Hello,
I am really hoping and praying that someone has a photograph of my mother-in-laws mother for my mother-in-laws 90th birthday. My mil's father died when she was 3, her mother re-married and then died 5 years later. My mil, along with the younger siblings, was put into an orphanage and foster care by the second husband who for whatever reason could not care for them.
My mil does not remember what her mother looks like, and when her mother died, any photographs or records just disappeared. My mil's siblings are all passed away now and there is no one to ask. No aunts or uncles or cousins, no one. I have already searched through public family trees looking for this connection, but no luck so far. If anyone could help me at all I would be so grateful!
Here is the information I have for the woman I am looking for:
Josephine (Giuseppina) Pecci
born 1894 (maybe 1892, perhaps to make herself look 18 instead of 16 when she married)
in Tramutola, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy
mother (as listed on 2nd marriage certificate) Rosina Magliono
father (listed on 2nd marriage cert. and as contact person in Marsico Vetere on ship passenger list) Mike/Michele Pecci
1st marriage in Marsico Vetere, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy (probably married here, listed as last place of residence on ship's passenger log before emmigrating, and first child born shortly thereafter) to James Salera (1884 in Pittsburgh, PA and died in Los Angeles, CA in 1927).
emigrated aboard the Konig Albert, departing port Naples, arrived in New York 20 Sep 1912. Husband James is for some reason, but I am fairly certain it is him, listed as Giovanni, and here the transcriber made an error, Salvia. If the e and the r in Salera are run together, it looks like Salvia. They are shown as traveling as a married couple. He is listed as a merchant, she as a housewife. Their final destination is Pittsburgh, PA (where incidentally there are a lot of Salera's listed in 1880-1940 censuses), contact person in Pittsburgh is James's brother Angelo Salera. The 1910 census lists (again, incorrectly) Angelo Salera as Salera Angelo, and living with him and his family, James Salera. The family story goes that James went back to Italy to find an Italian wife, met and married Josephine Pecci, and then came back to PA.
Their first son Frank was born March of the following year, so Josephine would have to been 3 months pregnant when they arrived in New York.
The family appears in the 1920 federal census for Pittsburgh, with sons Frank (b. 1913) and Mario (b. 1920). They then moved to Los Angeles, California where Carlo (1922-1990). Yolanda (b. 1924),and Rosemary (my mother in law) were born.
James Salera died in 1927, and Josephine married a second time to Jacob Hoeflinger in Los Angeles, CA She then died in 1932 in Los Angeles, CA.
I know a lot of things about Josephine Pecci, but the only official documents that I have about her are a ships passenger list from when she emmigrated, a marriage certificate for the second marriage, and a 1920 census record for Pittsburgh, and a 1930 census record listing her under her 2nd husbands name, Hoeflinger, in Los Angeles. I have not been able to find any other Pecci relations of hers, a birth, death, or 1st marriage certificate, grave marker, naturalization record, or birth certificates for her children.
So, again, if anyone can give me any information that would help me find Josephine Pecci's relatives and especially a photograph of her, that would be wonderful.
Thank you,
Lynne