The Italian Connection

[Golfingnut]

I am looking for information about THE HILL located in St Louis, Mo. My great grandmother and her first husband came there from Sicilia. They divorced or maybe he died, and she remarried around the turn of the century. The new husband (Dowl), became the rest of the story and the husband seems to be erased from history. My oldest relatives confirm that an intentional record purge was done of bibles, etc. even they don't know why, but remember being firmly told to never speak of the Italian ancestry. My mother used to say she was Cherokee Indian. Her name was Marcella. I would love to find someone with turn of the century information about this Italian neighborhood.

[2BNTV]

Contact Joe Garagiola or Yogi Berra. Both were raised on the hill.

I'm Not being facetious. Maybe their books might have something about this neighborhood, and it's working's.

[swrinfla]

Known for its long-standing Italian population and, of course, its plethora of generally superb Italian restaurants, it is essentially a blue-collar, middle class neighborhood with modest homes a few of which date from The World's Fair in 1904; most from early- to mid-20th Century.

SWR
:beer3:
A St. Louisan from 1958 to 2005.

[Golfingnut]

Contact Joe Garagiola or Yogi Berra. Both were raised on the hill.

I'm Not being facetious. Maybe their books might have something about this neighborhood, and it's working's.

Good idea Joe. I knew that but never thought of them or their books as a source of information.

[Golfingnut]

Known for its long-standing Italian population and, of course, its plethora of generally superb Italian restaurants, it is essentially a blue-collar, middle class neighborhood with modest homes a few of which date from The World's Fair in 1904; most from early- to mid-20th Century.

SWR
:beer3:
A St. Louisan from 1958 to 2005.

My ancestors were Sicilian, but that is almost Italian.

[gpirate]

My ancestors were Sicilian, but that is almost Italian.

Here is a website with some information.

[gpirate]

Here is the website.

https://www.hill2000.org/history/

[CFrance]

...

[Golfingnut]

Here is the website.

https://www.hill2000.org/history/

Thank you, I will now read.

[senior citizen]

I am looking for information about THE HILL located in St Louis, Mo. My great grandmother and her first husband came there from Sicilia. They divorced or maybe he died, and she remarried around the turn of the century. The new husband (Dowl), became the rest of the story and the husband seems to be erased from history. My oldest relatives confirm that an intentional record purge was done of bibles, etc. even they don't know why, but remember being firmly told to never speak of the Italian ancestry. My mother used to say she was Cherokee Indian. Her name was Marcella. I would love to find someone with turn of the century information about this Italian neighborhood.



http://www.ancestry.com/cs/us/family-tree?s_kwcid=ancestry.com

Begin with the surname (last name) of the person you are researching.
Marcella is a female first name..........unless you know for sure that was indeed her surname.

With just a tiny bit of information, you might be able to locate additional facts, or others doing the same research.

There are many people researching their family roots in the United States as well as Sicily. You just might make a “connection” after reading their posts.

You may be able to trace her, by going backwards in time..........
Trace “Marcella” back to where she came from.......and you might find her parents, her siblings, her cousins, her grandparents, and so on.....

Begin with the CENSUS RECORDS for the city she last lived in here in the United States..........she or her parents would have declared where they came from. In other words, type in Saint Louis Missouri and search for the last name of the people you are researching........from there you can go backwards to Sicily which is an island to the west of Italy. Back in the day, they sailed back and forth......

Then go to the Italian records (Sicilian records) and look for their “surname”.......you will discover the town in Sicily, etc., etc.

Good luck on what may be a fascinating journey for you.

p.s. Italians being passed off as Native Americans????
Now, I've heard everything.

[senior citizen]

p.s. to above earlier post.........

I just found 362 people with the surname (last name) of Marcella in the 1930 census. They resided all over the United States.

You might also look in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, and earlier........or later.

From there, you can go on to Sicily..........in other words, work backwards.
Good luck.

[senior citizen]

I am looking for information about THE HILL located in St Louis, Mo. My great grandmother and her first husband came there from Sicilia. They divorced or maybe he died, and she remarried around the turn of the century. The new husband (Dowl), became the rest of the story and the husband seems to be erased from history. My oldest relatives confirm that an intentional record purge was done of bibles, etc. even they don't know why, but remember being firmly told to never speak of the Italian ancestry. My mother used to say she was Cherokee Indian. Her name was Marcella. I would love to find someone with turn of the century information about this Italian neighborhood.


P.S. to my earlier post........


http://stlouisgenealogy.com/ (http://stlouisgenealogy.com/)
St. Louis Genealogy; Discover your Missouri Roots

[senior citizen]

The Hill St. Louis - The Official Website of "The Hill" Neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri (http://www.hill2000.org/)

THE HILL NEIGHBORHOOD, ST. LOUIS MO. THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF "THE HILL" HYPERLINK ABOVE....

USE DROP DOWN MENU AT THE TOP TO GO TO THE "NEIGHBORHOOD" , ETC., ETC.

GREAT RESOURCE :http://stlouis.about.com/od/neighborhoodscities/ss/The_Hill_Tour.htm (http://stlouis.about.com/od/neighborhoodscities/ss/The_Hill_Tour.htm)
WALKING TOUR OF THE HILL
http://www.cuggionogenealogy.net/stlouis.html (http://www.cuggionogenealogy.net/stlouis.html)
One person doing the Italian research with regard to "The Hill" neighborhood in St Louis, MO.
Perhaps they can steer you in the right direction.....as to where to do your research on Italians in St. Louis, MO. You just might find something with regard to your grandmother's surname of Marcella (unless that was her first name; you did not distinguish). Good luck. See below.......
http://www.cuggionogenealogy.net/researchstl.html (http://www.cuggionogenealogy.net/researchstl.html)
RESEARCHING ST. LOUIS ITALIANS
　
FOR THOSE NOSTALGIC FOR LIFE ON THE HILL......OR RESEARCHING THEIR ANCESTOR'S LIVES....

************************************************** ******************************************

Marseiler, Josephine-360 15 Dec 1865 10 Dec 1944 0 Death: St. Louis, Missouri (1944)
Marriage: St. Louis, Missouri (1898)


Marseiler, Louisa-359 28 May 1881 1 May 1953 0 Death: St. Louis, Missouri (1953)


Marseiler, Philomena-580 28 May 1881 22 Jul 1964 0 Death: St. Louis, Missouri (1964)

DO NOT FORGET TO LOOK AT ALTERNATE SPELLING OF NAMES YOU ARE NOT SURE OF. FOR INSTANCE, MARCELLA COULD BE MARSEILER.

WITH A SOUTHERN ACCENT, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

To me, Marseiler (as above) appears to be of French ethnicity, however, I myself have Italians in my tree with French surnames. Sicily, ditto, has a lot of Greek influence. The Sicilians who married into my southern Italian families definitely had Greek blood in them.

Since you have NO RECORDS , just hearsay........hopefully, you might reconnect with some older family member who has a better memory of names and places.

THIS IS WHY ALL OF THE ELLIS ISLAND RECORDS OF IMMIGRANTS' ARRIVAL ALSO OFFER "SOUNDEX" FOR HOW THE NAME MIGHT HAVE SOUNDED TO THE ENGLISH SPEAKING CLERK........GETTING PAST THE HEAVY ACCENTS OF THE VARIOUS IMMIGRANTS.........ARRIVING FROM MANY NATIONS. EVEN THE SHIPS' MANIFESTS HAD ERRONEOUS SPELLINGS.

The above three women died in Saint Louis, MO.

Also, for that "Dowl" surname.........it could have been Dowling or another surname such as "Dalton"..........only you know for sure (if you have anything at all in writing).

Philomena/Filomena is an Italian woman's first name.......my own Italian grandmother's mother's name was Philomena, as were many in her ancestry.......




　






　

[senior citizen]

Sicilian Surnames: History and Onomatology - Best of Sicily Magazine (http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art415.htm)

This is interesting as to the background of the Sicilians.....plus their surnames......
"History and Onomatology"

I just re read it; actually fascinating how the surnames evolved.
Can anyone spot any of their own famiglia? Or, those who married into their famiglia?