I had started another blog several years ago at http://myfamilyresearchadventures.blogspot.com/, but when google plus ended some how I messed things up and now it is very difficult for me to get into that blog to post. So I decided to start a new blog that I can get to easier.

Friday, November 20, 2015

John Elere Bionaz birth information

I have been participating in Dear Myrtle's study group "Tracing Immigrant Origins". If you would like to watch these videos you can view them on YouTube. Here is the link to her playlists: https://www.youtube.com/user/DearMYRTLE/playlists . You can see she has done a lot for the genealogy community.

The assignment for the last week of the session was to talk about the things we have learned. Instead of telling you, I am going to post a proof summary of the information I have found in the United States for my great-grandfather, John Elere Bionaz, that will help locate him in Italy.

John Elere Bionaz is believed to be the one on the right.

When was John E Bionaz born?

Right now I am not expecting to determine exactly when John E Bionaz, my great-grandfather, was born. That would take actually doing research in Northern Italy. However, before going to Italy I need to know as much as possible in order to have some idea as to where to look in Italy.
Below is a table that shows the birth date information that I have found.

Name
Event
Date of Event
Birthday
Birth year
Age
Possible Birth Year
Jean Brona[1]
Ship Passenger List
16 Apr 1894


24
1870
John Bionaz[2]
1900 Census
21 Jun 1900
Feb
1868
32

John There Bionaz[3]
Marriage Record
24 Nov 1900


32
1868
John Hario Bionaz[4]
Ship Passenger List
3 Jan 1903


36
1866
John Ellere Bionaz[5]
Petition for Naturalization
21 Sep 1908
27 Feb
1866


John E Bionay[6]
1910 Census
26 Apr 1910


42
1868
Giovanni Bionaz[7]
1912 Passenger list
21 Sep 1912


46
1866
John Beonza[8]
1920 Census
5 Jan 1920


54
1866
John Beonza[9]
Death Record
25 Oct 1924
27 Feb
1866
58 Years
7 mo 28 days






From these records there is 2 possible birth dates; both dates include the birth month of February and the day of 27. So was he born 27 Feb 1866 or 27 Feb 1868.
The 1900 and 1910 census and his marriage record are all records that were recorded with his wife, Orpheline Boche, family present. He was living in with the family in 1900. The 1903 and 1912 Ship Passenger List and his Petition for Naturalization was given without any of the Boche family around.
The 1920 census and his death record would come from the information given at the time he entered the Sanatorium for Tuberculous.
My conclusion is John Elere Bionaz was born 27 Feb 1866, since that is the date he would have given without much bias. He may have lied and tried to look younger when he went to board with the Boche family and that information continued into the marriage Certificate and 1910 Census.
As for what town in Italy he came from both the 1903 Passenger List and his Petition for Naturalization states Brisogne which is in the region of Aosta.
His parents’ names are only found on 2 records, his marriage certificate and his death certificate. Both of these records indicate his father’s name was Pierre Bionaz. The 2 records do not agree on his mother’s name: the marriage certificate indicates her name was Duchia Bionaz, but the death certificate indicates her name was Maria Garra or Gana; it is possible that his mother’s name was Maria Duchia or Duchia Maria.
The next place to look is the microfilm: Liste di leva del circondario di Aosta, 1792-1904. Draft lists. The date of the volume generally indicates the date of birth of the draftee. There are 2 films listed for 1866.
1.     Lista di leva della regione d'Aosta 1865-1866 Film #1924333
2.     Lista di leva della regione d'Aosta 1866 Film #1924335
If he is not on either one of these films than next I would look at the Film for 1868. Film #1924337.

Foot notes
  1.  Year: 1894; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 625; Line: 23: Ship La Bretagne; left from La Havre; Steerage Passenger. Accessed 30 October 2015
  2.  "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M394-NVX : accessed 1 November 2015), John Bionoz in household of Peter Bush, Adams Township, Cambria, Pennsylvania, United States; citing sheet 26A, family 473, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,387.
  3. "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-159316-186008-67?cc=1589502 : accessed 1 November 2015), 004460980 > image 791 of 820; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.
  4.     .      Year: 1903; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 0316; Line: 2; Page Number: 119: Ship La Lorraine; left from Havre 27 Dec 1902: third time entering USA, 1893 and 1902. Accessed 30 October 2015
  5.            United States Of America Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization Division of Naturalization, "Petition For Naturalization" (court of Common Pleas, Cambria County Pennsylvania, 21 September 1908.) copy privately held by Betty-Lu Baker Burton, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE], 9 November 2015
  6.            "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-23065-15879-57?cc=1727033 : accessed 1 November 2015), > image 1 of 1; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). line 87
  7.            Year: 1912; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 1938; Line: 1; Page Number: 142: Ship La Savoie; left from Havre. Accessed 30 October 2015
    8.     Year: 1920; Census Place: Mahoning, Montour, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1603; Page: 4B; Line 86 ;Enumeration District: 58; Image: 536: Ancestry.com: State Hospital for the Insane
    9.     Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Accessed 30 October 2015