Professional Researchers Tracing YOUR Genealogy

Last Trip

My last on-site research trip was in October/November 2024 and included these adventures:

Fall Trip 2024
On 28 October, I flew from SLC to CDG, arriving the next morning and then catching the flight to Roma and picked up the rental car. Booking early, I was able to get a room in one of my favority places, Flaminio Village Bungalow Park, on the edge of a forest but near a train line to go downtown.

On 30 and 31 October, I worked in the Vatican archives on prisoners of war. Then I drove down to Santi Cosma e Damiano. I worked in that office into the evening as the sounds of the town celebrating Halloween could be heard outside. Unfortunately, there are some gaps in the record volumes, but the clerk was very helpful and I found a birth in 1891, confirmed by a cross-reference to a 1922 marriage, naming parents so we can extend another generation back in time.

The following day, 1 November, I drove almost four hours to Cassamassima to be in place for the event the next day.

On 2 November, I attended the memorial service at the Polish Military Cemetery at Cassamassima. I met some nice local ladies who were adding candles to the graves and who proudly announced that they were Polish. There is a large Polish community there dating back to the 15th century, but added to fairly regularly over time. In fact, I met one woman on an earlier trip who was born in Poland and her family moved to Italy when she was a child (about 30 years ago).

That afternoon, I drove down to Serrastretta to visit with Rabbi Barbara. I took the time to wander around the area while she worked, catching up with her on 4 November to celebrate her birthday a little early since she was headed to Roma the next day.

On 5 November, I drove to Sicily (taking the ferry), stopping in Villa San Giovanni to visit with a friend I'd made the year before while working on a New York Probate case. It was delightful to catch up with her and to enjoy her cooking!

On 6 November, I worked in the town offices in Brolo (on the coast) and Piraino (up the mountain from Brolo), I had ordered documents ahead, so was able to pick them up quickly. Happily, that birth had a cross-reference to her marriage, confirmation that it was the correct record. Unfortunately, some of other records I sought (births for 1866-1883) had not survived, but she offered to write an affidavit about the missing books for my client. We should be able to confirm that birth through his military record to satisfy the Italian consulate for his citizenship application.

On 7 November, I read notarial records around 1690 in the Archivio di Stato in Trapani. I didn't find the marriage I was seeking, but I found a land record to confirm the groom's relationship to his father and brother in Partanna.

On 8 November, I took my time driving to Catania for my flight the day after next. I've discovered a charming hotel run by a charity on the coast near the airport. Lovely!

On 10 November, I caught my flight from Catania to Paris and settled into my hotel on the outskirts of Roissy (a shuttle ride from the airport). I enjoy walking into that town to visit the gardens.

The next day, I flew home.

For more about travel and research in Italy and other topics, please see my newsletter.

My next research trip to Italy is scheduled for Fall 2025.



My book on CD titled Sicily, Part 1 and Part 2 and is now available on 2 CDs. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.



My book is titled American Prisoner of War Camps Colorado and is available at Amazon in paperback format. More information about POW camps in my book titled Prisoner of War Camps Across America and is available in Kindle format at Amazon. The updated version is available at Miliary publications