clarification of father"s immigration

Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
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gram1221
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clarification of father"s immigration

Post by gram1221 »

I have a copy of my father's (Oto Maraia) passport with two dates on it --- one is 1912 and the other 1914. Passport was issued in Italy so the months are in italian but I think they are sept, oct, nov. or dec,. as they end in bre. When I search the records for immigration at Ellis Island.Org they show me an Oto Maraia from Avellino coming in on 6/13/1913. I don't think this could be my father because of the date. Also, growing up, I was told he came into Boston but I can't seem to find anything there. I am going to give Ancestry.com another try to see if I can see when he left Italy as I am pretty sure he left from the port of Naples as family members who came in after him in 1921 left from Naples.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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TerraLavoro
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by TerraLavoro »

The passport copies that I have regarding voyages around that frame always say "valido per un anno", so I assume that your Father's passport would also have been valid for one year. Hope that helps.
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Tessa78
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by Tessa78 »

Can you post the passport image?

Try using an imagesharing site such as http://www.postimage.org
Then copy and paste the URL for Thumbnails for Forum 1

For reference purposes... is this the manifest you refer to?

Oto Maraia
New York, Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island)
Given Name: Oto
Surname: Maraia
Last Place of Residence: Ariano, Italy
Event Date: 13 Jun 1913
Age: 23y
Nationality: Italy Italian South
Departure Port: Naples
Arrival Port: New York
Gender: Male
Marital Status: S
Ship Name: Mendoza

Why do you believe this is NOT the correct arrival manifest?
It falls in the dates you describe for the passport.

EDIT TO ADD:
I see that you signed your post "CIANI"
Have you seen this manifest from 1915 to Boston?
Arriving was Carmina Maraia, age 18, from Taurasi, Avellino. Leaving behind her mother Giovanna Ciani in Taurasi. Going to friend Nicola Sacco at Jackson Ave., Boston

Here is the link at Ancestry (line 12)
http://interactive.ancestry.com/8745/MA ... 3_231-0758
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gram1221
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by gram1221 »

Answer to first question --- yes that is the manifest but age is incorrect. He was born in 1894 and he would have been 18 or 19 years old as we were always told. Information on the passenger list for"relatives or friend from whence you came" shows Father (name ineligible) but it is definitely NOT Mateo which was his fathers name. Also that IS my aunt coming into Boston in 1915 and we were always told that she came in first for an "arranged" marriage to Nicholas Sacco. I also found my grandmother Giovanna Ciani arriving in 1921 in Boston with my aunt RoasariMaraia and my three cousins. I am curious as to why my grandmother uses her maiden name (ciani) and not her marriage name (Maraia) and my aunt Rosario was a widow (her children's last name is Salvato) came in with her maiden name (Maraia) I would love to be able to send you a copy of my father''s passport but I am not computer savvy and although you tell me how to do it ----I don't think I can do it.
Is there way to check on Departures from Naples around those dates for sailing to America? I do see
Boston, Mass.on his passport for destination although it is in italian so only I can only decipher Boston,Mass
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
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Tessa78
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by Tessa78 »

The father's name written on the manifest is Lorenzo, definitely not Matteo.

Oto's birthdate should be written on the passport.

Italian women keep their maiden name and would have traveled under that name with her children identified by their father's surname.

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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by TerraLavoro »

I have seen the individual's age on those old passports, but not dates of birth. Tessa's advice is good here of course, just clarifying a bit.

Maybe someone else knows when Italian passports began to include date of birth, rather than simply the person's age?
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Tessa78
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by Tessa78 »

TerraLavoro wrote:I have seen the individual's age on those old passports, but not dates of birth. Tessa's advice is good here of course, just clarifying a bit.

Maybe someone else knows when Italian passports began to include date of birth, rather than simply the person's age?
Here is an image of a 1901 passport with the date of birth indicated :-)
http://www.terzaclasse.it/documenti/doc027.htm

And a later one...
http://www.terzaclasse.it/documenti/doc010.htm

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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by TerraLavoro »

I guess ask and ye shall receive! Thank you Tessa. :wink:
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by Tessa78 »

TerraLavoro wrote:I guess ask and ye shall receive! Thank you Tessa. :wink:
Prego! :wink:

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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by TerraLavoro »

So my guess is that the form of the passports changed in 1901, as the one that I have (my GGf's) which lists age not date of birth is dated 1900. I also have one from 1894 in the same format. (Age only as well).
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by Tessa78 »

TerraLavoro wrote:So my guess is that the form of the passports changed in 1901, as the one that I have (my GGf's) which lists age not date of birth is dated 1900. I also have one from 1894 in the same format. (Age only as well).
Makes sense :-)

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gram1221
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by gram1221 »

Passport shows Jan.15 1894 which is correct and would make him 18 or 19 in 1913 which the manifests shows for arrival BUT. the manifest shows age to be 23. His father's name --Lorenzo. Should be Mateo Destination.--Brooklyn when his passport shows Boston. This is why I don't think this is him -----although I cannot bring up another Oto Maraia.
As a side note----he uses the name Autino Oto Maraia for everything once he arrives in America. A copy of his Birth certificate obtained by my brother directly from (I guess a town hall???) in Avellino,Italy shows his name to be Oto. I'm told that Autino was like a nickname that he grew up with. But his passport shows Oto. So Oto is what I have been searching. He enlisted in the army in 1918 under Autino and his naturalization papers also show

I really appreciate all your input.
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Re: clarification of father"s immigration

Post by Tessa78 »

gram1221 wrote:Passport shows Jan.15 1894 which is correct and would make him 18 or 19 in 1913 which the manifests shows for arrival BUT. the manifest shows age to be 23. His father's name --Lorenzo. Should be Mateo Destination.--Brooklyn when his passport shows Boston. This is why I don't think this is him -----although I cannot bring up another Oto Maraia.
As a side note----he uses the name Autino Oto Maraia for everything once he arrives in America. A copy of his Birth certificate obtained by my brother directly from (I guess a town hall???) in Avellino,Italy shows his name to be Oto. I'm told that Autino was like a nickname that he grew up with. But his passport shows Oto. So Oto is what I have been searching. He enlisted in the army in 1918 under Autino and his naturalization papers also show

I really appreciate all your input.
Ciani
\

I suspect you have seen this Petition for Naturalization...
Filed in 1918 in Jacksonville, Florida while at Camp Joseph E Johnston, residing at "Receiving, Co. 6"
He gives his date of birth as 23 January 1894 (close to what you posted)
MOST importantly, there is a Certificate of Naturalization # at the bottom of the second page.
Using that number, you MIGHT be able to locate naturalization file at NARA, which would usually hold a "Certificate of Arrival." This was issued after the 1st papers when they searched for his arrival manifest to verify that he came into the country legally. Of course, since he had joined the Army, that may have been waived.

Just a thought...

Here is the link on Ancestry to the Petition. Check page two.
http://interactive.ancestry.com/1554/31 ... turnRecord
Page 2 (the left side of image)
http://interactive.ancestry.com/1554/31 ... 5599-00369

T.
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