Ciao tutti!! Sono Whitney Estep. I am an citizen of the United States, though I recently discovered I qualify for Dual Citizenship in Italia jure sanguines (through blood line). I have had an Ancestry account for about five years and came to a halt when I was looking for my Great Great Grandfather's records in Sicily, so I joined a genealogy group on Facebook specifically for Italian heritage.
While poking around online, I ended up meeting a cousin. I had exchanged messages with this same cousin on Ancestry but didn't know it was the same lady at the time. I made a post about my Great Great Grandfather, whose name was Biagio Trombatore, and his wife, whose name was Mary Carmella Listi(Listi was later changed to Lester) and my cousin commented saying she had information on the Listi family. After a few minutes talking on Facebook we realized we were from the same family. She is actually the one who told me about the jure sanguines Citizenship. Her great grandfather was Filippo Listi, and his daughter Mary Carmella was my great great grandmother.
Biagio Trumbaturi/Benjamin Trombatore
Leoluca Trumbaturi with wife Anna Giocchina Paternostro. Biagio is the baby and the toddler is his brother Francesco Trumbaturi.
Lena Saporita (I'm not sure who she is, it's what was written on the back of the picture) and family with Biagio Trumbaturi.
Mary Carmella Listi/Mary Lester Trombatore
Philip Benjamin Trombatore (my Great Grandfather) and Gladys Winifred Charlesworth (my Great Grandmother).
Philip and Gladys Trombatore with yours truly as a baby.
According to my DNA, I'm less than 10% Italian, I think it's 7% or 8%. However, growing up it's always been the side I've been most proud of and identified with. My Mom's biological father died before I was born and didn't have anything to do with my mom her whole life. He was Norwegian and Swedish. My Nana (Mom's mom) was full blood Norwegian. My Dad's family is Italian and German (Dad's mom's side) and English (Dad's dad's side).
This side has also been an enigma to me, because of obvious reasons, because of lack of documents and not really knowing a whole lot about the Italian side of my family because Grandpa Trombatore never really talked about it. He failed first grade because he didn't speak English, so after he learned, he never spoke Italian again. He never mentioned anything about his parents, just his brothers and sisters. I know more now thanks to Ancestry than I ever thought I would find out, so when I found out that I can become an Italian citizen...I was pretty happy.
I will be using this blog as a way to document my journey to becoming a citizen. This is going to be a lengthly process since I have to go a little farther than most people do. Also, since I'm no longer a minor, my dad is also interested in becoming a citizen, my dad has to apply first and once he is recognized then I will be able to apply.
My line is:
Me > Dad > Grandmother > Great Grandfather > Great Great Grandfather
Thanks for stopping by. :)
