This is a photo of Allegheny City Hall from the Carnegie Library collection. The Northside of Pittsburgh was called Allegheny City until 1907 when it became incorporated into the city of Pittsburgh.

The following links are copies of historical documents. Click on any link and a new window will open for you to view the document. Close the new window to return to this page.

Birth, Death and Marriage Records

Census--Iannarino

Census--La Manna

Other

Mariano's Naturalization Documents

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

A collection of historical documents is available through this page. You will find a list of these documents in the left-hand column. Most of the documents are in .pdf format. If you do not have the appropriate software to open the document, you can go to the Adobe website and download the software for free. Clicking on any of the links will open a new window in your browser. A short description of these documents follows this brief explanation. Please notice that it is possible to enlarge the census page by clicking on the small magnifying glass icon in the header of the .pdf page.

Birth, Death and Marriage Records--New Information

Birth Record of Saverio Agostino Iannarino born August 19, 1851. This is a photograph of the original Italian document. Look for the link in the "links column" on the left. The handwritten portions are difficult to read. There are two pages to the birth record of Saverio Agostino Iannarino, the father of Mariano Iannarino. Both pages are available to view. The original Sicilian documents were photographed by members of the Church of Latter Day Saints for the years 1820 through 1910, and copies of the records were added to the Termini Imerese.Org database, which is a subscription-only database.

A new addition is the marriage document of Provvidenza La Manna and Mariano Iannarino. Click on the appropriate link to see this record. A blank form is posted just beneath the original marriage document.

There are several standard forms which are used for each type of document. I have posted the appropriate blank form just below the birth record. The blank record is written in Italian with the English translation of each line just below each line. To view both the original birth document and the form together, you must open the blank document in a new window and re-size both the blank document and the original birth record.

Manifest from the "Oceania"

A text version of the Oceania Ship Manifest is available from the Ellis Island Website. To see the original manifest go to Ellis Island website. The website will ask you to input a name. Search on the following name: Mariano Hammarino, then select the appropriate links to see the original manifest. If you have not registered for the Ellis Island website, you will be asked to register. There is no charge to register. When looking at the hand-written manifest at Ellis Island, it is possible to enlarge the image so that the names are readable. You will notice on both the hand-written and the text version of the Ships Manifest that the names of our forebearers are spelled incorrectly. Mariano Iannarino is spelled Mariano Hammarino and Providenza La Manna is listed as P....denza La Manna.

The original manifest does have some interesting information, some of it untrue or recorded incorrectly. The ages of both Mariano and Providenza are incorrect. Mariano was 20 years old, not 22. Providenza was 15 years of age, not 17. The name of the city where Mariano and his young wife were going was spelled Alegleny. This designates Allegheny City where Mariano had been living since 1904. The northside of Pittsburgh was once a separate entity called Allegheny City. It is possible that Mariano, when relating to the ship's purser his place of residence, was unaware that the city of Pittsburgh had annexed Allegheny City in 1907. According to historians, the annexation was done by some legal manuevers which might be frowned upon today.

Another interesting tidbit is that Mariano reports that both he and his wife Providenza have been staying with his father Saverio's in Termini Imerese. The address given is Via Cipri #2. There is a map of Termini Imerese available to view which shows a street near the harbor named Via Guiseppe Cipri. This area is highlighted on the map. This map is listed in the address column just under the text version of the manifest. Since Saverio and his older sons were fishermen in their homeland, the location of Via Cipri is likely. Fishermen would have lived close to where they worked, and the harbor of Termini Imerese is just a few blocks away. The presence of Saverio Iannarino's name and address on the manifest could be an indication that Saverio had returned to Sicily and was living with his wife Rosaria Longo at the time of Mariano's marriage.

Also available for you to view, courtesy of the Ellis Island Foundation at www.ellisisland.org, are copies of the both Providenza's and Mariano's Passenger Records from their trip to the United States on January 25, 1911. These records are available for purchase, framed or unframed, from the Ellis Island Foundation. I have purchased a copy of the Original Passenger Manifest.

Other Passenger Records

A copy of Concetta Bova's passenger record from May 11,1911 when she traveled to Pittsburgh is available to view. Concetta Bova would never return to Termini Imerese and is buried in Pittsburgh. Additionally, I have found the records of travel for both August La Manna and Carmella La Manna. August made another trip back to Termini Imerese sometime before 1906 but returned to the United States. That record is not available here, but can be seen on the Ellis Island website. Carmella did return to Termini Imerese, though we don't know how many times she returned to Sicily. Carmella died in Termini Imerese after the death of her third husband and, we believe, is buried in Sicily.

Records have been found on the Ellis Island website for both Anna Lamanna (listed as Mantia) and her husband Bartolomeo Mantia. One of the records shows the couple traveling together to Buffalo, New York to a brother-in-law's home. Another record shows Bartolomeo traveling alone back to Buffalo to his wife Anna and his sons in 1912. He has been staying with his father Matteo at Via Gisera #18 in Termini Imerese. Bartolomeo is 5'6" tall and has $55 and lists his occupation as "trader". He and his family live at 35 Picaco Street in Buffalo, New York. A census document could not be found for them.

A record has been found for a Stefano Spragala and his wife Agostina on April 15, 1896. They are both going to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is age 34, she is age 26 and they have a 4 year old child with them. Could this be the Spragale whom Mariano worked for at the Spragale and Garish wholesale fruit business?

Castle Garden Documents - Saverio Iannarino

Before Ellis Island operated as a Federal Immigration Station, newly arrived immigrants were processed through Castle Garden, a New York State immigration station, until 1892 when Ellis Island began operating as the official immigration point in New York harbor. Saverio Iannarino was processed thru Castle Garden. The record appears on the left under the sub-heading "Passenger Records and Manifests" -- Castle Garden - Saverio Iannarino. You will note on the record that Saverio's plans are undetermined, according to the webpage. There is no information available as to why he chose to travel to Pittsburgh or even what the time-table for his arriving in Pittsburgh might be. It is possible to look at the original manifest though there is no further information to be obtained from the document.

A note of caution about all of these records. I have found a birth record for Saverio Agostino Iannarino on the Termini Imerese database. The name of Saverio is re-used in many Iannarino families though the birth record found and detailed on Mariano's family's page is most likely our "Saverio".

When looking at ship's records both at Ellis Island and Castle Garden, unless there is some information that links that individual to a known address or person, it is just a guess if that individual is one of ours. Many of Saverio's sons note on the manifest that they are going to their brother Francesco's house in Pittsburgh. I consider that evidence that that individual is one of ours. One record that was found of Saverio from 1902 states that he is going to his son Francesco's house in Pittsburgh. That is definitely a match. But these early records of Saverio are just a guess. However, one record of a Saverio Iannarino found on the Ellis Island site lists his traveling with two small children to Quincy, Illinois. I discounted that record because of the ages of the children and the name of one of the children. I may be incorrect to discard that record. Many times individuals coming from Sicily did not know how to spell their own names and did not know their exact age.

Castle Garden Documents - Francesco Iannarino

The information on both Saverio and Francesco was obtained thru the Steve Morse web pages which provides free access to many Castle Garden records. Although the record for Francesco Iannarino comes from the Castle Garden website, the date of entry of 1899 would indicate his entry was through Ellis Island. No record could be found for Francesco Iannarino through the Ellis Island site. The record appears on the left under the sub-heading "Passenger Records and Manifests". It could be that Francesco's last name is mis-spelled on the Ellis Island database and it would be difficult to find.

Census Documents - Brief Overview

The official U.S. Census is described in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States. It calls for an actual enumeration of the people every ten years, to be used for apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives among the states. The first official Census was conducted in 1790 under Thomas Jefferson, who was the Secretary of State. That census, taken by U.S. marshals on horseback, counted 3.9 million inhabitants. Since that time, the decennial Census has been conducted every ten years, generally on April 1 in years ending in a zero.(Information from www.census.gov/)

The census documents are divided by family name--Iannarino, La Manna and Other. Each census -- 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 -- collected a little different selection of information and the information was presented a little differently. The census worker filled out cards for each individual and then the cards were recorded on a large roll of paper by another worker when the cards were returned to the recording office. There were many opportunities for mistakes in spelling and in addition, an inability to understand what was being reported to the census taker. Also, the documents are all hand-written so that some information is difficult to read.

In 1900 the census taker recorded the location, the name of each person residing in the home, the relation to the head of household, a physical description including race, date of birth, marital status, how long married, the number of children and how many children still living, place of individual's birth, his (or her) parent's birthplace, occupation, education including the ability to read/write, number of months worked this year and whether or not the home was owned or mortagaged. In 1910 the census added the question of whether or not the individual was a citizen, able to speak English, whether working on his own or employed. In 1920 the data required the additon of whether a citizen or alien, mother tongue, language one can speak. The records for 1930 are only now being released to the public--individual records are kept confidential for 72 years. Additionally, the records must be transcribed to be accessed online.

Census Documents - Iannarino Family

By looking at the census documents you can determine the individual's age and birth order in the Iannarino family. You will notice that in several documents various related families lived with one another. For example, Peter Henry (Iannarino) lived with his brother Frank Henry (Iannarino) and family in both 1910 and 1920. John Henry (Iannarino) and family lived with his brother Thomas Henry (Iannarino) and family in 1910. Mariano Iannarino lived with his brother Frank and family in 1910. Mariano is found separately in 1920 and 1930 living with his wife and family. In both 1920 and 1930 Mariano is listed as Morris Henry. Saverio Iannarino, the father, does not appear in any census document. Charles Henry (Iannarino) is found in the census records of 1920 living with Christina Henry, widow of Thomas. Charles eventually marries Christina and they have a child together -- this information is available in the 1930 census document for Charles Henry. Frank Matrascia was married to Rosalia Iannarino, the only sister of the Iannarino brothers. Census documents were found for Frank Matrascia for 1920 and 1930.

Another document has been found which seems to indicate that Saverio Iannarino was in Pittsburgh on the 18th June, 1900 living with his sons, Frank, Peter, John and a boy named Liborio who is designated as a "son". We have no knowledge of another son of Saverio although grandmother -- Provvidenza La Manna -- once stated that grandpa's mother, Rosaria Longo, had 8 boys and so far we have only accounted for 7 of them. Could Liborio be the 8th? Also there is a census document for Frank Henry, an Italian, living as a boarder in someone's home. So which one is ours? The document where Frank is living as a boarder is from the 15th of June, 1900 and states Frank's age as 31. The previously cited document is more correct as he would have been 23 at the time, so perhaps he is not ours. If he is not ours, then who is he? As more records become available on the Termini Imerese database, we may find out if Liborio is an older brother of our grandfather.

Census Documents - La Manna Family

The second set of census documents concern Providenza's family. A record has been found for Carmella La Manna who was married to Joseph Bova. Their records appear in 1910 and again in 1920 though in 1920 Joseph is called Jack. Also included is the 1920 census record for Josephine La Manna, Providenza's eldest sister. Josephine married Paull Cavalero. Anna La Manna married Bartolomeo Mantia. Anthony Geraci is the husband of Providenza's sister Ignazia La Manna. Census documents are available for this family for both 1920 and 1930. Though Anthony Geraci's wife's name in 1920 is listed as Mary, the children listed are those of Anthony Geraci and his wife Ignazia La Manna. Several of the La Manna women appear on census records as "Mary". It can be difficult to determine whether one of them has been found unless the children are named according to Sicilian custom and confirmation is obtained from older relatives. August La Manna was an older brother of Providenza. Census documents are available for 1920 and 1930 for August and his family.

Draft Registration Cards -- Mariano and Saverio Iannarino

Draft registration cards have been found for both Mariano (Morris Henry) Iannarino and his younger brother Saverio (Charles Henry) Iannarino. You can view these documents by clicking on the appropriate link at the left above the paragraph quoted from "The Dream Book" edited by Helen Barolini. The draft registration cards are for both World War I and World War II. Saverio Iannarino served in the United States armed forces during World War I and lost an eye in the conflict. Saverio's rank was Private, Company E, 111th Infantry. He enlisted in the Army on June 27,1918 and was honorably discharged on February 22, 1919. Mariano Iannarino was never called to serve in either World War I and World War II. At the time of World War I, Mariano had a wife and four children to support.