Ellingham Photo

My mom recently gave me some photos that she thought that I would like (she knows me so well).  My favorite in the bunch is this one.  I believe it to be my maternal 2x great grandmother, Charlotte Biot Ellingham (Cenie's mom) and this is why I think that.

The first clue is the name "Ellingham" across the top rear of the photo.  Charlotte married John Ellingham in 1896 in Brooklyn.  In the 1900 census, she is listed as the wife of John Ellingham living at 426 Herkimer Street, Brooklyn, NY.

The second clue is c/o Ms. Wilson 872 Herkimer Street.  If I look at Charlotte's mother, Julia Biot, in the 1900 census.  Mrs. Mary Wilson is her neighbor as she lives at 883.

 So based on this, I've come to the conclusion that this is Charlotte Biot Ellingham in her 20's.

What do you think?

 

UPDATE: Aunt El confirmed this is Charlotte Biot Ellingham, Cenie's mother. Thanks Aunt El!

First DNA Match to a Probable Kane Connection

In the last year, I had an ah-ha moment when I realized one of my DNA matches, GB,  might actually connect to Bridget Kane's line.  Most of our common matches could connect to Patrick McQuaid and Bridget Kane and/or the Kane surname.  I noticed his line had settled in Jersey City, New Jersey.  This was great because I can research NJ!

Still trying to make the final connection but here are some things I learned along the way. I started with GB's tree. 

Doing a little digging uncovered a transcribed marriage record for Patrick Kane and Mary Quinn that lists their parents.  What a coincidence, Bridget's father's name is Patrick also.

Here is Patrick and Mary in the 1900 census.  They are living with their 4 children.  Patrick Kane is a  freight handler. They are living at 167 8th Street in Jersey City, NJ.

Sometime between the 1900 US Federal Census and the publishing of the 1902 Jersey City Directory's the family moves to 199 Fourteenth Street. There are many Patrick Kanes but none listed for 8th Street in 1902.

1905 NJ State Census, this family has several changes.  Patrick dies, Catherine Kane and Edward Turner marry and Edward is now considered the head of household.

1905 NJ State Census

The transcription for Mary Kane's entry is:

She is listed as widowed, her address is 199 Fourteenth Street.

Based on that census record,  I was able to come to the conclusion that Patrick Kane passed in June of 1903.  Here is his death certificate:

Further investigating lead me to the cemetery records from the Archdioceses of Newark.  Patrick was buried at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City on July 3, 1903 which happens to align with the date at the top of his death certificate.  He died sometime in June 1903 as he was found in the water on June 30, 1903.  He is buried in the same plot that his wife and two of his sons are buried.

My recent obsession with digitized newspapers lead me to this article:

July 3, 1903 Jersey Journal

The names do not 100% align.  The daughter's name was Catherine and the wife is Mary. Easy to confuse, the address however is spot on and aligns with the 1905 Census.

Looking at my match to GB, we share 24 cm's across 3 segments.  Ancestry puts us in a range of 4th - 6th cousins.  If I plug his Patrick Kane in as Bridget's brother, he comes in at a 4th Cousin once removed.  I think this to be probable as each have shown their father's to be named Patrick Kane.  I have not found a record for Bridget with her mother listed.  Further evidence will be needed to come to that conclusion.  I will be looking for further evidence to solidify this connection.  Maybe another DNA match down the road will lead us to their hometown in Ireland.

More on Arthur E. Tutela

After reading so many articles about Arthur E. Tutela, I had to look him up.  This is what I found.

 Arthur E. Tutela was born in Newark, NJ in August 1898.  He was the 6th child born to Elezario Tutela and Rose Romano.

In the 1915 NJ Census, he is living on Bruce Street in Newark, NJ with his family.

Things apparently change for Arthur E. Tutela as he is an inmate at the NJ Eastern State Prison in the 1920 US Federal Census. He is listed as 21 years old and married.

1920 US Federal Census, NJ Reformatory, Woodbridge, NJ

 Further inspection of his timeline reveals that he was in prison in 1918 as his WWI draft card dated Sept 12, 1918 lists him as an inmate. He lists his mother as his nearest relative.

Found him in the 1930 US Federal Census as a prisoner in the NJ State Prison in Trenton.

He stays out of the newspapers for over a decade (at least the ones that are digitized at this point).  As of today, I have not been able to locate him in the 1940 census.  Further investigating is needed to see how the 30's and 40's are for Arthur.He may have been incarcerated all of the 30's. Most likely, he is an inmate in 1940 as well.


In 1942, he is in NJ State Prison when he fills out his WWII Draft Registration Card.  He lists his sister Anna as his next of kin.

1942 Transcription of  WWII Draft Registration Card

 
He died in 1955 due to complications of a bleeding ulcer. It is quite obvious that his family was not happy with him.  I could not find an obituary for him in any of the Newark, NJ newspapers available on microfilm.  I did find his death certificate and know that he is buried in the family plot with his parents and a few siblings.

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Newark, NJ - Tutela Family Plot

I was really surprised that he did not die in prison.  His brother Americus Tutela was the informant.  In the 60's and 70's the remainder of his siblings passed.  Non of which mentioned Arthur as predeceased in their obituaries.

In another article I found, it says his first arrest was in 1912.  I will be looking into prison records in the future.  You never know what you will find until you look.

Arthur E. Tutela and his many Headlines

I have been having a lot of fun finding untold stories in digitized newspapers. The most shocking so far were the ones I found on Arthur E. Tutela a brother of my husband's great grandfather.  The articles start in 1923 but I'm sure there are earlier ones that have not been digitized yet.

1923:

The Central New Jersey Home News, Wednesday, November 4, 1923

1928

The Daily Record, Wednesday, January 11, 1928

The Daily Record, Tuesday, April 10, 1928 Front Page

The Daily Record, Tuesday, April 10, 1928 Page 3

1947

The Courier News, Monday, Nov 17, 1947

The Courier News, Friday, Nov 28, 1947

1948

The Central Jersey Home News, Friday, March 19, 1948

1953

The Morning Call, Thursday, February 19, 1953

The Morning Call, Saturday, April 18, 1953

Finding all of these newspaper articles made me want to find out more about him....more on him soon.

The life of Amedeo "Matthew" Alfano

Amedeo "Matthew" Alfano was Bob's great grandfather.  He was born Amedeo Alfano in Monte, Marano, Avelino, Italy in 1892 and immigrated to the US about 1909.

Amedeo married Bianca Todino in NJ in 1915.  Shortly later, he Americanized his first name to Matthew and her to Blanche.  They had 4 children that I know of: Constantine, Anthony, George (Bob's grandfather) and Matthew.  In the 1930 US Federal Census, they are living next door to Blanche's parents, Denis and Caroline Todino.  They resided at 85 Westminster Place in Garfield, NJ. 

There were several articles posted to different newspapers in NJ in April 1935. Matthew Alfano was arrested for Bootlegging and sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $700 fine.  

The Herald News April 24, 1935

He was very lucky he was not caught during prohibition as that ended two years earlier.  In the middle of the great depression, you do what you have to do to survive.

Shortly after he was incarcerated, his wife and family moved to Lodi, NJ.  On October 9, 1935, his son Matthew age 7 died of Diphtheria.  Something in this day and age that is 100% preventable by vaccination. 

 

 

The Herald News October 11, 1935

Young Matthew Alfano's NJ Death Certificate

Matthew Sr. served a total of  18 months in prison and was released in October 1936.

The Herald News October 9, 1936

In the 1940 US Federal Census, the family is living in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ.  In column 17, the answer to "residence in 1935" the answer for each of the members of the household is Lodi. This is the first census that Bob's mom, Marjorie Alfano, is alive for.  She is 11 months old.

Things turn around for Matthew.  He resides in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ for the 1940's.  He stays out of the newspaper until 1947, he and his son Anthony open a home appliance business.

The Herald News June 4, 1947

In 1950, he and his wife are in the process of moving to a brand new home that they had built when tragedy strikes.  During the move, his wife Blanche passes away.  They hadn't even slept in their new home in Wayne.

The Herald News October 23, 1950

 Matthew was a widower for 20 years.  He died on May 19, 1970 in Prospect Park, NJ.

He is buried in St. Nicholas Cemetery in Lodi, NJ with his wife and three sons.

Celeste Licursi Minotti Turello

Celeste was born Mary Celeste Licursi  on June 22, 1874 in Santa Croce di Magliano, Campobasso, Molise, Italy.  She was the daughter of Vincenzo Licursi and Maria Teresa Minotti. 

Thanks Cathy!

She married Arpino Minotti in April 1896. 

Celeste and Arpino had (4) daughters.

1.    Anna, born June 2, 1897
2.    Libera, born June 1898
3.    Teresa, born January 1900
4.    Addalorata, born about June 1902

On November 27, 1902, Celeste arrives in Boston on the ship Vancouver. She is a widow traveling with her four daughters age 6 and under, her mother, Maria Teresa Minotti Fiore and her step father Marco Fiore.  They are headed to Luigi Licursi's home in Brockton, Massachusetts.  Brother of Teresa.

Ship's manifest

 
On June 2, 1903, Celeste married Pasquale Turello in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  They both are widowed and come to their marriage with children from their first marriages. My research leads me to believe she brought 4 daughters and he brings 4 children as well.  They go on to have 7 more children together.

Pasquale was first married to Maria and had the following (4) children:

1. Raffael "Ralph Turello born circa 1894 in the US
2. Francesco "Frank" Turella born 1896 Newark, NJ
3. Francis Turello born circa 1898 in the US
4. Patrick Henry Turello Born 26 May 1901 in Brooklyn, NY

Pasquale's naturalization record indicates he arrived in the United States in 1886.  This aligns with the birth dates of his children with Maria that are all shown in many different census records as being born in the USA.  Pasquale is listed as widowed on his marriage record to Celeste. This puts Maria's date of death between 26 May 1901 (birth of last child) but before 2 June 1903.  This aligns with the 1902 date on her tombstone.  Where she passed is anyone's guess.


Pasquale and Celeste go on to have the following children:

1. Grace, born circa 1905 in the US
2. Alfred, born 15 June 1906 Rochester, NY
3. Angelina, born circa 1908 in the US
4. Helen "Lena" born 17 April 1910 in Baltimore, MD
5. Michael born 22 August 1911 in the US
6. Vincenzo "James" born 1 Sept 1914 Rochester, NY
7. John born 18 June 1916 Newark, NJ

Many of the children from each marriages are accounted for in the 1915 NY State Census:

Their first 6 children together (John is born a year later).  His 4 children from his first marriage and 2 of Celeste's daughters from her first marriage (Teresa and Libera "Mary").  Her first born, Anna is married in 1912 and living with her husband in NJ.  The only child not accounted for is Addalorata.  I know she is alive at the time of the 1910 census as Celeste had given birth to 8 children by then and all 8 are listed as alive. 

Celeste gave birth to 11 children that I know of.  She gave birth in Italy, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Maryland.  She was step-mother to 4. 

Still working out the kinks.  Will check for records to see if any of them were born in NJ or possibly married here.  They moved around a lot.  I will be updating this with future finds.