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Ciambra FamilyAncestryThis session of research adds the colorful Italian side of the client’s lineage. Greg Richter’s mother, Louiseann Theresa Ciambra, began life on August 22, 1935 in New York City. She blessed the home of John Ciambra and Angelina Castelleneto, and she had a brother named John. From this premise of information from family records, research began in the records of New York City. Additional generations were identified, as well as specific places of origin in Italy. The following paragraphs explain the research process and the findings.The 1940 U. S. Federal Census is the most recent census available to the public. Louise A. Ciambia, age four and born in New York, lived in New York City in the Borough of Queens. The section of town had the name of Springfield Oak. Louise lived with her parents, John and Angelina Ciambra at 59 156th Avenue. Thirty-five year-old John worked as a dispatcher for a dredging company. He and thirty year- old Angelina had both finished eighth grade. Two doors away, at 55 156th Avenue, there is found another Ciambra family, headed by Michael and Louisa Ciambra, age sixty-five and sixty respectively, both born in Italy. Michael made his living as a tailor and owned his own tailoring business. It appears that Louiseann was named after her grandmother. The two households consisted of these persons: Ciambra, John35NYdispatcher, dredging “ Angelina30NY “ Louise A. 4NYCiambra, Michael65Italytailor “ Louisa60Italy “ Rose P.27NYoperator, coat factory “ Frank M.25NYcrane operator “ Molly23NYbeaut., beauty shop “ Elizabeth20NYfloor girl, garter factory “ Edward18NYhandyman, sandpit “ Robert12NYThe occupations of each family member are so interesting, and give an idea of the hard working lifestyle they lived. Additionally, both John and Michael Ciambra owned their homes. John rented out an apartment to the young James Secondo family. Given the tight family customs of the Italians, it is possible that this young Secondo family may be related.The 1930 federal census confirms that John belonged to the family of Michael and Louisa Ciambra. Several additional children were found in their home in that census year, including twenty-six year-old John. The Ciambras resided at the same address as 1940, 55 156th Avenue:Ciambra, Michael53ItalyTailor, own shop “ Louisa48Italy “ Joseph 30NYchauffeur, gas co. “ Anthony28NYengineer, steam shovel “ John26NYchauffeur, trucking “ Charles23NYmechanic, auto “ Angelina19NY “ Rose18NY “ Frank15NY “ Molly13NY “ Elizabeth11NY “ Edward 9NY “ Robert2 ? NYThe 1930 census asks for the year of immigration, to which Michael and Louisa both responded ‘1895’. This suggests that they may have been married in Italy and immigrated together. However, this census also asks for the age at the time of first marriage for married adults. Michael reported that he had been married at age twenty-five, and Louisa responded with age twenty, which suggests a marriage after 1895, closer to 1902. Both had become naturalized citizens of the U. S. by 1930.The 1930 census finds Angelina ‘Casteleneto’ in the same Jamaica South area as the Ciambras. Twenty year-old Angelina was the daughter of Joseph and Theresa Casteleneto, age sixty-four and fifty-four, respectively, and both natives of Italy. Joseph had reportedly immigrated in 1896, and his wife Louisa in 1903. Neither had become naturalized citizens as of 1930. They owned their own home at 145 155th Street. Their family consisted of these persons: Casteleneto, Joseph64Italy “ Theresa54Italy “ Angelina20NYoperator mch., paper box “ Frank18NYchauffeur, road building “ Carmella16NY “ Josephine 13NYThe 1925 New York State census finds Michael and Louisa Ciambra in the Springfield Docks section of Queens, with ten children. New clues picked up from this state census include that Michael and Louisa had been in the U. S. for twenty-five years, and that Michael had been naturalized in 1914 in Kings County. These are valuable clues for finding documents pertaining to their places of origin in Italy.Michael and Louise Ciambra lived in Brooklyn, Kings County at the time of the 1920 federal census enumeration. In this census, Michael reported his year of immigration as 1893, and naturalization in 1913. These discrepancies are very typical. Louise is consistent with an immigration year of 1895. She also naturalized in 1913, probably with her husband. The family resided at 22 Flint Street, and consisted of these members: Ciambra, Michael47ItalyTailor “ Louise38Italy “ Joseph19NY “ Toney18NY Helper, Candy Factory “ John16NY Teamster, Box Factory “ Charles12NY “ Angelina 8NY “ Rose 6NY “ Frank 5NY “ Mollie 4NYThis census tells that John had not attended school within the last year, although his younger siblings had. It is clear that the children went to school through about eighth grade and then dropped out to go to work full time. As required by law, all males born between 1873 and 1900 had to register for the World War I draft, even if they were not U. S. citizens. Michael Ciambra registered on September 12, 1918, and gave his exact birth date of December 25, 1875. He resided at 22 Flint Street, Brooklyn. The box is checked to indicate his citizenship status as naturalized. Michael worked as an elevator operator at 100 Broadway, New York City. He listed his nearest relative as Louisa Ciambra at the Flint Street address. His physical description tells that he had medium height and build, black eyes and black hair. He signed his name as ‘Michele Ciambra’. Another piece of the puzzle is added with Michael’s exact birth date.In 1910, the Ciambra family is again found in Brooklyn, headed by thirty-five year-old Michael, born in Italy. He reported his year of immigration as 1896, and had not yet become a naturalized citizen. ‘Luisa’ reported an immigration year of 1899. Michael worked in a tailor shop. The family resided in a rental at 71 Main Street. Most of the children were listed with their Italian names, which had become Anglicized in the later censuses:Ciambra, Michael35ItalyTailor, Shop “ Luisa30Italy “ Giuseppe (Joseph)10NY “ Tony 8NY “ Giovani (John) 6NY “ Carlo (Charles) 3NYThe microfilmed original petition for naturalization of ‘Michele’ Ciambra has been located and included with the documents. Dated May 16, 1904, the petition tells that Michele resided at 71 Main Street in Brooklyn. His birth occurred on December 25, 1875 in Tarsia, Italy. He departed from Italy at the Port of Naples about April 6, 1896, on the ship Alsatia. He arrived at the Port of New York on April 21, 1896. His petition reveals that his wife Louise was born in Cervicata, Italy. Six children are listed for them, all with exact birth dates, including Giovanni, born April 16, 1903. Michele signed the petition in his own hand. He took the oath of citizenship and was sworn in as a U. S. citizen on July 31, 1913. From this marvelous record, we learn the towns of origin for both Michael and Louisa. Tarsia is located in the Calabria region of Cosenza Province in southern Italy. It is a fairly small town with a population of 2,272 as of 2007. No place name of Cervicata in Italy could be identified in Internet searches, but a town called Cervicati is located in the same Province of Cosenza, in the Calabria region. Even smaller than Tarsia, it had a population of 955 in 2007. Cervicati is just a few miles west of Tarsia.The Family History Library has microfilmed civil registration records for both towns, going back to 1809. Our Italian research specialist will locate the families there. But first, we need to determine the maiden name of Louisa. This can be done through the birth records of her children in New York. A few possibilities have been identified from the index. A couple of discrepancies are noted between the list of children in the naturalization record, and the censuses. The fifth child listed in the naturalization record is Angelo, born September 22, 1910, and the sixth child appears to be Prodesino, born May 7, 1912. The censuses for 1920 through 1940, including the 1925 state census, list two daughters after Charles, namely Angelina and Rose, whose ages roughly fit the above 1910 and 1912 birth dates. Birth records for New York City are not available for persons born after 1909, for privacy reasons. Therefore, we cannot use the birth certificates to settle the name, birth date and gender discrepancies. But since there are four censuses in agreement, and the naturalization record stands alone as the source of discrepancy, the names Angelina and Rose have been added to the database for generating pedigree charts and family group sheets. Historical newspapers are being made available at an increasing pace through subscription websites. Two of the children of Michael and Louisa Ciambra have been identified in the newspaper obituaries, namely Angelina and Robert. Both obituaries come from the New Haven Register in Connecticut. Angelina Ciambra Pucillo died at age eighty-nine, on February 25, 2000. The obituary does not provide her parents’ names, but gives the list of her siblings as Frank, Joseph, Charles, Anthony, John, Edward and Peter Ciambra, Millie Sorrentino, Rose Tagliarini, and Elizabeth Barge. Her brother Robert Ciambra of West Haven, Connecticut survived her. The name Peter is not seen in any of the census records, and may have died very young.Robert Ciambra’s obituary from the same newspaper reveals that he died March 29, 2013, just a few months before the writing of this research report. His birth took place on November 24, 1927, to parents Michael and Louise Orico Ciambra. He was the youngest of thirteen children. The names of twelve children are known, including Peter. Angelina’s obituary lists thirteen children, but Charles is listed twice.The index to Kings County births does indeed list a Pietro Ciambra, born December 23, 1908. Cross checking the Kings County death index, Pietro Ciambra, age one year, died December 9, 1909. Pietro’s birth record was located in the Family History Library’s collection, and it gave his parents’ names as Michele Ciambra and Luisa Orrico. The family resided at 79 Main Street. The maiden name is spelled differently than in the obituary, but consistent enough to be identified in the records of Italy. Little Pietro died just a few days short of his first birthday, on December 9, 1909. He succumbed to pneumonia and asthma. Here his parents’ names are given as Michael ‘Ciambro’ and Louisa ‘Orco’, still residing at 79 Main Street in Brooklyn. Pietro/Peter has been added to the family database.Other birth records of children in this family were noted in the index, and located in the microfilm collection. Giuseppe (Joseph) Ciambra’s birth record is written in Italian. His birth occurred on January 3, 1900, parents ‘Michelo’ Ciambra and Luisa Orrico, both born in ‘Italia’. The family resided at 49 Front Street at that time.Antonio (Tony) Ciambra started life on June 8, 1901, while his parents were living at 35 Main Street. Their names are written as Michelo Ciambra and Luisa Orrica. Carlo ‘Ciambro’, son of ‘Michelo Ciambro’ and Luisa ‘Orrica’, was born March 14, 1907. The family lived at the 79 Main Street address by 1907. Oddly, the index did not show a birth record for John/Giovanni Ciambra, even allowing for variant spellings.The index to death records showed Michele Ciambra, who died in Queens on November 14, 1946. The microfilmed death certificates cover just beyond 1946, so his certificate was available. It is a much more modern format and gives quite a bit more detail than those of the early 1900’s. The date of birth, December 25, 1875, confirms that this is indeed the ancestor. He died at the age of seventy years, eleven months and seventeen days. His wife’s name is listed as Louise, and she was apparently still living. Michele worked as a tailor, and resided in Queens at 177-41 Troutville Road, where he had lived for five years. He died of a cerebral thrombosis (blood clot in the brain) and also suffered from arteriosclerosis. The most exciting item of information is his parents’ names: Joseph Ciambra and Giovannia Todaro. No exact places of birth are given, just ‘Italy’, but the naturalization record has already supplied the name of the town as Tarsia. Joseph Ciambra, Michael’s son, gave the information for the death certificate. Michael rests in Holy Rood Cemetery. Research in the records of New York has located ample information for finding the ancestry family members in the records of Italy. Our Italian research specialist can now study the records of Tarsia and Cervicati, in order to extend the lineage there. We look forward to the results of his efforts. At some future point in time, the Castelleneto ancestry should be pursued, in order to balance out the family tree. It has been our pleasure to research these ancestors, and we look forward to further success in the future.Stan Lindaas, Professional GenealogistHeritage Consulting ................
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