Professional Researchers Tracing YOUR Genealogy

Newsletter

Winter 2022

2022 Spring Trip Plans Starting !!

I'm looking forward to returning to work in Italy in March/April 2022, see www.gentracer.com/nextrip.html and see www.gentracer.com/lastrip.html.

Long-awaited Fall 2021 trip!

In October, I did research in the church and civil records in Acquasanta and at the CWGC cemtery in Caserta.

Since the offices at Manfredonia were closed on November 1 (All Saints Day), I spoke with the clerk there on the morning of the 2nd. Covid is having an effect on the staffing on their offices as well as ours, making obtaining records for older events much harder than before.

I was able to work in the towns of Petrona', Cerva, Mesoraca, and Carlopoli seeking out the Jewish roots of these folks who lived in the hills of Calabria.

I attended the Mass in Badolato celebrating their Veterans' Day, although those church records had too many gaps to follow the family I was seeking all the way back to their beginnings in that town.

The work in Serrastretta, in the civil record offices, church archives, plus the online records to fill the gaps, enabled me to connect two different clients with an ancetor in 1642, plus push back a few more years on a couple other lines. Very satisfying!

Loved the drive and ferry to Messina (as always)!

Serradifalco had no more records in the church records than were already filmed out of the Diocese Archives, which was disappointing because of the gaps, but I was able to work in the Cathedral records of Mazara del Vallo and located a baptism in 1727 which led me to Partanna where I was able to extend that line back in time with the supervision of Dr. Vito Zarzana. Those records combined with the microfilmed civil census records completed the story of that family back to 1641.

In October/November, I will be researching in cemeteries for military burials, then down to Monte Cassino for more military cemeteries. In Napoli, searching inquisition and Jewish tax lists and visiting an old friend in Salerno. In Bari area, more military cemeteries and the Jewish Internment camp at Alberobello. Then doing WWI and WII research in the provincial archives in Cosenza before visiting Rabbi Barbara in Serrastretta. In Messina province (Sicily), working in church records in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto and Camporeale and hoping to find the Jewish Star of David window that remains of the synagogue now a post office in Taormina. Then more church records in Polizzi Generosa near Palermo and notarial records in the Palermo Archivio di Stato. Hoping to get into the church records in Alia again. Then working with a client in the Cathedral in Mazara del Vallo and the church archives in Partanna, both in Trapani province, perhaps a third town as well to round out her family history experience. Then a flight back to Rome and then home.

In March 2023, I'm planning to research in the Vatican Secret Archives (already have approval for 23-30 March). Then to work in church and provincial and town records at a few towns and cities yet to be determined. Then down to Sicily for work in a few more towns before flying home.

I'm looking forward to meeting with both American and European friends (old and new), as well as returning to favorite places and visiting towns I haven't seen before!

I presented "Discovering the Jewish Heritage of a Catholic Italian-American Family" at RootsTech (www.familysearch.org/rootstech/home). My talk can be viewed anytime for a year afterwards (or more).

On 1 April, the US National Archives (aka NARA at www.archives.gov) released the 1950 census. Ancestry will produce a computer generated index while you can search the names index at NARA to download the page you're seeking. Soon, the indexes at www.ancestry.com and at www.familysearch.org will also be available with search capabilities on more than just names. More details along with hints and tricks available at all of those websites as well as www.stevemorse.org.



My book on CD titled Sicily, Part 1 and Part 2 is now available on 2 CDs or .rar files. 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 latest book is titled American Prisoner of War Camps in Colorado and is available at Amazon in paperback format.