Looking for clues for my Great Grandfather

[Paesano Design]

I’ve hit brick wall in my search for my great grandfather. It turns out he had a very common Italian name, so on at least 2 occasions, I’ve written to Italian Comuni and received documents for a different person of the same name and birth year. I’m pursuing Jure Sanguinis, and I had one avenue closed to me due to the “minor issue”. Finding my great grandfather would be my best chance now, I believe.

Here are my facts:
Luigi Negri - later anglicized to Louis in the US
DOB December 5, 1879
Arrived in US (according to 1920 census) 1906
Settled in Canaan, CT
Married April 1912 in Canaan, CT
wife’s name Marguerite Zazzera - later Margaret
Worked as a laborer for New England Lime Company in / around Canaan, CT
DOD March 5, 1929

So far, I’ve struck out with:
Viguzzolo - this Luigi returned home to marry a local girl
Spinetta Marengo - same situation here

One of the Ellis Island arrives had his last place of residence as Sampierdarena, Genoa
But when I reached out to the comune of Genoa, they could not locate anyone of that name being born there.

Any suggestions on where to try next would be very much appreciated.

[Tessa78]

Do you have the arrival manifest?

I have checked the birth acts available for Sam Pier D'Arena, and do not find your Luigi Negri in the births from 1879 through 1881. BUT there are a few Negri births in those years.
Do you happen to know his father's name? Maybe from the marriage record?

EDIT TO ADD:

Is this your Luigi?
An arrival in November 1906 on the Napolitan Prince into New York.
Luigi is a 26yo, single, mason, whose last place of residence is Sampierdarena --- BUT whose place of birth is listed in the last column as Spinetta Marengo, Alessandria.
Destination...Glacier Bay, Canada
Line 5
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-co ... cessSource

The births for Spinetta Marengo have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed on microfilm (which you need to request in advance) at your nearest Family History Center.
See the last entry on this page
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/786287

The image here in case you cannot access through Ancestry



T.

[Paesano Design]

I wrote to the Comune of Spinetta Marengo, Alessandria. They were very kind and sent me birth and marriage certificates, but it wasn’t the right Luigi born Oct 21, 1880 and married 1926

My Great Great Grandfather’s name might be Martino or Marlino. The eldest boy (my grandfather’s older brother) was named Marlino. I believe that Italian tradition dictates that the eldest boy is usually named after the paternal grandfather.

Luigi sometimes went as Domenic or Luigi Domenic, so that may be help full.

Thank you for you help

[Paesano Design]

*UPDATE* I was able to finally find my great grandfather. I decided to go through the census from 1910 and 1920 in the small town where he had lived, and writing down the names of all the Italian males. I then took these names and searched the arrivals at Ellis Island for where these guys came from. After a little while, I was able to determine that most people came from a handful of towns in Northern Italy. Eventually, I narrowed it down to 2 towns in the Sondrio Province. I wrote to the towns there, and one came back correct. So many more pieces have fallen into place now. This is very exciting.

[Tessa78]

That is great news!

Thank you for keeping us updated.
Do you mind sharing the name of the correct comune?

T.

[Paesano Design]

The comune is Castione Andevenno, which is in Sondrio Province in Lombardy. It very close to the Swiss Border.

[mjclayton1]

*UPDATE* I was able to finally find my great grandfather. I decided to go through the census from 1910 and 1920 in the small town where he had lived, and writing down the names of all the Italian males. I then took these names and searched the arrivals at Ellis Island for where these guys came from. After a little while, I was able to determine that most people came from a handful of towns in Northern Italy. Eventually, I narrowed it down to 2 towns in the Sondrio Province. I wrote to the towns there, and one came back correct. So many more pieces have fallen into place now. This is very exciting.

Congratulations. It is soooooo cool when someone break thru "brick walls" like this.

Mark