Occhiogrosso from Bitetto

[Cetta]

Hi,

I'm a newbie here, just discovered this wonderful site tonight!

I'm searching for my grandfather's family. His name was Domenico Occhiogrosso. I believe he was born around 1902.

He had 2 brothers: Frank and Tom
He had 2 sisters: Rosina and Angelina
I know one of the brothers is buried in the cemetary there because I saw his grave many years ago.

I think he went to the US sometime around 1915 where he met and married my grandmother Rosa Albergo from Palo del Colle.

Any information or advice on where to start would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Cetta

[vj]

Hello Cetta!

Welcome to the Forum.

I'm guessing you'll need some US records 1st?
1920 census transcriptions are available for free here (21% complete):
FamilySearch Pilot
We can also help you search using a few subscription sites.
Where did your grandparents live?

This is a great search site for ships to NY
You can search using partial names & towns - helps get around misspellings
Ellis Island

Once you have your US records, you should have a more exact birth year so you can conduct your family search in Italian records

Valarie
---

... I think he went to the US sometime around 1915 where he met and married my grandmother Rosa Albergo from Palo del Colle ...

For reference, is this your grandmother's ship manifest?
Thanks!

1921 manifest
page 2
detained page

03 Jun 1921 SS San Giorgio, Naples to NY
line 6
Rosa Alborga/Alberga 20 (abt 1901)
- single
- dress maker
- last residence Palo Colle
- in Palo Colle, father Marino
- destination NY, Brooklyn
- joining uncle Mario Santomaria at 57 Normann Ave
- born in Palo Colle

[PeterTimber]

gp to http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... earch.html This will enable you to ask the questions you want answereed. =Peter=

[Cetta]

Yes that's her. While you were looking that up, I went to the SSDI and found my grandparent's birth dates. She was born 5/1/1901.

How did you find the manifest for her? What site is that on?

She was a dressmaker, and she named my uncle Marino and I remember the name Santomaria when I was a child. I have to look up Norman Ave but I think its in the area where they lived.

My grandfather was born March 30, 1903

Thank You so much - I have the chills just reading this.

[Biff83]

1920 manifest, line 17
Page 1
Page 2
Name: Domenico Occhiogrosso
Arrival Date: 1 Dec 1920
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1903
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (South) (Italian)
Ship Name: Providence
Deatination: Brooklyn NY to join brother Antonio at 149 Throop Ave
Last residence: Bitetto, province of Bari, region Puglia
Place of birth: Bitritto?, province of Bari
Nearest relative in Italy: Father Giacamo

Biff

[Biff83]

Naturalization Index Card
Name: Domenico Occhiogrosso
Age: 43
Birth Date: abt 1904
Issue Date: 11 Feb 1947
State: New York
Address: 3386 12th Ave, Brooklyn
Locality, Court: Eastern District of New York, District Court

Biff

[vj]

WOW!
Great records Biff
They should be a big help.
Valarie
---


Cetta,

Your nearest Family History Center has records for Bitetto on microfilm from 1809-1900.
The cost is about $6 mo (rent), you’ll need to go to the center to order & view them.

Family History Library Catalog:
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library ... t_fhlc.asp

film notes for Bitetto

Topic:
Italy, Bari, Bitetto - Civil registration
Titles:
Registri dello stato civile, Bitetto (Bari), 1809-1900 Bitetto (Bari)
Ufficio dello stato civile

In case you aren’t familiar with the Famly History Center & Italian records

FamilySearch Home Page
Includes how to find your nearest local Family History Center

A helpful essay written by Trish, one of our forum members:
Steps for Finding Microfilm at the Family History Center

Italian Record Research from the FamilySearch guides:
Italy Research Outline

Also from FamilySearch (PDF format)
Italian Records Extraction - An Instructional Guide
---

Since your grandfather was born after the microfilm, you may want to write to Bitetto for his birth record

Research in Bitetto by writing to the comune:

Italian form letter generator with instructions:
http://www.circolocalabrese.org/resourc ... civile.asp

Address:

Ufficio dello Stato Civile
Comune di Bitetto
Piazza Moro
70020 Bitetto BA
ITALY
http://www.nonsolocap.it/puglia/77-bitetto/

Website for finding comune addresses:
http://www.nonsolocap.it/

[Cetta]

OMG!!! You guys are UNBELIEVABLE!

Biff 83 - Yes that address is the house where they lived their entire lives. I always wondered about them becoming naturalzed or if they became citizens - it was a question I never thought to ask.
So my ggrandfather's name was Giacomo - LOL I should have known, all the relatives were named "Jack".

Peter, thanks for that link. I'm living in Switzerland at the moment. I'm hoping to go to the area to get whatever information I can, so having those links about the letter writing should prove very helpful.

[vj]

Yes that's her. While you were looking that up, I went to the SSDI and found my grandparent's birth dates. She was born 5/1/1901.

How did you find the manifest for her? What site is that on?

She was a dressmaker, and she named my uncle Marino and I remember the name Santomaria when I was a child. I have to look up Norman Ave but I think its in the area where they lived

Cetta, I found Rosa's manifest on ancestry. com (a subscription site)
It is on the free Ellis Island site under the spelling 'Alberga'
1921 manifest

[Cetta]

Thanks Valarie for the manifest and all the links. I already found the LDS church for the microfilm here in Zurich. I'm going to go next week.

Do any of you have any idea about how far back the church records go? Do you think it would be easier to get info from the local parish rather than the municipality?

I'm wondering about a marriage certificate for my ggrandfather. I have an original photo of him and his wife that my grandmother gave me many years ago - unfortunately there are no markings on the back.

Thanks again to all of you for the kindness, its very touching....
Cetta

[vj]

Cetta,
It really depends upon the local priest.
They can be very protective of their records.
It doesn't hurt to inquire.
The municipality will give you the records, how long it will take depends upon their workload.
My own experience is in using the microfilm - I couldn't have asked for better or more complete records.

I already found the LDS church for the microfilm here in Zurich. I'm going to go next week.

If they are like the Family History Centers in the US, you may want to call first to verify the hours they're open.
Valarie

[aiescavol]

HI!!
Also my relative is Occhiogrosso from Bitetto.

Giacomo Occhiogrosso married Squicciarini in Bitetto, in 1881.
If you want more information, write me!!!

[vj]

1930 census

Domenic & Rosa living in same building as brothers Antonio & Frank?

possible 1930 census

Home in 1930:
650 6th Ave
Brooklyn, Kings, New York

head Dominic Schigrosso 27, abt 1903 IT
- rents $31
- married age 21, abt 1924
- immig 1920, Al
- iceman, ice business, own, own account
wife Rosie Schigrosso 27, abt 1903 IT
- immig 1921, Al
daughter Jennie Schigrosso 5, abt 1925 Brooklyn NY
son Jack Schigrosso 1, abt 1929 Brooklyn NY

head Toney Occhiogrosso 30, abt 1900 IT
- rents $34
- married age 27, abt 1927
- immig 1913, Al
- iceman, ice business, worker
wife Mary Occhiogrosso 20, abt 1910 Brooklyn NY
daughter Jennie Occhiogrosso 4, abt 1926 Brooklyn NY
son Jackie Occhiogrosso 2, abt 1928 Brooklyn NY

head Frank Ochigrosso 32, abt 1898 IT
- rents $32
- married age 28, abt 1926
- immig 1920, Al
- iceman, ice business, own business, worker
wife Josephine Ochigrosso 27, abt 1903 IT
- immig 1928, Al
---

Cetta,
These may help you locate New York City records
Valarie

Dr Steve Morse One Step Search Pages for New York
NY Naturalization
NYC Birth Records 1891-1902 (requires ancestry. com subscription)
NYC Groom Index 1864-1936
NYC Bride Index ????-1937
NYC Death Records 1891-1948

Ordering NYC Vital Records
New York City Archives

from NYC records by the Italian Genealogical Group
http://www.italiangen.org/

[Cetta]

Val - OMG

I can't believe you found the 1930 census! Jack is my father! I could never find them. No wonder, the census taker brutalized the last name.

How did that name come up with such a crazy spelling?

My father was born in that house on 6th Ave. and I remember my father telling me that address but I had forgotten it. Aunt Mary was beautiful and wore her hair pulled all back and in a bun. Josephine was called Aunt "Pip" and she looked like Aunt Mary. I seem to remember that they might have been sisters also but I'm not sure. I'm 56 so I have childhood memories of them that I cherish especially my grandfather and his brothers drinking, playing cards and singing Italian songs - very happy times!

I also remembered last night that my grandfather did indeed have 3 brothers - Frank, Tom and Tony and its funny when I listed them in the first original post, I originally had Tony, then changed it to Tom - but there were 3.

I have an old tin picture of my grandparents taken on the day they were married (my grandmother was beautiful). I'm not sure if I have it here (it might still be at my house in the US) but if I do, I will post the picture so you can see them.

All the Barese were in the ice business. My father still had remnants of the business till the late '70s.

aiescavol - I'm going to PM you right now. I remember my grandmother talking about the Squicciarrini family and I went to school with a girl named Anita. LOL I'm sure we are related somehow!

[vj]

Cetta, thank you so much for the update .
I used Biff's manifest find for Domenic to look for Antonio's census since I couldn't find Domenic and Rosa in 1930.
Just got lucky that they were all living in the same house.
You're right, it's odd that the transcriber got Antonio & Francesco's name right but missed Domenic's by one letter.
Valarie