Thank you so much, Suanj -- you really came through! This is a request from a cousin. I've written to him to ask for more details, so will post again when he writes me. Again, thanks. Dot

I am looking for any information on Serafina Rinaudo and her husband John DiPaola from Cefalu. I believe they settled in Louisiana, assume around the turn of the century. Do not know if they were married in US or in Sicily. Thank you, Dot

Dear Maria -- Thanks for your understanding & concern. All of the people about whom I was concerned have been located, including Mr. Sal Serio of the Cefalutana Society.
Odd about people who don't care for forums. I know a few who are brilliant at research, but won't forum. Whatever, please pass on ...

Here's a census record of interest !

June 1900

http//img245.imageshack.us/img245/8511/rosarinaudo19004hw.gif

Rosa Rinaudo born 1860 - widow, Louisiana

mfjp Dear Maria -- Please forgive me for this horribly overdue thank you for the extremely interesting census page.
When Katrina hit, I became ...

Oooh, Maria -- that's great!
My computer is going to the plastic surgery hospital tomorrow. Can't wait to get it back & start using all these great new tools.
Trish's tips should be required reading for all us neophytes.
Thanks so much,
Dot

Hello Trish --
You're right about the La. Ships' list. I've scrolled through it till I'm bleary-eyed.
Thank you for providing those film numbers. I don't live in the States, but in Oaxaca, Mexico. I've phoned the Family History Center here, & apparently I can order the film from this center ...

Maria, thanks so much. I would love to know who those people are. Am sure I'll find out one day. The "Mary - wife" in the census is probably the
"Marie C. Rinaudo" who died in August of 1947 in Trish's list, above.
A question: what is imageshack? It's wonderful! The image comes up quickly, is very ...

Hi Trish ("Witch Eyes" in Spanish? What's that about? Love it!) --
Boy, you did a bunch of work! Thank you!
That is not my Francesco, as mine died in 1917. (He's the 1st person in the death listings.) What is intriguing are deaths # 3 & 4, because of the location. My part of the family is from Point ...

Hello Maria --
Thanks for the urls. So far, I've had no luck w/Castle Garden, but it's probably because I don't know how to allow for variables when searching.
Francesco Rinaudo wound up in New Roads, Louisiana. I have no idea what happened to his siblings, but now have faith that I may find out ...

Dear Master mfjp --
WOW! I am bowled over -- THANK YOU!
The age is right, w/in one year. And, for that matter, the 1900 census gives his birth year as 1857, not '56.
You may have cleared up a big mystery:
my mother says she remembers hearing something as a child about "Colorado" or "Coronado". I ...

I've been frustrated also trying to find Rinaudos. Here's my family:

Matteo Rinaudo m. Serafina Culotta
(their children):
Rosaria Rinaudo, b. 1859
Francesco (Frank) Rinaudo, 2/13/1856--9/30/1917 (m.Mariana Sansone)
Salvatore, b. 1865

Supposedly, they were all from Cefalú. I imagine their were ...

Hello again, Angela --
Have you tried the Cefalutana Society site to try to find your g-grandfather Joe Serio? The president of the society, Sal Serio, is a prince amongst men. http://www.cefalutanasociety.com/
Good luck, Dot
p.s. Now I'm thinking maybe I'm wrong about the Platto settling in ...

Hi Angela -- I've tried every permutation to make the url (rootsweb passenger list) come up. When that didn't work, tried searching the last names -- no luck there either. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Dot

I am so excited to find your postings! I have a photograph of the Reverend Bernard L. Platto (he was my maternal grandmother's first cousin). On the back he wrote:

"Birmingham, Ala.

Born April 10th, 1884. Lascari, Prov. of Palermo Siciliy, Italy. 7 miles from Cefalú. 43 miles from Palermo ...