Comments on The Genealogue: Bonkers for Yonkers

Library is unable to locate any obituary for Josep...

2008-02-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

Library is unable to locate any obituary for Joseph F. Cantasano. Darn.

26-1/2 Mulberry St. is just a few hundred feet acr...

2008-02-19T21:53:00.000-05:00

26-1/2 Mulberry St. is just a few hundred feet across Columbus Park from 44 Baxter St., their residence in 1893. I guess it's not surprising that they lived near Little Italy.

I have located four of the Cantasano family infant...

2008-02-19T21:12:00.000-05:00

I have located four of the Cantasano family infant death certificates in Manhattan.

Rosa Candesano, b. 23 Nov 1900, d. 12 Dec 1901, parents Luigi and Maria, living at 2131 ???

Vittoria Cantasano, b. calc 1897, d. 12 May 1901 (age 4y at death), parents Dominick and Maria, living at 26-1/2 Mulberry St

Angelo Cantisano, b. calc 1894, d. 06 Dec 1896 (age 2y at death), parents Nicola and Michelina, living at 26-1/2 Mulberry St

Giuseppe Cantisano, b. calc 26 Dec 1893, d. 10 Jan 1894 (age 15d at death), parents Gaetano and Maria, living at 26-1/2 Mulberry St

All buried at "Calvary".

If anyone would like copies, I have scanned copies available.

These clips from the local Yonkers papers add some...

2008-02-19T17:51:00.000-05:00

These clips from the local Yonkers papers add some color to the story and firm up that Mario was a son of Nikola.

From the Yonkers Herald, 21 Dec 1931, p5

Excerpt
...
When a Herald man called at the Contasino home this morning -- a second floor flat in a house all but hidden from the street by billboards -- to learn of his visit with the Churchills, the youth was too reticent to talk with the reporter. So far was he from seeking publicity in connection with the incident that he refused, through his father, to pose for a photograph.

His father, Nikola, at work in his rags factory adjoining the home, told how deeply concerned Mario was over the accident, and a note of pride crept into his voice as he said the statesman might have been more seriously injured if any other driver had been at the wheel. The Contasinos have been residents of Yonkers for the past seven years, having come here from New York.

Mario, his father said, had been employed as a driver at the Saso stone quarries here until the end of last summer. Since that time he has been looking for another position, unsuccessful until now.
...

From the Yonkers Statesman, 21 Dec 1931. p7

Excerpt
...
When Mario's father Nikola was informed of his son's friendship, he was told that Churchill was formerly Chancellor of the British Exchequer, the position being similar to the Secretary of the Treasury in Washington.

"The same as Mr. Mellon?" gasped Nikola. "My, my!"
...

Vito's daughter from the Connecticut Death Index, ...

2008-02-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

Vito's daughter from the Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001.
Name: Maria A Tozzi
Father's Surname: Cantasano
Death Date: 12 Aug 1980
Death Place: Greenwich, Connecticut
Age: 80 Years
Birth Place: New York
Birth Date: 22 January xxxYOB00
Marital Status: Widowed
Spouse: Piero
State File #: 16299
Residence: Ellington, New York
Gender: Unknown
Race: White
Hispanic Origin:

Maria's spouse.
Name: Piero Tozzi
SSN: 083-28-3186
Last Residence: 10021 New York, New York, New York
Born: 15 Jun 1882
Died: May 1974
State (Year) SSN issued: New York (1952-1953)

familysearch.org has a number of Cantasano listing...

2008-02-18T15:06:00.000-05:00

familysearch.org has a number of Cantasano listings in their Pedigree Resource files. Most (all?) seem to be submitted by:

Steve SPENCE
889 W. Mahoney Rd. Brasher Falls, NY 13613

The mapping idea is great.

I'm building a map of all the relevant addresses h...

2008-02-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

I'm building a map of all the relevant addresses here.

Nice going, Andy. I've sent a follow-up to the Riv...

2008-02-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

Nice going, Andy. I've sent a follow-up to the Riverside Library to see if they have access to local obituaries; should list any of Mario's next of kin if they do.

Note: A FindAGrave.com volunteer is going to photo...

2008-02-18T07:06:00.000-05:00

Note: A FindAGrave.com volunteer is going to photograph Mario's headstone for me. :)

Awesome work guys. This should be a case history ...

2008-02-17T18:31:00.000-05:00

Awesome work guys. This should be a case history in a genealogy class.

Somebody needs to notify the Churchill biographers to make some changes before their next printing.

Here's a couple of heirs to Vito G. Cantasano. Fro...

2008-02-17T10:59:00.000-05:00

Here's a couple of heirs to Vito G. Cantasano. From the NYT July 1930

Wills For Probate
Manhattan
Cantasano, Vito G (June 11) Estate, more than $20,000. To Madeline Guarini, daughter, executrix, 1150 Fifth Avenue, $25,000 and life estate in one-fourth residue; Maria G. Cantasano, widow, executrix, same address, personal and household effects, life estate in half residue; Maria A. Tozzi, daughter, 995 Fifth Avenue, life estate in one-fourth; Piero Tozzi, son-in-law, same address, co-executor. Executors directed to erect $25,000 mausoleum and &5,000 for its upkeep; for masses, $5,000.

I let Codemasters know of our new findings.

2008-02-17T10:46:00.000-05:00

I let Codemasters know of our new findings.

ACK ... in my comment above about the NYT article ...

2008-02-17T08:23:00.000-05:00

ACK ... in my comment above about the NYT article "South Street Parcel Changes Hands", I notice I used the spelling "Castasano." That is my mistake; the article spelled the name "Cantasano." I repeated the typo in the next comment below it. The google books entry for Dominick correctly spelled the name "Cantasano." My bad.

Chris You asked why he enlised in 1942. My dad wa...

2008-02-17T02:17:00.000-05:00

Chris You asked why he enlised in 1942. My dad was just a few months younger and he enlisted as they were drafting single men age 36 and younger. He would still have been 36 till November of 1942.

Charles

A nice day's work, Doogles. Thanks.

2008-02-17T01:23:00.000-05:00

A nice day's work, Doogles. Thanks.

Signing off for the night but here are what I thin...

2008-02-17T00:33:00.000-05:00

Signing off for the night but here are what I think are Mario's uncles and cousin:

Vito 1865
-Mary 1890
-Maria 1895

Nicholas ca 1868
-Angelina ca 1901
-Helen 1902
-Edward F (Mario) 1905

Angelo ca 1865
-Joseph ca 1897
-Madeline ca 1900
-Gaetano ca 1901
-Francesco ca 1905

Dominick ca 1877
-Amelia ca 1897
-Constaance ca 1900
-James ca 1903
-Patrick ca 1904
-Joseph ca 1905
-Anthony ca 1906
-Victoria ca 1908
-Angelina ca 1909
-Mary ca 1911
-Frank ca 1913
-Santa ca 1915

Charles ca 1884
(no identified wife or children yet)

Angelo and Charles are brothers also. That makes f...

2008-02-17T00:02:00.000-05:00

Angelo and Charles are brothers also. That makes five of them. Maybe all living American Castasanos come from this group. With luck, maybe we can get this blog up over the 81,000 mark.

Big prize? Oh, yes, the big prize... The first per...

2008-02-16T23:52:00.000-05:00

Big prize? Oh, yes, the big prize... The first person to find a living relative gets his or her name published on the 81,766th most popular blog in the world!

Looks like Dominick Casatasano is a brother also. ...

2008-02-16T23:30:00.000-05:00

Looks like Dominick Casatasano is a brother also. There was some data in google books that indicates he is in business Nicola. He has a large family in the 1910 census and his occupation is paper dealer. Nicola's two daughters should be good targets to find a next of kin, as well as any offspring of Vito and Dominick. Chris, did you tell your readers about the big prize you're offering to the first who comes up with a living next of kin?

From the Nov 26 1903 NYT:"South Street Parcel Chan...

2008-02-16T22:55:00.000-05:00

From the Nov 26 1903 NYT:

"South Street Parcel Changes Hands"

"The Ruland & Whiting Company has sold the property 177 South Street, opposite the Long Island Railroad ferry. The ship chandlery firm of Floyd and Newins have owned and occupied the building for about twenty-five years. The present purchasers are Nicholas V. Castasano & Brother, paper stock dealers."

I'd say these guys weren't doing too badly.

Found 2052 Homecrest in 1920 -- the home is owned ...

2008-02-16T22:26:00.000-05:00

Found 2052 Homecrest in 1920 -- the home is owned by someone else.

Mario should have been graduating 8th grade in Brooklyn though, so Nicola and family should be in the hood somewhere. (Census was taken in January.)

jeebus - in 1920 V. G. Cantasano lived at 2144 Hom...

2008-02-16T22:07:00.000-05:00

jeebus - in 1920 V. G. Cantasano lived at 2144 Homecrest. Haven't been able to find bother Nicola in 1920, but he must be close by.

The following birth record agrees with the Helena ...

2008-02-16T21:59:00.000-05:00

The following birth record agrees with the Helena A. Cantasano in the 1910 household:

Helen A. Cantasano born 14 Mar 1902
certificate 5399
Borough of Brooklyn.

If she survived Mario, maybe she or her kids got the signed Churchill book!

From the same newspaper, Michelena and N. [or "N. ...

2008-02-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

From the same newspaper, Michelena and N. [or "N. G."] Cantasano took out mortgages on "Homecrest av, nr Avenue U" in June 1900 and Feb. 1902.

In November 1902, an ad was placed in the Brooklyn...

2008-02-16T21:44:00.000-05:00

In November 1902, an ad was placed in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle by M. V. Cantasano of 2056 Homecrest Ave., Brooklyn seeking the services of a housekeeper. Nicholas V. Castasano lived at 2052 Homecrest Ave. in 1910.