Surnames Castaldi & D'Ambra of Ischia d'Forio

[ischia]

None of those names come up in my list of ancestors, but I only know of the immediate family and that is all anyone of us know so far, but I will keep searching. I will let you know if I find out any more. do you know the names of your great grandparents? Were both sides of the family from Forio too?
I live in Gilbertsville, PA, (Montgomery County) I was born in SW Phila. my father Francis Castaldi was born in West Phila in 1915 he was the 12 th of 13 (only 11 lived) children of Giovanni Guiseppe Castaldi and Maria D'Ambra.
My father always said he had no cousins. Only in the last few years I found he had cousins in Rhode Island who were decendents of Luigi Castaldi brother to my grandfather Giovanni, who went by J. Joseph in USA. I could not find any others in the records so I figured the rest of the Castaldi family stayed in Forio and only the 2 boys came to USA.

Back in the 1960's my brother Gus found a shoe repair shop in Chester,PA called Castaldi Shoe Repairs, did you ever hear of it? It probably was another cousin but we had no connection with any other Castaldi's other than the immideate 10 families. There was also a little old Italian man that used to come through the streets of SW Philly pushing a cart **SPAM** pretzels. He came over to me one day and said "you a Castaldi ? I am Castaldi too." My father told me never to talk to him that we did not know him. He could have been a relative too , but my father did not want to find any other relatives and I do not know why. It must have been the thinking of that generation!!

As for the D'Ambra's the only thing I know is that Maria's brother Michael (Michaelangelo) born in 1882 took my uncle Salvatore to Ischia in 1910 to study at the seminary to be a priest but he came back alone at the age 0f 13 three years later, as far as the manifest show.

There are a lot of Castaldi and D'Ambra's in Rhode Island too. In Ocen City, NJ there used to be a Castaldi, i think it was John Castaldi who's name was stamped in the new concrete back in the 60's and up were ever he did the new concrete work on pavement, etc. i often wondered if he was a relation.

You are spelling the name D'Ambro, right? we spell it D'Ambra but in the census it could be spelled many ways too or it could have been changed at Ellis Island.

Does your father live in Media too? We really do not live far from each other, I know it is off the Blue Route, my daughter in law grew up in Media.

Did you know there is a Castaldi Hotel in Forio Ischia? Also a D'Ambra Winery? My cousin Mary went there last year and they told her "D'Ambra's ........rich.....Castaldi's .......poor". My husband and I hope to visit Forio, Ischia in 12008 and maybe some of my cousins will go too as well as my sister.

I have a site for the white pages in Forio and there are so many Castaldis and D'Ambra listed, it must be like Smith and Jones' here in usa.

[ischia]

Where else other than Media did your father's family live? Did they ever live in Philadelphia? Do you know what parrish they lived in Forio d'Iscia?
Joanne Castaldi Navarro
jojosew@comcast.net
610-473-0904

[smurray]

Joanne - my family is from Chester. I live in Media now but was born and raised in Chester. My father grew up at 1126 W. Third Street. They never lived in Philadelphia but I know some Dambro's or D'Ambro's continued to visit with my father's sisters throughout the years. My dad, Dominic's siblings were Madeline, Rachel, Jennie, Mary, Florence, Vito, Raymond, Thomas and Louis. As for your story regarding a shoe shop in Chester with the Castaldi name - I don't think that is correct. I inquired about that with some family members and there may have been something with Castaldi on a shop front on the way to Philadelphia (Essington?). We didn't know them though. Ask around with your family and see if they know of any of my aunts and uncles. Unfortunately, they are all deceased. As for the parrish in Forio - no I don't know anything about the Italy heritage yet. I don't believe that my father's grandparents ever left Italy.

[ischia]

smurry,

Yes, I guess it could have been Essington or some town between Chester and Philly. I could not find you grandparents on any census other than the 1930 like you mentioned. There were many with the name Castaldi in the census from Chester, just not Assunta or John. Do you have a subscription to Ancestry.com? I do if you need to check anything for you, let me know.
Joanne

[ischia]

smurry,

Did your father enlist in the Army on April 6, 1943? I found enlisments records that has a Dominic F. Castaldi, Delaware Co. Pa, . At that time, this person was single without dependents, and had 2 yrs of high school.
I found a Vito A. Castaldi born abt. 1927 and Myrtie E. Castaldi, born abt. 1925 and lived on Clearwater Ln, Brookhaven, Del.Co, PA 19015 in the us pubic records index as of maybe 2006 because it says she was est. age 81 and Vito was 79. Does anyof this ring a bell?
Other the 1930 census I cannot find any records of the family. they children were born here between abt. 1909 and 1928 so you would think I could find a 1910 and 1920, but no luck so far.

[smurray]

Thanks Ischia - yes, that is my father, Dominic. Where can I find these public records that you found? Also, Vito was his brother and if Myrtie was found with him in Brookhaven then that is my aunt. I guess that is her given name = we call her Betty. Isn't that strange about not being able to find the rest of the family in earlier census records. My dad had siblings born starting in 1912 so I don't really know where they were before that. I need to find that out. I always assumed they lived in Delaware County. Anyway, thanks for the information.

[ischia]

I find most of my information on Ancestry.com or Ellisisland.com . Ancestry will give you a 14 day free trial. If you want any of the copies of what I did find let me know your address and I will mail it to you.
If there are any other info I can check for you let me know I have a subscription until july on Anccestry.

[smurray]

Ischia - haven't been doing too much with this recently but something did happen that I thought interesting. I have a 1st cousin that recently died and we went to the funeral in Gilbertsville. I didn't notice that that is where you were from until today. His name was Louis Tate. His mother was Jenny Castaldi. That Castaldi is my aunt and my connection but I wondered if you ever saw this obituary and wondered about the Castaldi name.

[ischia]

Hi Smurray,

Good to hear from you again. I just recently was able to obtain some records from someone who had a lot of info from Ischia when he was surching for his daughter's mother-in-law who is a Castaldi. He also gave me the 1930 census that had your Dad's who family in it. Email me at jojosew@comcast.net and I will send you a copy and yes ther is a Jennie who was born around 1920. I am not sure of the connection to me but it may be that my great great grandfather had a brother John born about the same time as your John and Assunta Castaldi. I am still checking this out.
Joanne

[ischia]

Gilbertsville, PA this is in Montgomery county

My husband grew up in South Philly and I in SW Philly.

Hi Joanne,

I have to smile when I hear people are from my hometown!!:):):)

If you ever want to go to NARA on 9th and Chestnut Streets or the Philly Archives at 31st & Market Streets, both in Center City. Let me know. Thrusdays are my best days to go to Archives. We can meet!

Also, I love going to the Montgomery County Archives. I have family from Montomgery County and I'm up at those archives a lot too. And Carole who is the director is a real doll!!!

Have a great day! Keep in touch!
Trish

[ischia]

Trish,
Where is the Archives located in Montgomery county? It may be easier than me going to Philly.

Thanks,

Joanne

[aldamb]

Hi all,
I'm looking for any information about Vito D'Ambra from Forio, D'Ischia who emigrated to Providence, RI in 1899, his father Michele D'Ambra of Forio, D'Ischia, and his wife Anna Buoncore.

I'd be grateful for any information you might have. Ironically, I live in Villanova, PA....I notice there are a lot of Philly and Delaware county folks on here. Greetings!

Thanks for the help!

[PeterTimber]

Since you do not appear to be familiar with Italian Genealogy yhou should familiarize yourself at
http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/parlsofwis ... earch.html

Then you will be able to help us help you quickly and quietly. =Peter=

[vj]

Hi all,
I'm looking for any information about Vito D'Ambra from Forio, D'Ischia who emigrated to Providence, RI in 1899, his father Michele D'Ambra of Forio, D'Ischia, and his wife Anna Buoncore.

I'd be grateful for any information you might have. Ironically, I live in Villanova, PA....I notice there are a lot of Philly and Delaware county folks on here. Greetings!

Thanks for the help!

Hello and Welcome !
In addition to checking out Peter's links, you may want to start your own post.
It will help to keep your family separate from other posters' families.
Just click on new topic below this post on the left.
Thank you, Valarie

[ischia]

Hello,

How do you find all this information? I bought the newest Family tree maker software and I still can not get the info you have found. I was hoping to buy the world family tree vol. 43. I found information that claimed I should be able to get what I am looking for on the vol. 43 for information on Castaldi and D'Ambra families. I am sure there are no gaurantees this cd will have what I need.

Thanks again, Joanne

Hi Joanne,

We are all here to help.

Where in PA are you?

Smile for me!:)
Trish

Trish, I live in Gilbertsville, Montgomery county, PA where is the National arcives located in Montgomery county you mentioned?? Joanne