Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

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raphaeldidonato
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Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by raphaeldidonato »

Geremio di Donato – born Jan. 24, 1887 in Vasto (according to naturalization petition)
Left Naples, Italy March 15, 1905 and arrived in NY, NY April 2nd, 1905
Died Mar 30, 1923 as Jerry DiDinato at 36 in Manhattan, #10012

Also seeking birth certificate of wife: Annunziata Chinquina – born March 25th, 1888 (no location given, presumably also Vasto or Abruzzo)

Also seeking Geremio and Annunziata's marriage certificate: 1906, probably in Hudson County

I have written to the Comune di Vasto but they didn't find anything. I am waiting to hear from the Comune di Taranta Peligna which the family seems to be connected to.

If anybody has any way of finding this material I would greatly appreciate it. I want to apply for citizenship so I am also willing to pay anybody in Italy/Abruzzo who would be able to find it for me.

Thanks for your help!

Raphael
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

Hello Raphael
Welcome to the Forum!
This may help to locate Annunziata Cinquina's birth record and marriage record
Valarie

1909 Ship Manifest for Annunziata Cinquina & daughter Mary Di Donato
This manifest matches most of the information on Geremio Di Donato's 1910 census

from ancestry. com

1909 Ship Manifest
http://imageshack.us/a/img39/4417/1909a.jpg
next page
http://imageshack.us/a/img155/5700/1909bf.jpg

Ship Name: Verona
Arrival Date: 14 May 1909
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Lines 10-11

Annunziato(a) Cinguina (Cinquina) 21, abt 1887
- last residence Chieti, Vasto
- leaving mother Lucia in Vasto
- destination W Hoboken (Hudson County, NJ)
- joining husband Geremio (?)ventura* at 510 Ann Street in West Hoboken, New York (NJ)
- born in Vasto, Chieti (Abruzzo)

daughter Maria 2, abt 1907
- (?)ventura* written in

*The incorrect surname for Annuziata's husband & daughter Mary comes from the person on line 9 on the manifest - the assumption must have been that they were traveling together and married

1909 Detained Page
http://imageshack.us/a/img94/7956/1909da.jpg

line 52
Annunziata Cinquina & daughter
- joining husband
- husband Geremio (no surname), at 507 Ann Street, W Hoboken, NJ
- had 2 lunches
- released at 1:55 on the 14th
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

for reference, matches 1909 manifest for Annunziata and daughter Mary

1910 census
http://imageshack.us/a/img33/2364/1910w.jpg

Home in 1910:
493 West Street, rents
West Hoboken Ward 3, Hudson, New Jersey

head Jeremi Didonato 22 IT
- married 4 yrs
- immig 1905, Al
- bricklayer
wife Nonsiata Didonato 22 IT
- 2 children
- immig 1908
daughter Mary Didonato 3 IT
daughter Annie Didonato 2/12 NJ
---

edit: added

1920 census
http://imageshack.us/a/img805/4690/1920d.jpg

Home in 1920:
Dubois Street (now 31st)
West Hoboken Ward 3, Hudson, New Jersey

Jerry Ditona 32 Emma Ditona 31 Mary Ditona 13 Anna Ditona 9 Peter Ditona 8 Lusie Ditona 5 George Ditona 2 Joseph Ditona 9/12
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

Correction: Surname VENTURA

It appears that I need to correct my assumption on Geremio's original surname, it apparently was VENTURA:
vj wrote:
... 1909 Ship Manifest

Annunziato(a) Cinguina (Cinquina) 21, abt 1887
- last residence Chieti, Vasto
- leaving mother Lucia in Vasto
- destination W Hoboken (Hudson County, NJ)
- joining husband Geremio (?)ventura* at 510 Ann Street in West Hoboken, New York (NJ)
- born in Vasto, Chieti (Abruzzo)

daughter Maria 2, abt 1907
- (?)ventura* written in
...
In June 1917 Geremio listed his surname as Ventura on his WWI Draft Registration Card

1917 WWI Draft Registration Card
http://imageshack.us/a/img27/8499/1918zv.jpg

Ventura Jeremia 29
513 Spring Street, W Hoboken, Hudson, NJ
Alien
Born 25 Jan 1887 in Vasto, Italy
Brick Layer
for Giani(?) Beroni(?) on Long Island
Supports wife and 4 children
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

Surname: VENTURA

1906 Ship Manifest
http://imageshack.us/a/img838/6766/1906e.jpg

Ship Name: Italia
Arrival Date: 5 Apr 1906
Port of Departure: Napoli
Port of Arrival: New York, New York

Geremia(o) Ventura 19, abt 1887
- married
- mason
- last residence Vasto
- joining cousin Luigi Di Sciorno(?) in NY at 137(?) Mott Street
raphaeldidonato
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by raphaeldidonato »

Valarie,

Thank you so much for all the information and all your help. This is a really incredible discovery for me - I had no idea that my great-grandfather also used the surname Ventura. Very interesting!

Do you have any suggestions on how to proceed from here? When I wrote the Comune di Vasto requesting Geremio and Annunziata's birth certificates they weren't able to find anything, but perhaps it would be found under "Ventura." But what about Annunziata? Both people's birth places are listed as "Vasto," but that could have been where they were living prior to immigration.

Again, thank you for the incredible wealth of information and your help! You and this board have been an incredible resource!
- Raphael
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

Hey Raphael!
I'm so glad we could find another possible answer for why Vasto couldn't find your records. Perhaps they could do a search for the marriage? Annunziata left her mother in Vasto in 1909, chances are that she was married there. If you know daughter Mary's birth date her birth record may also help.
I asked member Tessa78 (T) to look at this post also. 'T' suggests that if you don't have Geremio's Death Certificate, you may want to order it from NYC. If Annunziata was involved in giving the information she would have had Geremio's parents' names.
You mentioned that you have Geremio's Petition for Naturalization. Do you have his Declaration of Intention or Certificate of Arrival? If he didn't list an alias in his paperwork you may have a difficult time proving your relation for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis thru Geremio.
Valarie

Ordering NYC records
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/vi ... eath.shtml
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

just for reference

1930 census in NYC
http://imageshack.us/a/img855/359/1930x.jpg

Home in 1930:
1937 78th Street, owns $20,000, has a radio
Brooklyn, Kings, New York

head Nancy Di Donato 42, abt 1888 IT
- immig 1909, Al (Alien)(?)
son Peter Di Donato 19, abt 1911 NJ
- laborer, building construction
daughter Lucy Di Donato 15, abt 1915 NJ
son George Di Donato 11, abt 1919 NJ
son Joseph Di Donato 10, abt 1920 NJ
son John Di Donato 8, abt 1922 NJ
son Jerry Di Donato 7, abt 1923 NJ

son-in-law Joseph Suriani 31, abt 1899 IT
- immig 1920, Na (Naturalized)
- laborer, building construction
daughter Anna Suriani 20, abt 1910 NJ
grandson Joseph Suriani 1 3/12, abt 1928 NY
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Tessa78
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by Tessa78 »

Another thought... :D

While waiting to hear from the comune, you might try writing to possible relatives in VASTO

There are 2 VENTURA listings in the Italian Phone book in Vasto
http://www.paginebianche.it/page?btt=1& ... Vasto&ind=

And 45 listings for CINQUINA in Vasto
http://www.paginebianche.it/ricerca?qs= ... a&dv=Vasto

Help with letters...
http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... etter.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... #relatives

T.
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

T :D ,
Another great idea!
Thank you, Valarie
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

1940 census
http://imageshack.us/a/img98/2927/1940u.jpg

1121 NW 29th Terrace, rents
Miami, Dade, FL

head Pietro DiDonato 29, abt 1911 NJ
- residence 1935 NY
- writer novels
sister Ann (DiDonato - see 1930 census) 30, abt 1910 NJ
sister Lucille DiDonato 24, abt 1916 NJ
brother Jose DiDonato 21, abt 1919 NJ
brother John DiDonato 18, abt 1922 NJ
brother Jerry DiDonato 17, abt 1923 NJ
brother Jack (nephew-see 1930 census) 11, abt 1929 NJ (probably NY)
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Tessa78
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by Tessa78 »

Possible NYC Death record index for Annunziata?

Didonate Nunziata 45 y Jul 23 1932 15457 Kings

To request
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/vi ... eath.shtml

T.
vj
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by vj »

Great find T :D !
Valarie
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by Tessa78 »

vj wrote:Great find T :D !
Valarie
Hi Valarie :-D

Only because she didn't show up on the 1940 Census you found! :-)

That was a great find of the family in Florida!

T.
raphaeldidonato
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Re: Seeking Geremio di Donato (Abruzzo) birth certificate

Post by raphaeldidonato »

Thanks Tessa and Valarie! I have a copy of Geremio's death certificate from NYC, but I don't believe that it contains his parents' names. His son, Pietro, was an interesting character. Here is a little bit about him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Di_Donato

Thanks again! I am going to see what I can do. I am fluent in Italian, and hopefully somebody in Vasto will be able to help me locate these records.
Raphael
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