Genealogy Reviews Online

Italian Genealogy Records Online - Another Look

For a long time I complained about the fact there were no Italian genealogy records online despite the fact Italians immigrated to the US in such massive numbers in the 20th century.  Every so often I like to check out to see how the situation has improved.  While I find progress, there's still a long way to go.

There's been steady improvment at Ancestry.com, and while they do have some Southern Italian records, those they have still center on the North of the country.  By the way, I'm interested in Southern Italian records because the vast majority of Italian immigrants came from the poor provinces in the South and because both of my paternal grandparents came from Cosenza Province in Calabria. 

Family Search has two browse only provinces, but both are in Southern Italy.

This site provides transcriptions of selected Italian communes, but hasn't been updated in quite some time.  I have to add the transcriptions on this site come from individuals who do it for the purpose of their own research or just out of the goodness of their hearts.

To my knowledge, Archivio Di Stato Di Cosenza is still the only province in Italy with its records online.  Included are civil and some military records and includes many scanned original documents.  I'm not sure if all of their records are now online or if it's still a work in progress, but the site is very useful for me because both of my grandparents came from this province. 

There are many websites about Italian genealogy records, but very few actual online records. 

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Antonio Fragale, Sarafina Aggazio (younger sister of Antonio Agazio) and Family.

Italian Research

Just finished watching a great video on Italian genealogy produced by the Family History Library.  I have to say this is one of the best primers on Italian research I've ever seen.  It contains many of examples of Italian civil and church records with clues and hints on key elements on the record to look for...makes me want to get my hands on the records.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

This is my first time participating in Saturday Night Genealogy Fun.  I initially hesitated because I've been writing too much about "The Show" (sometimes a bit negatively), but I like the topic and thought I'd give it a try.

I have two ancestors who would make good subjects of an hours long show.  They both led adventurous lives, and had courage way beyond what I could ever imagine myself having.  I have the feeling neither would consider their lives as adventurous - they were both just focused on getting away from the squalid lives they lived.

The first ancestor in my paternal grandfather Antonio Agazio (1886-1949).  This man is the primary focus of my research and probably will be until the very end.  He boarded a ship at Naples, Italy in 1900 at the age of 14, with a slightly older cousin (so the story goes...the identity of that cousin was lost to history).  He sailed to Quebec; worked his way across Canada; crossed into the US at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan; made his way to Spokane, Washington where he found railroad work for about 10 years; and finally made his way to Denver, Colorado in 1910.  I'd like to visit San Giovanni in Fiore, Italy where he was born; Naples, Italy where he began his journey; Quebec, Canada where he first set foot in North America; Sault Ste Marie where he first came to the US, and Spokane where he first found a job.

The second ancestor is Danial Cone (1626-1706).  He is one of my maternal 8th great grandfathers, and I don't know many facts about him prior to coming to the US.  He was born in Scotland and reportedly fought against the English at the Battle of Dunbar was captured, and sold as an indentured servant to work in the colonies.  I do know he was a founding father of the town of Haddam, Connecticut.  Sure would love to have those pro genealogists from "The Show" sort out his time in Scotland.  I would love to visit the battleground at Dunbar, Scotland and roam around the town of Haddam Connecticut.  We drove close to Haddam once, but couldn't stop.

I think both of these guys would make great subjects for "The Show."   

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