Pergatorio

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jm2day
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Pergatorio

Post by jm2day »

Hi there,

I just found out that my biological father's parents came from Palermo, Sicily. The family name is Pergatorio. They migrated to the US in the late 1800's or early 1900's. Their son John Oswald Pergatorio was born in Missouri in 1908. John later changed his last name to Gable, which was a popular name at the time, so that he could get a job since there was a lot of prejudice towards Italians and Irish immigrants then.

I don't have his parents first names. Is there anyway I can trace the family back in Palermo?

Thanks,

Jolene
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

Hi Jolene,

Last name Pergatorio doesn't exist in Italy, possible it was Purgatorio....
Do you know at least if John Oswald had sibilings?
However if the surname was Purgatorio it isn't a sicilian lastname....

On the (subscription) site Ancestry.com I found a very interesting arrival manifest:

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Oswald Purgatorio
Name: Oswald Purgatorio
Arrival Date: 6 Dec 1923
Estimated Birth Year: 1908
Age: 15
arch Ship Database: View the Conte Rosso in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
NATIVITY: Kansas
Line: 4
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_3425
Birth Location: Kansas
Birth Location Other: Frontenac
Page Number: 229


[img=http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5338 ... arr.th.jpg]

This is the passport application he used for this trip:

S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925
about Oswald Purgatorio
Name: Oswald Purgatorio
Birth Date: 8 Mar 1908
Birth Place: Frontenac, Kansas
Residence: Same
Passport Issue Date: 16 Aug 1923
Father Name: Oddo Purgatorio
Father's Birth Location: Fossato Di Vico, Italy
Father's Residence: Frontenac, Kansas
Passport Includes a Photo: Y
Source: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925 (M1490)

page 1:
[img=http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/2106 ... ge1.th.jpg]

page 2: (with photo and Affidaviit of Birth)
[img=http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2332 ... ge2.th.jpg]

Could it be the same person?

Michigan Deaths, 1971-1996
about John O Gable
Name: John O Gable
Birth Date: 8 Mar 1908
Death Date: 29 May 1988
Gender: Male
Residence: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
Place of Death: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan


Laura
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

... if these are the right persons their town of origin was Fossato di Vico - Perugia Province - Umbria Region:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossato_di_Vico

Laura :D
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jm2day
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Re: Purgatorio

Post by jm2day »

Hi Laura! Yes! This is my family Oddo was my great grandfather and Oswald was my grandfather. Thank you SO much for helping us find this information!
My father says my grandfather was Sicilian, maybe they had moved or it was on the great grandmothers side of the family?

Anyway, Thank you again!

Jolene
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

You're welcome Joline!!! :D

I'm glad I was able to help you...

Don't know if you have a subscription to the site Ancestry.com, here is for you the 1910 census for the Purgatorio family in Frontenac - Kansas

1910 United States Federal Census
about Otto Purgatorio
Name: Otto Purgatorio The correct first name was Oddo
Age in 1910: 32
[22]
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
[abt 1888]
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Italy
Mother's Birth Place: Italy
Spouse's Name: Emma
Home in 1910: Frontenac Ward 4, Crawford, Kansas
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Otto Purgatorio 32 head, born in IT, year of immigr. 1907, occupation Miner
Emma Purgatorio 28 wife, born in IT, year of immigr. 1907
Assunta Purgatorio 5 daughter, born in IT
Osvaldo Purgatorio 2 son, born in KS
Emma Purgatorio 0 daughter, born in KS

image: page 1:
[img=http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/5756 ... 910.th.jpg]

image page 2:
[img=http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2692 ... ge2.th.jpg]

as they stated 1907 as year of immigration possible this is the 1906 arrival for Oddo, travelling Alone from Fossato to Pittsburgh, to join his brother Raffaele.

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Oddo Purgatorio
Name: Oddo Purgatorio
Arrival Date: 24 Nov 1906
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Havre
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (North) (Italian)
Ship Name: La Provence
Search Ship Database: View the La Provence in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
NATIVITY: Fossato
Line: 23
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_801
Birth Location: Fossato
Page Number: 85

[img=http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/882/pu ... riv.th.jpg]

Laura :D
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

Here you have the military Enlistment for the First World War for Oddo:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Oddo Purgatorio
Name: Oddo Purgatorio
County: Crawford
State: Kansas
Birth Date: 31 Mar 1878
Race: White
Roll: 1643509
DraftBoard: 1

[img=http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/3008 ... wwi.th.jpg]

and 1930 census:

1930 United States Federal Census
about Otto Purgatorio
Name: Otto Purgatorio
Home in 1930: Frontenac, Crawford, Kansas
View Map
Age: 52
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Adele
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Otto Purgatorio 52
Adele Purgatorio 36
Emma Purgatorio 12

http://img26.imageshack.us/i/purgatorio1930census.jpg/

Edit to correct link to right image
pink67
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

Jolene,

this is a very interesting arrival manifest...

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Odo Purgatorio
Name: Odo Purgatorio
Arrival Date: 12 Aug 1912
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Cherbourg, France
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian
Ship Name: New York
Search Ship Database: Search the New York in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
NATIVITY: Italy
Line: 3
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_1911
Birth Location: Italy
Birth Location Other: fossato di vico
Page Number: 154

page 1:
[img=http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/61/pur ... lpa.th.jpg]

page 2:
[img=http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/61/pur ... lpa.th.jpg]

Oddo stated he was leaving in Italy (Fossato di Vico) his wife Emma and was joining his brother Raffaele in Kansas... Maybe he did this trip to bring his family Back to Italy? :?
He stated also he was in the U.S. from 1906 to 1912.

On Anecstry.com there is a collection for 1915 census just for Kansas:

Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925
about Otto Purgatori
Name: Otto Purgatori
Census Date: 1915
Residence County: Crawford
Residence State: Kansas
Locality: Frontenac
Birth Location: Italy
Family Number: 665
Gender: Male
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1880
Race: White
Line: 11
Roll: ks1915_57
Household Member(s): Name Age
Louis Allegricci 37
Reginia Allegricci 31
Zeko Allegricci 10
Gustav Allegricci 9
Parson Allegricci 5
Mary Allegricci 4
Julius Allegrecci 20
Otto Purgatori 35

[img=http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6747/p ... sus.th.jpg]

He was living alone, possible his family came back to the U.S. later....
pink67
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

:D Found also the maiden name for Oddo's wife:

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Emma Baldelli
Name: Emma Baldelli
Arrival Date: 8 May 1907
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1885
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Napoli
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian (South) (Italian)
Ship Name: Campania
Search Ship Database: View the Campania in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Line: 2
Microfilm Serial: T715
Microfilm Roll: T715_887
Birth Location Other: fassati
Page Number: 82

[img=http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6044/b ... val.th.jpg]

She is listed at line . 3, she stated she was joining her husband Odo Purgatorio in Frontenac- Kansas, her daughter Assunta is listed at line 14. Fossato di Vico is listed as Last residence in Italy.

You can use this helpful site just to see the distribution of the las names in Italy... As you can see also Baldelli is a tipical Centre-Italy lastname... :D

http://www.gens.labo.net/it/cognomi/genera.html
pink67
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

By a better reading of the 1923 Passport application for Oswald we can see that he stated he was born in Frontenac - KS on March 8, 1908 and that he went to Italy on April 1912 (this matches with Oddo's declaration on his August 1912 arrival manifest I posted before :!: )
The passport was issued in Italy (by the U.S. General consulate in Rome) just because Oswald stated he wanted to join his father in Kansas.
So, this is why I was unable to find the 1920 census for the family... possible Oddo was living alone in the U.S. until the all family re-reached him...
On the second page of the passport application we can see (on Oswald's birth certificate) that both Oddo and his wife Emma Baldelli :!: stated Fossato di Vico as their place of birth in Italy.

I just noticed that I posted the wrong image for the 1930 census... I apologize, here is the right one:
[img=http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/4872/p ... sus.th.jpg]

census description:

1930 United States Federal Census
about Otto Purgatorio
Name: Otto Purgatorio
Home in 1930: Frontenac, Crawford, Kansas
View Map
Age: 52
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Adele
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Otto Purgatorio 52
Adele Purgatorio 36
Emma Purgatorio 12

Maybe he remarried? :?
pink67
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by pink67 »

Jolene, here is another nice find...
the 1925 Census for Oddo's family:

Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925
about O Purgatoru
Name: O Purgatoru
Census Date: 1925
Residence County: Crawford
Residence State: Kansas
Locality: Frontenac
Birth Location: Italy
Family Number: 4
Marital Status: Married
Gender: Male
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1879
Race: White
Relation: Head
Line: 12
Roll: KS1925_32
Spouse's Name: Adalie
Household Member(s): Name Age
O Purgatoru 46 head, born in IT, year of immigr. 1906
Adalie Purgatoru 32 wife, born in IT, year of immigr. 1916
Owaldo Purgatoru 17 son, born in Kansas
Emma Purgatoru 7 daughter, born in Kansas (approx. 1918)

[img=http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/6460 ... nsu.th.jpg]

I hope I'm not making confusion but I'd like to share my thoughts with you... :D
I believe that Oddo's first wife (Emma Baldelli) possible died (from the 1910 census we know she was born approx. on 1885).
Maybe Oddo decided to bring his child back to Italy as he was alone with little children.
Then, from the military enlistment for the first world war(dated September 1918) we know his wife's name was Adele :!:
I believe he remarried just between 1914 and 1918 to Adele an italian woman who declared on the censuses she did emigrate on 1916/1917.
Oswald stated on his passport application he lived in Italy from 1914 to 1923, just from the date in which his father brought him back to Italy to his new arrival in the U.S.
While his father got married with his second wife Adele (born about 1895) and had another daughter named Emma like his first wife and his other daughter born on 1910...

But these are just my opinions about the story... :wink:

Laura
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Echo
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by Echo »

Hello,
The name Purgatorio may have come from the street name where he lived. If you say there are no last names Purgatorio, then Oddo may have taken the name from where he lived in Palermo. My family lived on via Purgatorio in Terrasini back round 1900, so perhaps he chose that name for some reason.
The name Vai Puragorio doesn't exist today as it has been changed.
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mhogard
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Re: Pergatorio

Post by mhogard »

My great grandfather was Rafaelle Purgatorio, Oddo's brother. I have information about Oddo and the family if you are still interested. You may contact me at mchogard@gmail.com

Regards
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