Pontecorvo from Valmontone

[klo84]

Thanks for all your help.

[klo84]

I have not found a manifest for Ettore Pontecorvo.
I have a thought... maybe the manifest for:

Angelo Pontecorvo
Date of Arrival: 08 Feb 1912
Ship: Taormina
Age: 30 yrs

is really for Ettore (Hector)!
The age and year of immigration are correct for Ettore (Hector). Confirmed with 1920 Census.

My aunts have no knowledge of an "Angelo".
The other identifying information confirms a correct relationship with my greatuncle, Savino. Savino was living in NYC in 1912. The manifest for Savino and Angelo identify my ggreatfather as Francesco.

My other point of confusion was that "Angelo" was a non-immigrant visitor on the manifest. Maybe he never returned to the ship?? However, Ettore (Hector) was listed as a taylor in the census.

What were the consequences for "illegals" in 1912?? Would it have been easy for "Angelo" to stay and change his name? Or, did the person completing the manifest just not write the correct name?

Can I safely assume that the manifest for "Angelo" is for my greatuncle, Ettore (Hector)?

Thank you,

[nuccia]

I would never safely assume anything without documentation to back up your findings. Its not uncommon for people to go by two different names (they either use a middle name or a nickname given to them back home or they just change their name to Americanize it to fit in). I would write away for the birth act or if the microfilms are available for your town I would order them and see for yourself.

Their was no real procedure to changing a name once in America..it was done easily and usually without paperwork. Sometimes people were known by a few different names depending on the circumstances they were in..for work, with family, in the church , etc...

I found some great articles about this very topic just yesterday...

Found the article..

http://genealogy.com/88_donna.html

Hope it helps.

[klo84]

Thanks.
I read the article. It was very informative. I plan on reading the remainder of the artcles linked with it.

[klo84]

Need help locating Hector Pontecorvo (DOB: 1 Jun 1882), wife Frances Canastra (DOB 15 Aug 1882), children Anilo (Neil) and Tulio (Tully) on the 1930 Census. Step son Anthony Canastra should also be present.
They were living in Niagara Falls, New York in 1920. Have this census.
They moved to Los Angelos California after the 1920 census.
Have been unsuccessful finding them. Have used first names and alternate spellings.

[nuccia]

Was the 1930 census vj found not correct?

Ettore Pontecorvo
possible 1930 census
pretty poor transcription on ancestry
- P in Pontecorvo transcribed as a C
- year married given as age)
vj

Name: Hector Contacosvi
Home in 1930: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1909
Birthplace: Italy Relation to
Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Francis
Household Members:
Name Age
Hector Contacosvi 21
Francis Contacosvi 47
Tully Contacosvi 16
Nels Contacosvi 17

I've linked it again since the first link no longer works..
1930 Census

[nuccia]

Was the 1930 census vj found not correct?

Ettore Pontecorvo
possible 1930 census
pretty poor transcription on ancestry
- P in Pontecorvo transcribed as a C
- year married given as age)
vj

Name: Hector Contacosvi
Home in 1930: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1909
Birthplace: Italy Relation to
Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Francis
Household Members:
Name Age
Hector Contacosvi 21
Francis Contacosvi 47
Tully Contacosvi 16
Nels Contacosvi 17

I've linked it again since the first link no longer works..
1930 Census

Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 162; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 699; Image: 970.0.

[klo84]

Nuccia...

You did it again! Thanks for helping me. I tried many alternate spellings. What do you use to locate the hard to find names?

Also, I wonder what happened to the stepson, Anthony Canastra? I have found him all over the US through SSDI and phone listings.

[nuccia]

Thanks klo84 but in all fairness, vj had already found the census and posted it on the previous page. You may not have noticed it because she edited the post, although I'm not sure why. Hopefully she will stop by and perhaps remember why.

Alternate spellings can be tricky..sometimes its easier to search by birth years alone (+/- some years) and the State and just go through anything that may look even a bit like what you want. Other times you can search for first names and years...

Since you were looking for a 1930 census specifically, you could have clicked on the 1930 census link and search like I suggested above and see what pops up. I would still do this even though you now have the census just to become acquainted with how the option works.

I guess we'll have to look for Anthony..is it possible he wasn't in the country when the Census was taken? There are so many reasons why he wasn't there...but first lets look and see if we can find him.

[klo84]

I went back and reread the postings. I apparently missed reading the postings from Valarie, vj, and suanji. Sorry about that. When I research, I go back and forth between my Italian and German lines. I do this to try and reduce boredom in my research. Thanks to everyone who has helped me. It is greatly appreciated. 8O

[nuccia]

I'm trying to see if I can help locate Anthony for you but up until now, I only find one who passed in New Jersey.

Meanwhile..have you seen this?
California Death Index, 1940-1997
about NEIL GABRIEL PONTECORVO
Name: PONTECORVO, NEIL GABRIEL
Social Security #: xx-xxxx-xxx
Sex: MALE
Birth Date: 26 May 1913
Birthplace: NEW YORK
Death Date: 25 Nov 1990
Death Place: LOS ANGELES
Mother's Maiden Name: CANASTRA
Father's Surname:

Source Citation: Place: LOS ANGELES; Date: 25 Nov 1990; Social Security: xxx-xx-xxxx.

Social Security Death Index
about Anthony Canastra
Name: Anthony Canastra
SSN: xxx-xx-xxxx
Last Residence: 08902 North Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States of America
Born: 30 Sep 1908
Died: 9 Jun 1996
State (Year) SSN issued: New Jersey (Before 1951 )

Source Citation: Number: xxx-xx-xxxx;Issue State: New Jersey;Issue Date: Before 1951.

I don't think this Anthony is him though because following him through the years, (ww2 enlistment records) looks like he may have been born in Pennsylvania..

[klo84]

Per the 1920 Census, Anthony Canastro was born about 1910.
There is an Anthony E Canastro born about 1910 in Ancestry.com US Public records listings. He lives with a Lucy M Canastro. DOB: 1953.
There is also another Lucy M Canastro DOB:1922.
He has lived in Los Vegas, NV; Reinbech, IA; Banning, CA; Alhambra, CA.
Lucy DOB 1922 lived in Hawaii. There is a Los Vegas listing Lucy 1922 with an Anthony E.
I do not know if the Anthony (E) Canastro is the same person through all the listings, or if this is even the Anthony I am looking for. I am assuming that the listing for Alhambra, CA is him, as his stepbrother, Tully, lived in Alhambra.
There is a SSDI for an Anthony E Canastra DOB 19 Jun 1910. DOD 15 Mar 2005 Cedar Falls, Iowa. Remember that there is a US Public record in Iowa for him. It also indicates that his SS# was issued in California.
http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse. ... di&indiv=1
(I hope this link works.)
Any suggestions?

[michael762]

Hi,
I know this is really late... years and years... but I just came across this and kept reading as everything made more and more sense to me.
I'm the grandson of Donna Pontecorvo, one of Nilo (Neil) Pontecorvo's daughters Who's grandfather was Ettore (Hector).
If you have found more information in all of your searching could you please inform me? I have a great interest, thank you.
~Michael
Durantmt@gmail.com

[claudio2574]

Well, it seems to me that three topics should merge: this one, http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/topic13936.html ,
http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/topic16571.html .

It seems to me that "Pontecorvo from Valmontone" could be the best place to continue, if you agree.

I tried to fix all the infos in a single tree:
http://www.familiae.it/tree.php?id=1-652
Browsing this tree other names of the story can be found.

I tried to place michael762:
http://www.familiae.it/tree.php?id=1-679
and video951:
http://www.familiae.it/tree.php?id=1-681
in the tree. I was not able to place klo84.

Hope that nobody is annoyed by this picture. If it happens please tell me and I will scratch it immediately.
If you like it and want to correct or add data, please tell me and I will do soon.

[claudio2574]

Some new names found in notary documents, during XIX century. Not enough infos to draw a good tree, but stay tuned...