Cordaro Family/Caltanissetta, Sicily

[Jen C.]

It is possible that his naturalization record would be the name he adopted in the US, of Michael? Misspelling might be common since he was not literate and couldn't correct a mis-spelling.

Fold3...never heard of it. I'll look it up now. I wonder if I could request those records from the State of NY via mail....I look into that too.

Thanks!

[Tessa78]

edit added:
WWI Card info from Ancestry
(searched using birth date from SSDI and Monroe County, no name)
Name: Michaele Cordora
City: Rochester County: Monroe State: New York
Birthplace: Italy Birth Date: 10 Oct 1892
Race: Italian
FHL Roll Number: 1818713 DraftBoard: 1

note: image is cut-off
http://imageshack.us/a/img823/9921/1917y.jpg
born in San Joseph Italy???

Valarie

Kudos on this find, Valarie!
Hope this is the date and place... though I can't find a "San Joseph" locality near Caltanissetta
Had no luck finding Michele Cordaro in Caltanissetta birth records for 1892 or 1893

T.

[Jen C.]

Thanks for all the work and time you've invested for me! You're amazing! I don't know how to thank you.

Hmm... I have his birthdate as January 1, 1989 from US ship manifest records but I know that often people that come to america are given a jan 1 DOB (I work with refugees from Burma and they still do that) if the person doesn't know their birthday or can't write/say it in English. I'm not sure if that is actually his birthday or not. I know his death date was 9 March 1966 (if that helps any?)

San joseph...hmm, no idea. He was born in Caltanissetta but I'll do some research and see if this is a locality of caltanissetta.

Would the last name be spelled wrong in Italy? I know that the last name is Cordaro, even in Sicily. I'm not sure if his birth name was Michaele or Michele... how do you usually rectify discrepancies with name spellings and such in this type of research?

[Jen C.]

Do you have any idea how I can look at those caltanissetta records without knowing the region of the city they'd be coming from?

GREAT finds, Valarie!
Turns out Giovanna (correct spelling of her given name) was from comune of Caltanissetta...

Here is her birth record.

Translation:
Birth act #156
Dated 29 January 1898 at the town office in Caltanissetta
Before the official appeared Angelo Lomonaco, age 34, peasant farmer, to declare that at 6 AM on the 28th of the current month, at the place at Via S. Croce,
to Giuseppa Asarisi(sp?), housewife, his wife living with him, was born a female child who was presented to the official and to who was given the name...
GIOVANNA

RIGHT side of image


T.

This is awesome!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! Wow! I'm all giddy inside!

[Jen C.]

edit added:
Is this his SSDI information?
Born 10 Oct 1892?

first name: Mike
middle name:
last name: Cordaro
name suffix:
birth date: 10 October 1892
social security number: 098-18-xxxx
place of issuance: New York
last residence: Rochester, Monroe, New York
zip code of last residence: 14613
death date: August 1974
estimated age at death: 82


Nope, his SS# would have been 101-14-1446 or 7446

[vj]

from FamilySearch
another copy of 1917 WWI Draft Registration Card
http://imageshack.us/a/img542/1001/recordimage5.jpg

Michele did not sign his card
He may have still had difficulty making himself understood
Barber instead of Baker?
San Joseph instead of Caltanissetta?

5 Jun 1917
Michaele Cordora
31 Jay St, Rochester, Monroe, NY
filed First Papers (Declaration of Intention)
born in San Joseph Italy
citizen of Italy
Barber, self employed
Single
Supports his father
---

This information matches the 098-18-xxxx SSDI information
Where did your great grandfather die?

It is possible that this is not your Michele Cordaro
Both living on Jay Street
Perhaps cousins?

[vj]

These CA Death Index & SSDI records match your information
Do they belong to your great grandfather?
Thanks, Valarie


CA Death Index
Name: Michael Cordaro
Social Security #: 101147446
Sex: Male
Birth Date: 1 Jan 1891
Birthplace: Italy
Death Date: 9 Mar 1966
Death Place: Los Angeles
Mother's Maiden Name: Bruno

SSDI

Name: Michele Cordaro
SSN: 101-14-1446
Last Residence: 90260 Lawndale, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Born: 1 Jan 1891
Died: Mar 1966
State (Year) SSN issued: New York (Before 1951)

[adelfio]

POSSIBLE BIRTH RECORD FOR MICHELE CORDARO
INDEX #23
1891 Jan 2nd 4:20 PM in the town of Caltanissetta appeared Salvatore Cordaro age 46 baker and his wife Michelina Bruno gave birth to a baby boy name Michele Cordaro
click for record keep clicking to enlarge



Marty

[vj]

Great record Marty !
That matches the CA Death Index for his mother's maiden name.
Valarie

[Tessa78]

GREAT FIND, Marty!!!

Here is the birth record of his brother, Angelo, who had an arrival in 1908 at age 20, leaving father Salvatore in Caltanissetta, and also lived in Rochester...
Looks like he had been in US before...
ARRIVAL INFO:
Given Name: Angelo
Surname: Cordaro
Last Place of Residence: U.S.A.
Date of Arrival: 26 Dec 1908
Age at Arrival: 20y
Ethnicity: Italian South
Port of Departure: Naples
Port of Arrival: New York
Gender: Male
Marital Status: S
US Citizen:
Ship of Travel: Barbarossa

Birth record info
Born 13 January 1889 in Caltanissetta
Father - Salvatore
Mother Michela Bruno
Given Name - Angelo

Top left - #58


T.

[adelfio]

I like it when a family comes together PREGO TESSA!!!

Marty

[Tessa78]

Bravo, Marty and VJ!!!!

T.

[vj]

T and Marty
Great teamwork and confirmation of records!
I'll go back and notate the WWI Card that is incorrect.
Wonderful finds!
Valarie

[vj]

...

EDIT:
Incorrect SSDI and WWI Card
these records do not belong to Jen's family

edit added:
Is this his SSDI information?
Born 10 Oct 1892?

first name: Mike
middle name:
last name: Cordaro
name suffix:
birth date: 10 October 1892
social security number: 098-18-xxxx
place of issuance: New York
last residence: Rochester, Monroe, New York
zip code of last residence: 14613
death date: August 1974
estimated age at death: 82

edit added:
WWI Card info from Ancestry
(searched using birth date from SSDI and Monroe County, no name)
Name: Michaele Cordora
City: Rochester County: Monroe State: New York
Birthplace: Italy Birth Date: 10 Oct 1892
Race: Italian
FHL Roll Number: 1818713 DraftBoard: 1

note: image is cut-off
http://imageshack.us/a/img823/9921/1917y.jpg
born in San Joseph Italy???

Valarie

[Jen C.]

from FamilySearch
another copy of 1917 WWI Draft Registration Card
http://imageshack.us/a/img542/1001/recordimage5.jpg

Michele did not sign his card
He may have still had difficulty making himself understood
Barber instead of Baker?
San Joseph instead of Caltanissetta?

5 Jun 1917
Michaele Cordora
31 Jay St, Rochester, Monroe, NY
filed First Papers (Declaration of Intention)
born in San Joseph Italy
citizen of Italy
Barber, self employed
Single
Supports his father
---

This information matches the 098-18-xxxx SSDI information
Where did your great grandfather die?

It is possible that this is not your Michele Cordaro
Both living on Jay Street
Perhaps cousins?

He was a baker. We own pizza and bakeries in Rochester, NY (still to this day). The 1930 census shows that he worked at a bakery shop. But, on the 1910 Census record I found something that might be him, living with his older brother (of which I don't know if he had an older brother here or not--I have to ask my family to confirm) and it has him as a barber. I don't believe he ever worked as a barber, but it is possible. He was not literate at all. He had only a 2nd grade education and could not read or write. He only learned to sign his name when he came to the US. So I wouldn't doubt that his WWI card wouldn't be signed.

His father never came to this country...he stayed in Italy. Not sure who his father is but I think his mothers maiden name might have been Bruno.

He had a cousin with the same name, I'm sure.
He died in Lawndale, CA March 9, 1966.
His SS#101-14-1447 (or 7446)