I am trying to help a friend find her ancesters' birthplace and other info. This is the email I received from her:

Hi Gil!!
Well this is what i could dig up, my grandfathers name was Walter Louis Paoletti. He was born June 3rd 1918 ( possibly 1919 ). My greatgrandfathers name was Louis Walter Paoletti. Apperently the name was changed when they came to america to Poletti, they dropped the "A". We think they came over around 1920-1925. I would be very curious to know what boat they came on! if you know of any way on the web for me to look up any records of ships that came over around then or even records for Ellis Island let me know, any suggestions would help. Thanks so much!!!

I did some searching on the Ellis Island site and used a broad range of dates for his birth and arrival. I did come up with a few names. The problem is that she only has his new English/American first and Middle names. I told her that it would be a lot easier to search if I had his original Italian name. Well no go another case of: "my family isn't being too cooperative"!

Thanks,

Gil

Hi Gil and welcome to Gente. Please find out if this 1930 census is your friends family. If it is we can try and go from here to look for more info.



Thanks

Hi Elizabeth,

Thanks for your speedy reply. I think that you found Louis and his descendants on the 1930 census! I completely forgot about looking at census records seeing that the last time I looked for anything was around 1998-99.

I'm not new here I think I joined shortly after Carole set this up, I just never posted.

I wrote to my friend and will wait to see what she says about looking further.

Thanks again!

My pleasure!

Hi Gil, nice to see you over here....

With what Billie (Elezabeth) found I checked the National Records area and it actually gave TWO Walter Poletti's. But one does miror the dates you were given.




Results for:
Walter Poletti
Father: Louis Poletti, Mother: Mary
Exact Spelling: Off

U.S. Social Security Death Index - 2

1. Walter POLETTI - U.S. Social Security Death Index
Birth: 18 Mar 1906 State Where Number was Issued: New Jersey
Death: Sep 1969

2. Walter POLETTI - U.S. Social Security Death Index
Birth: 2 Jul 1918 State Where Number was Issued: Connecticut
Death: 30 Aug 2007

Carole,

Thanks for your help. It appears that they dropped the 'a' when he came to the US and became known as Poletti. Now the question is where in Italy was the one that got his SS card in Connecticut was born?

Many 'Poletti's' were born in the Como area of Lombardy, but the 1930 Census that Elizabeth found shows quite clearly that the mother (Mary) was born in the Azores and so were all the children - Walter Luigi included.

Another paper trail to for you to follow....

gillaf1 wrote:

I am trying to help a friend find her ancesters' birthplace and other info. This is the email I received from her: Hi Gil!! Well this is what i could dig up, my grandfathers name was Walter Louis Paoletti. He was born June 3rd 1918 ( possibly 1919 ). My greatgrandfathers name was Louis Walter Paoletti. Apperently the name was changed when they came to america to Poletti, they dropped the "A". We think they came over around 1920-1925. I would be very curious to know what boat they came on! if you know of any way on the web for me to look up any records of ships that came over around then or even records for Ellis Island let me know, any suggestions would help. Thanks so much!!!

I wanted to make sure you verified, with your friend, that the 1930 census is the correct family......if you look it says the mother and father came to the USA in 1902 and all of the kids were born in Connecticut. It would make the fathers birth about 1895 and the mother about 1898.

Just a side note......look further down on the census and you will see one other person from the Azores. It was common for family members to live next to or near each other. You may want to ask your friend if that surname rings a bell.

Edited to add note and correct spelling.

I think the man from Italy moved to St. Martens after he came to the USA and at a later date moved to New London, CT. Thank you for all of this help. I should be seeing her Wednesday during my dentist visit and discuss what everyone found.