St. Francis Orphanage; New Haven CT; help finding orphans

[Gallo1975]

I have a gg uncle names Dominico GALLO B: 23 Jun 1887 and D: Jun 07 1957 whose parents were Maria CUTARELLI and Michele GALLO.

He had a first wife named Tommasina VERONICA, B: 1893. We belive Tomassina died in 1919 after the birth of their last child.

Dominico unfortunatley had to place his children in the St. Francis Orphanage because he was unable to care for them on his own. Although he eventually got remarried we do not belive he went back to claim them.

Does anyone have any idea how to research children such as this? Obviously the would have had their last names changed when they were adopted, so I belive I'd have to start with finding their admission records. How does one start that process? Is it possible that if the children stayed there until they were classified as adults that they took the name of the orphanage as their own, i.e., having a surname as Francis?

What I know about this orphanage is this:

St Francis Orphanage also known as the St Francis Orphan Asylum, began in 1852 and was built on land that was donated by Eli Whiney, Jr. It was
granted its charter in 1865. Some buildings that stand near where the
orphanage was/are: the Richard Everit House and the Eli Whitney Jr Estate.

According to a map of New Haven dated 1911, the orphanage stood at the end of St. Ronan Street and was later flanked by St Francis Ave, Whitney Ave, Suburban St, and Huntington St. Suburban St is no longer there. The orphanage was located on the present day soccer fiends of the Foote School.

In 1962, it was reclassfied as a psycological treatment facility for boys
aged 9-15 (I think). Only part of the building still stands, and there are
apparently lots of stairs "to nowhere" and a stone wall/fence that once
encompassed the orphanage.

Thanks!

-Rebecca

[jcsm400]

Hi Rebecca,

Is this the correct family? If not, please provide his children's names & birth years.

1920 United States Federal Census
about Dominick Gallo
Name: Dominick Gallo
Home in 1920: Shelton, Fairfield, Connecticut
Age: 33 years
Estimated birth year: abt 1887
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Tombania
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1911
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 426
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Dominick Gallo 33
Tombania Gallo 27
Mike Gallo 6 2/12
Joseph Gallo 4 9/12
Frank Gallo 2 2/12
Ida Gallo 1 3/12
Patz Y Gallo 9/12
Parifier Gelcomina 34


jcsm

[jcsm400]

Same family, new wife in 1930?

1930 United States Federal Census
about Dominic Gallo
Name: Dominic Gallo
Home in 1930: Derby, New Haven, Connecticut
Age: 43
Estimated birth year: abt 1887
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Ida
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military Service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Dominic Gallo 43
Ida Gallo 33
Michael Gallo 16
Joseph Gallo 15
Frank Gallo 14
Ida Gallo 13
Pasquale Gallo 11
Angelina Gallo 10
Rose Gallo 9
Leona Gallo 5
Dominic Gallo 1
Patrick Gallo 12

Added
Note; Last five children are listed as stepchildren.


jcsm

[Poipuo4]

Did you see this thread off of ancestry.com's orphan's board:

Surnames:
St Francis Orphanage - New Haven CT was organizd in 1865 under the management of the Catholic Church. It's name was changed to Highland Heights and remains open today. Located on Highland Street, New Haven, CT
Re: St Francis Orphanage - New Haven CT
betty mclaugh... (View posts) Posted: 27 Feb 2005 2:11AM GMT

Classification: Query
Surnames: Facciuto, Faccinto, Colangelo
My father and his brother and sister were at highland heights in 1915 when their mother died in stamford. ct. They were William paul fFacciuto, a priest. at st ann's church hamden, CT. until he retired. my dad anthony joseph facciuto, and rosa Faccinto. If you will notice Rosa Faccinto , the last name was spelt with the N instead of the U that is how i found my fathers relatives in 2003. Their father tried to go back to Forenza Italy after his wife died Filomena Colangelo buried in st. johns catholic cemetery darien, CT. I found her grave and she is buried with the maiden name of Filomena Colangelo. I met many cousins last year and I am the only child of anthony Facciuto and look like his mother.
Now you say the building for the orphanage is still there but on another site , it says the building was delmolished but the gateposts are still there and the cornerstone. I will be back in CT. this year to see more relatives. This has been an exciting journey for someone who just found family at age 61. thank you for letting me share betty Facciuto McLaughlin originally of Hamden, CT. now living in MI.
Reply Report Abuse Print
Re: St Francis Orphanage - New Haven CT
baldona (View posts) Posted: 10 Jan 2006 6:49AM GMT

Classification: Query
Surnames:
I was in St. Francis (Highland Heights) orphanage in 1943 to 1945. I am 64 and am only now beginning to connect with my early life. I have some memories but I'd like to see the place, even though I hear it has been moved. But I'd still like to see the old grounds. I hope there is someone who was there and remembers so we can share memories. My sisters Nancy and Patti were there too. Bonnie
Reply Report Abuse Print
Re: St Francis Orphanage - New Haven CT
Carole Johnso... (View posts) Posted: 4 Jul 2006 10:19PM GMT

Classification: Query
Surnames:
For some reason I decided to FIND Highland Heights..St. Francis Orphanage today and discovered others looking for info.

I was in Highland Heights and would be happy to talk with anyone interested in any type of exchange.

Carole Johnson
overview24-7@sbcglobal.net
Reply Report Abuse Print
Re: St Francis Orphanage - New Haven CT
Carole Johnso... (View posts) Posted: 4 Jul 2006 10:22PM GMT

Classification: Query
Surnames:
I was in St. Francis orphanage around 1947 through 1948 or so. Feel free to write me..Carole Johnson overview24-7@sbcglobal.net

Put orphanage in the subject line so I dont delete it please.
Reply Report Abuse Print
Re: St Francis Orphanage - New Haven CT
Carole Johnso... (View posts) Posted: 4 Jul 2006 10:27PM GMT

Classification: Query
Surnames:
Bonnie...YES, I was there....please write me. I didn't remember it until I was a teenager ..having repressed the entire experience, also having repressed two foster homes, however I remember a LOT now. I also went down there around 1960 or so and found that they still had old records and photos...Carole.......overview24-7@sbcglobal.net

[Poipuo4]

I have two more suggestions: call St. Francis Home for Children on Prospect St. in New Haven, 203-777-5513. Perhaps they are related to the old institution and have archives or go to www.ct.gov. Go to the dept. of children and family services and see if they have any archival information or court records about the placement of the children in the home.

[john_dominic]

One thing in regards to archives - getting access to them depends completely on the state.

I am descended through an orphan and it has been HELL trying to find her parents. While the records do exist and the keepers of those records have are clearly sure they are in their hands - in Illinois, the adoption records are SEALED FOR ALL TIME, once the adopted child and their parents die.

I would have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a lawyer to challenge the Illinois legislature to overturn the law (i've spoken to them), so i've been finding alterior methods of determining parents.

[suanj]

I have a gg uncle names Dominico GALLO B: 23 Jun 1887 and D: Jun 07 1957 whose parents were Maria CUTARELLI and Michele GALLO.

He had a first wife named Tommasina VERONICA, B: 1893. We belive Tomassina died in 1919 after the birth of their last child.

Dominico unfortunatley had to place his children in the St. Francis Orphanage because he was unable to care for them on his own. Although he eventually got remarried we do not belive he went back to claim them.

Does anyone have any idea how to research children such as this? Obviously the would have had their last names changed when they were adopted, so I belive I'd have to start with finding their admission records. How does one start that process? Is it possible that if the children stayed there until they were classified as adults that they took the name of the orphanage as their own, i.e., having a surname as Francis?

What I know about this orphanage is this:

St Francis Orphanage also known as the St Francis Orphan Asylum, began in 1852 and was built on land that was donated by Eli Whiney, Jr. It was
granted its charter in 1865. Some buildings that stand near where the
orphanage was/are: the Richard Everit House and the Eli Whitney Jr Estate.

According to a map of New Haven dated 1911, the orphanage stood at the end of St. Ronan Street and was later flanked by St Francis Ave, Whitney Ave, Suburban St, and Huntington St. Suburban St is no longer there. The orphanage was located on the present day soccer fiends of the Foote School.

In 1962, it was reclassfied as a psycological treatment facility for boys
aged 9-15 (I think). Only part of the building still stands, and there are
apparently lots of stairs "to nowhere" and a stone wall/fence that once
encompassed the orphanage.

Thanks!

-Rebecca

Hi Rebecca... if the censuses found from jcsm are the right censuses, tommasina born after 1920, because she listed in 1920 census, and in 1930 the children are in the family... what you can say us? suanj

[Gallo1975]

Well.

According to the 2 census reports I will have to conclude that this is the same family. Yes Dominic DID get married again to a woman named Edith..everyone called her Ida.

I will also conclude that in the first census Parifier Gelcomina was most likely a boarder of some sorts. And that the child named-most likely a nickname- Patz Y was Pasquale.

However, in the second census, can you conclude that Patrick and Pasquale are the same person that was counted twice by accident??? Their ages are so close! Or can we conclude he himself was an orphan and was taken in by the family seeing he is listed last and out of chronological order

What else I can conclude from this was that the children must have been only tempoarily placed in the prphanage and then reclaimed after he was remarried-especially since you say there were listed as "step-children".

Holy mackrel!! If what we can conclude is correct, this opens up an entire NEW branch of my tree of 4 relatives we thought to be long lost to antiquity and the orphanage system.

Now.. question: What doe the numbers signify after the names of the children??
Mike Gallo 6 2/12
Joseph Gallo 4 9/12
Frank Gallo 2 2/12
Ida Gallo 1 3/12
Patz Y Gallo 9/12
Let's use the first child, Mike, as an example; I assume the first number, ie, Mike Gallo 6, is his age at the time of the census b/c the next one 10 yrs later he is listed as 16 yrs old..the next set of numbers, 2/12 are the ones I am confused about. Those can't be DOB..I mean.. if they were they are all the same date, which is immpossible. Nor can they be dates of Naturalization seeing all the children were born Stateside.

Thank you so very much!!!

-Rebecca

[suanj]

for to reply very well your question I hope that jcsm can to provide the census's image, so we can to read... the number in the ages it means: the years of age and the months for exemple: Patz Y Gallo 9/12 is 9 months old( 9 months of 12 months that is a year)... regards, suanj

[Gallo1975]

oo very interesting with the months and years of the children.. now if we can find what month the census was taken in then logically we can figure out what months the children were born in.

[jcsm400]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay....Here are the links for the census records.

1920 (taken Jan. 13)

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/636/gallo1820xk8.jpg


1930 (taken April 9)

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/4618 ... 930cf1.jpg

Hope this helps.

jcsm

[Gallo1975]

So I emailed DCF of CT and this was their response:

Rebecca,

You might try the record department @ St. Francis Home
for Children, 651 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, (203) 777-5513.
It's doubtful that the records still exist due to the document's age the
fact that many records weren't preserved from that far back, but give it
a try. As far as DCF foster care records (again provided they still
exist) due to confidentiality laws, records cannot be released without
the written consent of the person or the person's legal representative.
If the person is still living, you should send a written and notarized
consent from him/her. If the person is deceased, you should send proof
that you are the legal representative of his/her estate. Good luck.

Good to know. I'm filing that info away fro possible future use.

[Darlene Dioguardi]

I am looking for any info on Clara Defelice, born 1904. her brothers John and Joe Defelice.?
I believe they were all at St. Frances/Highland Heights. They had sisters Mary and Dolly Defelice. I have a photo of Clara Defelice that I think was taken at the orphanage, she looks about 5 or 6, and so very sad. . She was my Grandmother, and told me the most fascinating stories about the "home". I would be happy to share. I hope to add her information and photo to the Highland Heights web site, New Haven CT.
I am also reading a book called Surviving Highland Heights by George Roberts. (Wow) I must tell you....so many of his stories are similar to what my Gram has told me. (Find it on line at Barns and Noble).
Talk about life coming full circle....
It's surreal to be helping the Sisters of Mercy with a few projects this year. I am happy to report they have not given me any lashings, or forced me to wear shoes so tight I blistered or so large that they fell off in the snow. lOL, these are not your Grandmother's Sister's of Mercy! Believe me...If they were I would not be alive! I'm sure Gram Clara would be delighted to hear that it is me giving them grief this time around!

Respectfully,
Darlene Dioguardi .... Always looking for Vassallo, LaPia, Bracnaro, Defelice, Carbone, Julian. Biaggio Locations :New Haven, East Haven, West Haven,Bridgeport, Derby, Shelton, CT, Jamaica Queens NY, and NJ. Also Paris for DeFelice, (Joe and Juliette Defelice Paris) had several children.

[marusa]

Hi, I found a listing in the Connecticut State Library in Hartford for the New Haven State Orphanage where my mother was in from about 1920 to 1928 or so. All the documentation is there now. I would suggest you go to:
http://catalogue.nli.ie/Ask_a_Librarian/Home# which is the Ask A Librarian page. I tried using their search to find St. Francis Orphanage and got nowhere.
At least this search would be free. Good luck.
Mary Ann (family from Trapani, Sicily)