One more ques - what FHL film rolls to pull?

[jenalonso]

I am trying to decide what rolls to pull from the FHL in Utah.

This is what I know:

My great-grandmother was born in 1883. I wanted to check Naples for her birth records, but FHL does not have this year for Naples. They only have records up until 1865.

But FHL has records for her parents' municipality in Naples around the years they would have been born. What rolls (for what years) should I pull for them? About how old were men & women when they had children back then? I'm trying to figure out when her parents would have been born. I'm thinking 1851 - 1865?

It's $5.50 a roll & each year is a separate roll AND it's extra to have it shipped overnight (so it's pretty expensive) or else I would pull from the beginning of the 1800's.

Any advice?

[peggymckee]

Hi Jen,

Does FHL have church records for Naples for 1883? Peg

[jenalonso]

No, they only have up until 1865. Don't ask me why.

[peggymckee]

The 1900 cenus has columns for month & year for birth, age, and number of years in current marriage. Here's the link to all the blank census forms. Maybe you can get birthdates, marriage dates from the census--at least an estimate. Peg

http://www.ancestry.com/charts/census.aspx

[jenalonso]

Oh yes, thank you, but I have her birthdate. I have requested the record from several places in Campania, but no responses yet.

I don't really even need her parents' birth records, but I figured as long as FHL has the records, they might help me when I go to Naples to get hers & her husband's docs.

Sorry, not sure if the above makes sense.

[Cathynap]

I am trying to decide what rolls to pull from the FHL in Utah.

This is what I know:

My great-grandmother was born in 1883. I wanted to check Naples for her birth records, but FHL does not have this year for Naples. They only have records up until 1865.

But FHL has records for her parents' municipality in Naples around the years they would have been born. What rolls (for what years) should I pull for them? About how old were men & women when they had children back then? I'm trying to figure out when her parents would have been born. I'm thinking 1851 - 1865?

It's $5.50 a roll & each year is a separate roll AND it's extra to have it shipped overnight (so it's pretty expensive) or else I would pull from the beginning of the 1800's.

Any advice?

I have looked through thousands of birth marriage and death acts from my grandfathers town and currently have 10-12 microfilms. The main thing I have noticed is these poor women had children until they died or could not have them anymore. I have seen women as young as 16 and as old as 53 having babies and it was not that uncommon to have them that old. Sorry, but any guess you make will be just that. Go with what your gut tells you.
A note about why they only have records through 1865. I know of 2 towns that only have records through the early 1860's. One is Cortale in Catanzaro. My cousin went there and was told "the American's bombed them" They were destroyed during WWII. It is very possible the same happened in Naples. The Province may have these records though.

[jenalonso]

Is this true???? This is the first I've heard about records being destroyed in WWII. Is it possible they will have no records for 1871 & 1883 when I go to Naples????

[Cathynap]

Is this true???? This is the first I've heard about records being destroyed in WWII. Is it possible they will have no records for 1871 & 1883 when I go to Naples????

It is possible - but I have no knowledge of that happening. Only what happened to my Grandmother's comune records in Calabria. This is what they told my cousin in Cortale for that town's records. Naples is another story - I was just giving it as a possibilty. Records can be lost for many reasons though so keep that in mind. I have never heard anything about Naples records being destroyed or missing. Sorry if I gave you that impression.

[jenalonso]

No, that's ok. I'm glad for the info, because I have noticed that the same is true about the dates for many parts of Italy, and I was wondering the reason. hmm...something to look into...

[Cathynap]

I forgot to mention something before. Even if the town itself may not have a copy of the records due to a fire or some other disasterous event, the province state civil offices probably will. Every year each town is required to send a copy of the previous years records to the Province. Now how can you access those records is another story. The answer to that would be no. But the town might be able to - I don't know.

[Emmy]

I had a reply from Sant'Elia Fiumerapido comune re a request for a document they said that many of their documents had been destroyed in 1944/45 during WW11 and not all had been restored. So it seems there must have been 'back-up' copies kept somewhere if they were able to replace some. Just keep your fingers crossed Jen you may be lucky.
Emmy

[jenalonso]

Thanks, Emmy, will do!

I just hope that's not the reason that my several requests to Naples have not been responded to....

[Cathynap]

How long ago did you write Naples? You know, it can take months to get a response. They receive many requests from all over the world and in August I'm sure they are short staffed due to vacations.

[jenalonso]

I sent my first email in January. I received a response that they would forward it to the appropriate office. Nothing. I sent followup emails. Nothing. I sent a letter to 4 churches by USPS a month & 1/2 ago. Nothing. I sent a letter to Naples stato civile a few weeks ago. Nothing yet.

I just sent an "URGENT!" type email a few days ago and received the same response, that they would forward it to the appropriate office.