SAMPLE MEMBER PAGE · NOT A REAL MEMBER
The Obici family: month 1
This is what a member's private page looks like. It shows our real test run on a historical, publicly documented family: Amedeo Obici (1877–1947). Real member pages are private and only shared with the member.
This month in plain English
Amedeo Obici was born in Oderzo, Italy, in 1877, came to America alone at about age 11, and died in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on May 21, 1947. The free Pennsylvania death index gives his certificate number (45534), which you can order from the Pennsylvania State Archives. His 1877 birth record isn't online, so we drafted a letter in Italian to Oderzo's town hall for you to send. Nothing is "confirmed" yet: that needs an original record, and the letter is how we get one.
Next month, we suggest: order death certificate 45534, and send the letter below. Tell us when replies arrive.
Facts (with labels and sources)
| Person | Fact | Value | Label | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amedeo Voltejo Obici | Birth | 15 Jul 1877, Oderzo, Treviso, Veneto, Italy | likely | S4, S10 (no birth act seen yet) |
| Amedeo | Immigration | 1889, age 11, to New York | likely | S1, S2, S12, S10 |
| Amedeo | Marriage | 1916, to Louise Musante | likely | S1, S4, S5, S10 |
| Amedeo | Death | 21 May 1947, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania (in a hospital; Mercy Hospital per S1); Pa. death certificate no. 45534 | likely, strong (state index + two contemporaneous reports) | S20, S1, S2, S4 |
| Amedeo | Burial | Louise Obici Memorial Hospital grounds, Suffolk, Virginia | likely | S4, S13 |
| Louise Musante Obici | Birth | 6 Jan 1863, Italy | likely | S5 |
| Louise | Death | 30 Aug 1938, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | likely | S5; year also in S1, S13 |
| Pietro Lodovico (Ludovico) Obici | Death | about 1884–1885, presumably Oderzo | likely (approximate) | S10, S11 |
| Carlotta / Luigia Carolina Sartori (Sartor) | Birth | 1857, Oderzo | likely | S6 |
| Carlotta / Luigia | Death | 23 Feb 1899, Pennsylvania; buried St. Mary's Cemetery, Hanover Twp., Luzerne Co. | likely | S6 |
| Francesco "Frank" Obici | Birth / death | 30 Jul 1879 Oderzo / 14 Nov 1963 Wilkes-Barre | likely | S7, S1 |
| Angelina Obici Sangiuliano | Birth / death | 14 Jun 1881 Oderzo / 27 Jan 1961 Wilkes-Barre; spouse Thomas Paul Sangiuliano | likely | S8, S1 |
| Elizabeth Obici Peruzzi | Birth / death | 12 Mar 1884 Oderzo / 17 Nov 1975 Mountain Top, Pa.; spouse Mario Peruzzi Sr (m. 1920) | likely | S9, S1, S10 |
No fact is "confirmed" yet: nothing above comes from an original birth, marriage, death, census or passenger record. The closest is the official 1947 death index entry (S20). That is the honest state after a public-web session. Letter 1 below is how to move these to confirmed.
Conflicts
- Death place. S10 (Wikipedia) says he died "in Suffolk at the Bay Point Farm". The state death index (S20), both 1947 wire reports (S1, S2) and S4 say Wilkes-Barre. Wilkes-Barre wins for now; certificate 45534 will settle it.
- Death date. S10 says 22 May 1947. The state death index (S20: 5/21/47), S2 (dated May 21: "died tonight") and S4 say 21 May 1947. S1 is datelined May 22 and says "last night". Working date: 21 May 1947.
- Mother's name. "Luigia Carolina Sartori" (S10), "Luigia Carolina Sartor" (S11), "Carlotta Sartori Obici" (S6). The 1877 birth act should name her as the registry wrote it.
- Father's name. "Ludovico" (S10) vs "Lodovico" (S11).
- Age in the AP report. The OCR text of S1 reads "dead at 60"; S2 and S4 give 69, which fits an 1877 birth. Likely an OCR or print error; quoted as printed, not corrected.
- First peanut corner. S3 places the 12-year-old in Pittston, Pa.; S1, S2 and S10 put his first stand in Wilkes-Barre.
- Who came in 1895. S11 says his mother and two siblings; three siblings appear in S1 and S6–S9.
Family stories (unproven)
- He crossed alone at 11 with his destination written on a label tied to his coat (S10, S11). No record seen.
- He got off the train at Wilkes-Barre by mistake and was taken to the Musante family's fruit store (S10).
- He arrived in steerage "with a nickel in his pockets" (S3 headline).
- His uncle Vittorio Sartori (S10) or Sartor (S11) sent for him and lived in Scranton.
To ask the family
- Does anyone have Amedeo's naturalization papers, passport or a ship name?
- Any letters or photos from Oderzo, or the name of the family's parish there?
Letter drafted for you to send (DRAFT, not sent)
Send to: Comune di Oderzo, Servizi Demografici (civil registry). You fill in the [brackets], send it yourself, and pay any fee directly to the Comune.
Italiano (testo da inviare)
Oggetto: Richiesta di copia di atti di stato civile per ricerca genealogica (Obici: nascita 1877, morte 1884–1885 circa)
Gentile Ufficio di Stato Civile del Comune di Oderzo,
mi chiamo [NOME E COGNOME] e sto svolgendo una ricerca sulla storia della mia famiglia. Vi scrivo per chiedere, se possibile, una copia integrale (o, se non fosse possibile, un estratto) dei seguenti atti conservati nei registri di stato civile del Comune di Oderzo:
-
Atto di nascita di Amedeo Obici (in alcune fonti "Amedeo Voltejo Obici"), nato a Oderzo il 15 luglio 1877, figlio di Pietro Lodovico (o Ludovico) Obici e di Luigia Carolina (o Carlotta) Sartori (talvolta scritto "Sartor").
-
Atto di morte di Pietro Lodovico (o Ludovico) Obici, padre del suddetto, deceduto presumibilmente a Oderzo tra il 1883 e il 1885. Non conosco la data esatta.
La richiesta è esclusivamente per uso di ricerca genealogica e di storia familiare.
Vi chiederei cortesemente di indicarmi, prima di procedere: - l'eventuale costo (diritti, imposta di bollo o altro) e le modalità di pagamento accettate dall'estero (ad esempio pagoPA o bonifico); - se è necessario compilare un modulo, inviare un documento d'identità o indicare il grado di parentela; - se è possibile ricevere una scansione dell'atto via email.
Se questi atti non fossero conservati presso il vostro ufficio, vi sarei molto grata/grato se poteste indicarmi l'ufficio o l'archivio a cui rivolgermi (ad esempio la parrocchia, l'Archivio di Stato di Treviso o il Tribunale).
Vi ringrazio molto per il vostro tempo e per l'aiuto.
Cordiali saluti,
[NOME E COGNOME] [INDIRIZZO COMPLETO, PAESE] [EMAIL] [TELEFONO, con prefisso internazionale]
English translation (for you; don't send this part)
Subject: Request for copies of civil registration records for family-history research (Obici: birth 1877, death about 1884–1885)
Dear Civil Registry Office of the Comune di Oderzo,
My name is [FULL NAME] and I am researching my family's history. I am writing to ask, if possible, for a full copy (or, if that isn't possible, an extract) of the following records held in the civil registers of the Comune di Oderzo:
-
Birth record of Amedeo Obici (in some sources "Amedeo Voltejo Obici"), born in Oderzo on 15 July 1877, son of Pietro Lodovico (or Ludovico) Obici and Luigia Carolina (or Carlotta) Sartori (sometimes spelled "Sartor").
-
Death record of Pietro Lodovico (or Ludovico) Obici, his father, who probably died in Oderzo between 1883 and 1885. I don't know the exact date.
This request is only for genealogical and family-history research.
Before you go ahead, could you kindly tell me: - any cost (fees, stamp duty or other) and how I can pay from abroad (for example pagoPA or bank transfer); - whether I need to fill in a form, send an ID document or state my relationship to the family; - whether you can send a scan of the record by email.
If these records aren't kept at your office, I'd be very grateful if you could tell me which office or archive to contact (for example the parish, the State Archive of Treviso, or the Court).
Thank you very much for your time and help.
Kind regards,
[FULL NAME] [FULL ADDRESS, COUNTRY] [EMAIL] [PHONE, with country code]
Before you send: pick "grata" (if you're a woman) or "grato" (if you're a man) in the Italian line "vi sarei molto grata/grato", and delete the other. Tell me when the Comune replies, and I'll add the record to your tree and log.