The Cera's of Castel di Ieri and Pratola Peligna

[theceras]

I am looking to get more information on my Family, can anyone help?

[vj]

The Cera's of Castel di Ieri and Pratola Peligna
I am looking to get more information on my Family,
can anyone help?

Welcome to the forum!
We'd be happy to see what we can do to help.
We need a bit more information though...

- Names, approx birth dates
- Did your family come to the US
- If so, where did they settle
- What records (if any, do you already have)
- Are you looking for US or Italian records, or both

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

[theceras]

OK...

Here is what I think I know... so don't laugh!

My Grand Fathers Name is Palmerino Cera
My Fathers Name is Frank Vincent Cera
They came to america in the 1930's from Castel di Ieri or Pratola Peligna.
I know my Great Grandfather has a home in Castel di Ieri, which is still there. I have been to it and was welcomed inside by the current occupant who knew my great grandfather and my grandfather.

I am hoping to find the Italian family records, I have an uncle in Pratola Peligna by the name of Emilio Pizzoferrato.

is this enough Information?

[misbris]

I think this may be your grandfather's manifest.

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup ... &line=0002
pg 2
http://www.ellisisland.org/search/shipM ... 0810%2ETIF

I don't know if you had this info before, but the record contains a lot of interesting information.

[vj]

Palmerino Cera

That may be enough information to lead us to
his US records.
The more 'facts' we can gather on your family, the
better chance you'll have for locating the correct
family records in Italy.

If your grandfather was born abt 1892, there may be
quite a few manifests for him from 1909 thru 1935
(including the one misbris found)
This one shows his naturalization information
Does this look correct?
For Italian records you’ll need a pretty close birth date…

click here 1935 manifest

28 Mar 1935, SS Rex, Naples to NY
US Citizens
Line 30
Palmerino Cera 43 (abt 1892)
- married
- naturalized 26 Apr 1933 in New Britain, CT
- address in US 5 Chapman St, New Britain

Good search engine for Ellis Island from 1892-1924
One Step Gold Form

[vj]

Palmerino Cera

Possible?

1942 WWII Draft Registration Card
page 2
Palmerino Cera 50
27 Springdale Ave
Meriden, New Haven, CT
Born 10 Apr 1892 in Pratola Peligna
Person who will always know address:
Maria Grazia Cera, at the same address

[misbris]

Wife might be Grazietta or Maria Grazia re manifest, but I haven't located a maiden name yet.

[vj]

Palmerino Cera

Wife & children?

1937 manifest
page 2

24 Jun 1937, SS Rex, Naples to NY
Lines 8-10
- born in Pratola Peligna
- last residence Pratola Peligna
- in Pratola Peligna, sister/aunt Maria Carmina
- destination Meriden, CT
- joining husband/father Palmerino Cera at 43 West St
Maria Grazia Mastrangioli (Cera) 47 (abt 1890)
Concetta Cera 12 (abt 1925)
Franco. Cera 7 (abt 1930)

[vj]

Hey Mary Jo !

It's tough searching after 1924, except for ancestry.com ...

Palmerino must have been in the US long
enough before 1933 to qualify for citizenship?

Can't find any films at the LDS site after 1865 for
Pratola Peligna...

Valarie

[misbris]

1921 manifest says he was in US previously for 3 1/2 years. But I can't tell if it was from '08 to '11 or if he came on 08/11.

[Biff83]

1909 manifest for Palmerino Cera, line 17 page 1
Page 2

Name: Palmerino Cera
Arrival Date: 24 Nov 1909
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Port of Departure: Napoli
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (South) (Italian)
Ship Name: Duca D Aosta
Birth Location: Aquila
Birth Location Other: Pratola pa
Nearest relative in Italy, father Loreto?
Joining brother Santo at Wellsport/Wellsville NY

Biff

[Biff83]

1925 manifest, line 7, page 1
Page 2

Name: Palmerino Cera
Arrival Date: 16 Jan 1926
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (South) (Italian)
Ship Name: Conte Biancamano
Birth Location: Italy
Birth Location Other: Pratola Peligna
Destination 5 Chapman St, New Britain CT
Travelling with line 8

Biff

[misbris]

Hey Biff,

He really travelled back and forth a lot. I wonder if they had a a farm or a business in Italy?

[vj]

Palmerino Cera

Summary of Mary Jo’s & Biff’s manifest clues:

Nov 1909
18 yrs old (abt 1891)
Single
Father Loreto in Pratola P
Destination Wellsport?? NY
(some possibilities Weedsport, Wellsburg, Wellsville)
Not in US before
Joining godfather Adamo Di Mauro? Di Marzio?

Apr 1921
Possible naturalization notations
29 yrs old (abt 1891-2)
Single??
Wife Grazettia in Pratola P
Destination Boston
In US (prob) 1908 (1909) -1912 in MA
Joining brother-in-law Francesco Zavorella (prob Zavarella) 5 North Square, Boston
Notation in US 3 ½ yrs
Born in Pratola P

Jan 1926
33 yrs old (abt 1892)
Married
Probably traveling with Zaccaria Presutti (next line)
Last residence New Britain Ct
In Pratola P, wife Maria Grazia Matrongioli (prob Mastrangioli)
Destination New Britain, CT
In US 1921-May 1925 in CT
Residence 5 Chapman St, New Britain
Born in Pratola Peligna
Visa issued 2 Jun 1925

Mar 1935
US Citizen
43 yrs old (abt 1891-2)
Married
Naturalized 26 Apr 1933 in New Britain
Residence 5 Chapman St, New Britain

[Biff83]

Hi Valarie,

In checking the second page of Palermino's 1909 manifest, it appears that "Wellsville is handwritten to the right of column 18.

Interesting to note that he naturalized in 1933 prior to his last trip to Italy, and that his wife and children emigrated in 1937. Just a guess on my part but it was likely easier for him to leave Italy in 1935 as an American citizen, and likewise easier for his wife and children to emigrate in 1937, especially with Il Duce in power.

Biff