Shirley,
Got your postings. I don't know why its telling you
that, but I got them anyway.
You can post as long as you want on this. That's one
of the advantages over message boards.
Yes, the unknowns on the death certificates are very
frustrating.
I found the info on your family interesting. My
father's grandparents came over in 1879 or 1880,
depending on the census. Have found them on 1900,
1910, 1920. I tend to think the 1879 is probably
right, as 1880 sounds more like they rounded off the
years, but you wouldn't just pull 1879 out of a hat.
I have also seen other Casazzas on the 1900 that say
they came over prior to 1880.
The LDS now has an everyname index to the 1880, yet I
can find no Casazzas, in the NYC area.
Possibly they missed a lot of people. Those buildings
on the lower east side were packed with people.
The other interesting thing is the Chinatown
reference.
I wonder if he meant what is now Chinatown, or if
there was a different Chinatown neighborhood in that
era. I don't know if you live in, near or are familiar
with NY, but what was once Little Italy has been
mostly swallowed up by the spread of Chinatown.
On the 1900, 10, & 20 I found a lot of Casazzas
clustered together on the same streets, even the same
buildings. A lot lived on James St, Roosevelt St,
Baxter St, Pearl St, Worth St, a few on Mulberry. I
have been told by someone who lived on Roosevelt in
the 1930's that Roosevelt and James were all people
from the Genoa region.
My family lived at 24 James St. On the 1900 there were
6 Casazza families living there, and by 1920, 8.
Another thing to watch for is the first names.
Everyone in my father's family Americanized their
names, and it is not always an obvious change. My
father's grandfather started out Basilio and changed
to Peter. Who would guess that? My father never knew
that his father Andrew was in fact Angelo.
Baptism records will be Italian names even if they
never used them. They went to Italian churches, all
the records are in Italian.
I might be able to help you with a little more info.
You can email directly if you don't want to post here.
Their addresses are on the death certificates. That
would pin down neighborhoods. I could tell you what
churches to write to.
Were they still in New York State in 1900 & 1920? I
could look on the census. The census will often have
surprises like the mother-in-law is living with them,
or a married daughter's new last name. If your oldest
generation is still alive in 1900, will give you year
of immigration.
One more thing. On 1890 NYC directory there is a
Casazza & Co Fruit at 468 Pearl St. Listed at this
address is a Joseph Casazza. Also Louis & Charles.
There is a John, liquors, business 24 Baxter, home 101
Park
and John, peddler at 29 Baxter.
Hope that helps.
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