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nfig1 wrote:
By the way, it appears Sylvia Rizzo (Villa) died in 1941. She was born around 1876. Is there some way to verify her place of birth since it's not on the manifest? Otherwise, I will have to assume it was Varese Ligure.
It's on her 1907 manifest as Pietra Ligure (Savona, Liguria) same as
daughter Maria
OOPS I meant Maria DeVincenzi! I'm losing my mind apparently. There was no place of birth information on her 1885 manifest
PeterTimber wrote:If you are seeking documents for consular presentationthen request documents "plurilingue" while your at it and request long form (estratto di nascita) birth record. Toss in $5.00-$10.00 in self addressed envelope since clerks do research at end of day and are poorly paid...=Peter=
Does "plurilingue" indicate I will receive copies in both English and Italian? If so, then I can avoid translation fees?
nfig1 wrote:
I have searched all over the internet, on all the websites, etc., and the closest I've come to determining the date of naturalization for my gggf was via the 1920 census, which indicated 1913. HOWEVER, I am suspicious because the 1910 census says "Na". One of them is wrong, and I cannot be sure which. I am inclined to believe the 1920 census because the year of naturalization is also indicated. Could one of the experts here help me confirm this please? Many thanks.
Have you located Francesco's naturalization paperwork?
This may help:
Alameda County Naturalization Records:
Naturalization Records are part of the Superior Court records.
These records are maintained kept by the Clerk of the Court at the
Rene C. Davidson Alameda County Court House
1225 Fallon Street, Room 109
Oakland, CA 94612
I just got off the phone with someone at USCIS. They switched my request to a fast track and said I should have a letter of "no record" shortly. Thus, all I have to do is gather the necessary vital record documents and schedule an embassy interview.
nfig1 wrote:
By the way, it appears Sylvia Rizzo (Villa) died in 1941. She was born around 1876. Is there some way to verify her place of birth since it's not on the manifest? Otherwise, I will have to assume it was Varese Ligure.
It's on her 1907 manifest as Pietra Ligure (Savona, Liguria) same as
daughter Maria
OOPS I meant Maria DeVincenzi! I'm losing my mind apparently. There was no place of birth information on her 1885 manifest
Thanks!
For Magdalena De Vincenzi, it appears she died relatively young sometime between the 1910 and 1920 censuses. Since her city of birth is not on the manifest, it should be on her death certificate, which I can order. Is there a better way? Or maybe I should just go ahead and assume she was born in Varese Ligure?
ALSO, I just discovered on her husband's (my gggf) death certificate that he was born in Caranza. I googled this and found nothing. Is this town in Varese Ligure? Grazie infinite!
pink67 wrote: I have no doubt that Magdalena was from the area of Varese Ligure... I also know Caranza, is a little but amazing hamlet of Varese Ligure....
So, I'm trying to figure out how Italy is broken up. From biggest to smallest we have Liguria, then Varese Ligure, then La Spezia, then frazioni like Caranza? Corretto? Grazie!
pink67 wrote: I have no doubt that Magdalena was from the area of Varese Ligure... I also know Caranza, is a little but amazing hamlet of Varese Ligure....
So, I'm trying to figure out how Italy is broken up. From biggest to smallest we have Liguria, then Varese Ligure, then La Spezia, then frazioni like Caranza? Corretto? Grazie!
In piu, if I were to order a copy of a birth certificate, would I have to order it from Caranza or Varese Ligure?
Grazie mille per l'informazione about Caranza. You are right; it is amazing!
It's hard to see why my ancestors thought the grass was greener in Oakland, CA.
nfig1 wrote:
It's hard to see why my ancestors thought the grass was greener in Oakland, CA.
You have to consider that at that time there was so much poverty in Italy... Sure they did the choice to leave just to improve their situation and find a better life....
Caranza and Varese Ligure where country villages, the only kind of work was farming.... if they had lands to cultivate....
I wish you to visit "your places" here, I'm sure you'll understand when you'll see the area... today it's amazing but one hundred and more years ago it had to be very difficult to live there....
However, as Caranza is a little fraction of the comune of Varese Ligure of course you have to ask for the document in Varese....
What else can I say, but thank you. Thank you one and all. I feel as though it is not enough because you have all helped me tremendously. My consulate interview appointment is March 17, 2010. Unfortunately, virtually the entire west coast of the U.S. goes through the San Francisco embassy, which explains the long wait. I hope between then and now I will be able to visit La Spezia and Varese. I'm sure it will be one of the best vacations of my life. Thanks again to everyone, and I will keep you posted on my progress. It would seem that within two years I should be an officially recognized Italian citizen, something that of course I will be very proud of. - Nick Figone
...
..and please Nick, when you'll be here, contact me, I will be more than happy to bring you to Caranza and Varese and show you the area....
I wish you all the best things!
Laura
Possibly related manifest
Silvia Villa and 4 children
17 Mar 1907 SS Virginia Genoa to NY 1907 manifest
- all born in Pietra Ligure (Savona, Liguria) Note: Pietra Ligure is located abt 60 km sw of Genoa
Silvia Villa 30 (abt 1887)
- last residence Ceriana (Imperia, Liguria)
- destination SF, CA
- joining husband/father Pietro Rizzo at 4661 Telegraph, Oakland Daughter Maria 9 (abt 1898)
Son Giuseppe 8 (abt 1899)
Daughter Giuseppina 4 (abt 1903)
Son Giovanni 2 (abt 1905)
---
Note: daughter Maria appears to be several years younger than the
Mary Figone on the 1910 census... But, there may be an error on the manifest
- son/brother? Joseph/Giuseppe's age is off
also compared to the 1910 census
Possible record for brother Giuseppe Rizzo 1917 WWI Draft Registration Card Joseph Rizzo 21
1202 59th Oakland 2 May 1896 in Genoa
California Death Index, 1940-1997
Name: Joseph L Rizzo
Social Security #: 56509xxxx
Birth Date: 2 May 1896
Birthplace: Other Country
Death Date: 23 Jan 1958
Death Place: Alameda Mother's Maiden Name: Villa
FATHER'S SURNAME: Pietro
Can someone perhaps offer a plausible explanation as to why the ship manifest lists Silvia by her maiden name VILLA when she is going to meet up with her husband P. RIZZO in California? What's more, the kids are all listed as VILLA, when they should have their father's surname. Is this just an error on the part of the person writing the manifest? Thank you.
In Italy women retain their maiden name for life, once in America they then take use of the husbands surname.
Without looking at the manifest, I'm assuming the childrens name is an error or possibly marked with " " to indicate traveling with mother above.
wldspirit
* just took a look, at the child's first name it does appear that the person started to write the name, you can see what appears to an R, then wrote Villa over the top.....
___________________________
"Cambiano i suonatori ma la musica è sempre quella."
That's very interesting about the wife, but wouldn't the children have the father's surname? The person should have written Rizzo for the children, but didn't? Thanks again.
The older generations who lived in southern Italy certainly remember the sound of the bells or the siren that occurred at various times of the day. Life was marked by simple and repetitive gestures: work, the relationship with nature, sharing with the family and the people of the small villages. Now...
I meant Maria DeVincenzi! I'm losing my mind apparently. There was no place of birth information on her 1885 manifest
I have no doubt that Magdalena was from the area of Varese Ligure... I also know Caranza, is a little but amazing hamlet of Varese Ligure....
