Marilyn Maniscalco Henley (#1653)
Lin Onofrio Brinkman (#1388) opened the meeting Wednesday, August 21, 1996 and had everyone introduce themselves since there were several returning members including Sheron Appino Nickels, Sheila Dugost, Norm Taliaferro and author Joan Neubauer. Warren Luken attended with out wife Eugenia Assaibene Luken.
Lin sent her research request to Cav. Louis Mendola in Palermo with an International Certified Bankdraft. She and her mother are attending the Reinzo reunion in Connecticut in Sept.
Bill Brinkman, area genealogy instructor (and Lin's husband), read excerpts from a newspaper quiz to determine a person's depth of addiction to genealogy and then passed out copies of the article.
His tip of the month was about using the 'First Decennial Digest' (vol 21-23) and 'Federal Digest' (vol 66-70), indexes to appellate court records, from UT Law School Library to find surnames you are searching involved in court cases. He also suggested searching misc. court records on LDS film for counties your ancestors lived in.
Joe Mastrangelo (#2614) is still searching for the Sicilian hometown of his grandfather Rosario Pizzolato. He sent a request to the INS for the Declaration of Intention, including the spelling Rosso Pissallata shown on the Naturalization document. He relayed the passport registration information and Daily Italian Word calendar mentioned on PIE to the group.
Sheila Bayha Dugost, who searches for the Leone name, asked for suggestions on how to find birth/death information for someone who died less than 70 years ago.
Marilyn Maniscalco Henley passed out minutes from the last meeting and flyers for Houston’s Festa Italiana, Sept 27, 28. and 29. She mentioned the Maniscalco Family Reunion in Houston Oct 13 and her trip to Atlanta on Sept 14 researching her husband’s non-Italian family.
She showed two books about Italian-Americans: 'Up Against the Wall?' by Kay Rizzo and 'Bryan (TX) Legends & Legacies' containing stories about the Italian immigrants who settled there.
Frank and Bert Henry (Iannarino) are traveling to his hometown of Pittsburgh. He told us about his father changing the last name to Henry.
Tony Abbattista (#2641) reported that he sent a research letter to Corato, Bari, Italy.
Lin announced our next meetings on Wednesday, Sept 25 and Oct 23.