Felice Grizzaffi (1886 - 1963)

Born 4 Nov 1886 in Corleone, Palermo, Italy

Ancestors

Died 7 Oct 1963 at age 76 in Houston, Harris, Texas, United States

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Biography

Felice Grizzaffi is born 4 November 1886 and baptized Felix the next day. The son of Leoluca Grizzaffi and Maria Cimino, his godfather is Gioachino Cimino, who is unmarried.^[1]

Felice is known as Felix Rezzaffi in the United States.

On the Capitain, arriving in New Orleans on 8 December 1891:

Maria Cimino, 33 (b. 1858)

son Felice Grizzaffi, 4 (b. 1886)^[2]

Note: When Felix dies, he gives a birthdate matching the baptismal record above. His age in 1910 is about three years older than reported.

In the 1910 federal census of Justice Precinct 4, Brazos County, Texas, taken 2 May, Luke Grezoff (Grizzaffi), 58 (b. 1852), heads a household with his wife of 23 years (m. 1887), Mary, 45 (b. 1865). She has had 11 children, 5 living. At home with them are their children Felix, 20 (b. 1890), born in TX, Frank, 15 (b. 1895), born in Louisiana, Lena, 9 (b. 1901), born in Texas, Sam, 13 (b. 1897), born in Louisiana, and Angelo, 5 (b. 1905), born in Texas. Luke emigrated in 1889. No date for Mary. Luke is a farmer. His 4 oldest children are listed as farm laborers on a home farm.^[3]

Felix marries Mary Cannaliato, the daughter of Corleonese immigrants.^[4] They have at least three children: Mary (c. 1918), Luke (c. 1919), and Lucy (c. 1922).

Felix Rezzaffi registers for the draft on 12 September 1918 in Bryan, Texas. He lives at Box 16 Route 1, Bryan. He is 33, born 2 November 1884 in Italy. He is self employed in farming at his home address. His nearest relative is Mary Rezzaffi, his wife. He is of medium height and build with brown eyes and black hair.^[5]

In the 1920 federal census of Brazos County, taken 17 January, Frank Mauro and Felix Grizzaffi are neighbors.

Felix Rozzaffi, 35 (b. 1885), heads a household with his wife Mary, 23 (b. 1897), and their children. Mary, 1 yr 11 mos. (b. Jan 1918), and Luke, four months (b. Aug/Sep 1919). Felix emigrated in 1892 from Italy. Mary and the children were born in Texas. He is a farmer working on his own account on a home farm. All of his neighbors are in the same profession.^[6]

Mary dies 3 July 1931 at age 35 in Houston.^[4]

In the 1940 federal census of Houston, Harris, Texas, Felix Rezzoffi, 53 (b. 1887), a widower, heads a household at 3601 Bell with his son Luke, 20 (b. 1920), and daughter Lucy, 18 (b. 1922), and nephew Luke J. Rezzoffi, 19 (b. 1921). Felix was born in Italy, and the others were born in Texas. His son answers the census taker. Felix is a tinner helper in a tin shop. Luke, his son, is a baker’s helper in a wholesale bakery shop. His nephew is a cook in a restaurant.^[7]

Death of Felix

Felix Rezzoffi dies on 7 October 1963 in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Harris, Houston, Texas. He is a resident of Houston and has been for 42 years. He is a widower, born 4 November 1887 (actually, in 1886) in Italy. He is reportedly 75 (actually 76) at his death. He worked as a boiler maker for a hospital. His father’s name is Luke Rezzoffi, and mother’s is Mary ? (unknown). His SSN was 467-05-7331. Informant is Luke John Rezzoffi. Cause of Felix’s death is carcinomatosis due to cancer of the rectum and bladder. He is buried 9 October in Garden of Gethsemani.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ 5 November 1886 baptism of Felix Grizzaffi. "Italia, Palermo, Diocesi di Monreale, Registri Parrocchiali, 1531-1998," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12332-69197-26?cc=2046915&wc=MG34-SP6:351041801,351041802,351287601 : accessed 05 Apr 2014), Corleone > San Martino > Battesimi 1884-1888 > image 238 of 398; citing Archivio della Diocesi di Palermo.
2. ↑ The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1820-1902; NAI Number: 2824927; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; Record Group Number: 85 Ancestry.com. New Orleans, Passenger Lists, 1813-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.
3. ↑ Year: 1910; Census Place: Justice Precinct 4, Brazos, Texas; Roll: T624_1529; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 1375542 Enumeration District: 0008 Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 21 June 2020), memorial page for Mary Canaliato Rezzoffi (10 Jul 1895–3 Jul 1931), Find a Grave Memorial no. 63329935, citing Holy Cross Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by Susann (contributor 46849151) .
5. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YRB-9YZ6?cc=1968530&wc=9FWQ-T38%3A928338201%2C928454501 : 24 August 2019), Texas > Brazos County; A-R > image 3397 of 3575; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRVQ-CVH?cc=1488411&wc=QZJB-CT5%3A1037034201%2C1039944601%2C1037058701%2C1589332997 : 14 September 2019), Texas > Brazos > Justice Precinct 4 > ED 6 > image 13 of 40; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MY-69R2?cc=2000219&wc=QZXR-92R%3A792575201%2C797898201%2C801988101%2C801997601 : accessed 21 June 2020), Texas > Harris > Justice Precinct 1, Houston, Tract 34 > 258-204 Justice Precinct 1, Houston City (Tract 34 - part) > image 14 of 38; citing 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.
8. ↑ "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GY1V-3RPC?cc=1983324&wc=9TH7-C6T%3A263835801%2C284587101%2C284621601 : 22 July 2014), Death certificates > 1963 > Vol 123-129, certificates 061100-064500, Oct, Bell-Haskell counties > image 2986 of 3541; State Registrar Office, Austin.