Bernalda, Italy

Viggiano Parents

Giovanni Viggiano

Tina Calabresa

Listed as Leonard Viggiano's Mother on his death certificate

Elizabeth Puntillo

Also has been spelled:  Elisabetta Puntilli

FamilySearch.org estimates her birth as 1865

(another FamilySearch record for Elisabetta Puntille (linked to Bernardina's record) indicates at 3 July 1891 - which wouldn't make sense considering the date of death)

Died:  October 15, 1903 in Benalda, Italy

Listed as Michele (Michael) Viggiano's Mother and Bernardina's Mother

Record from Bernalda, Italy documenting Elizabeth Puntillo's Death

October 15, 1903 at 24 Buonanoti, Bernalda 

(which we can't find on Google Maps if the street is still there are renamed)

Text from the same record in FamilySearch.org showing here Mother and Father's name and that she died when she was 38.  

You can see the record is listed in their database under Elisabetta Puntilli

Donata Viggiano Sasso

Born: 1891 - per her headstone (Bernalda, Italy)  FamilySearch.org says 1894

Died:  Feb 2, 1958 (Albany, NY)

Immigration Dates - Still looking for data

US Citizenship - Still looking for data

Donata Viggiano and Pasquale Sasso 

We believe they were married in Italy, before immigrating to the U.S. - but we have nothing to prove that, so it is unknown, as their children (the Sasso 9 siblings) were all born in the U.S.

They spoke a dialect of Italian known as Pugliese (from the Apulia region of Southern Italy), vice today's accepted Italian.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italy still had prevalent dialects for various regions (i.e. Barese, Foggiano, Salentino, Tarantino, Sicilian, Apulia, and others).

Donata Viggiano Sasso with Uncle Mike's dog Chummy

Times Union, Monday, Feb 3, 1958

Knickerbocker News, Tuesday, Feb 5, 1958

Antonio Viggiano

Born:  Bernalda, Italy

 Died:  June 19, 1951

Knickerbocker News, Thursday, June 21, 1951

Knickerbocker News, Thursday, August 5, 1943

Times Union, Monday, December 27, 1982

Michele (Michael) Viggiano

Born:  Dec 3, 1896 (from his Italian Passport and probably correct)  or Dec 18, 1896 (from a draft card and on FamilySearch.org), Bernalda, Italy

 Died:  Dec 1983 (Social Security Death Index)

Immigration Dates - Dec 4, 1920

Cherbourg, France to NY on SS Aquitania

US Citizenship - Apr 1930

Arrival on SS Aquitania from Cherbourg, France on Dec 4, 1920

Line 21 - Michele Viggiano (Traveling near several others from Bernalda)

(Note - last person he stayed with in Bernalda was his Aunt Filomena Puntilla)

Note the last name of his Aunt is not Calabresa, but Puntilla 

Passport - Birthdate is Dec 3, 1896 and his mother is listed as Elizabeth Puntillo (not Tina Calabresa as some brothers and sisters have listed)

See above... US Consulate in Naples, Italy stamped his passport on Nov 25, 1920 even though he wouldn't depart from Cherbourg, France until Dec 4, 1920

Back page of Passport

Yet another document that for some reason looks to spell the name Viggiani

Not sure what this one is, but Aunt Cookie had it in a bunch of Grandma's things for Uncle Mike

April 10, 1930 (approx. 10 years after he arrived)

Citizenship Document - Note ... last name spelled Viggiani for some reason instead of Viggiano

Air Mail letter from a friend of Uncle Mike's in Italy

I started typing a little of this into Google Translate ... here is the first 3rd of the letter:

Dear Michele, I have never forgotten you, especially since you left the Affidavit of Support, this memory has always been alive and does not matter to me. Then I could not confirm it, the Energy and the You have given me proof of true suspia. I will never forget it, I have had the duty to know you on March 28th. I will embark in Naples as Federica and will leave for New York 9 days later. I will continue on to Sanata Monica California over and find the road that is the same as the Act of Richiano. If I were alone I would have taken a shower in Albany to see you again, my friend Thou Virgilio, Giacheddu and Fanzieri, my fustroff reugo in the wreck of a wreak we have our suitcases and we don't know where to put them even if maybe I was alone it was fuule find voruire.

Jun 24, 1948 Draft Registration Card

Photo of Uncle Mike's Barber Shop in Albany, NY

1950 Census

Lists Maragret (his girlfriend) incorrectly as his wife

Leonard Viggiano

Born:  May 16, 1884 (Source FamilySearch.org - ties to a Christening Record in Bernalda, Italy)

 Died:  July 18, 1937 (Albany, NY)

Immigration Dates - we believe Jun 14, 1902

Naples, Italy to New York on SS Patria 

(although this may not match up as the 1937 newspaper article indicates he was in the US for 27 years .. or 1910 - so we are looking for other shipping documents from 1910)

US Citizenship - Looking for data

Married to Mary Fonda (who after 27 years, was never able to join him in the US)

(POSSIBLE) Manifest from Naples, Italy on Jun 14, 1902 - Line 3

Says he was born in 1874 ... researching if this is our relative or not.

1920 Census - Line 77

1930 Census (Leonard Viggiano - Line 38)

Monday, July 19, 1937 from the Knickerbocker Press, Albany Evening News

Times Union, Monday, July 19, 1937

Death Certificate - Note Mother's Name - Tina Calabresa (possibly not the same as some of the other siblings mother - Michele/Michael and Bernardina listed Elizabeth Puntillo)

He also immigrated in 1902 (possible ship manifest) or 1910 (per the article), where Uncle Mike (Michele/Michael Viggiano) immigrated in 1920

Mary Viggiano DeSano

1920 Census - Carmel and Mary DeSano & Children (Nancy and Ralph)

Lines 80-83

1930 Census (Lines 66-69) - Carmel (57) and Mary DeSano (48)

& Children (Nancy - 25 and Ralph - 17)

Note:  It says Carmel, Mary and Nancy were born in Italy, Ralph in New York

Ralph and his wife, Eva, would later be in Ralph and Betty Navarro's Wedding

Times Union, Saturday, October 31, 1953

Passed away on October 30th.  Note, seems to indicate Antonio Viggiano was a brother that passed away first.  

Bernardina Viggiano

Born:  Bernalda, Italy

Ralph found this birth document of a Bernardina Viggiano from Bernalda born to Giovanni and Elizabeth Puntillo (the same mother Michele/Michael Viggiano lists)