Peter Ameglio, radio operator, Cheltenham (UK)

[cimbrio]

My grandfather, Peter Ameglio, is apparently buried in Calverton National Cemetery, Long Island. He died in a nursing home in Monticello; he was single. He was discharged from military service on October 30th 1945. He left for America on the Queen Mary and never came back to Europe as far as we know. We don't know if he had other relatives, but this is unlikely (at least close relatives).

I have an idea Giovanna Amerio (his mother) travelled with a cousin (I think the surname was Quaglia) when she emigrated to America. However I don't know the exact relationship because Giovanna was the daughter of Pietro Amerio and Amalia Terzano (we know she had a twin sister and an older sister born in 1891, who died in Italy).

Do you know if there is any way of finding a picture of these people? We have never seen a photo of my grandfather, and anything would do, really, even a small identitiy card photo would do...

[aghadowey]

Finding photos is going to be very difficult. Sounds as though possibly there aren't any living relatives but have you thought of trying to trace the family in Italy?
When Peter's parents came to America there probably wasn't much money for 'extras' like getting photographs taken but when/if they did (wedding?, new baby? etc.) they it's quite likely a copy would have been sent to family back in Italy.

[cimbrio]

Actually my father and I went back to Italy in 2007 and as chance would have it the neighbour of the hotel was a distant cousin (through Giacomo's mother); however they had never heard of any relatives in America (but he is as old as my father; perhaps the older generation, if they lived, would have known something).

A big mystery is where and when Giacomo died. We couldn't find either he or his parents buried in Italy (although Giacomo's mother died there in 1945, but no trace of her burial plot; we found one of her sisters but...). So there's lots of question marks but I don't think Giacomo died in Italy since his son and wife were in America.

Many thanks to you both for all your help 

[aghadowey]

When's the last time you've found a record of Peter's father being alive- might be able to at least find a date and place of death for you.

[cimbrio]

The last thing I've found on him is in 1942 when Giacomo "Jack" Ameglio registers for military service in the U.S.; his wife, Antoinette, is given as living at 412 W39th St, Manhattan.

[Geof the Canuck]

I sent you some info last night via pm.

[cimbrio]

Thank you Geoff. I have to ring my dad to see if he knows already what you sent (he lives in Spain; I live in Bulgaria). Thanks so much for taking the time and effort. I'll post back when he's told me.

 

[Geof the Canuck]

You're welcome. The address on the 1930 census record is the same as Giacomo's WWII registration card and is the same as the business address. 12 years of living at the the same address isn't bad.

Either Giacomo got sloppy on the card, or they lived above or in the restaurant and perhaps owned it.

I sent a correction to Ancestry. It's more of an alternate name than a correction since it could have gone either way. My comment was, "Refer to WWII Registration cards for Giacomo (Jack) Ameglio, Peter's father."

[cimbrio]

When Giacomo first went to New York in 1910 on the Duca di Genova he is listed as a farm labourer; when he traveled again from Italy to NYC on the SS Duilio he gives his profession as cook. His son Peter was listed on several documents as a butcher... No idea if they had a family business. Peter died almost 30 years ago, there MUST be people around there who knew him... I'm going to ask a friend of a friend in NYC to take a photo of the address.