I was thinking about the date on the 1920 Census where I found George and Antonina Campisi. It was 5 Januaray 1920. By December, they would add another child to their household, but they didn't know that yet...
I was just curious about what else was going on in Brooklyn at the time. On the same day the enumerator stopped by their home, the Boston Red Sox had sold George Herman "Babe" Ruth to the Yankees for a record $125,000. That's kinda cool.
28 January 2012
27 January 2012
It's in the genes!
Just before my husband and I married in 2008, his mom taught me how to cut his hair. It's a skill I'd always wanted to learn so I was excited. Since that day, I've always cut his hair. In fact, I cut it this evening, along with giving our little boy his very first hair cut. That was fun and exciting. I was thinking about my ancestors I've been researching lately and the thought came to me about my great-grandfather, George Campisi, being a barber. He owned his own shop in New York City. I've got the "barber" genes!
So, I was thinking it would be fun to add pictures and things to this site and I was thinking about seeing if by some miracle I could find the barber shop George owned. Wouldn't you know, there's a George's Barber shop in Brooklyn. I'm going to have to call and see if any employees know anything about that shop's history or look into ownership records or something!...
Antonina Allegra
What an exciting few weeks this has been for family history. I don't have a chance to work on it very often but when I do, I feel blessed that I am led to exciting things.
My dad's father, Philip Campisi, turned 40 the year he married my grandmother. She turned 16 that year. They were married in 1960. Because of this huge difference in age, and short-lived vows, it's been difficult finding information about Phil. Especially since he changed his name when he joined the Army to fight in WWII. I knew a few things from talking to my grandma, but I didn't know what all was fact. I knew Phil's mother went by Nina. I knew Phils birth and death dates and places from Army records and other sources, but I couldn't find anything about his mother's maiden name. I did find them in the 1930 census as George and Antonina Campisi, with Phil as a child. But not much else was helpful by itself.
My husband and I are young and needless to say we live "frugally". Actually, we live quite well on his salary, because I like to think we use our resources wisely. Because of that, we don't have a paid subscription to Ancestry.com. and it's just not something we can afford. I was getting desperate enough to find Antonina's maiden name (too "frugal" to spend the 35.00 for a copy of Phil's birth certificate, hoping it would have that info) that I began looking to other cites for marriage records. On italiangen.org I found a marriage request index when I found a Giorgio Campisi and an Antonina Allegra married in the same year that was reported in the census in 1930. You should have seen my reaction. I couldn't believe it. I was both in denial that I had actually found it so easily and wanting to jump for joy that I could now press on and get to work in the italian records, knowing that both she and George immigrated themselves.
Another thing I was able to find. I found their family in the 1920 census. They are listed as George and Alegrill Campisi with a son, Joseppi. At the time the census was taken (5 Jan 1920), Antonina wasn't quite pregnant with Phil yet. He was born in Dec of that year.
Now comes the hard part. Diving into those italian records. Maybe my Spanish will come in handy...
My dad's father, Philip Campisi, turned 40 the year he married my grandmother. She turned 16 that year. They were married in 1960. Because of this huge difference in age, and short-lived vows, it's been difficult finding information about Phil. Especially since he changed his name when he joined the Army to fight in WWII. I knew a few things from talking to my grandma, but I didn't know what all was fact. I knew Phil's mother went by Nina. I knew Phils birth and death dates and places from Army records and other sources, but I couldn't find anything about his mother's maiden name. I did find them in the 1930 census as George and Antonina Campisi, with Phil as a child. But not much else was helpful by itself.
My husband and I are young and needless to say we live "frugally". Actually, we live quite well on his salary, because I like to think we use our resources wisely. Because of that, we don't have a paid subscription to Ancestry.com. and it's just not something we can afford. I was getting desperate enough to find Antonina's maiden name (too "frugal" to spend the 35.00 for a copy of Phil's birth certificate, hoping it would have that info) that I began looking to other cites for marriage records. On italiangen.org I found a marriage request index when I found a Giorgio Campisi and an Antonina Allegra married in the same year that was reported in the census in 1930. You should have seen my reaction. I couldn't believe it. I was both in denial that I had actually found it so easily and wanting to jump for joy that I could now press on and get to work in the italian records, knowing that both she and George immigrated themselves.
Another thing I was able to find. I found their family in the 1920 census. They are listed as George and Alegrill Campisi with a son, Joseppi. At the time the census was taken (5 Jan 1920), Antonina wasn't quite pregnant with Phil yet. He was born in Dec of that year.
Now comes the hard part. Diving into those italian records. Maybe my Spanish will come in handy...
15 January 2012
Bernice Bradley
It's been a long while since I've posted here. Honestly, the people I assumed would read this blog are on my maternal grandmother's side and I've been researching mostly my father's side and my maternal grandFATHER's line.
Anyway, so my grandfather didn't know his mother very well. All he could tell me was her name was Bernice. She died while he was pretty young and that was all he could really remember. But, a few years ago, I was able to find a marriage record for C. W. Porter and Bernice Bradley. GREAT! I have her maiden name and her birth year! That's awesome. But on the marriage records under 'next of kin' it was written "dead." Not very helpful. I'd hit a road block.
Fast forward to just last week.
I guess it had been a while since I searched for Bernice Porter. In fact, I'm not even sure I ever had since I had put so much effort into finding her maiden name. So, I was just searching around to see what I could find and I came across her death certificate. Her full name is actually Alice Delila Bernice Bradley Porter. Talk about a mouthful. I see why she went by Bernice. I was able to confirm this through a couple other source checks. I also was able to find Bernice's parents in the census. It helps when you search for the name they gave her instead of her second middle name.
It was an exciting day!
Anyway, so my grandfather didn't know his mother very well. All he could tell me was her name was Bernice. She died while he was pretty young and that was all he could really remember. But, a few years ago, I was able to find a marriage record for C. W. Porter and Bernice Bradley. GREAT! I have her maiden name and her birth year! That's awesome. But on the marriage records under 'next of kin' it was written "dead." Not very helpful. I'd hit a road block.
Fast forward to just last week.
I guess it had been a while since I searched for Bernice Porter. In fact, I'm not even sure I ever had since I had put so much effort into finding her maiden name. So, I was just searching around to see what I could find and I came across her death certificate. Her full name is actually Alice Delila Bernice Bradley Porter. Talk about a mouthful. I see why she went by Bernice. I was able to confirm this through a couple other source checks. I also was able to find Bernice's parents in the census. It helps when you search for the name they gave her instead of her second middle name.
It was an exciting day!
18 April 2010
Hazel Arlene Savage
Hazel Arlene Savage was my great grandmother. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on Christmas Eve, 1917. She married my great grandfather William Russel Clyde on the 24th of June, 1938 in Tooele, Utah. As I understand it, she came from a poorer family than William did and William's father was not too pleased about this union, although I have yet to confirm details about this. Hazel died on the 27th of November, 2005 leaving behind a legacy of many grandchildren and great grandchildren. (I will report actual numbers soon... it really is a lot...)
In her last few years, Hazel was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. This is when I remember her the most because I had started college at BYU shortly after William passed away and I would occasionally come to visit. When I would come, Hazel would always believe that I was my father and she would ask where my mother was. It seemed like Grandma Hazel was assuming that life was actually 20 years prior to the current time because she would ask me how marriage was treating me and tell me how wonderful my "wife" was.
When I was younger, I remember going with my family to visit Grandma and Grandpa Clyde during the summers (my Dad doesn't like driving in the snow...) Although I don't remember much detail of these trips, I fondly remember being excited to see Grandma Clyde. I remember that the yard and flower gardens were meticulously kept up. I also remember watching and wondering as Grandma Clyde would poor milk in a pot and heat it up before drinking it. I figured that must have been something people used to do a long time ago, because I thought warm milk would taste gross.
This is what I know of Hazel Arlene Savage right now. I will be doing some more research within the next couple of weeks and posting more information and pictures soon concerning Hazel and William.
In her last few years, Hazel was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. This is when I remember her the most because I had started college at BYU shortly after William passed away and I would occasionally come to visit. When I would come, Hazel would always believe that I was my father and she would ask where my mother was. It seemed like Grandma Hazel was assuming that life was actually 20 years prior to the current time because she would ask me how marriage was treating me and tell me how wonderful my "wife" was.
When I was younger, I remember going with my family to visit Grandma and Grandpa Clyde during the summers (my Dad doesn't like driving in the snow...) Although I don't remember much detail of these trips, I fondly remember being excited to see Grandma Clyde. I remember that the yard and flower gardens were meticulously kept up. I also remember watching and wondering as Grandma Clyde would poor milk in a pot and heat it up before drinking it. I figured that must have been something people used to do a long time ago, because I thought warm milk would taste gross.
This is what I know of Hazel Arlene Savage right now. I will be doing some more research within the next couple of weeks and posting more information and pictures soon concerning Hazel and William.
16 April 2010
Philip Campisi: Bodybuilding evidence Found!
In the most recent post about Phil, I wished that I had some evidence of Phil's bodybuilding experience. Well, I found it today!!! Previously, I had always searched for Phil King. I always thought Phil did his bodybuilding post-Army. I found two photos of Phil. One was dated 1941 and the other was a Strength and Fitness Magazine cover from 1943. I am still debating on whether or not to add these pictures to the blog. If you want them, I will surely email them to you (keyes.samantha@gmail.com).
15 April 2010
Philip Campisi
Phil Campisi is my grandfather. He was born December 10, 1920. Phil always told everyone that he was born in Italy. I'm not sure if he really thought this or not, but there happens to be a Philip Campisi born in Kings, New York on his exact birth date. His family immigrated there and lived there for some time. I'm in the process of getting the paperwork sent off to see if I can receive a copy of this birth certificate. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I hope they send it to me and it matches up to him because I could really use a viable source for his mother's maiden name. Another complication in finding information about Phil's parents, is Phil entered the Army with the last name Campisi and left the army with the last name King. I have not been able to find any legal record of the name change other than through his Army paperwork.
Phil joined in the US Army where he served our country from 29 Aug 1942 to 19 Nov 1945 . He was a sergeant and a paratrooper instructor. He also was a paratrooper in World War II. He was in the 326th Airborne Division. During his time in the Army, he received many awards, including a Purple Heart. My grandma (living) tells me he received this Purple Heart because he was injured in the Normandy Invasion on D-day (6 Jun 1944). Something happened with the chute and he ended up with a severely hurt arm.
After leaving the Army he married a woman named Edna. I know nothing about them then except they had a daughter named Susan and they divorced in 1948. Shortly after this time, he and my grandmother married, had two kids, and divorced.
I've heard also that Phil was a bodybuilder and won the Mr. Miami Beach Competition and was on the cover of a fitness magazine. I wish I could find evidence of this.
Phil moved in with my parents in his older age, but with a young one at home, and Phil losing his mind, they had no choice but to send him to a Nursing Home. Phil died there, ultimately of Acute Cerebrovascular Insufficiency. Phil's death certificate also says that he had Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease.
I never met Phil but I hear he was quite a character. I look forward to learning more about him.
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