We talked to a lawyer and think we are going to use their service, they think my wife has a good shot with a 1948 case (can't use consulate.) However, I have three questions I don't want to bother them with. (This is for my wife btw, but I will be doing the work on it.)
1) Which one of the documents I need, based on the history I post here, will take the longest to get in your estimation, and I should get started on ASAP?
2) The US citizen who went back to Italy with his Italian mother when he was 2 years old, was raised in Italy, fought in the Italian army, and then came back to the US when he was 22 year old: any chance he became an Italian citizen between 2yo and 22yo, and all we need then is him -> his daughter -> my wife? How would I find out?
3) Do you agree with the lawyer that says this is a good case? Do you see any pitfalls or difficult parts?
Here is my wife's history:
For reference, Savuci is near Fossato Serralta in Catanzaro
Caterina Lanza (Great Grandmother)
- born in Savuci, Italy on 19 September 1875 (have picture of birth certificate)
- married Gregorio Polito on 13 March 1898 in Savuci, Italy (have picture of marriage certificate)
- came to Pittsburgh PA in 1909 for first time (have picture of ship manifest, listed as Caterina Polito)
- gave birth to Thomas G. Polito on 14 December 1914 in Pittsburgh PA (but he is listed as Gregorino Thomas Polito on birth cert picture I have)
- she left the US in 1916 and took Thomas G and other children back to Savuci, Italy and stayed there until death
- no record of naturalization in the US has been found (no official search has been done, but her name does not appear in Western District of PA where everyone else that naturalized did so, can’t find a SS number for her either)
- died in approximately 1950 in Savuci or Fossato Serralta or “Catanzaro” according to newspaper article I have seen (can’t find death cert)
Gregorio Polito (Great Grandfather)
- born in Savuci, Italy on 8 March 1877 (have picture of birth certificate)
- married Caterina Lanza 13 March 1898 in Savuci, Italy (have picture of marriage certificate)
- came to Pittsburgh PA alone on 13 May 1898 from Naples (have manifest picture)
- Naturalized on 10 April 1902 in Western District of PA court (have picture of naturalization certificate, lists birthday incorrectly as 15 January 1877, but I know this is his because in 2 later passport applications he lists correct birthday, hometown, etc, and references this naturalization date)
- was back and forth to Italy multiple times (1904?, 1905, 1919, etc) but mainly lived in Pittsburgh PA
- fathered Gregorino Thomas (or Thomas G or Tomasso G) Polito on 14 December 1914 in Pittsburgh PA (have picture of birth certificate from PA)
- died 24 June 1961 in Pittsburgh, PA (have picture of death certificate, but birthday listed as 28 Mar 1877)
Thomas G or Tomasso G or Gregorino Thomas Polito (Grandfather)
- born on 14 December 1914 in Pittsburgh PA (listed as Gregorino Thomas Polito, have picture of handwritten birth certificate)
- in 1916 left the US with mother Caterina Lanza Polito and moved to Savuci Italy where he was raised
- served in Italian Military Oct 1934(?) until Mar 1937(?) (have pictures of italian documents that are hard to understand, Tomasso Polito is name, seems like he was infantry fighting in Ethiopia, received a medal everyone that fought there got)
- returned to US in 1936 (have picture of ship manifest, listed as Tomasso Polito with 15 Dec 1914 birth date, US Citizen)
- served in US military 1942-1946 (listed as Thomas G Polito on all forms I have pictures of)
- married Ann Orlando 28 October 1950 in Pittsburgh PA (have picture of marriage cert from Pittsburgh PA, lists 15 Dec 1914 as birth)
- fathered Mother Polito on 19 March 1953 in Pittsburgh PA (she is alive and can produce birth certificate)
- received SS from the US but also I am told some sort of pension from italian military?
- died 21 November 1995 in Pittsburgh PA (have picture of death cert, listed as Thomas G. Polito with correct birth date)
Mother Polito
- born 19 March 1953 in PA (alive and can produce birth certificate)
- married in Pittsburgh PA (and can produce marriage certificate)
Mothers’s Daughter
- seeking Italian citizenship, born in PA, can produce birth certificate and marriage certificate (one marriage in FL)
- can produce her children’s birth certificates from Florida