Valledolma or Valledorma

[Tonal]

Just wondering what my next step should be if a research at the Records office comes back saying, basically, that there is no record of my GGGrandfather's birth in this town?

[pink67]

Hi,
are you sure about the birth town? Do you have documents stating this?
If you want you can give us details on your GGGrandfather and we should try to verify if the town is correct using the U.S genealogy records online...
Laura

[Tonal]

Well, no, there aren't any documents. I gathered information from my husband's 97 year old grandmother (Gracia Geraci) while just asking her some questions one day. She said that she was born in "Villarba" (Villalba) and that her mother, Concetta Meuli, was married to Antonio Geraci who lived in "Valledormo" (Valledolmo). Concetta Meuli was the daughter of Almaday Meuli and Crucificha (maiden name unknown, as well as birthdate.)

Gracia (Grace) married her first cousin, Vincenzo (Charles) Geraci in Chicago, IL on June 02, 1907. Vincenzo was born June 12, 1888 in Valledolmo, Palermo, Sicily, according to Grace's answers to my questions about 12 years ago. Vincenzo's father was Francenzo Geraci and mother, Michelina (maiden name unknown). Francenzo's brother was Antonio, Grace's father.

Hope that this info helps you.

[pink67]

So, let's see how to help you

As you told that you haven't documents I think you'll be happy to have these: (even if not helpful to determine the right place of birth )
From the (free) site:
http://search.labs.familysearch.org/rec ... tml#p=home

the marriage license for Grazia and Vincenzo Geraci (married on June 28, 1907 in the St. Sebastian Church, Chicago, Cook, Illinois)

[img=http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6766/427086080.th.jpg]

and the birth certificate for her daughter Michela Geraci born on June 23, 1909: (even if on the 1910 census she's listed as Rose)

[img=http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/9861/4 ... 315.th.jpg]

Laura

[pink67]

Here is Grazia's 1903 arrival (at the age of 9) with her mother Concetta Meuli (age 43) ... they stated Villalba as last residence in Italy...
Them both were joining the husband/father Antonino Gerace in Chicago...

New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945
about Grazia Geraci
Name: Grazia Geraci
Arrival Date: 14 Feb 1903
Age: 9
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Palermo, Italy
Ship Name: Manilla
Port of Arrival: New Orleans, Louisiana
Friend's Name: Antonino Gerace
Last Residence: Villalha
National Archives' Series Number: T905_1

[img=http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4221/g ... val.th.jpg]

Edit to add:

Grace's father Antonino Geraci arrival on 1899. He was travelling with his nephew (possible niece as she was female) Mulè Grazia age 8.
Last residence Villalba
They were joining the child's parent Mulè Giuseppe in New Orleans:

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Antonino Geraci
Name: Antonino Geraci
Arrival Date: 5 Jan 1899
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Palermo
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian
Ship Name: Victoria
Search Ship Database: Search the Victoria in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Line: 7
Microfilm Serial: 15
Microfilm Roll: T715_45
Page Number: 96

[img=http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/6915 ... riv.th.jpg]

[pink67]

If this 1920 census is correct for Charles and Grace Geraci:

From Ancestry.com:

Address: 832 Sedgwick Street - Chicago

1920 United States Federal Census
about Charles Geraci
Name: Charles Geraci
[Charley Geraci]
Home in 1920: Chicago Ward 22, Cook (Chicago), Illinois
Age: 50 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870
[abt 1890]
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Grady
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1906
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Image: 174
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Geraci 50 (30 on the manifest) born in IT, occupation musician
Grady Geraci 27 wife, born in IT
Lene Geraci 11 daughter, born in IL
Frank Geraci 9 son, born in IL
Tony Geraci 8 son, born in IL
Jany Geraci 6 daughter, born in IL
Alexander Geraci 3 11/12 son, born in IL
Vincent Geraci 6/12 son, born in IL

[img=http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/7345 ... sus.th.jpg]

they were living the next door to:

1920 United States Federal Census
about Charley Geraci
Name: Charley Geraci
Home in 1920: Chicago Ward 22, Cook (Chicago), Illinois
Age: 38 years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Rose
Father's Name: Anthony
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Name: Jany
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Sex: Male
Home owned: Rent
Year of Immigration: 1900
Able to read: No
Able to Write: No
Image: 175
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Charley Geraci 38 head, born in IT occupation labourer in a candy factory
Rose Geraci 32 wife, born in IT
Genevieve Geraci 16 daughter, born in IL
Josephine Geraci 14 daughter, born in IL
Anthony Geraci 12 son, born in IL
Grace Geraci 10 daughter, born in IL
Rose Geraci 7 daughter, born in IL
Helen Geraci 6 daughter, born in IL
Sam Geraci 4 3/12 son, born in IL
Anthony Geraci 65 father, born in IT, year of immigr. 1900
Jany Geraci 54 mother, born in IT, year of immigr. 1900

[img=http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/7676 ... ge2.th.jpg]

It seems That Grace's husband Charles Geraci was born in Caltanissetta:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Charley Geraci
Name: Charley Geraci
City: Chicago
County: Cook
State: Illinois
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 13 Jun 1888
Race: Caucasian (White)
Roll: 1613567
DraftBoard: 49

[img=http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/8021 ... wwi.th.jpg]

I found on this site:

http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/NR/default.aspx
Record Details for Volume 198

These references to Charles's petition for the naturalization:

Page Number: 232
Declaration Number: 97332

FIRST NAME LAST NAME OCCUPATION
CHARLES GERACI MACHINIST

BIRTH CITY BIRTH COUNTRY BIRTH DATE
CATHANISSETTA ITALY 6/13/1888

CURRENT ADDRESS CURRENT CITY
832 SEDGWICK ST. CHICAGO

DEPARTURE LOCATION ARRIVAL DATE DECLARATION DATE
PALERMO, ITALY 3/8/1904 12/24/1918

Laura

[pink67]

Here is the military Enlistment for the second world war for Vincenzo Charles Geraci (Grace's Husband):

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
about Vincenzo Charles Geraci
Name: Vincenzo Charles Geraci
Birth Date: 13 Jun 1888
Birth Place: Sicily
Residence: Chicago, Illinois
Race: White
Roll: 30955_165791

[img=http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/4122 ... wwg.th.jpg]

while this is the same document for Grace's brother Vincenzo (Charlie on the 1920 census living with their parents)

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
about Vincent Geraci
Name: Vincent Geraci
Birth Date: 27 Jan 1880
Birth Place: Melarba Sicily, Italy mispelling of Villalba
Residence: Chicago, Illinois
Race: White
Roll: 30955_165791

[img=http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/3388 ... wii.th.jpg]

[Tonal]

I'm just checking this, but really late, and I'm so happy to see how helpful many of you are!!! I will need to check this out later today at least after about 8 hours sleep. Goodnight!

[Tonal]

Really, I'm so happy to know such kind people on this forum who are interested in helping those who do not have the resources. Thank you.

I'm just now so very involved with cleaning out our flooded basement after the torrential rains this past Friday. I'm be busy for a very long time with this job.

I do want to find out more about Gracia's parents, their parents and so on. Also, about her husband, Vincenzo (Charles) Geraci, and his ancestry. Perhaps the Catholic churches in those little towns hold some of the answers. I do not speak or read Italian, and so documents would need to be translated for me to understand them.

Any more help that anyone may be able to give, would be most grateful.

[pink67]

Tonal,

you're very lucky because the Mormons microfilmed the civil registrations and some church registrations for the town of Villalba - Caltanissetta Province so you'll be able to search and find by yourself the documents (easier than writing and requesting the same documents directly in Italy):

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... umns=*,0,0

here is the link to find your nearest family history center:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... et_fhc.asp

Laura

[Tonal]

That is a good idea. Wonder if they also have info on Valledolmo? I just don't know how to read the Italian!

[pink67]

I believe people on the Family History Centers are very collaborative (I read it ion the forum ...) and sure they can help you at least finding the right microfilm... then you can search by reading last and first names... if you have at least some sure dates as birth dates it must be easy to find something...
Then you can ask help in this section of the forum to translate the acts:
http://italiangenealogy.tardio.com/Foru ... m/f=5.html

This is the klink to find the places filmed by the Mormons:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... umns=*,0,0

Good luck!
Laura

[gypsi323]

I believe the name is Valledolmo. I also have family from there..Ippolito. I also have Geraci on my grandmother's side. They were all from Montemaggiore B

[PeterTimber]

Dear Tonal if you are going to use Mormon microfilm records on screen theree is a book written to accompany those films in english titled Discovering Your Italian Ancestors by Lynn Nelson which will make life a lot easier for you.

The other alternative is to write to the town of origin with form letters in Italian for whatever documents you wish. Youcan even send a form letter to the oprovincial capital for his military records, if any, at the provincial level. Your in good hands with Laura. =Peter=