Trying to make the leap to Italy for my Sodini ancestors

[Huntress]

Hello

I have completed all the research I can here in the United States, and am now wanting to make the leap to Italy. I think I should start by confirming some data I have concerning relatives that have not come to America, those being referenced here in US documents.

My Great Grandfather Silvio Sodini came to the United States when he was 16 yrs old on 06 May 1901. He appears to have traveled by himself, and listed his uncle Angelo Sodini as the relative he will be staying with. From this I assume Angelo to be Silvio's father's brother.

Side note: It appears an unknown cousin of mine has been here researching Angelo, please see these forum threads:

• http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/topic10530.html
  http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/topic10128.html

Also listed on the ship manifest was a last residence of Boggeano or Boggrano. I understand him to be from San Gennaro in Lucca, Tuscana.

I know Angelo's parents to be Olivo Sodini and Zita Bertini. One can speculate these are Silvio's grandparents, of course Zita could be a different mother than Silvio's father.

On 3 apr 1903 Silvio's older brother, Florindo Sodini, comes to the US. I don't have it on the computer I am using now to confirm, but Florindo's death certificate lists his parents as a Giuseppe Sodini and Leonilda Pucci.

Florindo is traveling with a Giuseppe Sodini who must be a cousin. From further research Guiseppe's father is Eduardo Sodini. I suspect that maybe Eduardo might be the brother of Silvio and Florindo.

There are two other brothers I believe to be the brothers of Silvio and Florindo. They are Eugenio and Alibrando Sodini. They might also be the brothers of Guiseppe.

There are wives I am not mentioning of these men, but that can wait for a later time.

All of the above men are from Lucca. I know that Angelo, Silvio and Florino are from San Gennaro in Lucca.

Can anyone help me with what next steps I should take or help me research the Italian records for these men?

Here are their names and the birth dates I have for each (using code to preserve spacing):

Code: Select all

Name             Birth               Father                Mother
Olivo Sodini
Giuseppe Sodini                            Olivo Sodini          Zita Bertini 
Eduardo Sodini                             Olivo Sodini*         Zita Bertini*
Florindo Sodini        14 Oct 1875         Guiseppe Sodini       Leonilda Pucci
Eugenio Sodini         21 May 1877         Guiseppe Sodini*      Leonilda Pucci*
Alibrando Sodini       27 Dec 1879         Guiseppe Sodini*      Leonilda Pucci*  
Silvio Sodini          23 Sep 1884         Guiseppe Sodini       Leonilda Pucci
Giuseppe Sodini         9 Feb 1884         Eduardo Sodini        Theresa

* = Unproven but suspected

So there we have it. I want to confirm these things before planning a trip to Italy. I want my time there to be about connecting with relatives, not proving I have them

Thank you!
Diana

[Huntress]

I see I omitted a word in one place...

This:

Florindo is traveling with a Giuseppe Sodini who must be a cousin. From further research Guiseppe's father is Eduardo Sodini. I suspect that maybe Eduardo might be the brother of Silvio and Florindo.

Should read as:

Florindo is traveling with a Giuseppe Sodini who must be a cousin. From further research Guiseppe's father is Eduardo Sodini. I suspect that maybe Eduardo might be the brother of Silvio and Florindo's father.

[Huntress]

Forgive me, but maybe my post was too general, too much information.

I know I have to get birth certificates.

Updated list:

Code: Select all

Name	                Birth           Father             Mother
Olivo Sodini
Zita Bertini
Guiseppe Sodini                         Olivo Sodini*      Zita Bertini*
Leonilda Pucci
Eduardo Sodini                          Olivo Sodini*      Zita Bertini*
Angelo Sodini           15 Apr 1864     Olivo Sodini       Zita Bertini
Florindo Sodini         14 Oct 1875     Giuseppe Sodini    Leonilda Pucci
Eugenio Sodini          21 May 1877     Giuseppe Sodini*   Leonilda Pucci*
Alibrando Sodini        27 Dec 1879     Giuseppe Sodini*   Leonilda Pucci*  
Silvio Sodini           23 Sep 1884     Giuseppe Sodini    Leonilda Pucci
Giuseppe Sodini          9 Feb 1884     Eduardo Sodini     Theresa

Specific questions:

1. Can I ask for 11 in one request?
2. Can I make requests for those I do not have a birth date?
3. Where do I write to?
4. I understand there are Italian language forms I can fill out?
5. Anything I am not considering?

Thank you!
Diana

[Huntress]

I think this information helpful, from one of the threads a cousin of mine posted back in 2008. Is this information still accurate?

From thread:
http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/t ... tml#p72295

you must write in Capannori, saying that your ancestor was born in "frazione di San Gennaro"

to:
info @ comune.capannori.lu.it ( No Spaces)
or to major:

sindaco @ comune.capannori.lu.it ( No spaces)

or
Ufficio di Stato Civile
Via Piaggia Carlo, 1
55012 Capannori (LU)
Italy


here the helpful form letters for civil records request in Italy:
http://www.circolocalabrese.org/resourc ... /index.asp
regards, suanj

[vj]

Diana,
Congratulations on your research.
Yes, suanj's information about where/how to write for records is correct, suanj has included a link to Italian form letters on the post that you linked above.
You may want to start with a request for only the most important record(s)
Another option is to also research your family's records yourself since they are available
Finally, please excuse the length of this response
Valarie

Your nearest Family History Center has civil records for San Gennaro (Capannori, Lucca) from 1866-1935 on microfilm that you can order.
The cost is about $6 mo (rent), you’ll need to go to the center to order & view them.

Family History Library Catalog:
https://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlc/

Film notes for San Gennaro (Capannori, Lucca):
https://familysearch.org/eng/library/fh ... umns=*,0,0

Title:
Registri dello stato civile di Capannori (Lucca), 1866-1935
Authors:
Capannori (Lucca). Ufficio dello stato civile (Main Author)
Notes:
- Births, marriage banns, marriages, deaths, ten year indexes, supplemental records.
- Includes the separate offices in the hamlets of San Colombano, Tofori, Colle di Compito, Carraia, Porcari (Porcari was a hamlet until 1913), and in 1929, Marlia, Segromigno, and San Gennaro.
- After 1851 the province of Lucca was considered a part of the region of Toscana. Regional civil registration, housed in Firenze, begins for Capannori in 1852 and includes the years 1852-1865. For film numbers see: Toscana (Italia : Regione). Ufficio dello stato civile / Estratti dei registri dello stato civile, 1745-1865.
---

And, just in case you aren’t familiar with the Family History Center & Italian records

FamilySearch Centers Home Page
Includes how to find your nearest local Family History Center
https://www.familysearch.org/locations
---

about Italian Records Extraction:
http://www.italygen.info/2010/09/italia ... ction.html
---

And if you're interested, here are three terrific books:

Italian Genealogical Records
How to Use Italian Civil, Ecclesiastical, &
Other Records in Family History Research
By Tafford R Cole
google book link:
http://books.google.com/books?id=i_qgMM ... le&f=false

A Genealogist’s Guide to
Discovering Your Italian Ancestors
How to find and record your unique heritage
By Lynn Nelson
google book link (information only):
http://books.google.com/books?id=KMELAA ... CE8Q6AEwAQ

Finding Italian Roots
By John Philip Colletta, PhD
google book link:
http://books.google.com/books?id=HAuKMV ... ts&f=false

[Italysearcher]

Town offices are busy places. Too many requests together will most certainly get ignored. If you can do the search yourself, you should. As you become more familiar with the records you will learn a lot about your ancestors and finding a record with their signature can be very emotional.

[vj]

Ann ,
Thank you so much for clarifying the issue!
I was trying to find a way to say what you have expressed so well.
Valarie

[Huntress]

Valarie and Ann,

Thank you so very much... I didn't realize that records were available thru the FamilySearch Centers. I will do this! I won't be able to do this until September when my current work contract ends, but I will as I will want to pour thru them for any Sodini records, as I've been also researching all Sodinis that have come to the US, as my grandfather told me all Sodinis are related.

finding a record with their signature can be very emotional

Ann, this I have experienced a few times already, and you are right. Somehow it makes you VERY connected, and you feel like you know them. Finding one of my Great Great Great Grandfather's signature on the deeds of land he purchased and / or sold here in the US in 1856 was EXTREMELY emotional, and another Great Great Great Grandfather's signature on a will, a few months before his death, while he was extremely ill, and seeing how shaky his signature was... also emotional <3

When I do finish this (are we ever really finished?) I will come back and let you know what I've found in those records, and what my next steps will be.

Thank you again!
Diana

[vj]

Diana
Thank you for your note
We're looking forward to hearing about what you find!
Valarie