Adams, Italy?

[scurtis60]

While researching my ancestors, I came across a newspaper article with the following information.

"Michael A. Pane was born at Adams, Italy, Jan. 11, 1857."

Google maps does not recognize Adams, Italy as being a real place. I'm curious if anyone can shed some light on this. Perhaps it is a mistranslated name or a typo. I was told he was from southern Italy, but I have to concrete evidence, just word of mouth.

Thanks in advance.

[bbivona]

I don't see anything that identifies the true name of the town just from the name. (Adamo doesn't seem to work...) Doing a little searching, it looks like he arrived at Ellis Island on May 24, 1886 aboard the Plata, which sailed from Palermo. He is listed a Michelangelo Pane, age 29, and arrived with Francesco Pane, also age 29. Arriving on a ship from Palermo likely means he was Sicilian. The name appears in Sicily mainly in the provinces of Enna and Caltanissetta, and the ones in Caltanissetta are concentrated in the town of Calascibetta, which is only a mile or so into the province, across the line from the province of Enna. The name Pane appears mainly in the towns of Enna (known as Castrogiovanni in the 1800s), Leonforte, and Troina, with a few also in Calascibetta, Nicosia and Assoro, all of which are very close together in central Sicily. I would suggest doing some looking in records in those comunes. I do find the name Michelangelo Pane in Castrogiovanni/Enna, listed as the deceased husband of Maria Assennato (1848-1918). Not your guy, but the same name in the same period of time, so maybe there is a family connection there. None of that explains Adams, Italy, but I suspect this is the area he is from.

I notice in the 1900 census there is an Antonio Pane, born June 1856, living with him and listed as a boarder. He's likely a relative. You might see if you can find ancestry info on Antonio/Anthony (looks like he may have died in New York in 1917) and also might take a look at Francesco/Frank. Frank may have died in NY in 1892.

[erudita74]

There is a frazione or hamlet of the town of Decollatura in Catanzaro, Calabria called Adami, and the surname Pane exists there, even in the current Italian white pages.

Some birth records for both Decollatura and Adami at the link below, but only to 1853

http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... taurazione
/Adami/

http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... Catanzaro/

Erudita

[bbivona]

There is a frazione or hamlet of the town of Decollatura in Catanzaro, Calabria called Adami, and the surname Pane exists there, even in the current Italian white pages.

Some birth records for both Decollatura and Adami at the link below, but only to 1853

http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... taurazione
/Adami/

http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... Catanzaro/

Erudita

Good work! Makes sense. I tried Adamo since it's a pretty common Sicilian surname, but didn't think to try Adami. While most departures from Palermo were Sicilians, Palermo's about the same distance from Adami as Naples (the main southern Italy departure point), so it wouldn't be a surprise to see someone from there go to Palermo to emigrate.

[erudita74]

Just so you know, I didn't play with the spelling on this one. I actually looked at a list of frazioni, and there it was!
Erudita

[ShirleyDavis]

want a tour guide to tour on Adams Italy, anyone here?