Looking for Carboni and Petrarka (Petraska?).

[cjthibeault]

Hello Everyone,

While I have made great progress in researching my French-Canadian ancestry, I have gotten nowhere when looking at the Italian side of the family.

I've searched everything I can using Ancestry.com, but I've turned up next to nothing. Could anyone help, or at least get me started?

My great grandparents were Antonio Carboni and Alvina Petrarka (possibly Petraska).

Antonio Carboni
Born in March 17, 1895 in San Giovanni, Italy (according to his WW2 registration card). He came to the US in 1906 (1930 US census). Unknown parents.

Alvina Petrarka
Born about 1901, somewhere in Italy. Her mother's name was Regina Petrarka, also born in Italy. Both immigrated to the US in 1917 (all from the 1930 US census). Two notes about this one: The last name might really be Petraska instead of Petrarka, I'm not sure. Additionally, her age at marriage is listed as 15 on the 1930 US census, so it may be possible she came to the US in 1916.

Regina Petrarka
Born about 1857 in Italy (1930 US Census). Unknown maiden name. I know nothing about the husband.

All died in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA. The marriage was somewhere about 1916/1917. Could have been in the US or Italy. I'm guessing the US.

Anything you can do to help would be great appreciated. The only two living relatives (Alvina's two youngest daughters) are very elderly, and would not be able to recall any information at all.

Thanks,
Christopher J. Thibeault
Woonsocket, Rhode Island

[vj]

Welcome to the Forum !

Just for everyone’s reference:
1930 census

1917 WWI Draft Registration Card
page 2
Antonio Carbone (card not signed) 21
657 Social Street, Woonsocket
Born 17 Mar 1896 in San Giovanni
Alien
Married

[vj]

possible 1920 census

Home in 1920:
29 Lincoln Street
Woonsocket Ward 2, Providence, Rhode Island

Head Toni Carbone 25
- immig 1915, Al
Wife Alverio Carbone 19
Daughter Rosena Carbone 1 4/12
Mother-in-law Regina Grande 60
Boarder Giosa Martine 50

Note: since Italian women keep their father’s surname (in Italy)
‘Grande’ may be Regina’s maiden name

[cjthibeault]

Hi vj,

Thank you so much. That is almost certainly them. Their eldest daughter, Rosie (alternatively seen as Rossi on some documents) is probably the one listed as Rosena.

And thank you also for the WW1 registration card.

May I ask: where did you find these? I've been searching on Ancestry.com's records for about a year, and didn't find any of these...

Christopher Thibeault

[cjthibeault]

And if I could just ask a few clarifiying questions:

1. Where would this 'San Giovanni' be? I found several places with 'San Giovanni' in the name.

2. About the surnames, you are saying that she was born Regina Grande to parents with the last name Grande, and married Unknown Petrarka. But in Italy, she would have been still known as Regina Grande?

3. Is Grande even remotely an Italian name?

Thanks again,
Christopher Thibeault

[vj]

Hi Christopher !

I used an abbreviated advanced search on ancestry:
http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/advanced.aspx
Checking 'exact' for the following:

No first name
Last name Carb*
Born 1895 +/- 2yrs
Born in Italy
Residence Providence County RI

I got lucky, Antonio was in the same county from 1917-1942.
---

San Giovanni is a tough one, there are quite a few
http://www.italyworldclub.com/italian_frazioni/
---

I was guessing that Grande was her mother's maiden name
since it occured only several years after she arrived, and was
different in 1930.

Quick check of Grande from Italy, try using the Ellis Island
search:
http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/EIDB/ellis.html
---

Regina would usually travel under her maiden name, Alvina could have
traveled under her mother's maiden name, or more likely her father's
surname.
(Yes, in Italy women use their maiden names)
---

I hope this helps a bit, your manifests are proving to be a bit
difficult to find.
Note: Antonio may have two, 1st trip abt 1906 and 2nd after
getting married? abt 1915?

Valarie

[vj]

This may help...

Social Security Application SS-5

You may want to order this for Antonio
His SS# is available here if you don’t already have it:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/ ... _form=true

About the SS Application:
http://genealogy.about.com/od/online_re ... equest.htm

Order form (can be done online):
- Scroll down a bit to find the form-
http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm

[vj]

More clues from the Woonsocket Directories on ancestry:

A few examples

1940 Carboni

1934 Carboni (misspelled)
1934 Grande
both at 243 Front Street

The Pawtuxet Valley Directory Rhode Island 1915
Regina Grande, widow, boarding with G. Petrarca
another page 1915 directory
Elvira Petrarca, mill emp, boards with G Petrarca

[vj]

Manifest matching 1915 Directory?

possible 1914 manifest
page 2

Ship Name: Madonna
Arrival Date: 28 May 1914
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Port of Arrival: Providence, Rhode Island
Lines 8-9

Ma Vincenza GRANDE 62 (abt 1852)
- widow
- last residence Fornelli (Province Campobasso/Isernia, Region Molise)
- in Fornelli, her brother Arcangelo
- destination Natick, RI
- joining son Giovanni PETRARCA box 25 Natick
- born in Macchia D’? (Macchia D' Isernia, Campobasso/Isernia, Molise)

Daughter Elvira PETRARCA 15 (abt 1899)
- single
- possible naturalization notation: CA/ 1-396594 3/14/42
- last residence Fornelli (Province Isernia, Region Molise)
- born in Macchia D’? (Macchia D' Isernia, Campobasso/Isernia, Molise)

[cjthibeault]

Thank you so much. I think you are on exactly the right track with these.

Did you find all of these using only Ancestry.com? As I learned in your other post, I now know that I can use wildcards in the search fields. But even with that, I'm not getting the results that you are finding.

Would you mind giving me a description as to the process you use to find and narrow down results? Or any other tricks? I've been using Ancestry.com for a while now, and it has been great, but I don't think I'm getting all I can out of it.

Additionally, if you wouldn't mind answering one additional question: Is there a list of common alternative spellings for Italian first names? It looks my relatives never had their name spelled the same way twice... 8O

Sorry for all the questions... And thanks again for all your help.
Christopher Thibeault

[vj]

Hey Christopher,
Yes, all of the results are from ancestry.com
I usually start with the advanced search option filling
in everything that is 'known' first, especially locations.
If the search results in too many hits, it helps to start
checking the 'exact' boxes.
I've found that information found on military records
and the SSDI usually yield the most clues to use on a
search.
After using the advanced search for all databases, it
helps to narrow down the databases by changing the
categories (at the bottom of the advanced search page)
for each search: military, census, immigration, etc.
Since location is such a critical part of this method, if
there are directories for the search area they can really
help put a family in a specific location at a point in time.
Often directories will require a page by page search since
misspelling were surprisingly common.

Several databases that the volunteers on this site use for
first names:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Poin ... ame.html#I
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/ita.php
http://www.nomix.it/700a.php

Hope this helps!
Valarie

[cjthibeault]

Good news!

I took this information to an Aunt. The name Fornelli sounded familiar to her. I now know for certain that this is where they came from. Thank you so much for getting me started.

-Chris

[carolync]

Hi, my husbands family are Carboni and come from Monfalcone near Trieste. The name Carboni has been changed from the name Carboncich.