This Mystery's History

Many of us contributed, but Genealogue readers Doogles McQuig and Andy E. Wold have worked overtime on the Mario Cantasano mystery. Doogles just informed me that the story made the paper!

It was only until this week that Codemasters and its team of amateur detectives got some fresh leads, thanks to major assists from a genealogy blog, the Genealogue, and John Favereau, a trustee of the Yonkers Historical Society, who had access to Depression-era city directories and other materials at the Riverfront Library.

From their research, it appears that the man in question was not Mario Contasino as reported in 1931. It is now believed that his actual name was Joseph F. Cantasano and he was 26 years old at the time of the accident. [Link]

Well, actually it was Edward F. Cantasano, but let's not quibble over minor details.

Andy has dug up a number of probable living relatives, and has forwarded their names and addresses to the Codemasters crew. Nice work, fellers!

Bonkers for Yonkers

This blog's first guest post is by inveterate and unrepentant Genealogue reader Doogles McQuig:

In response to my query about the subject of challenge #117, Mario "Contasino", a most courteous reference librarian at the Riverside Library in Yonkers sent the following important clue:

I looked up 300 Yonkers Avenue in the 1936 criss-cross directory. (1936 is one of the few years for which I have a criss-cross.) There I found listings for Nicholas V. Castasano, who is listed as employed in the junk business, and for Edward F. Castasano, who is listed as employed in “trucking.” Proceeding to the 1936 city directory proper, I found the same listings, but with some additional information; most significantly, that the wife of Nicholas is named Michelina.

The librarian (not knowing any other details) tentatively concluded the correct spelling was probably "Castasano," and thus a Mario Castasano was the person to be found. But a quick search on Castasano turns up almost nothing. On the other hand, a much more common usage was Cantasano, and look what juicy details that name turns up:

1910 census
Brooklyn Ward 31, Kings, New York

Nicholas V Cantasano 42, born Italy (immigrated 1887)
Madeline Cantasano 33, born NY
Angela R Cantasano 9, born NY
Helene A Cantasano 8, born NY
Edward M Cantasano 4 born, NY

Remember that Mario had two sisters in Brooklyn? Well, here's Edward M. (Mario anyone?) Cantasano with two sisters in Brooklyn. Right name, right place, right age, right family configuration. The middle initial is a bit of a misdirect because it's inconsistent with the Yonkers directory. However, continuing the search on "Edward F. Cantasano," the SSDI reveals a man of that name born on November 25, 1905, with the number issued before 1951 in New York. That works. Googling on "Edward Cantasano" leads to the Rootsweb Brooklyn archive, which tells us Edward graduated 8th grade in June of 1920 from Public School 17 at Driggs avenue and North Fifth street in Brooklyn. Still fits. Finally, and this is sweet, a search on Ancestry leads to a WWII service record for an unmarried Edward F. Cantasano who was born November 25, 1905 and enlisted from Westchester County, NY on 12 Mar 1942.

I wonder what inspired him to enlist?

Edward F. Cantasano died on January 17, 1989 and, according to the records at Ancestry.com, was interred on 24 Mar 1989 at Calverton National Cemetery, 210 Princeton Boulevard Rt 25 Calverton, NY 11933, Section 8 Site 13092.

So, what about it Genealoguers? Is this our guy? How best to find a next of kin?

I'll post a few more details in the comments, including some passport data on Nicholas, and a presumed uncle of Edward's named Vito G. Cantasano. They were each born in Craco, which happens to be in the province of Potenza, in the south Italy.

Genealogue Challenge #117

A video-game company is searching for descendants of Mario Contasino—a taxi driver who collided with Winston Churchill in 1931, and almost changed the course of history.

Codemasters, the UK’s leading independent videogame publisher, is turning detective in order to recognise a descendent of the man who inspired the events depicted in alternate World War II action game Turning Point.

The game supposes that the automobile accident in which a car hit a young Winston Churchill in New York on December 13th 1931 proved fatal – and that without his inspirational speeches to galvanise the Allies, the course of the Second World War took a very different route, with the Axis Powers even invading America. [Link]

They've set up a blog to document the search.

Can you turn up any new information on Mario?

Update: Doogles McQuig has made a discovery!