Census records and missing documentation

[b738pilot]

Since the Miami consulate isn't responding, maybe I can get some advice from those here who have been through the Jure Sangurinis process.

- My ancestor never naturalized and I have a USCIS no record paper, but the Archives has no census record of him whatsoever. I tried all possible locations, ancestry.com search, and all possible name changes or misspellings and nothing. Is that a deal breaker for the consulate?

- NY has no record of my great-grandparents marriage certificate nor my grandmother and great-grandmothers birth record. However, it's in the direct male line I'm applying for and I at least have my grandfathers baptism certificate from the church and death certificate showing parents' names. Is this also a dealbreaker?

- Finally, I'm planning a trip to Tufo, Avellino in Italy this summer since they aren't responding to my calls or emails or letters to obtain the documentation there. Anyone can advise me how to approach a small Italian village, exactly what to ask for? My ancestor was born 1849 before the unification year of 1861 but I did successfully locate his marriage and birth records on microfilm from family search, so what to expect when I get there?

Other than those 3 points, I have spent almost a year preparing for my Fall Consulate appointment and have every other documentation apostilled and ready to go except for the translations, which I'll do in a few months. So I could really use some help from the community here as I'm getting a bit nervous for my appointment.

Thank you so much and have a blessed day!

[jennabet]

At Tufo, Avellino, you can just arrive at the commune with your American ID and ask for what you want. However, I don't know if the commune has records before unification and the fact that they haven't responded to calls or emails may be an indication of that.

Regarding the rest of your comments about deal breakers. From what you have written, it doesn't sound like you can provide much proof to the consulate. They want to see birth certificates and not baptism certificates for US born ancestors. Also a marriage certificate regardless of where the marriage took place is crucial. Death certificates are not as important. In your case, the census is also important. Consulates require census info when you have come up totally empty with regards to naturalization. A no record letter from USCIS is definitely coming up empty. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I can't see how the consulate could approve a recognition with the type of proof you currently have. You need to do more research to find everything the consulate lists as it's requirements and not just what you think they should accept.

[b738pilot]

Thank you so much for your response! It might have been the answer I've been worried to see but expected too.

The one baptism certificate I have from my great grandfather is accompanied by a "Letter of no records" for Maine, his birth was never registered. I do have a death certificate of him though showing the parents names which are my Tufo ancestors. And New York has no record of his marriage, but I do have a census of him showing his "wife" there.

Another question for you, if my ancestor's death certificate reads "Divorced", would they require that divorce decree? (If so, I don't know how in the world I would locate a 1930's divorce decree).

Again thanks for all of your info.

[jennabet]

You might be OK with the baptismal certificate and accompanying no record of birth from the state but can't say for sure. No marriage certificate will be a problem even with census showing "wife". Divorce information will mandatory especially because a marriage certificate to current wife can't be located. Think about it for a minute. You are trying to prove, without any doubt, an unbroken line to this ancestor and what you have found so far doesn't do it.

[b738pilot]

I understand. But as far as unbroken line, I think I can do that. Birth certificates to my great grandfather show parents' names. My great grandfather's death certificate shows his parents' names (my ancestors from Italy), and the Italian documents that I found through familysearch's microfilms prove that they were born in Italy. It's all of those extra documentation that's causing these issues.

It seems like lots of documentation could not be located throughout the early 1900's, I saw other forum posts on this forum of others with the same issue as me. I'm sure the Italian consulate is aware of that, right? Or does that deem everyone with an ancestor from New York in the 1900's ineligbile (which I'm sure is a lot of Italian Americans).

Your information was very valuable though, I'll keep working hard to gather these docs.