Searching for Birth-Name Of Great Grandfather

[chiachio]

Through my research my paternal great-grandfather emigrated to the U.S.A. from Italy in around 1877 through New York. He married Mary Lee 1871-1935 (born Ellsworth) after her short, failed marriage to Henry Lee in around 1890. The only name I know for him is Michael Rose. Michael and Mary had four children; Charles, James (my grandfather), Lena & Clara. I have spent over 20 years trying to identify his birth-name and place, but due to my lack of further information have been unsuccessful.

Any help from those with experience would be greatly appreciated...

[Tessa78]

According to the 1900 US Census, Mike Rose declared that he arrived in 1877 and that he had filed papers.
Naturalization papers at that time held very little information, unfortunately.
Since Mary Ellsworth was born in PA, and they were living in PA in 1900, this MAY be a naturalization record for your GGF, Michael Rose.
On this record he signs twice... as Michele Rosa (form in this name,) AND as Michael Rose.
So birth name POSSIBLY Michele Rosa.
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/co ... pId=610607

https://i.postimg.cc/4xqd0VcX/007796871-01456.jpg

T.

[suanj]

Hi by the genealogic tree on ancestry.com the Michael birthyear is 1867 .. You can confirm?

[suanj]

Because he arrived on 1877, he went in USA with his parents... so need to find the parents..

[chiachio]

Hello suanj,

Unfortunately I'm not able to confirm his birth-year. All that I've been able to locate has been regarding his marriage to Mary Ellsworth. I've only been able to find him in census records from 1900-1940. Through a distant relative on facebook, I was told that they thought that he had emigrated from Italy at the age of 10 in around 1877, but I haven't been able to confirm any of this. Thank you very-much for your interest.
Cordially,
chiachio

[chiachio]

Hello Tessa78,

Thank you so much for locating this document for me! I had assumed that this might-have been his birth-name as it would be the reasonable choice to then Americanize it to Michael Rose. I have never been fortunate enough to find this, or any other document regarding him. I had also assumed that he may have arrived at Ellis Island, and am surprised that the document is from Pittsburg. I can't thank you enough for your time and effort, as it's more than I've been able to find in hundred's of hours of searching...

Gratefully Your's,
chiachio

[suanj]

On 1905 the family was in Newark, NJ
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... 3AKMWB-S4T

[suanj]

Well the surname could have many versions in Italian spelling... LA ROSA -DELLA ROSA- DI ROSA- DE ROSA and ROSA also

[Tessa78]

Hello Tessa78,

Thank you so much for locating this document for me! I had assumed that this might-have been his birth-name as it would be the reasonable choice to then Americanize it to Michael Rose. I have never been fortunate enough to find this, or any other document regarding him. I had also assumed that he may have arrived at Ellis Island, and am surprised that the document is from Pittsburg. I can't thank you enough for your time and effort, as it's more than I've been able to find in hundred's of hours of searching...

Gratefully Your's,
chiachio

Ellis Island officially opened in 1892. Prior to that ships arriving to New York came through Castle Garden.
Your ancestor may well have entered the USA through New York.

The document I posted was a Naturalization record. This would most likely have been applied for in the State/County within which your ancestor lived. Hence, Pennsylvania.

I noticed that the family lived in several locations (including the Essex, NJ mentioned by suanj above)

Some additional information about immigrant arrival to New York Ports
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Ne ... mmigration

T.

[suanj]

Well the surname could have many versions in Italian spelling... LA ROSA -DELLA ROSA- DI ROSA- DE ROSA and ROSA also

Adding: Rosi, Rossi, Rosato, Rosati, etc etc etc

[Loving_Life_2]

Hello suanj,

Yes, you're absolutely right as this is the entire family which includes my grandfather. Thank you for bringing this document to my attention. I don't understand how I've had so little luck finding this after so many years of searching. So-far today I've spent 4 hours searching for anything regarding him previous to his marriage to my great grandmother without any luck whatsoever. I am grateful to you for the time and effort that you've spent in locating this for me..

Cordially Your's...

[suanj]

Rosa surname is very popular... the his signature on probable naturalization paper on 1889, signed Rose/Rosa, well is no a evidence that his surname was Rosa in italian, because could be that he signed with the surname in use in USA. I don't know if the naturalization paper posted is of right Michele... If Michele was born on 1867, well to go in USA on 1877, he was 10 old, so he travelled with parents.... And why he is no on 1880 census? I searched many times and no result. Why he landed in Pennsylvania? He had some relative in this area?

Instead I think that he arrived on 1887 or so, the problem is to be sure abt surname and to know almost the mother maiden name so we can have a idea of what part of Italy he came from...

[chiachio]

Somehow my 2nd cousin saw that another distant relative claimed that Michele Rosa was from Cercemaggiore, but in searches that I've done I don't find any born in 1867, so this may be inaccurate. I did notice many in the Campobasso area using the surname Rosa around that time frame, its an absolute needle in a haystack...