Need help!!

[tasharena]

Hi guys. I just joined the forum today.

I really need help solving this little family mystery. You see, my father's family - on both sides - immigrated to America through Ellis Island. They all came over speaking only Italian, as well as illiterate. Someone translated my great-grandfather's surname for the steward at Ellis Island, saying that it meant "Land of the Winds," so he was given Windland, which was later misspelled as the last name I have now.

What I really want to do is to have my last name legally changed to my great-grandfather's surname, and get back what was lost as best I can. He told my father it was "Ventiterra," that's what my father remembers, and how I figured it was probably spelled. Does anyone know of this surname? Or what it might actually be? My great-grandfather was from Sicilia, if that helps.

[mfjp]

What was your great-grandfather's first name?

If you know his birth year, please mention...

mfjp

[suanj]

Hi guys. I just joined the forum today.

I really need help solving this little family mystery. You see, my father's family - on both sides - immigrated to America through Ellis Island. They all came over speaking only Italian, as well as illiterate. Someone translated my great-grandfather's surname for the steward at Ellis Island, saying that it meant "Land of the Winds," so he was given Windland, which was later misspelled as the last name I have now.

What I really want to do is to have my last name legally changed to my great-grandfather's surname, and get back what was lost as best I can. He told my father it was "Ventiterra," that's what my father remembers, and how I figured it was probably spelled. Does anyone know of this surname? Or what it might actually be? My great-grandfather was from Sicilia, if that helps.

Ventiterra non exist: this are all sicilian surnames starting with Vent(=vento=wind) http://sicilia.indettaglio.it/ita/cogno ... ent&Modo=P
about surnames starting with Terra(=land) nobody with also vento/wind
also the traslation.... you say that was correct?
suanj

[brujaojos]

Hi guys. I just joined the forum today.

I really need help solving this little family mystery. You see, my father's family - on both sides - immigrated to America through Ellis Island. They all came over speaking only Italian, as well as illiterate. Someone translated my great-grandfather's surname for the steward at Ellis Island, saying that it meant "Land of the Winds," so he was given Windland, which was later misspelled as the last name I have now.

What I really want to do is to have my last name legally changed to my great-grandfather's surname, and get back what was lost as best I can. He told my father it was "Ventiterra," that's what my father remembers, and how I figured it was probably spelled. Does anyone know of this surname? Or what it might actually be? My great-grandfather was from Sicilia, if that helps.

Hi there,

Where did your great-grandfather settle?

Do you have his naturalization papers? This could list the town depending on the year of Natualization.

Was he married in the USA? If so, do you have his marriage application? The marriage application has more information on than the marriage certificate.

Did he die after 1965 so that he could have a Social Security number? If so, then you can send for his Social Security application which could list te town of origin.

Do you know any other relatives or friends of the family that we can try to find their manifest.

Tell us all the information you have so that we can help you better.
Trish

[tasharena]

Despite the fact that everyone who might know anything is dead or intensely senile, I did a little research and got some things, but don't know what to do next.

My great-grandfather's name in America was Charlie Windland (which is what the steward gave him when someone translated his last name as "Land of Winds" or "Land of the Winds") He was born June 13th, 1892. His wife - and I don't know whether or not he married it Italy, or here in America, but I was told she spoke only Italian as well, was Ethel Windland and born on December 2nd, 1901. They settled in Missouri, south-eastern Missouri, I think, to become farmers but probably lived in St. Louis as well. That's where my family still lives. They both died in Neelyville, MO.

I have their SSNs - how would I go about getting their applications?

I looked at the list of Sicilian surnames. Venturella sounds a LOT like it, Ventiterra, but my father was adamant that the name meant "Land of the Winds" or that he came from there. But because he was told so long ago, and doesn't speak Italian himself, that maybe he's not 100% accurate with how it sounded.

[brujaojos]

Hi There,

Can you please tell me some of the children Ethel and Charlie had? Thanks.

Here is the letter you can send for Charlie SS application. However, please note that it might not list his town of birth. Its a hit or miss situation.

Trish

Date


Social Security Administration
Office of Earnings Operations
FOIA Workgroup
300 N. Greene Street
P.O. Box 33022
Baltimore, Maryland 21290

Re: Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear Freedom of Information Officer,

I am writing this request under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. Section 552. I hereby request a copy of the SS-5, Application for Social Security Card, for the following individual:

Windland, Charlie
489-40-2088
Birth: 13 Jun 1892
Death: Aug 1973

This individual is deceased, having been listed in the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. I understand the fee for this service is $27 for copy of original SS-5 application when the Social Security Number is provided. I am requesting a SS-5 copy. Included is a check for $27 made out to the Social Security Administration to cover any administrative costs required by this request.

Please respond to my request upon receipt of this initial correspondence. Thank you for your attention and assistance.

Sincerely,

Name
Address

[wldspirit]

Have you located a ship manifest?
Do you know when he naturalized?
wldspirit

[Essgee]

What is the name of your FATHER? When and where was your father born?

There is the name Ventimaglia in Missouri as well...

We need a connection we can find in the records in order to move backwards. If they arrived in the US after 1924, then the records will not be on line...Ellis Island closed in 1924. If they arrived after 1930, they are not in a census we can access.

Need to know the earliest date we might find them in the US. The census might be able to tell the year of arrival and then we can move backwards from there.

Need any brothers and sisters to your father as well as your father's name if you know them.....this will help as well.

[suanj]

Hi listers:

I think that , who inserting an topic, well this person, it will make better that inserting before all necessary infos..

I'm very tired to say always same things.. why the members inserting of topics lacking of essentials infos?

................................we do not have the magic wand....................


please to complete the topic with infos extrapolates from document that you have...
suanj

[Essgee]

This point that Suanj makes is right to the point.

Tasharena:

In finding ancestors it is no different then finding your lost keys...you start with the last think you know AS FACT and move from there. At this point in time, stories might be true, might be partially true, or they may not have any more value then "story".

Saying that, we need to know what is FACT...that you know.

Obviously, the first fact you have is the name of your father. The name of his brothers and sisters as well. You must know where and when he was born. Before we can find his parents, we must get to know him as well as he is the connector between his parents and you.

Again, once we have established where and when, then we might make a connection to other records that will allow you access to more FACTS. This is not to say what you are telling us is not important to your search...only that we have to have a bridge to get us to your information.

We who have done this for a time, know that names were not changed at Ellis Island. Sometimes they were changed on the ship so this is a possibility, but the paperwork he traveled on should probably carry the Italian spelling of his name. His wife would be listed by her maiden name. We have to get an arrival year....this will help narrow it all down.

Always, when posting, give out what you do know as fact...For example:

John Smith, died in 1940 age 65, lived in town of Whatever, in State of Grace, ect. Married to Mary and had the following children...dates of birth if you have them. This is concrete info we can work with.

Sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get a person to tell us exacly what they know. Often...when a name change has not taken place...we can find the information without the person doing this...work around it. But most of the time, we will benefit from all the FACTS that you have.

So...let us know the facts...and then we can move from there. Soon, you will be a pro like the rest of us and realize how simple the process really is once we have facts...

Have a great day.........

[suanj]

Thanks Essgee, thanks! suanj

[JamesBianco]

Apparently he went by the name "Charlie Windle" also.

Kinsey Cemetery, Butler County, MO.
Neelyville is in Butler County, MO.
WINDLE, Raymond P. 14 Feb 1924 - 17 Jun 1986 -| [Double

WINDLE, Vega E. 6 Apr 1923 -| Stone]

WINDLE, Charley 1892 - 1973 -| [Double

WINDLE, Ethel Lee 1901 - 1974 -| Stone]

WINDLE, Ray Franklin 20 May 1922 - 28 Jul 1973 MO Pfc Army WW II

1930 Census for this couple, the birth/death dates match, and so
do the children from Cemetery record above.



line 67

Maybe the wrong family, but everything matches. Strange.

Jim

[suanj]

... strange...was born in Illinois, to relatives also borns in Illinois? no was Italian?..........?suanj

[Essgee]

Great detective work! It does appear to be the right family. Nice job James! Now to see if it matches her information... This family is also in the 1920 census as well.....

[JamesBianco]

Suanj, that was what confused me. The birthdates match, the death dates match, the first names match, and the place matches. BUT...they were not of Italian descent. The cemetaries for Neelyville, MO are ONLINE, and searchable, NO Windland, only WINDLE. And to find a Charlie Windle (1892-1973) and wife Ethel (1901-1974) IN Neelyville, MO. Very coincidental. Maybe I have the wrong family, but everything fits perfectly.
Also, sometimes family myth can be wrong. No Charlie Windland in the US in 1930, but only Charlie WINDLE and in the SAME place she said her great grandfather died.