Looking for records Italian ancestors and could use some help

[mbalesteri]

I've started my search for ancestors records in hopes of proving my Jure Sanguinis to Italian citizenship (I hope I used that right), but am pretty much stuck at the point of finding Italian records, and my grandparent's marriage certificate, but I think I can handle the grandparents marriage license as it was in the U.S.

My path is my great grandfather who I believe I have found the Ellis Island arrival document showing he immigrated from Napoli March 15, 1907, on the ship Brasile which landed at Ellis Island on March 31st. The Ellis Island site has his name very badly mixed up though, not to mention other docs that have it all over the place. It also listsTrabia as the last place of residence/birthplace.

Great Grandparents born in Italy - estimated to be in the 1890's

Great Grandparents immigrated - estimated between the two of them to be 1907-1912
married either before or just after arriving.

Birth of my Grandfather in the U.S. 1921

Great Grandfather naturalized in 1944 - This is based on an ancestry.com record, though it was done in San Diego and I'm not 100% sure this is him. I have an index search in, but it will probably be a while before I see anything on it. This document shows changing of names as part of the naturalization from Emanuele Balistieri to Emanuele Balesteri.

The info I am looking for help acquiring is the birth certificates of my paternal Great Grandparents and their marriage certificate. I'd also be very happy if any info can be found for my Grandmother too, as she was born in Italy too and I'd like to have the record if possible. Plus, it might be a fall back to go live in Italy for a few years to obtain citizenship if Jure Sanguinis doesn't work out.

Names of Great Grandparents (Paternal)
Emanuele Balesteri (Balistieri, Balestreri, Balestren, Balistiri, etc...)
Josephine (Josie) Scardina

Both were from Trabia as far as the Ellis Island manifest, and the family seems to think this is correct, though I have seen San Nicola l'Arena and possibly S Flavia on some documents I believe to be linked to them.

As mentioned above I think I found where Emanuele came through Ellis Island and others in the family believe they both did (I haven't found Nanna's yet), but Emanuele did come first. I also know they went through Chicago on the way to Monterey CA where they had their first child and may have married. I say may have because I found a marriage listing that looks like it could be them for Cook County Illinois, but I cannot order a certificate for some reason. My dad actually thinks they may have actually married in Sicily, so I this may get a little tricky to get a document on too.

I'm not certain of their location as of1910 because I haven't found them on any Census, but I have found them together in the 1920, 1930, and 1940 Census. The citizenship status on these show AL, PA, and then AM CIT, with my grandfather showing up on the 1930 (PA) Census at the age of 8. This is why I think I'm good to go on the citizenship, I just need the documents to prove it. If I'm missing something please do let me know.

Emanuele's death certificate lists his parents as Santo Balesteri and mother Maria Lupo, with a birth date of April 26, 1890.

Josephine's death certificate lists a birth date of Oct. 18, 1979, and parents; Pietro Scardino and Angelina La Buna, both just listed from Italy.

My Grandmother's death certificate lists birth date of Oct. 16, 1925, and parents Ben Maniaci and Maria Sugameli. It simply has Sicily as the place of birth.

I hope I put this together so that it's easily understood. I'm happy to clarify anything and really appreciate any help one can provide.

[suanj]

Here the Birth record of a daughter:
Maria Balestieri
Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1940
Name:
Maria Balestieri
Event Type:
Birth
Event Date:
31 May 1913
Event Place:
Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States
Event Place (Original):
Chicago
Registration Place:
, Cook, Illinois
Gender:
Female
Ethnicity:
American
Race:
White
Father's Name:
Manuele Balestieri
Father's Birthplace:
S Nicola Sicily, Italy
Father's Age:
21
Father's Estimated Birth Year:
1892
Mother's Name:
Leardina
Mother's Birthplace:
S Nicola Sicily, Italy
Mother's Age:
18
Mother's Estimated Birth Year:
1895
Certificate Number:
1308
that help us because is mentioned the real first name of Emanuele wife and the Emanuele( manuele) birthplace...
suanj

[suanj]

Manuele Balestrere
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards
Name
Manuele Balestrere
Event Type
Draft Registration
Event Date
1917-1918
Event Place
Monterey County, California, United States
Gender
Male
Nationality
Italy
Birth Date
25 Apr 1890
Birthplace
Santa Nicolo, , Italy

suanj

[suanj]

Santo Nicolò is a hamlet of Trabia town in Palermo Province, Sicily.
BALISTRERI Emanuele born in Trabia on 23 Apr 1891, son of Santo, 46 old, fisherman, and of Maria LUPO

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1947613
regards,
suanj

[suanj]

Santo Balistreri arrival:
maybe?

Santo Balistreri
New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island)
Name
Santo Balistreri
Event Type
Immigration
Event Date
29 Jun 1893
Event Place
Ellis Island, New York City, New York, United States
Residence Place
Trabia, Italy
Gender
Male
Age
47
Nationality
Italy, Italian
Birth Year
1846
Departure Port
Naples
Ship Name
Weser
Page Number
974
Affiliate Line Number
0848
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... cc=1368704
suanj

[mbalesteri]

Thank you very much for your help suanj. The first is my great aunt, second and third are my G-GF, and I'm going to have to investigate the last one. The name and age look to my GG-GF from Trabia, but I don't know that he ever left Trabia. Maybe he took a trip early on and gave the family info upon his return. As far as I can tell, 2 or 3 of Santo's boys that made there way over; Emanuele, Antonio, and possibly a Salvatore.

I found the birth record of my G-GM also from Trabia in the same file as Emanule's. Page 2458, Giuseppa Scardina(o). Very cool!

My 3 trouble areas now are...

1. My Grandmother's birth record from San Vito lo Capo, Trapani, Sicily. October 16, 1925. Mary Maniaci

2. G-GP Emanuele Balesteri and Josephine Scardina marriage record, most likely from Chicago, between 1907 and 1913. I have Emanuele arriving in 1907 and their first child in Chicago (the one suanj mentioned above) in 1913. There is a record on Ancestry and FamilySearch, but it's just a listing, no document/file, and Cook County has been a roadblock so far.

3. My G-GF naturalization. There's a card on the ancestry sites from San Diego in 1944 that looks really close. The things are, that no one knows of connections to that area (there's an address on the card that he definitely did not live at for any extended time, if at all) and the 1940 Census shows AM CIT, so 1944 would have been too late. I realize Census info can be wrong and figure he might have done this while away from home. Any thoughts?

Grazie,
Max

[suanj]

I found in Trabia a marriage of Santo Balistreri, son of Santo sr and Maria Lupo, married on 1904 to Angela Tomasello or Tomasiello; marriage index page
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1947613
suanj

[suanj]

abt Emanuele marriage: Josephine arrived in USA on 1912, so she stated on 1920 census, so she was abt 17 old when married, I believe she just married after the arrival
suanj

[mbalesteri]

The year Josephine arrived is questionable. I cannot find Census info on either of them for 1910, but the 1920 Census says 1912 and 1930 has1908... I don't see it in 1940.

I don't have anything concrete on their arrivals... My aunt said Josephine went to Louisiana first and Emanuele headed to Chicago first. They met and got together after arriving in the US, though I do think the families knew each other well.

[suanj]

I found the arrival of Giuseppa! The surname was mispelled, but I am sure that she is right person:

First Name : Giuseppa
Last Name : Scartari (surname mispelled)
Nationality : Italy, Italian South
Last Place of Residence : Trabia, Sicily
Date of Arrival : April 5th, 1911
Age at Arrival : 16y
Gender : Female
Marital Status : Single
Ship of Travel : Principe di Piemonte
Port of Departure : Palermo
Manifest Line Number : 0025



pag 1 https://s13.postimg.org/7eeitx6c7/Giuseppa_1.jpg
father Pietro in Trabia, joining to Ignazio- her Brother- in Chicago, ILL

I posted the first page, because no available by ellisisland website, but the second page is available:
https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/EID ... e=manifest
you can read it!
best regards,
suanj

[suanj]

Ignazio scardina became Charles Scardina in the USA...
Igniazio Or Charles Scardina
Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index
Name
Igniazio Or Charles Scardina
Event Type
Naturalization
Event Place
Chicago, Illinois
Event Date
1923
Birth Year
1889
Birthplace
Italy
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/T ... cc=1838804

Charlie Or Chas Scardina
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards
Name
Charlie Or Chas Scardina
Event Type
Draft Registration
Event Date
1917-1918
Event Place
Chicago City no 38, Illinois, United States
Gender
Male
Nationality
Italy
Birth Date
20 Sep 1889
Birthplace
San Nicola, Palermo, Italy
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1968530
suanj

[mbalesteri]

Wow suanj, great info! I have to agree that the arrival document you found certainly looks to be Giuseppa (just wondering if she was with anyone, 16 on a ship like that sounds unlikely. I found birth info from Trabia for an Ignazio that confirms Giuseppa had a brother named Ingnazio born 1889. I just hope I can use it to find some info to tie up my loose end of a marriage in Chicago. I plan to send a formal search request to the clerk's office by tomorrow.

Thanks for the help suanj! You really know how to sift through the records!

Ciao,
Max

[suanj]

Max, by address of Ignazio, you can understand in what Church, Giuseppa married... I believe she married very soon... after the arrival... maybe was a prearranged marriage.... I believe she married in a Church near Ignazio home address... I think so...
happy to help you!
Best regards,
suanj

[mbalesteri]

Thank you again suanj, that sounds rather likely the way things layout, I will look for Ignazio's address in Chicago.
Ciao,
Max