Hello, I am looking for information on my greatgrandfather Guiseppe Ferrara or Fera. He supposedly arrived in USa in 1896 or 97. He was from Potenza. His canadian naturalization papers say his name was Fera and he was from Labella.We know nothing about him from Italy and he was very secretive about his past. My grandmother arrived after him with my grandfather as in infant. Her name was as far as I know Maria Gigliotti or something similar. Her mothers name was as far as I know Mungono maybe. I have search Ellis island records and found several who maybe him and her. He was a shoeblack by trade. I would love any info from the italian side. He was born July 26 1869 and she was born April 15 1876 and the chid Guiseppe was born January 6 1896 in Potenza. Thank you for any help Joe

This seems like it could be the person you're looking for. Unfortunately, the image is blurry.


New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Guiseppe Fera
Name: Guiseppe Fera
Arrival Date: 12 May 1897
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Neapel
Ethnicity/Race-
/Nationality: Italian
Ship Name: Ems
Search Ship Database: Search the Ems in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Line: 14
Microfilm Serial: M237
Microfilm Roll: M237_673
Page Number: E

Where in Canada did they settle? There may be some Canadian records we can access to trace them back.

Thank you.He settled in Victoria BC. I have his naturalization papers and much of the history which followed 1904 it is the italian information I am looking to find and my real last name. Let me know if this is a futile search. I have been trying to find info for 13 years but I now hope that there may be someting in Potenza records which could help us. I have been through the Ellis Island site and have perhaps 15 different people who could be him. The only other info I have is he was a shoeblack. He was suppose to have had a son in Chicago, Alexander and a daughter in the USA Rosina- Rose but we have no paper work and I can find nothing. Thank you Joe

Hi Joe..

I will keep working on this. Been a bit tied up this week sdince I only just returned to work on Monday and find myself all over the place. I promise to keep looking.