I've had absolutely no luck finding my paternal great grandpa..

Question

My dad is Steven Desmond, his father is Sam Eugene Desmond, and his father remains a mystery.

He was an immigrant from Sicily, Italy and on his naturalization card his name is 'Salvatore Patellaro'.

He changed his/my last name to Desmond, and I'm told that was his mother's maiden name.

He went by Sam and Joe and was a boxer who taught boxing at our YMCA in Port Arthur, Texas.

Any help would be so appreciate. I searched for months and finally gave up, but decided to give it a shot one more time.

Thank you!

Answer 1

If you use facebook I highly recommend you find and join this group

Sicilian and Aeolian Islands Genealogy

Answer 2

Salvatore Patellaro born 1897 in Italy. Naturalization in 1942 Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index. "Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950," database with images, FamilySearch

Comments

Thank you so much! Do you know how I'd go about finding his father & mother? That's the main probably I'm having because none of my family knows :/

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It looks like this Salvatore "Sam" Patallero died 15 Oct 1971 in Chicago and was a restaurant owner.  Does this seem right?  If so, his parents are listed on his death record as Andrew and Anna.

"Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MF-LRZ5 : 18 March 2018), Andrew Patellaro in entry for Sam Patellaro, 15 Oct 1971; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference , record number , Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm . 

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Sadly no but thank you so much your help, this sit is really cool!. Sam/Salvatore live where I do, Port Neches, Jefferson county, Texas. He died around 1980, he was a boxer who also taught at the YMCA in Port Arthur or Beamont. He had three kids, my paw paw Sam, Raymond,and Deborah who just recently passed away from cancer

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Salvatore grew up in Louisiana

Answer 3

Salvatore Desmond, United States Census, 1920. Manhattan Assembly District 12, New York, New York. 36 yr old male, married head of household. Immigration year 1891, estimated birth year 1884, parents born in Italy.

Wife is Margaret Desmond age 27, born in Italy.                               Lawrence Deluca, Father-in-law 58 born Italy.                                          Mary Deluca wife, 48 born in Italy.

"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch

Answer 4

If he was born in 1897 as the naturalization record shows, this could be him.  It gives names of a father, Andrea, as closest relative left in Italy and brother, Giovanni, as destination contact, as well.

"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J625-HMQ : 30 January 2018), Salvatore Patellaro, 1921.

Comments

Note that there was also a Giovanni Patellaro naturalized in 1944 in Illinois.

"Illinois, Northern District (Eastern Division), Naturalization Index, 1926-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H5B-HGZ : 8 November 2017), Giovanni Patellaro, 1944; citing Naturalization, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, National Archives and Records Administration, Great Lakes Region, Chicago.

Answer 5

Salvatore Patellaro, New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island)

Residence Monreale, Sicily, male age 24, married, nationality Italy, Italian South. Birth year 1897, departure port, Palermo, Ship name is Canada. Name of father is Andrea Patellaro who is the departure contact. Arrival contact and relationship is brother Giovnni Patellaro.

"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database with images, FamilySearch

Answer 6

It seems we've been on the wrong track with the Illinois Salvatare Patellaro.  FindAGrave and the Social Security Death Index gives your ancestor's birth date as 10 Aug 1902 and his death date as 16 Sep 1980.

"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J1LM-5Z8 : 19 May 2014), Sam Desmond, Sep 1980; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 April 2019), memorial page for Sam Desmond (10 Aug 1902–16 Sep 1980), Find A Grave Memorial no. 67274137, citing Greenlawn Memorial Park, Groves, Jefferson County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by Kerry Girolamo (contributor 46483229) .

"Texas Death Index, 1964-1998," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JV8P-B61 : 5 December 2014), Sam Desmond, Jefferson, Texas, United States; citing Department of State Health Services, Austin.

We have Joe living in Beaumont, TX in 1930 with wife Della, and Sam, divorced, living in Port Arthur in 1940.  This census gives his birth place as Louisiana but I believe that is a mistake.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C9VS-DMM : accessed 29 April 2019), Joe Desmond, Beaumont, Jefferson, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 36, sheet 10B, line 65, family 197, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2362; FHL microfilm 2,342,096.

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW27-J37 : 14 March 2018), Sam Desmond in household of Frank Columbo, Area B, Port Arthur, Justice Precinct 2, Jefferson, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 123-78, sheet 1A, line 29, family 8, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4078.

Interestingly, there is a Sammie Patel living in Leesville, Louisiana in 1910, born 1903 in Italy, with parents Ben and Vivia Patel, both also born in Italy.  From the other census records, it seems clear that Salvatore / Sam / Joe had a connection with Louisiana.  Is this his family with the surname mistaken?

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPB6-2QC : accessed 29 April 2019), Sammie Patel in household of Ben Patel, Leesville Ward 1, Vernon, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 144, sheet 2B, family 34, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 533; FHL microfilm 1,374,546.

I wonder if this 1900 family are his parents as well.  Maybe "Ben" and "Vivia" on the 1910 census was based on a poor interpretation of Benvita.  (This now seems unlikely given the newly found 1904 immigration records)

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSRH-P3C : accessed 29 April 2019), Benvita Potheolio in household of Carlos Potheolio, Police Jury Ward 4, Precinct 7, St. Mary, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 83, sheet 28B, family 626, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,582.

Comments

Yes his naturalization was in Louisiana, Im trying to figure out his parents name

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I've edited the above answer with a couple more possibilities

Answer 7

There is a passenger record on Ancestry for Salvatore Patellero, aged 2, his mother, and his sister Francesca, aged 7, entering New Orleans on 17 Oct 1904 from Palermo.

His mother is listed as Saveria De Simone, aged 31, who was going to join her husband, Benedetto Patellero in New Orleans.

I cannot grab a link to share, unfortunately.

Comments

Entry record for Benedetto.

Name:	Benedetto Patelgaro
Arrival Date:	14 Feb 1904
Port of Arrival:	United States
Birth Date:	abt 1869
Age:	35
Gender:	Male
Port of Departure:	Palermo, Italy
Ship Name:	Manilla
Last Residence:	Italy
Race:	Italian South (Italian)
Friend's Name:	Pietro Carta

Source Citation

The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1903-1945; NAI Number: 4492741; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; Record Group Number: 85

Source Information

Ancestry.com. New Orleans, Passenger Lists, 1813-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.

Original data: Selected Passenger and Crew Lists and Manifests. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

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Found a copy of the first record on FamilySearch:

"Louisiana, New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KTR5-1RY : 13 March 2018), Salvatore Pasellors, 1904; citing Ship Liguria, affiliate film #5, NARA microfilm publications M259 and T905 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,454,862.

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And the second:

"Louisiana, New Orleans Passenger Lists, 1820-1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27FS-YMK : 12 March 2018), Benedetto Pabelfaro, 1904; citing Ship Manilla, affiliate film #, NARA microfilm publications M259 and T905 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,454,860.

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Thanks, Brian.