Here’s another document that I have copied that I think is the health certificate for my great grandmother to enter the US. From my translation it’s a written certificate for Maria and Francis (the second is a guess at the name) Moretto and Catherina Negri. In the 11th Month (crossed out year) born in Locana and living in Locana.
It certifies that they have a healthy constitution, are vaccinated, and are not infected with any deadly or contagious diseases.
It looks like it is signed in Locana on November 25th, 1904- and stamped with the Locana city seal.
As the documents age they turn yellow due to the acid in the paper. There are ways to keep paper from turning yellow such as archival spray. You can also get sleeves for archiving – stores such as Gaylord Brothers are great for supplies like this. I have heard frequently about laminating documents, but DON’T.
Is it okay to laminate a document?
Lamination is not considered a safe conservation technique because the process may potentially damage a document due to high heat and pressure during application. Moreover, the laminating materials themselves may be chemically unstable and contribute even more to the deterioration of the document. Lamination also violates a cardinal rule of conservation, and that is to only apply treatments that do not alter the item and which can be reversed. Source: http://loricase.com/faq.html
All the documents I include though are with family and I have only scanned them. I would suggest to at least create a digital copy of all documents before attempting anything with them. As documents degrade over time also I have never regretted having made a digital copy (only that the technology to make a higher quality copy wasn’t available when I had the chance). I also keep a backup in a separate location.
My great grandfather was a coal miner when he declared his intent to become a citizen. It’s amazing what information this paper includes. If I hadn’t already found the ship manifest showing his immigration this would point me to the ship and date.
It gives his description, birthday and so much information. He applied in 1917 – just a short time before he died. He was one of the casualties of the flu of 1918.
Finding paperwork like this becomes more and more difficult as papers age. A guide to Naturalization records can be found at: http://www.germanroots.com/naturalizationrecords.html and a guide to types of naturalization records is available at http://www.genealogybranches.com/naturalization.html I was lucky to get to scan copies of these for my great grandmother and great grandfather, but in many cases these are lost over time. Some also didn’t file. My great grandmother intended to apply using my great grandfather (rules were 5 year wait for him so she would have been eligible when he would have received citizenship in 1922 if he had survived). My great grandmother instead waited until many years later to apply. Even after having 7 kids in the United States my great grandmother was still nervous that she would be sent back. Though my mother says that when asked she would just say she didn’t want to go home because it’s too long a trip.
My great grandfather worked in the mines in Clinton IN originally then moved to Westville Illinois. He had immigrated to the US before my great grandmother came to join him. – Most likely to work and earn enough to send for her. My great grandmother came to the US with three children, and given the times one wonders how scary it must have been to make such a long journey from home with three little girls, knowing no one on the way. What if one of the kids got sick on the way? Would they be turned away? My great grandmother came through Ellis Island and at that time if any illness was suspected immigrants were not allowed to enter the US. (They also turned away anyone that was suspected of not being able to support themselves)
Family has since gotten a plaque at Ellis Island. I’ve been lucky enough to visit and have pictures in my collection. My grandmother and great grandmother were both pretty amazing women.
Not much is known about my great grandfather, but he was hard working and supported his family doing dangerous dirty work (in the coal mines). My grandmother was not yet 2 when he passed away and didn’t have any stories to share. My other aunts that I spoke to most were all under 6 so they also didn’t have stories.
I have seen a picture at my grandmother’s house of my great grandmother and great grandfather. It’s an old black and white photo and hints at how hard a life my great grandmother and great grandfather had.
I am also lucky enough to have a copy of the birth certificate for my great grandmother. It shows her name as Negri Maria Caterina (Last name first). Not sure about the name order because I had thought her first name was Caterina…. Maria is pretty common in our family. My middle name is Maria also and one of my grandmother’s sisters was Maria (or Mary). From what I can tell it shows her father as Giacomo and mother as Pizzetti Maria Francesca – showing she was born November 18, 1874. the 1950 date at the bottom is unusual. I almost think maybe that was the date it was issued. Maybe this was a copy my great grandmother got while getting citizenship here in the US….
Earlier this week I posted the marriage certificate for my great-grandmother – Catherina Moretto. The really tough part of the older certificates is that they may be in another language (in this case Italian). I have tried to learn Italian, but when you combine Italian with older handwriting, I have no clue what the translation is. In Italian I know Commune is the town, Chiesa – church and so on. A few other words I can guess at too – but finding someone who speaks the language is pretty important. Additionally in my case a dialect is involved. Locana, Italy is just a short distance from the border with France.
In the past I’ve gotten some of the information involved:
14.Giovanni Moretto, son of Benardo Moretto and Domenica Cula was born on 01 Oct 1880 inLocana Italy. He died on 14 Oct 1918 in Westville, Illinois. He married Caterina Maria Negri on 11 Apr 1903. (I think the certificate actually says he was born in Costallamente and that’s what I had heard previously)
15.Caterina Maria Negri, daughter of Giacomo Negri and Francesca Maria Pezetti was born on 17Nov 1874 in Locana Italy. She died on 01 Jul 1961 in Belgium Town, Illinois at 7:30 pm.
The marriage certificate includes names, place of birth, parents, and dates. From what I’ve heard that seems to be collaborated from the official certificate, Italian weddings involved two separate ‘weddings’. One being a civil wedding and one a church wedding. I’m going to see if I can get with friends in Italy and see if they can translate this a little more for me.
Hopefully cousins can help with this translation. I’m including the original document below. What I can translate is Town of Locana, Province of Turin, Birth Certificate.
Official registered certificate of birth. Named Maria Caterina Negri. Nationality Italian Father: Giacomo and Mother Maria Francesca Pezzetti Born: November 18, 1874 in Locana I’m fuzzy on guessing at the next part. If must be time. So I’m going to guess 2:05 in the morning.
I’m guessing the rest of the document tells where it is recorded. I also find it interesting that it has the date December 30, 1950. So I don’t know if this is a copy requested in 1950 or …… no idea. I only know a little Italian, so someone else may be able to tell me more about what it says. I know my great grandmother got citizenship sometime after this, so maybe this was needed for her paperwork. The document looked to be pretty old before I got a copy so it’s possible that it
From my translation it’s a written certificate for Maria and Francis (the second is a guess at the name) Moretto and Catherina Negri. In the 11th Month (crossed out year) born in Locana and living in Locana.
