Tuesday's Tips Italian Style

Italian Tips for Tuesday

Having enjoyed a day in Encinitas with new acquaintances and friends recently, I shared some of my life as a younger person growing up in Valley Ford, California which was a dominate Italian Community.

Norma's Dad, Papa Bordessa, made us special breakfast once in awhile if we were quiet so he could sleep and get up at 2:30 A M to milk cows.   Pete and Alice Merga lived a shout away and we spent many hours climbing trees, playing ball and enjoying our youth. Oliver Illia's, Grandmother Del Curto taught me how to knit and crochet Eurpean style.  She was also Margery and Dick DelCurto's Grandmother. She was the Matriarch of the family and her husband was a Butcher.

Not long ago the mini ranch was sold, it broke my heart but it seemed to be the time.  I still have some older Italian friends and non Italians friends whom live there. My class mates still share words with me and when Norma and I get together we talk about that special breakfast her Dad used to make us. Especially in the cold wintery part of the year, when we stood out in the 30 Degree weather to catch a school bus to High School.

We all went to American Valley School. It was a two roomer built to replace the single roomer that was in front of our old barn.  It belongs to the County now and community events are held there. I waitressed at Dinucci's Restuarant.

Some Italian phrases were picked up easily by myself and siblings. Some I still remember. I miss walking up to the Post Office or Valley Ford Market and getting a salami and cheese sandwich.
I love the Teleme Cheese that they carry. We used to have that served on our plate in High School on Friday's with Tomato Soup or Tuna Sandwiches.

Here are some of the links I shared. Yes, we learned that the Germans and the Italians had something to do with my husbands ancestry also.  : > )

Italian URLs and Places of Interest

by Susi Pentico 

usgenweb.org by state, by county

worldgenweb.org by country

familysearch.org (LDS)

www.Italianroots.org (Peabody, Mass)

www.italiangen.org/default.stm ( Italian Research group)

www.circolocalabrese.org (exclusive Calabrian descent)really cool site

www.kofc.org Knights of Columbus,

www.cyndislist.com

http://italiangenealogy.tardio.com/html (Italian Genealogy Home Page

www.ancestry.com Paid site

www.ellisislandrecords.org

www.ItalianAncestry.com

www.findagrave.org

www.umn.edu/ihrc (University of Minnesota at St. Paul)

www.Genealogy.com

www.epodunk.com/ancestry/Italian.html

http://www.italiamia.com/genealogy.php#.USfTUI45NN8

Google.com ask for Italian Research many pages.

www.deadfred.com

www.nola.com/politics/.../american_italian_research_libr.html

Library moves to new home in Metairie

www.myitalianfamily.com/ Italian Family Research

stevemorse.org

www.mocavo.com

Last for now

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/.../records/italian_records.html

overview of Italian Records_Italy Gen Web

Italian URLs and Places of Interest

by Susi Pentico

Maps

http://www.mapsofworld.com/italy/

Turning Hearts: Pieve di Controne- 500 Years of Italian Research

Make sure you ask for death records, , military records, school

records, newspapers.

National Archives, State Archives, Historical Societies, Genealogical

Societies, Libraries (Colleges and Universities)

Biographies, Manuscripts, Books, Family Histories, Surname Books.

“Finding Italian Roots” by John Philip Colletta

This is a book that every Italian Researcher should have in their basket.

His updated one is marvelous. Thanks Mr. Colletta.

Research Aids, Presented and Shared

Research aids, were presented at the Lemon Grove Library last night.  Aids that will help to make your research run smoother and your brick walls more minimal.  Yes, it helps us to not have holes in our research, by helping us keep better track of what we have done, where we have been and where we
need to go.

When one does research, do you keep a log of what was a good response and what was not?
If you find one line of a family in a book, they marry another line, are you ready when that name is found to go back to the book to see if they are also referenced there?  This is especially helpful when the families are living in the same area and are near each.

You do realize that a negative answer is also a positive answer?  Looking for Madison and finding none, means that you do not need to look there again. One less hurdle to cross, or can be crossed off as you dig your way through the records you want to search.

Do you keep a log of the records you want to search, should search and have searched?  We are  creatures of habit and we will pick up the same book, forgetting we have already scanned it rather thoroughly. Exception is when it is a book that has many family names in it that have not been researched yet, then each name needs marked off as found.

Having devised a research log of my own over the years then having met Randy Seaver, we compared notes and he made a better research log.

Liking my Timelines to run sideways verses downward for basics is a difference. Putting the Timeline into motion then requires a downward list to expand all for all items.  When presenting a Timeline it helps to have it sideways, at least how my brain reacts to it.

Having a Family Group Sheet in the beginning will show parents, maybe grandparents and the children.

Next should come your Basic Research Log or as Randy calls it a Basic Research Summary.
It should list every thing you already have and know about the individuals on the Family Group Sheet.
If they are original documents then you should state where they came from. So anyone else doing research will know where to locate them if possible.

This is your working Master List,  mine is set so, if I have the document it, it is noted, if needed it is noted, when found it is finally cleared from work.  That is like getting a Gold Star and accomplishment has been made. Some times we need that to keep us going when the digging gets tough.

Vital Records such as: Birth, Death, Marriage, of both spouses and then of the children.
Census Records found and the ones needed, marked so you remember the needs.
Land Records, Tax Records, ( there are many types of Tax Records), Church Records, Cemetery Records, Court Records, Guardianships, Probates, Wills, Military, Immigration, Naturalization, Newspaper, City Directories, History Book of area, Surname Book for the area and Bibles if found or have.

This Basic Research Log if kept properly and kept current can save you hours of wasted time and energy.

You then may want an Internet Research List,  and a Repository List for where you want to research or know that they hold data you need to seek. These lists grow and change over time but are vital because as creatures of habit we generally miss the clue we need if we do not follow the lists.

Then comes your Time Line for Research.  Plot it out and as it grows you will find more places to dig and discover clues.

Lastly is the most important one besides the beginning Basic Research Log, This log works hand in hand with the Basic Research Log.  It is called the Research To Do List.  This is the one you up date, and change and add to as  you complete your data on the Basic Research Log.  Next post will show the working of the two together.

You can color code it, date it, make it to fit what makes you comfortable but use it to save lots of time and energy.

For a copy of Randy Seaver's Documents I suggest you contact him.  Our society has used them for quite some time and find them highly affective.

 As said I modified a couple to fit my thinking better but use forms of some type please and keep a record of what you are doing, have done and need to do.

Susi Pentico, Educational Chairperson, Chula Vista Genealogical Society. SusiCP@cox.net

CeCe Moore "Do Your Gene's Fit?" Spring, Chula Vista, CA

For all those whom asked last year, for it to be a good weekend so you could make it a mini vacation for the family, we have done it this year.  Leave the cold and heavy snow and come to Chula Vista and enjoy a great seminar.  Nice prices for motel near seminar and also enjoy maybe the Zoo, Sea World, CV Nature Center ( has a new name but it directly opposite going west from Motel to the Bay).
Lots of things to do in San Diego area.

Come get in on the great news that Genetic Research is doing for our Genealogical Research, especially adoptees.    Look forward to seeing you all soon.

La Quinta Inn at 150 Bonita Rd., off 805 S to the right, next to Denny's Rest.
$80 a night, mention CVGS, t 619 691 1211     f 619 427 0135
If wanting to stay a couple more days let the manager know. MUST BE BOOKED BY 4 MARCH to get this price. contact society from web page for further data or call La Quinta Inn.

Contacting Societies - Historical and Genealogical

Contacting Societies- Historical and Genealogical

 by Susi Pentico

Every State has an Archive, check there.

Every State has a State Library check there

Check the County Library's in region your researching, check usgenweb.org for the library's you may need that are genealogical or historical in nature.

San Diego County has many libraries. Each has a somewhat different holding of it's facility. San Diego County System has many library's through out the region of the County.  We hold meetings to educate the public and members in the Lemon Grove and the Bonita-Sunnyside Library's.

Another member and I are slowly making the rounds to various libraries in the county to share more with you locally.

Imperial Beach County library has many books on the history of the southern part of the county, the development of the bases and local historical information.

Chula Vista has 3 libraries for it's members.  South Branch, Civic Branch and East County Branch.

Within our own grasp we have several LDS Familysearch.org site Libraries. Besides the one in Mission Valley there are small ones through out our region all with different holdings. 

I recently learned we have technical libraries, art libraries and others open for us to use.

Law Libraries hold many good finds. College libraries holdings are a gold mine and we have several in our county alone. SDSU, USD, UCSD, etc Southwestern, Grossmont, Mesa and the list goes on.

I personally got a 2 hour visit of the library at College in Northridge

I could camp there for at least three days.

Then move to private collections: in our area again there are many, in the area your going to visit look for them also.

Not every Genealogical Society has a library but for San Diego area we have: Carlsbad, SDGS moving to the new Library down town SD and Chula Vista Genealogical Society has a library regarding genealogy within the Chula Vista Civic Center Library.

Scour the History section of every open library in the system

Many state facilities have flyers or pamphlets that you can get each month free regarding what the events are coming up.

You can sign up for free information for NGS also, online.

 This is a flyer that tells you about publications many asked for at the last meeting in Bonita Sunnyside last Saturday.

http://www.ancestorstuff.com/news/130220-1.htm

usgenweb.org is a great way to find local genealogical and historical societies in the region you are researching. Joining one where your research is happening is extremely beneficial to your cause. If all else fails use google.

In the not to distant future we will cover  Pennsylvania in a working environment with your computers to learn more hand on research.

In the past we talked about JSTOR and in the future we will talk about OCLC…

About OCLC
Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing library costs. More than 74,000 libraries in 170 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the world’s largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat.org on the Web. For more information, visit the OCLC website.

Read more…

This is from Leland M from familysearch.org.

WE know Family Search and are learning more about their great improvements to help genealogists/

The joining of these two groups will greatly improve WORLDCAT for library researchers.

http://www.genealogyblog.com/?p=24487

Research Material, Books, Quarterlies and Pamphlets

At our workshop on Saturday at the Bonita-Sunnyside Library I was asked,"Where did you find these books?"

Also was asked two other questions which I will address in the near future. Answers are coming so keep watching for the clues.

Having attended many genealogical functions in our county, the books supply keeps expanding at my home.  Various organizations have book sales every year. We sell our extra books at our Seminars, San Diego Genealogical Society does the same thing. In fact, right now, SDGS is selling off the duplicates because the City Library does not want them on their shelves and never thought to put them on the shelves for the people to check out and return.  For years, the Chula Vista City Library would take our duplicates and put  them in the open shelves for people to take home and bring back. Some where it stopped.  It was a great way to build up the Library's Check Out section and the Genealogical Resource area also, had less walk away.

There are flyers put out by several book makers that I am on the list of also. I watch for a sale, then I determine what I can use and really need. Last winter, I was able to get a bunch of Davidson Co. Tenn. books for our society at more than half off. Now that the library is collecting books again I am taking them in for them to shelf.

In the future when I get a flyer on books I will post the link here for you all to read.

One I really enjoy is called:  AncestorStuff.com.   RHODE ISLAND: CENSUS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE COLONY OF RHODE ISLAND & PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, taken in the Year 1774. ed. by John R. Bartlett. 238+120p. Hardcover. - AncestorStuff.com

This is an older flyer sent in December. I am awaiting a new one any day now.

But attend various meetings and also try E-Bay.  Virginia got a copy of my favorite book for Pennsylvania by watching Amazon. She also got it at a great price.  Also be aware, I think we are selling books at our Seminar on 30 March.  We have inherited duplicates and they will need a new home, why not make it yours.