Michelina Vitale, 4 Oct 1887, Caserta (birth record)

[brimlar]

Hello, my apologies in advance if this is not the best place to post this request. I was led here by some recommendations I read on Reddit.

I have been personally gathering documents to pursue dual citizenship via my great-grandparents. I have found my great-grandfather's birth record, but have been unable to find my great-grandmother, Michelina Vitale. Her birthdate in my great-grandfather's Declaration of Naturalization in the US is listed as October 4, 1887 in Caserta.

She and her family came to the US in 1900 and she married Joseph (Giuseppe) Ricci in Manhattan in November 21, 1907.

Her ship records and census data show her father's name as Felice Vitale and the mother as possibly Maria Antonia Napolitano. I have audio of someone speaking about her and possibly referring to her as "Maddalena / Milena" but this could just be a nickname.

I have looked online at familysearch.org and ancestry.com, and engaged with one quick online researcher and none of us have been able to find the record thus far. (Though, it must be said that I have not unlocked all of the features at ancestry.com.)

[alicez]

Hello brimlar,

Giuseppe and Michelina's marriage record supports her parents' names being Felice Vitale and Maria Antonia Napolitano.

I found two ship manifests for this family -- this one, which says they were from Caserta (ship name Statendam), and this one, which appears to say they were from Cimitile (ship name Georgia). The family was struck from the Georgia's manifest list, but a day later, they were listed on the Statendam's.

Cimitile is very close to the Province of Caserta's southeastern border, which would account for the discrepancy in their last known residence. There was a Felice Vitale born in Cimitile on 15 November 1846 to Gioacchino and Caterina Napolitano (here on page 97). There was also a Maria Antonia Napolitano born in the same town on 5 February 1849 to Luciano Napolitano and Caterina di Martino (here, page 21). These could possibly be the birth records for Michelina's parents.

Post-1865 records aren't available online for Cimitile, but you can e-mail them at statocivile(at)comune.cimitile.na.it and ask them to search for Michelina's birth record.

Hope this helped!

[suanj]

Hi, by my search, it is true that Caserta was mentioned on the ship's manifest https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/sh ... cGciOw==/1 and the family joining to Gioacchino son in New York, as a well Caserta is mentioned on the Giuseppe Ricci naturalization papers. Felice died very soon after the arrival

Name Felice Vitale
Sex Female
Age 55
Burial Date 15 Nov 1901
Birth Year (Estimated) 1846
Birthplace Italy
Marital Status Married
Occupation laborer
Race White
Father's Name Gioacchino
Father's Sex Male
Father's Birthplace Italy
Mother's Name Angella M
Mother's Sex Female
Mother's Birthplace Italy
Event Type Death
Event Date 13 Nov 1901
Event Place Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Event Place (Original) Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
Certificate Number cn 33930
Note Foot of West 96 St

well Felice was born in Cimitile, Napoli, IT. Cimitile previously pertaining Caserta province.
Birth record of Felice:

Born on 16 Dec 1846 in Cimitile son of Gioacchino Vitale 31 old and of Catarina Napoletano 33 old
pag 1 https://antenati.cultura.gov.it/ark:/12 ... 08/LqMDjqL

pag 2 https://antenati.cultura.gov.it/ark:/12 ... 08/LPkVv1w

abt the birth record of Felice, I am pretty sure that is right.
And I believe all family coming from Cimitile. Here the trip back from Italy of Michelina( Michela): Gioacchino Vitale, coming from Cimitile:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... 3A24V8-MWJ
Gioacchino made more trip and always the birthplace is Cimitile.
But the Cimitile civil records on line arriving until 1865, so need to write in Cimitile civil records office if you need of her birth certificate helpful for dual citizenship.
best regards,
suanj

[brimlar]

Hi suanj -- firstly, thank you very much for looking and responding, I very much appreciate it.

I had found a birth record for a Felice Andrea Vitale in Grottaminarda on 30 November 1846 in my earlier research, and so I have a little uncertainty regarding that item: https://antenati.cultura.gov.it/ark:/12 ... 47/wXZgP8Z

Nonetheless, the idea of writing to Cimitile based upon it previously being part of Caserta and the records you've found for Gioacchino, inquiring for the record of Michelina Vitale, is a good idea.

[suanj]

No Grottaminarda, this is no your ancestor, .. it s wrong record. Felice (no Felice Andrea) was the son f gioacchino and his birthplace was Cimitile.

[mmogno]

Vitale family from Cimitile at lines 11-15. Michelina at #15
https://assets-heritage.statueofliberty ... 160057.jpg

[brimlar]

There was also a Maria Antonia Napolitano born in the same town on 5 February 1849 to Luciano Napolitano and Caterina di Martino (here, page 21).

Hi alicez, I just have a question: the US Census document for Maria Antonia Napolitano and Felice Vitale in 1900 says her birthday is in January, 1849. How likely is it that this birth record on the 5th could be hers?

Ancestry link to 1900 Census: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/co ... d=55930722