Please help with Genealogy Research

[Castrogovianni]

Hi Genealogy Friends;

I would like to get the names of my Great Grandfather Francesco Castrogiovanni's parents. Also, any other family information that is available. I took the great advice that I received here on Italian Genealogy.com and wrote to Militello to request a Family Certificate and Birth Certificate for both Francesco and his brother Salvatore and their children; while i am waiting for that information...is their anything else i can do to learn more; any more research suggestions or information that you might have.


Any help you could provide would be much appreciated: Here is what i have learned so far on Francesco; most of it is American data; however; i now would like to know more of the Italian genealogy of the family...Please help...

His first name is: Francesco (Frank) Castrogiovanni

Birth Year approx: 1882

Last Italy residence: Militello in Val di Catania, Sicilia, Italy

Death: June 18, 1926

Cemetery: Glendale Cemetery, Bloomfield, New Jersey

Age at death: 44

His wife's surname: Giovanna Lardizzone (daughter of Giovanni)

Believed to be married in: Militello in Val di Catania, Sicilia, Italy

Francesco departed Italy from the Port of Naples sailing on the S.S. Mendoza on May 13, 1910

Immigration to Port of New York via Ellis Island: May 27, 1910

Brothers Name: Salvatore

Son’s name: Angelo (6/14/10-9/30/99)

Daughter’s name: Josephine (1914-5/27/71)

Residence 1910: 60 Catherine Street, New York

Residence 1911: 5 Monroe Street, New York, New York

Residence 1920: 142 Cherry Street, Manhattan, New York, New York

Last know city lived in: Newark, New Jersey

Thank you very much in your interest; any help you could provide would be very much appreciated!

Please let me know of any possible family relations or suggestions on researching for more family information.

Thanks,

Michael Castrogovianni

[Bette]

Michael,
There seems to be 3 ways to get information from Italy.
(1) Write to the town (you have done this).
(2) Do the research yourself by renting & reading microfilms at a Mormon Family History Center. (Sadly the civil registration records for the town of Militello in Val di Catania only cover the period 1841 - 1860. Since your great-grandfather was born approx 1882; this method is not a good one until you have his information and would like to go back further).
(3) Get the information from someone who has already researched this family. This would not only include a fellow-genealogist reseaching the same name, but also existing family members in Italy who you could contact by writing a letter in Italian to them. Lots of times families know their histories, as I have found when writing my newly found relatives in Sicily. If they don't know it, they could go to the town hall and get it.
There is always the option of traveling to Sicily yourself and going to the town hall. Not the best option, as my cousin recently found out, since the town hall was either closed or too busy to do the research.

Have you looked for this surname in the Italian White Pages to find possible relatives?

Hopefully, you will hear back from the town soon. If this was handled through the postal mail, it wouldn't be unusual to wait a month before you hear back. They are probably all on vacation in the month of August, so Sept should be quite busy for them. Good luck!!!
Bette

[wldspirit]

Your only other option aside from what has already been suggested, is to try and make contact with those sharing your surname in the town of origin, you may or may not make a connection with family who can help in your pursuits.

One poster made the local news over there by sending out potential relative letters, and it is not unheard of to send out 90+ letters.....nothing to lose in trying!!

form letter

wldspirit

[Castrogovianni]

Thanks for your assistance; i believe that i have already made all the emails possible to the below connectsions thru the white pages below; however; maybe i will write a letter in Italian to the entire group of "castrogovianni's". your thoughts.



www.paginebianche.it

Castrogiovanni Salvina
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Piazza S. Agata, 5
tel:095 656173

salvina.castrogiovanni @ fastwebnet.it <salvina.castrogiovanni@fastwebnet.it>



Ardizzone Carmela Marinella
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Via Cortile Neco, 3/A
cell:328 5519190

Ardizzone Giuseppe
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Cortile Neco, 3
tel:095 811185

Lardizzone Anna Maria
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Via S. Francesco Di Paola, 42
tel:095 656645

Lardizzone Giovanni
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Via Manzoni, 3
tel:095 656779

Lardizzone Giuseppa
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Via Gulinello, 96
tel:095 656657

Lardizzone Rosa
95043 Militello In Val Di Catania (CT) -
Viale Delle Rimembranze, 31
tel:095 656359

cognome: Lardizzione dove: CT or Sicilia
cognome: Castrogiovanni dove: CT or Sicilia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...di_Catania
www.comunemilitello.it/
google translate or babelfish
www.cognomiitaliani.org
Surname origins
Castrogiovanni, decisamente siciliano, molto diffuso in tutta l'isola, ma particolarmente nell'ennese da dove è originario, dovrebbe derivare dal toponimo Castrogiovanni, l'antico nome della città di Enna

[Bette]

Michael,
I would definitely write those letters. You have nothing to lose. If you have an old photograph, scan it in as part of your letter. Anything you can do to make the connection will help. Include your email address in the header. Good luck,
Bette

[fredoniapeaches]

i have found a wealth of knowledge in my genealogy quests by doing a simple google search...