One of the greatest parts of the trip for me was getting to see the our family’s civil records up close.
After years of research online and through interviews with family members, Angela and I compiled a tree of more than 600 people (let me know if I haven’t invited you to Geni.com). But I had reached as far back as possible to Nanny and Poppy’s grandparents without getting my hands on the full body of records available in Sant’Andrea’s town hall archives. I got a taste of them through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), which has microfilmed virtually all of our available records.
Why do they do this? Here’s what Ask Meta Filter has to say:
It’s because Mormons believe that when you convert to Mormonism and your soul is saved, you also save the souls of all your ancestors (or at least give them the chance to be saved – I assume that if they went around murdering people in their lives, God might not welcome them into heaven, but I don’t really know). I’m not clear on why they feel the need to know the names of people’s ancestors – maybe that’s part of their being saved. Maybe they want to be able to pray for their souls by name. Anyway, it’s connected to people’s ability to redeem the souls of their ancestors.
Anyway, many Italian towns aren’t particularly friendly to outsiders seeking info, and ma
ny won’t help with research.
I got lucky.
Uncle Al and I made an appointment to search the archives with a clerk he’s friendly with. There’s another he isn’t so friendly with that we were fortunate enough to avoid.
Graziela, seen here with Mayor Maurizio Lijoi (more on him later), brought us downstairs and asked: “So, what would you like to see?”
It quickly became obvious that she wasn’t going to let me rummage through the books like I had hoped. And why would she, really? The leather-bound books, measuring about 2 feet by 2 1/2 feet, date back to 1865. I wouldn’t want some guy I didn’t know to mess them up.
But she did one better: once I gave her a name, she flew into action, swiftly combing through birth, marriage, death and census records. In 30 minutes, she did what would have taken me days, if not weeks.
Thanks to Graziela, we’ve gone back another generation. Plus, we got some cool info on people we know (below).
The bad news? We’ll be hard-pressed to find any records before 1865 because of a fire that wiped them out. The church in town may have doubles, but it will take another trip to see those. Perhaps the Mormons have more stuff.
Nanny’s birth certificate.
A 1936 census record of Poppy. Note how he’s referred to as Carmine. Remember, he was born in Canton, Ohio.
Nanny and Poppy’s Wedding record.
And Poppy’s mother’s death certificate. Until now, I didn’t know her parents’ names: Saverio Vivino and Marianna Mirarchi (a family line I was not aware of).
I also have my father’s birth certificate (his middle name is Carlo, not Anthony, as I thought) and more, but I’ll save my father from the embarrassment.
Hello,
I just came across your website. I’m not sure if we are related but my grandparents ( Mary and Joseph) came from Calabria and moved to Brooklynn in the late 1930’s. My father Bruno lived on St. Marks Blvd. when he was young. Currently my father’s uncle Bruno lives in Canton Ohio with his children.
Maria
You most certainly are a relative. My mother is Vittoria Codespoti and my father Carlo Coccari. Sound familiar? When we first came to U.S.A. we lived on Lincoln place, one block over was Saint Marks. I remember all the piasanos that lived nearby. This was the place where the immigrants of Sant’Andrea came. My father was born in Canton Ohio and until recently he made annual treks there to see his cousins and usually came back with a load of home made soprasatta. I will ask my father about you.
You can contact me through this website.
Bruno Corry (Coccari).
My grandfather’s name is Bruno Codispoti and lives in Canton, Ohio, with his 5 children, (1 son and 4 daughters). I was wondering if you were referring to the same Bruno. Him and my father came over from Italy in the 50’s (i think), from Calabria, and settled in Canton, Ohio.
Hi,
Thanks for writing. Many of my family member at one time settled in Canton, but my Bruno Codispoti isn’t directly related to you. He’s 90 and only has three children, Bruno, Raymond and Pat. I believe he lives in Florida. He had a dry cleaning business.
However, it is possible we’re related in some other way. I can’t say for sure how.
Might your family be related to any of Bruno’s children?
Carl