MONDELLO FAMILY

from CASTELTERMINI, SICILY to TAMPA, FLORIDA

07/08/03

  The Search

My great aunt Providenza believed we were illegal immigrants.   I searched the ships manifest from the ELLIS ISLAND web site.  Our name did not initially appear so the search was modified with different spellings and found them under "Montello".   They arrived on the S.S. Massilia on May 14, 1897.  We are on lines 130, 1, 2  and 3. 

  This also enabled me to verify our hometown of Casteltermini, Sicily.

The Family Tree

My son Brian and I flew to Salt Lake and worked with a genealogist, KATHY KIRKPATRICK.  With her expertise we were able to build this tree in 2 days.

We were able to deduce that EVERY Mondello from Casteltermini is related from Salvatore Mondello and Eleanora Martorana.

Emilio Terrazzino was my genealogist and translator once I arrived in Casteltermini.  With his help we were granted permission by the priest to search records in the Mother Church.  Some of these books went back as far as the 1600's.  We did find 6 children as noted by the ">"  that were listed in these books.  Also note worthy is Guiseppe's father, Benedictus  was a twin.

Building the Family Tree, Salt Lake City, Utah

(picture to the left)

Myself, Mark Mondello (on left)

My son, Brian Mondello (middle)

Kathy Kirkpatrick (on right)

In the basement of the Mother Church 

(picture to the left)

Guiseppe Mondello (blue shirt, black pants)

Giovanni Mondello  (dark blue shirt, white pants)

Mark Mondello, (holding paper) 

Emilio Terrazzino, (book on this knee)

Vincenzo Mondello (white shirt)

picture taken by my son, Brian.

Keep detailed,organized notes ! This should include source (ie websites, person's name and phone # etc) and information discovered.  NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY !!

Use a professional genealogist.  Don't worry about what it costs, what you are discovering is priceless ! They will navigate you around frustrating stumbling blocks that normally cause most searches to end before they begin.