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ROMEO FAMILY

GENEALOGY OF AN ITALIAN FAMILY

COMING TO AMERICA - THE ROMEO's

A Dominick Romeo is listed on the passenger list of the Italian Steamship, Entella, which left Palermo, Sicily, Italy on October 2, 1890 and arrived 28 days later in New Orleans, LA on October 30, 1890. There were 841 Italian immigrants on the ship. Dominick was 24 years old and his occupation was farmer.

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Believed to be the SS Entella

They immigrated From Italy to Louisiana to Texas and back to Louisiana

Dominick married Lena Carona, born August 20, 1868, Alia, Sicily, around 1887 in Italy. Their first two children were born in Italy, Joseph in 1888 and Jack in 1891. Either Dominick went back to Italy for Lena or she came herself with the two children around 1891. In 1895 they were inTexas because their other children were born in Texas, including Anthony 1895, Bessie 1898, Ruby 1905, Lula 1907and Dominick 1913. (Where were they living from 1891 - 1895?)
The 1900 Burleson County, Texas census record states Dominick was a farmer and Joseph at the age of 11 was a farmlaborer also.
It seems around 1915-1920, possible before, Dominick and Lena were in Louisiana and settled in Opelousas, LA. It has been said they had a grocery store there and lived "near the railroad tracks". Dominick also repaired shoes at one time.
As adults, Joseph and Lula lived in Louisiana. Anthony, Ruby and Dominick stayed and raised their families in Texas. It is unclear where Jack settled. It is believed Bessie died very young, as no one remembers her.

DOMINICK ROMEO

Dominick (Domenico) was born in 1865 or 1866, Italy and he died in 1949 in Opelousas, Louisiana. Family members say he was from Gibellina, but I have no proof of that. He married Lena Carona (Antonina Caronna) in Italy, probably around 1887. Lena had a brother named Joe. Dominick and Lena's known children were:

Joseph b 1888 Italy
Jack b 1891 Italy
Anthony b 1895 Texas
Bessie b 1898 Texas
Ruby b 1905 Texas
Lula (Leonardo) b 1907 Texas
Dominick b 1913 Texas

In 1900 Dominick and Lena were living in Burleson County, Texas and had been married for 13 years. Dominick was a farmer, and Joseph at age 11 was a farmlaborer.
They moved to Louisiana and may have owned a grocery store or shoe repair shop.
Lena Carona Romeo's "Alien Registration Certificate of Identification" dated 1942 states her birth date was August 20, 1868. It states she was born in Alia, Italy and had been in the United States for 52 years. Her name is incorrectly spelled "Romero". Her "X" mark is witnessed by her daughter, Lula. She is described as 5ft. 3 in. tall, 140 lbs. with brownish gray hair.
Lena died in 1950, and is buried next to Dominick in the St. Landry Cemetery, Opelousas, Louisiana.
According to his death certificate, Dominick died of a diabetic coma on October 1, 1949. His parents were listed as "unknown". No town given for his place of birth or his parents, but family members say he may have been from Gibellina. We do know his first son, Joseph was born in Poiggoreale.

JOSEPH ROMEO (Sr.)

Joseph, the first child of Dominick and Lena Carona Romeo, was born October 8, 1888, in the Commune di Poiggioreale, Provincia di Trapani, Italy. This is documented from a copy of his birth certificate (see copy below). He married Colagera Festaldi a/k/a Mary Roselli, January 29, 1907 in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. Witnesses were Francesco Guzzo and Michele Digiacinto. They may have worked and met at Greenwood Plantation in Cheneyville, Louisiana. Joseph and Mary had eight children:

Lena b 1907, Louisiana
Dominick b 1909, Louisiana
Ruby (Providenza) 1911, Louisiana
Jospehine b 1914, Texas
Sam (Joseph Sam) b 1917, Louisiana
Joseph b 1923, Louisiana
Jack (Jeff Jack) b 1925, Louisiana
Virginia b 1928, Louisiana

Joseph was naturalized a United States Citizen on November 10, 1924. He was 35 years old, 5'6" with brown eyes and black hair.
Joseph worked for Standard Oil for many years. He died August 9, 1965 and is buried in Baton Rouge, LA.
Mary Roselli may have been born July 3, 1889 in Italy and came to the US "when she was a baby", but no one seems to know where in Italy she was born. She died in the hospital after surgery of "post operative shock" on July 19, 1934 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was only 44 years old.

Mary is buried in Baton Rouge, LA next to Joseph. Her death certificate states she is the daughter of Sam Roussell. At least one church record has her parents listed as Salvadore Festaldi and Ephania Socera/Suncera.It is possible that Salvadore Festaldi died and Ephania (Fenny) remarried a Sam Roussell or Roselli. Mary may have had step-brothers Henry and Joe and a sister Virgnia who married a Correnti and lived in California.

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GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY