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Note: Hi Bern, It's 5:30 am here in sunny, warm Florida and I woke up trying to wash walls and decorate at the same time. Does it sound like I'm excited about this place or not? It's too bad you and Rita can't be home long enough this summer to take a ride to the UP. There are all kinds of relatives up there that could give us info. My Aunt Susie and Uncle Mike's girls still live there. That would be my grandfather's brother. My grandparents had 4 to 6 children in Italy that died before my grandmother came to America. My grandfather was here for a few years before she came over. Her mother was sickly and she didn't want to leave her while she was alive, or so the story goes. She also had a child in UP that died sometime while having the other 3. I used to ask a lot of questions and loved to listen to my mom and Aunty Jocko tell about all the relatives in Italy of stories their parents told. Well Bern have to go now. I have a few more e-mails to do before starting out the day. **************************** From Peggy Shedd note to Bernard: Mom's SSN: 386-44-7424 Maiden Name: Yoland M. Denofree B. Sept. 5, 1915 Place: Negaunee Parents: Fortuna Conti and Joseph Denofre ******************************* April 16, 2002 Dearest Ladies of D�Onofrio Descent, Caio! I give special attention to the ladies since you have been my greatest supporters and fonts of knowledge. I do not mean to ignore your men! Let me first thank you for all the guidance you have shared with me so far because without that help I would be still be wandering around the Italian landscape not knowing who is who. The information has pointed me in the proper and correct direction for my research. Let me show you what I have located on the Internet and through library and Michigan Archival Records. I noted what I found and compared that with what I had been told over the telephone in recent weeks. *************************************************** Memory: Phil and Marion both said they recall that Michael D�Onofrio was the baby and came to America last. Documents: Ellis Island Records show a Michele D�Onofrio arriving in NY on 24/2/05, that is, Feb. 24, 1905. Age 16. Documents: On Michael�s Petition for Naturalization which he completed in 1922, Michael says he arrived in NY on March 4, 1904. He states he was born in 1888. **************************************************** Memory: Antonio D�Onofrio was supposed to have been in Michigan with Guiseppe prior to Michael�s arrival. Documents: Ellis Island Records show an Antonio D�Onofrio arriving in NY on 15/2/1906, that is, Feb. 15, 1906. Documents: Antonio�s Petition for Naturalization says he arrived in NY on March 2, 1905. **************************************************** My Comments: The chronological positions clearly show that regardless which document is �correct� Michael arrived one year �before� his brother Antonio. It is entirely plausible that when the two brothers were dictating their respective data to the Clerk at the Circuit Court House that they simply forgot the exact years of arrival in NY. Consider their lack of English and excitement. Plus, Michael was only 16 years old at that time- A mere teenager who seems to have traveled alone from Naples. However, I am at a loss to explain the variations in the names of the ships the brothers claim to have traveled. ************************************************** Fact: According to the US Census the three brothers are living together in 1910 with their uncle Francesco D�Onofrio and his family. Plus, you have that great photo of the three brothers! Fact: By the time of the 1920 US Census, the three brothers are married and living with their own families. *************************************************** Memory: Marion and Phil said that Assunta and Fortuna arrived in America together. Documents: Ellis Island Records show a M�Asufunta Coduti and a Fortunata Conte D�Onofrio arriving on June 9, 1913 on the ship LAZIO. *************************************************** Memory: Elaine Blood nee Denofre always said that her father came to the UP first because Fortuna wanted to remain in Italy to be with her mother. Furthermore, Elaine told me years ago that her parents were married in Italy in 1901. Documents: Locating a Guiseppe D�Onofrio on the Ellis Island Records has been a task. The most reasonable match I found has Joseph arriving in NY on May 9. 1899. If this is correct and my record of Fortuna and Assunta arriving in 1913, then is it plausible that Joseph remained in the UP for 14 years, alone, waiting for his wife to arrive? And, what about the marriage date? **************************************************** Epilogue: Although the research is not 100% conclusive, I am confident of the general sequence and of the correct familial relationships. You clearly know the names of all the main family members and who the cousins belong to. What little I have been able to contribute via the documentation process simply clarifies what your memories were of those long-ago events. Having the paper documents should help our children and grandchildren and so on to the future.
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