Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
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Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
My great grandmother was born in Messina and immigrated to the US in 1903. I found a ship manifest that indicated she went to visit her mother-in-law in a small commune in Palermo somewhere around 1914. When I first saw it, I thought it was kind of strange she would list her mother-in-law but not her own family in Messina but I didn't think much more of it at that point. Well, a few days later, I learned about the earthquake and tsunami that killed approximately 40% of the residents there in 1908. I started wondering if her direct family members were part of the casualties. Does anyone know if there is a list of the people who died in this tragic event?
- johnnyonthespot
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Re: Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
With casulaties of "100,000–200,000 dead (13th deadliest earthquake of all time)" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908_Messina_earthquake or even "only" 72,000 http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ ... _12_28.php, you may be hard pressed to locate a list of the dead and missing.
Carmine
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My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me!

- Italysearcher
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Re: Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
I don't believe there were any official casualty lists. Just the death records for those whose bodied were found and buried, assuming they were identified.
Ann Tatangelo
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Dual citizenship assistance, and document acquisition, on-site genealogical research in Lazio, Molise, Latina and Cosenza. Land record searches and succession.
Re: Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
I do not know about Messina, but I know that on the opposite site on the mainland in Reggio Calabria, a town equaly destroyed by that earthquake, in the State Archive there is indeed a list of all casualties. It an extra volume of the death registers of the Civil State made up a few years later.
I can hardly immagine that in the State Archive of Messina there would not be such a list. A simple telephonecall will give you the answer.
I can hardly immagine that in the State Archive of Messina there would not be such a list. A simple telephonecall will give you the answer.
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Re: Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
Wondering if my husbands great grandmother may have been orphaned from this. She was born in 1893 or 1895, she came to America in 1912 she would have been 17 to 19 years of age, im thinking more towards 17 tho because a census list her as being married at age 17 for the first time. She would have been been 13 at the time of the quake. We can find no information on her coming over, I have recently ordered her naturalization records in hopes it will give a little more information. her husbands records listed her as being born in Messina Italy in 1895 however her headstone shows her born in 1893 so I am very unsure of whats correct......
Re: Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
To the person saying there is a list of casualties for Reggio Calabria. How would one find that?
We are looking for Luigi Bagnato who would have been 45 years old at the time (born 1863 in Sant'Eufemia).
Thank you kindly,
sue
We are looking for Luigi Bagnato who would have been 45 years old at the time (born 1863 in Sant'Eufemia).
Thank you kindly,
sue
Di Giacco, Nicotera; Bagnato, Fedele, Pavia, Rosarno and Sant’Eufemia; Grassi, Genoa; Martorana, Ministeri/o, Tramontana, Alu, Barravecchia, Di Carlo, Caltanissetta; Sassano; Gentiluomo; Gioffre, Foti,
Re: Casualties of Messina earthquake and tsunami in 1908
Here are the records for "morti, terremoto" in Reggio Calabria 1908Suedigi wrote: 09 Apr 2018, 21:18 To the person saying there is a list of casualties for Reggio Calabria. How would one find that?
We are looking for Luigi Bagnato who would have been 45 years old at the time (born 1863 in Sant'Eufemia).
Thank you kindly,
sue
http://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.i ... terremoto/
T.
- Joannsalvo
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