His birth is recorded on 20 Jan 1866 in Genova. The record references the Ospizio di Trovatelli and states he is recorded on number 41 of the current registry.
- Since he is number 151 in the Atti di Nascita, I wonder if the number 41 refers to the registry of the Ospizio. Would these records still exist?
- Provided records from the Ospizio still exist, would there have been a record of his wet-nurse or the family that he was given to?
- Would these records also list the church where Sebastiano was baptized?
Family lore says that for a time he was a soldier in the Italian Cavalry and his name is inscribed on a stone or monument along with others somewhere in Italy. I assume the Italian Cavalry was a part of the Royal Italian Army.
- Where would I look to find his military records?
- I realize it may be a fabrication that his name is inscribed on a stone or monument. However, if it was true, why would that have happened and where would it be located?
His naturalization petition lists his birth place as Montoggio.
- Since I know from his birth record that he was born in Genova, I wonder if he was raised in Montoggio?
- This record also lists he emigrated from Havre on/about 15 Mar 1892 and arrived at the port of Newark on 1 Apr 1892.
- Does Havre mean Le Havre, France? Why would he have traveled all that way when there are closer ports?
The 1910 census lists his immigration date as 1893.
The 1920 census lists his immigration date as 1873.
- He would have been 7 if this is correct. However, all other accounts list his immigration as sometime in the 1890s.
- If Sebastiano lived in Montoggio, why would he travel all the way to the other end of the country to Naples to embark for America?
- Given the age discrepancy and the discrepancy of the immigration dates Sebastiano gives in his naturalization petition and on the censuses, I’m not sure at this time that this Sebastiano Passero is my ancestor.
- I assume this would have been an informal adoption, not a legal one.
- Family lore goes that Sebastiano had to work at the age of 6. I am aware this is not unusual for foundlings. Would he have worked for his foster/adoptive parents?
- Would he have had more than one set of foster/adoptive parents, in the same manner that foster children in America today are passed from family to family?
- Is there a way to learn more about his foster/adoptive family? Would there be census records? Would Antonia have been his wet-nurse?
