Butera, Scardino,Rinella, Scardamaglia

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suanj
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Re: Need help tracing my family through my great grandfather

Post by suanj »

Hi, I know by genealogic tree on ancestry.com that you have many records abt your ancestor, and I wish add:
U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 about John Copney
Name: John Copney
Birth Date: 24 Jun 1887
Birth Place: Mesino, Italy
Residence: Fayette, West Virginia


and different birthdate from WWI draft registration card

NAME: John Coppney
BIRTH: 25 Jul 1892 - Italy
RESIDENCE: Botetourt, Virginia
OTHER: Botetourt County

the surname is spelled Copping on marriage act:

groom's name: John Copping
groom's birth date: 1890
groom's birthplace: Italy
groom's age: 21
bride's name: Nellie Rutherford

bride's birth date: 1893
bride's birthplace: Greenbrier Co., W. Va.
bride's age: 18
marriage date: 09 Jan 1911
marriage place: Alleghany, Virginia
groom's father's name: John Copping

groom's mother's name: Nina

bride's father's name: Jim Rutherford

bride's mother's name: Mary

groom's race: White
groom's marital status: Single
groom's previous wife's name:
bride's race: White
bride's marital status: Single
bride's previous husband's name:
indexing project (batch) number: M86847-7

system origin: Virginia-EASy
source film number: 30523
reference number: P111, L3


and, again the surname is spelled Coppenny on SSDI

first name: John
middle name:
last name: Coppenny
name suffix:
birth date: 23 June 1886
social security number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
place of issuance: West Virginia
last residence: Fayette, West Virginia
zip code of last residence: 25840
death date: September 1966
estimated age at death: 80

as a well the birthdate is different...
so it is a bit hard.... the surname spelling is very important... you know the John mother maiden name?
suanj
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ptajoshuasmith
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Re: Need help tracing my family through my great grandfather

Post by ptajoshuasmith »

Since I wrote the first post I have discovered more.
His name was Giovanni Cappellieri, born june 23, 1886 (per birth certificate my grandmother has). She did also confirm that he was on the Luisiana. On his citizenship papers he listed his father as Mike Cappellieri (not sure if that is the American name or if there is an Italian name as well) and his mother as Augustina Lenz. I know everything traces back to the Messina area. Now I am kind of stuck at this point. Thanks for all the help so far!
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