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Surnames: LUPIANO / SETARO
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/WQB.2ACE/357
Message Board Post:
Looking for information about an R. Lupiano as well as Antoni SITARO who were Italian
immigrant musicians in Virginia City, NV in the 1880 census.
Where might I find information about employment as a musician (violinist?) in that era?
My mother is a SETARO and as a child grew up hearing stories about the family's
heritage. Her great-aunt Henrietta SETARO had told her that they were not really
SETARO's but something my mother remembered as "La Pina" or
"Lapiana". She was told her grandfather's (Angelo SETARO) real father had
run out on the family. Their mother was Maria VIVA married to Antonio SETARO who was a
prominent symphonic musician in San Francisco before the earthquake. We knew that the
family had lived in Virginia City before moving to San Francisco.
I found that in the 1880 census for Virginia City, Storey County, NV there was a family
listed, the head being an R. LUPIANO (45) . Maria VIVA (25) was his wife and the children
were Christina (5) Angelo (3) John (2) Andriello (1) and Anna (3 mo). It also indicates a
"boarder", also a musician from Italy, living with them, Antoni SITARO (34).
The children's names and ages all match up with our current knowledge of family
birthdays, etc. and Maria VIVA is definitely the right woman. The new family then moved to
San Francisco where the census picks the SETARO's up again in 1900. More children were
born after their marriage that are true SETARO's.
Obviously something happened to R. LUPIANO and Maria VIVA went on to marry Antonio SETARO.
Did he die? Was there an affair? Our understanding is that there was ill feeling between
some of the original children--especially the older-- and Antonio SETARO. All the children
were raised as SETARO's but their real father's story was kept quiet and has been
a mystery until I've uncovered what little we now know.
Another weird point is that census as well as other records reveal may different places of
countries of origin stated for Maria VIVA (i.e. Panama, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Spain).
Why so many places of different parts of the world?
Generation 1. R. LUPIANO married Maria VIVA. Maria VIVA married Antonio SETARO
Generation 2. Angelo (Lupiano) SETARO married Catherine Alice KENNEDY
*** This young couple's home was lost, but they were not welcomed into the
still-standing family home after the earthquake. Angelo, Catherine who was pregnant with
my grandfather, and their small son lived in Golden Gate Park for a couple of months
before moving to Virginia City to await the rebuilding of San Francisco.
Within two years (1908) Angelo died of a gunshot wound by an enraged husband after aiding
a woman in a domestic dispute. (Are there cemetary records available?) We understand that
there was a trial and conviction in this case. (Are there court or newspaper accounts?)
Catherine returned to San Francisco some years later. ***
Generation 3. John Archibald SETARO married Salina Radford HALL
Generation 4. Living LAIRD married Living SETARO
Generation 5. Myself
Any information about LUPIANO or SETARO would be greatly appreciated. I can't find
immigration information for either men and I'm kind of stuck on how to find out about
what happened to LUPIANO.
I think I hear rattling in some closets...
Thanks so much.