12 Replies Latest reply on Jan 6, 2021 2:35 PM by Cara Jensen

Seeking parents of John Mele

Diana Hartmann Dec 31, 2020 5:01 PM

John Mele was born about 1889 in Bari, Italy. He married my great grandmother in Chicago (1921) and had 3 children named John (21), Loretta (23), Louis (24). I have looked at every record of John, Giovanni, and Gaetano that came around that time. I created a spreadsheet and tried to track them all to determine if he could be it. I've been unsuccessful. The story is that he left the family and went back to Italy because he had another family. I would like to see his immigration documents and know who his parents are. Can you help?

Re: Seeking parents of John Mele

Alice Lane Dec 31, 2020 6:01 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)

Hi Diana,
Welcome to History Hub

I found your John Mele on findagrave.com
John Mele was born in 1889 in Italy. When he was 32 he married 16 year old Marie Peggio. They were married on August 6, 1921 in Cook County, Illinois. John died in Chicago in 1925 at the age of 36.
John Mele (1889-1925) - Find A Grave Memorial

Alice Lane
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- Re: Seeking parents of John Mele
  
  Diana Hartmann Dec 31, 2020 6:57 PM (in response to Alice Lane)
  
  Thank you for looking. However, find a grave is incorrect. I reported that to the person that input it. There is no record of him in the Mt. Carmel cemetery. I'm looking for advice on his immigration and naturalization. I've checked every document and having a hard time identifying him exactly. Also tracking where he went after he left my great grandmother.
  
  Fingers crossed an expert can help figure this out.
  
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  - Re: Seeking parents of John Mele
    
    Susannah Brooks Jan 1, 2021 7:28 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)
    
    There is a John Mele buried at Mt. Carmel, who died in 1901. It would be easy for someone to think it was your ancestor, because one has to go backwards several pages from the name to discover the year of the burial from the church death records from Holy Guardian Angel Parish in Chicago. If this was a burial record from 1925, his age would have matched your ancestor.
    https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DCZY-BH?i=12&cc=1452409&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQ2YM-R3Q3
    You may want to ask the person who entered the records on findagrave, to unlink the children from the person buried their.
    
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Re: Seeking parents of John Mele

Susannah Brooks Dec 31, 2020 7:26 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)

If he was born in the town of Bari (not just the state of Bari) this may be his birth record with his parents' names:
Name: Giovanni Mele
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 07 Sep 1889
Event Place: Bari, Bari, Italy
Gender: Male
Father's Name: Vito Mele
Mother's Name: Francesca Marsone
Certificate Number: 2002
There are a lot of other towns in the state of Bari, but their records are not available on-line at home. Once the Family History Centers reopen, you will be able to view the original of the above record as well as search for other Giovanni Meles in the other towns.
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- Re: Seeking parents of John Mele
  
  Diana Hartmann Jan 5, 2021 7:37 PM (in response to Susannah Brooks)
  
  Yes, thank you that is one possibility. I'm looking for a record that shows his true first Italian name and when he came. I then can pick the correct family from Antenati.
  
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Re: Seeking parents of John Mele

Alice Lane Jan 1, 2021 10:31 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)

Hi again Diana

So are you saying that the John Mele in this family tree is not your John Mele???
Giacomo Mele (1889–Deceased), Marie Josephine Peggio (1905–1993) | Landscape View | Family Tree | FamilySearch

Alice Lane
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- Re: Seeking parents of John Mele
  
  Diana Hartmann Jan 3, 2021 10:57 AM (in response to Alice Lane)
  
  Hi Alice-
  Yes Marie is my GGM. But there is incorrect information there. John's real name is unknown. Also he did not die in 1925. That is incorrect. The church book of the John Mele that died is from 1901. We do not know his real Italian name nor where he went after he left the family. The story Marie told was that he had a family in Italy and went back to them.
  
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Re: Seeking parents of John Mele

Cara Jensen Jan 5, 2021 11:23 AM (in response to Diana Hartmann)

Dear Ms. Hartmann,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We suggest that you search Antenati: Italian Digital State Archives, the Italy, Bari, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1908 and/or contact the appropriate Stato Civile for guidance on how to obtain the birth and marriage records and other emigration information that you seek about John Mele. Please review the FamilySearch Research wiki for Bari, Apulia, Italy Genealogy.

In addition, we also suggest that you search the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900 by the Illinois State Archives and request the 1921 marriage certificate of John Mele from the appropriate county clerk as well as birth certificates of his children (also located at the Illinois State Archives).

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research

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- Re: Seeking parents of John Mele
  
  Diana Hartmann Jan 5, 2021 7:44 PM (in response to Cara Jensen)
  
  Thank you-
  
  I have found a few possibilities on Antenati with name variations. I still can't tell which one is him. I do have marriage license from Cook County Chicago. Would a certificate have other information?
  
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  - Re: Seeking parents of John Mele
    
    Cara Jensen Jan 6, 2021 2:35 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)
    
    Dear Ms. Hartmann,
    
    Thank you for posting your follow-up request on History Hub!
    
    Marriage certificates are an official document containing signatures of all parties involved, rather than a license which only conveys intent. Birth certificates also document the legal parentage of a child. Both could help you verify the first name used by John Mele.
    
    We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!
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Re: Seeking parents of John Mele

Alice Lane Jan 5, 2021 2:19 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)

Hi Diana
Marie Peggio Traversa (1905-1993) - Find A Grave Memorial

Family tree by MCampbell and Robert Mele
Vito Nicholas Traversa (1939–2013) | Landscape View | Family Tree | FamilySearch

1940 census Vito Nicholas Traversa (1939–2013) | Person | Family Tree | FamilySearch

Vito Nicola Traversa, "Illinois, Archdiocese of Chicago, Cemetery Records, 1864-1989" (familysearch.org)

Alice Lane
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Re: Seeking parents of John Mele

Diana Hartmann Jan 5, 2021 7:36 PM (in response to Diana Hartmann)

Thank you, I'm able to find this information. It's identifying his coming to America, true Italian first name, birth parents etc.

Thank you for trying.
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