Help Me Figure Out My Biological Great Grandfather!

[Biff83]

Hey, Pete, thanks for responding.

I need to call it a night but if I've got some time tomorro, I'll see what else I can find.

A presto,
Biff

[Pistolpete]

Hey, Pete, thanks for responding.

I need to call it a night but if I've got some time tomorro, I'll see what else I can find.

A presto,
Biff

Thank you for all the help so far. Both you and VJ. Very grateful and appreciative of it.

[Biff83]

Apparently he was an Italian composer or musician.

WWII Draft Card
Name: Ovid Paul Chelly
Birth Date: 28 Jun 1893
Birth Place: Rome
Residence: New York City
Race: White
Unemployed

WWI Draft Reg Card
Name: Ovidio Chelli
County: Warwick
State: Virginia
Birthplace: San Demetrio ne' Vestini, province of L'Aquila, region of Abruzzo
Birth Date: 28 Jun 1889
Occupation: Musician

Biff

[Pistolpete]

Apparently he was an Italian composer or musician.

WWII Draft Card
Name: Ovid Paul Chelly
Birth Date: 28 Jun 1893
Birth Place: Rome
Residence: New York City
Race: White
Unemployed

WWI Draft Reg Card
Name: Ovidio Chelli
County: Warwick
State: Virginia
Birthplace: San Demetrio ne' Vestini, province of L'Aquila, region of Abruzzo
Birth Date: 28 Jun 1889
Occupation: Musician


Biff

Biff, you are the absolute man. It could very well be either of them. The only thing that makes me weary is the age. But man... if we could somehow find archive records of a marriage, divorce, or census with Mary, Marion, or Marianna then we could really be onto something.

Thank you for all the effort so far.

*Edit*

Okay, Ovidio Chelli might not be him because he was 28 and in Virginia. Thought be around 1917 - now unless he moved to Kings Borough NY then I don't think it could be him. He would need to do so in the next 8-9 years from that point because my great aunt was born in 1928.

[Biff83]

1913 manifest, line 11
Ovidio Chelli
Occupation: Music Master
Year of bireth: about 1889
Last residence and place of birth: San Demetrio
Nearest relative in Italy: mother Carmella
edited to correct destination city
Destination: Morgantown WV to join brother Antonio

Page 1

Page 2

Biff

[Biff83]

I believe that the draft cards and the ship manifest belong to the same person. Check the name of the relative who will know his address on the WWII card-Remo Chelli.

WWI Draft Card for Remo Chelli
Name: Ramo (Remo) Chelli
County: Monongalia
State: West Virginia
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 3 Oct 1894
Birthplace: San Demetrio

But we need to find documentation that this guy is the Paul O Chilly (Chelli) who married Marianna (Marion) Amari.

Biff

[Biff83]

Okay, Ovidio Chelli might not be him because he was 28 and in Virginia. Thought be around 1917 - now unless he moved to Kings Borough NY then I don't think it could be him. He would need to do so in the next 8-9 years from that point because my great aunt was born in 1928.

As a musician/composer, he may have moved around quite a bit and the family might not have been in New York in 1930 if he took them on the road with him.

Biff

[Pistolpete]

I believe that the draft cards and the ship manifest belong to the same person. Check the name of the relative who will know his address on the WWII card-Remo Chelli.

WWI Draft Card for Remo Chelli
Name: Ramo (Remo) Chelli
County: Monongalia
State: West Virginia
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 3 Oct 1894
Birthplace: San Demetrio

But we need to find documentation that this guy is the Paul O Chilly (Chelli) who married Marianna (Marion) Amari.

Biff

I don't know any Chelli's so I wouldn't know Remo Chelli or anyone that he would reference.

To clarify something. When I say he was an Italian composer or musician, I know he was of Italian decent (And most likely born somewhere in Italy, but not necessarily). This is how my grandfather described him to me. An Italian composer or musician. He also claimed his name was Paul Chelli but obviously that's not automatically 100% truth as it hasn't even been verified.

The 1926 marriage I discovered in the original post makes sense date wise. Finding the Paul Chilly seemed far too much of a coincidence. Whether they got married isn't known to me currently (I can find out). I'd have doubts that he would be around for 10 years (At least 1928-1937) and not marry my grandmother. Hopefully we can try connecting this somehow.

[Pistolpete]

Okay, Ovidio Chelli might not be him because he was 28 and in Virginia. Thought be around 1917 - now unless he moved to Kings Borough NY then I don't think it could be him. He would need to do so in the next 8-9 years from that point because my great aunt was born in 1928.

As a musician/composer, he may have moved around quite a bit and the family might not have been in New York in 1930 if he took them on the road with him.

Biff

I would have to contact my great aunt Camille to verify that. Only she could know at this point. But I don't think that was case, but I really don't know. They were also in the NY area from what I've known and understood. My grandfather lived there his whole life there and he was born 5 years after 1930. It's possible though. Maybe he could have traveled a lot.

[suanj]

and abt this record:

Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001
about Paul O Chelli
Name: Paul O Chelli
Gender: Male
Spouse's name: Marion A Chelli
Divorce Date: 1946
County: Dade
Certificate Number: 19002

???
suanj

[Pistolpete]

and abt this record:

Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001
about Paul O Chelli
Name: Paul O Chelli
Gender: Male
Spouse's name: Marion A Chelli
Divorce Date: 1946
County: Dade
Certificate Number: 19002

???
suanj

It's intriguing, but it's a Florida record when they were in NY. The divorce, also would be more fitting if it happening sometime in the late 30's early 40's instead. Is it possible to leave (Essentially what Paul Chelli did) and file for divorce 10 states away like that?

Are there any dates or facts about the spouse/husband within that record? That could help I guess.

Been searching on ancestry. Can't access any further but all of the top choices look potentially interesting...

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse. ... cl=f&ne=10

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse. ... cl=f&ne=10

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse. ... cl=f&ne=10

[suanj]

1913 manifest, line 11
Ovidio Chelli
Occupation: Music Master
Year of bireth: about 1889
Last residence and place of birth: San Demetrio
Nearest relative in Italy: mother Carmella
edited to correct destination city
Destination: Morgantown WV to join brother Antonio

Page 1

Page 2

Biff

just some input...
Antonio passport ??:

U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925
about Anthony Chelli
Name: Anthony Chelli
Birth Date: 18 Feb 1884
Birth Place: S Demetrio Neivestini, Italy
Residence: Morgantown, West Virginia
Passport Issue Date: 3 Mar 1923
Father Name: Raffaele Chelli
Father's Birth Location: Italy
Father's Residence: Dead
Passport Includes a Photo: Y
Source: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925 (M1490)

pag 1 http://s6.imagestime.com/out.php/i443100_antonio1.jpg

pag 2 with picture http://s6.imagestime.com/out.php/i443101_antonio2.jpg
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Antony Chelli
Name: Antony Chelli
County: Monongalia
State: West Virginia
Birth Date: 18 Feb 1884
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1992863
DraftBoard: 0

relative: Ugo Chelli ( also music teacher)

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Ugo Chelli
Name: Ugo Chelli
County: Monongalia
State: West Virginia
Birth Date: 16 Feb 1886
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1992863
DraftBoard: 0

relative: Norma Chelli sister in San Demetrio nei Vestini

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
about Ugo Chelli
Name: Ugo Chelli
Birth Date: 15 Feb 1886
Birth Place:
Residence: Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Roll: WW2_2243919

married at Mrs Lucy Chelli in Pittsburg

1930 United States Federal Census
about Hugo Chelli
Name: Hugo Chelli
Home in 1930: Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
View Map
Age: 43
Estimated birth year: abt 1887
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Lucy
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Hugo Chelli 43
Lucy Chelli 49
Victor Massimino 18
William Massimino 19
Frank Massimino 25
Arland Massimino 12
the children are all stepsons

regards, suanj

[suanj]

Here's a 1914 trip with daughter Eleanora, son Vito did not sail
joining son Domenico in NYC
husband Giuseppe is in Santa Ninfa

26 Apr 1914 Manifest
page 2

Antonina Lo Truglio 44, abt 1870
- possible naturalization notation 2-1018848(?) 505 no c/a 7/24/42
- last residence S Ninfa
- in S Ninfa, husband Giuseppe Amari
- joining son Domenico in Brooklyn
- born in S Ninfa
Eleanora Amari 15, abt 1899
Vito Amari 12, abt 1902
- lined off, did not sail

Domenico Amari died in Brooklyn in 1938;
married at Antonina Alagna (1896 – 1993) Antonina remarried at Anthony Alexandro (1910 – 2001) in 1942...
1930 United States Federal Census
about Domonick Amari
Name: Domonick Amari
Home in 1930: Brooklyn, Kings, New York
View Map
Age: 42
Estimated birth year: abt 1888
Birthplace: Italy
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Anna
Race: White
Occupation:

Education:

Military service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace: View image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Domonick Amari 42
Anna Amari 33
Joseph Amari 18
Ignatz Amari 15
Marion Amari 13
Anna Amari 12
Angelo Amari 10
Morris Amari 9
Consetti Amari 6
Vito Amari 1 5/12


World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
about Dominick Amari
Name: Dominick Amari
County: Tompkins
State: New York
Birthplace: Italy
Birth Date: 13 Dec 1887
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1819048
DraftBoard: 0

born in Santa Ninfa

marriage:
Amari Domenico Jun 5 1914 6155 (1914) Kings
Alagna Antonina Jun 5 1914 6155 (1914) Kings

death:
Amari Domenico 50 y Oct 23 1938 20634 (1938) Kings 1887 - 1888
the problem is to find more infos on Paolo Ovidio Chelli.... I cannot find the 1930 census; he is the biological great grandfather, surely..

Name: Paul Chelly
Birth: 28 Jun 1894
Death: May 1970 - Central Islip, Suffolk, New York, United States of America
Civil: New York

[Biff83]

Great finds, suanj !

From google books, 23 Dec 1950 issue of Billboard magazine, information on Paul Chelly and his Royal Roman orchestra:

http://books.google.com/books?id=vR0EAA ... 22&f=false

Biff

[PeterTimber]

Has anyone tried to check out the VARIETY Magazine archives since this mag and Actors Equity Union may have some information should you still be researching? =Peter=