Genealogy Reviews Online

Finding Living Relatives

(While this is a Carnival of Genealogy post, it can also double as a part of Craig Manson's theme of "Greatest Genealogical Find Ever")

I've found a number of new cousins in the US over the course of my short genealogy career - almost 6 years now.  Most of these were also pursuing their family histories, and since we were looking for many of the same surnames on the various genealogy websites, it's not too surprising we got into contact.  The most exciting discovery I had, however, happened almost completely by chance and involved a 61 year old letter posted on my simple family history site and Google.  I'd like to say it was my expert research skills that located the descendants of my grandmother's sister in the small town of Pedace ( located a little below the ankle of the Italian boot).  The reality is someone else (not even related to me) started the sequence of events that lead to what I consider my greatest genealogy discovery.

The New Millennium in Task Force Eagle - Bosnia Herzegovina

My whole experience with the beginning of the New Millennium was weird.  It started a little over a month before when notification came that I was to deploy to Bosnia for six months on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  As military families typically do, we quickly planned to combine holidays and celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time.  This was probably the hardest deployment for me because it was the first long one since my then three year old twins were born, but after a world wind ThanksgivingChristmas, I found myself on a plane traveling to join the G2 section of the 10th Mountain Division at Task Force Eagle, Tuzla, Bosnia - Herzegovina. 

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Agazio or Aggazio, and Interesting Surname Origin Theory

Find Your Family Name In Historical Documents

Spelling Confusion

Confusion about my surname began at the very start of my family history quest.  I have a scanned image of a letter written by my paternal grandfather's older sister in 1947.  It's a very sad letter about the hardships her family were facing just a couple of years after the end of World War II.  She asks my grandfather why he hasn't written, and asks him to send some fabric so her husband could have a new suit made.  There's a lot of interesting information in this letter, but what puzzled me the most was she signed it "Maria Aggazio."  In all of the US documents I could find, the name was always spelled as "Agazio" with one "g," and my family in Colorado had never seen it written as the letter shows. 

My Father - Louie Agazio (1921-1972)

Find Your Ancestors In Civil War Documents 

(note:  click on all of the photos to get the full size)

I thought writing about my father would be easy, but I discovered I really don't know much about him other than what's in my faded memories.  He died when I was 15 years old so I never really got the chance to pump him for information about his life.  Since I started on this genealogy kick, I found it easier to learn about his father, and my other ancestors, because there was more documented information available.  I concentrated on them because it was easier.  My father didn't leave a very extensive paper trail  - there are no letters, diaries, school records or any other documents that would tell me what he was like as a child and young adult.  If he did write any letters during his World War Two service they were lost to history long ago. The little I have doesn't tell me much.  I have his 8th grade diploma, his social security number application, his Army discharge paperwork, copies of his birth and death certificates, and little else.  I'm left to tell his story mostly from my memory and the little tidbits of information I do have - plus many assumptions.